Read and Grow

Do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? Not every Christian feels confident that they do. There are many ways the Holy Spirit helps and guides Christians, and sensing or hearing a tangible voice is only one. If you want to share Jesus with your friends but hearing the Holy Spirit speaking to you is not your experience, you’ve come to the right place.
‍

The first thing to recognise is just because you don’t feel like you hear the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong. God chooses how He wants to communicate with you and He is free to communicate how He chooses. God is not withholding his voice until you’re ready to hear him. Don’t get caught in the trap that you must perform for God in order for Him to bless you by speaking to you.

In the absence of a clear sense of hearing His voice, start with what is clear about the Holy Spirit. If you want to grow your trust in the Holy Spirit, start with what the Bible clearly teaches. When you grow confidence in the Bible’s promises about the Holy Spirit, you can grow in faith in areas which aren’t as clear.

Here are 5 foundational and clear truths about the Holy Spirit as revealed in the Bible:

‍

1. If you’re a Christian, the Holy Spirit is with you.

And Peter said to them,

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38

The Bible teaches that every Christian, once they repent and believe in Jesus, receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you love Jesus and have been saved by him, you can be confident that the Holy Spirit lives in you.

2. The Holy Spirit is good, you don’t need to fear Him
‍

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:13

There is a lot of mystery around what is and what isn’t the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is good and there’s no need to fear a genuine exploration of who He truly is. Ask God to help you learn more about who He is.

3. The Holy Spirit is given as a gift to help you
‍

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

Romans 8:26-27

There are many ways the Holy Spirit will help you. He will bring you comfort, give you wisdom, work in your circumstances, bring healing, etc. The more you’re aware of His presence the more you will see His helping work in your life.

4. The Holy Spirit reminds you of God’s words
‍

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 14:26

There are a few times in the Bible it mentions that the Holy Spirit will work supernaturally to bring things to your mind at the right time. This can be Bible verses and also it can be simply the right words to say. Be prayerful when you are in a conversation about Jesus and take note and speak the things that come to your mind.

5. Being Filled with the Holy Spirit is for all Christians
‍

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Ephesians 5:18

Being filled with the Spirit is not only about things like speaking in tongues and prophecy, it’s about His daily guiding presence in your life. It’s a daily presence He gives to you when you seek it. Don’t let your fear of the unknown stop you from receiving the blessing of His presence. Ask for it and seek it every day.

If it’s not your experience to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, start by pursuing Him in the ways that have been made clear in the Bible. Commit these Bible verses to memory, seek the Holy Spirit daily, and rely on Him as you talk to your friends about Jesus.

Life can feel like a battlefield. Our personal and professional priorities constantly fight for our attention. On any day there can be dozens of important tasks to be done, yet so often we miss what’s most important. As Christians, how do we prioritise something like spending time with the Holy Spirit?
‍

Action beats intention every time.

A study in the British Journal of Health and Psychology found that 91% of people who actually planned the details of their physical exercise ended up following through with that commitment. As a Christian, cultivating your relationship with the Holy Spirit should be a high priority. The problem is in our busy world we either forget its importance or we become so distracted with everything else that it never gets done. The solution is to start with action.

Don’t just tell yourself “I’m going to spend time with God tomorrow”. Plan it.

Not just in vague terms; plan the time and the location. Some people like to use their commute; other people like to find a quiet spot at the beach or in nature. Try to avoid places that have lots of distractions. Think about the place and picture yourself there.

Now that you’ve chosen a time and location, set a reminder on your phone. This will help to remind you, but more so—the very act of setting the reminder is already a confirmation of your commitment.

Congratulations, you are on your way!

God wants you to build a strong connection with the Holy Spirit, He will help you with this. So ask for His help.

Start building your relationship with the Holy Spirit right now.

‍

Look at that! You’re already 3 steps along the journey! Keep going!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." - Romans 15:13

Understanding what the Holy Spirit is saying can be a challenge.

The Bible says He is your helper and guide through life, but how can you have confidence in what He’s saying? Or even if He is speaking in the first place? Is that voice telling you to study at uni the Holy Spirit? Or when you hear that “she’s the one,” is that Him or just your emotions? Is it possible to develop a way to understand what the Holy Spirit is saying when He speaks?

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear talks about setting up systems to help you achieve your goals. He writes, “I began to realise that my results had very little to do with the goals I set and nearly everything to do with the systems I followed.” A musician, for example, might have a goal to perform a difficult new piece. Their system involves how often they practice, how they break down and tackle difficult measures, and their method for receiving feedback from an instructor. Their success is determined, not by their internal motivation, but by their dedication to the system they’ve created. If your goal is to understand what the Holy Spirit is saying, you can gain confidence in that by developing a system.

Here’s a simple system to help you:
‍

Listen

We can assume the Holy Spirit is always speaking, so we need to stop and listen to Him. His voice is small and still, so this can take time and patience. Give yourself time and space to intentionally stop and listen to that voice.

Hear

Take detailed notes of when you feel like you’ve heard from Him. Does it line up with God’s character? Does it line up with what the Bible says? Include the date and time as well as the details of what He said; your memory alone can be unreliable. Hold onto those notes so you can review them later.

Respond

Put into action what you feel like He has told you to do. Whether it involves some sort of sacrifice or putting yourself outside your comfort zone, embrace the challenge and trust that God will help you do it.

Review

Evaluate what happened. Was there a positive outcome? Did you or someone else grow because you responded?

Use this system to familiarise yourself with the voice of the Holy Spirit. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and have grace with yourself, as this is something you will learn over time. It’s also helpful to check in with a close Christian friend and go on the journey together. The more you live out this system, the more familiar you will become with the Holy Spirit’s voice.

John 16:13“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

Start today!

Prioritise this system into your time with God and see how you learn to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice.

Laura is the kind of person you want as a friend. Always looking to the bright side of life and always checking in to see if you’re okay. She shared a situation where she did just that with a work colleague...
‍

“A friend of mine at work looked really upset so I went up to her and simply asked, ‘Are you OK?’

She looked up at me and her eyes looked a little bit red like she'd been crying, so I just decided to give her a hug – which was actually quite bold of me, especially being in a work setting. The hug led to her sharing about something that she was going through, which then led to a helpful conversation about Jesus.

She opened up to me about a miscarriage that she had recently gone through, and I was actually able to sympathise with her because I've been through something similar myself. She then asked me an interesting question, ‘How does the heartache go away?’ I was able to be really honest with her and said that the pain didn’t necessarily go away, but that my relationship with Jesus has been one way I've found that has really helped me.

Undergoing self-reflection to understand your own experiences (even if you don’t share them directly) is a great way to build empathy for others. Taking the next step and being vulnerable by sharing is a great way to spark conversations that lead to talking about Jesus. Simply sharing your story is powerful because you never know what that simple act of vulnerability can do in someone's life.

I feel like we sometimes overcomplicate things.

Being Bold and giving something so simple – like a hug, a word of encouragement, asking ‘Are you OK?’ – that can really change someone's life.”

Have you ever invited friends to your house and had to do a frantic, last-minute clean up right before they arrive?

You invited them around but forgot that your house or room is an absolute mess. Like, ‘dirty plates on the floor’ kind of mess. So you rush around hiding your clothes and dishes into the nearest cupboard, run a wet cloth over the bench, and empty an entire can of air freshener to mask the smell. All too often, we do the exact same thing when it comes to sharing Jesus.

Every Christian sins, including you. And the associated feelings of guilt and shame can be a barrier to talking about Jesus when the opportunity comes. “How can I talk about how much I love Jesus when I’ve just failed him?” If you resonate with this, you’re not alone. You might feel the impulse to try harder and to make it up by doing lots of good things. Hide all of your failings and cover up the smell of your faults. But that’s not what Jesus wants you to do.

It’s important to pay attention to the guilt you feel after you sin, but what you do with that guilt is crucial. To try and fix yourself is pride in disguise. Rather, the Bible encourages us to confidently take our sin straight to Jesus, who is quick to forgive. There is nothing you can do to be more forgiven than you already are. The Bible says there is no more condemnation for you. Your identity is saved, forgiven, and righteous. Perfect in God’s sight.

Don’t try and fix yourself but go to the one who can , Jesus.

Talk to him, confess your sins, and ask for His forgiveness. You can do this knowing He will forgive you because he has promised to. When you confess your sins, the Spirit will take away your feelings of guilt and shame and replace them with peace and acceptance.

As you do this, understand the fullness of God’s grace towards you and choose to live from that place. You have received grace upon grace, His grace is sufficient for you, and you have been adopted as a child of God. All this is true about you regardless of your actions. It’s prideful to try to add your own good deeds on top of God’s forgiveness in order to make yourself more right before God.

The truth of the gospel is that you were saved while you were still a sinner.

This is a powerful truth. Why? Because your friend who doesn’t know Jesus needs the same forgiveness. What better way to share Jesus than to be honest about your own imperfections and how you can come to Jesus every day and be free of guilt.

Take time to consider Jesus’ love and grace towards you. Confess your sins and you will find forgiveness. And the next opportunity you have, don’t hide your imperfections but punch Satan right in the face and use them to share the truth and grace of Jesus.

References

Romans 8:1 There is no more condemnation for you.

John 1:16 You have received grace upon grace.

2 Corinthians 12:9 His grace is sufficient for you.

Romans 8:15-16 You have been adopted as a child of God.

Romans 5:8 The truth of the gospel is that you were saved while you were still a sinner.

Lis is a passionate Brazilian, visual artist, and mother. After losing her own mother, we spoke to her about the importance of empathy and how God can bring good things out of tragic circumstances...

‍

“I lost my Mum to cancer"

Not long after that I found myself in a conversation with a woman who also had cancer. I was still grieving the death of my Mum, but I didn't want to let that pain get in the way of the Holy Spirit's prompt to pray for her. I also didn't want that woman to miss out on everything that God could do in her life.

The dilemma in that moment was how to be empathetic to what she was going through and not be insensitive just because I wanted to talk about Jesus. So I asked an open-ended question to gauge her response: ‘Do you believe in God?’ This was a great question because it gave her the power to direct the conversation and gave me the opportunity to listen and hear things from her perspective.

The question opened up a great conversation. I was able to share about the tangible hope that Jesus had given to my Mum and family towards the end of her life, and in the end, I was able to pray for her!

In Romans 8:28 it says,

‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.’

This experience reminded me how important it is to reflect on your past experiences, bad and good, because God can and does use both.

When you remember what God has done, you will be prepared to share when the opportunity comes.

There’s no denying it. Starting a conversation about Jesus can be super awkward. It can come across forced and ungenuine. Your friend might get defensive and you might not know how to respond to hard questions. It can feel easier to avoid the topic completely.

How can you start conversations about Jesus in an easy and natural way?

God has woven ideas, stories, and analogies into our culture that point towards Jesus. They are reflections and refractions of God and our relationship with Him. In fact, you’ve probably already talked about Jesus many times, you just didn’t realize it.

There are many kinds of stories that do this, and we will briefly explore 3 of them here.

Good vs Evil

Stories about good vs. evil have been around since humanity first started telling stories.

Star Wars and Lord of The Rings, for example, present a world where there is a clear distinction between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The evil side is powerful, and often the hero is seduced by the power of evil, but ultimately the good side wins.

Hero Stories

Stories about heroes are very popular. Often the hero is a normal person who is given certain abilities to fight on behalf of the helpless. Their lives are marked with self-sacrifice and service.

Redemption Stories

Redemption stories connect with us on a deep level. These are stories where the protagonist will be heading down a dark and evil path. Things continue getting worse for them until they hit rock bottom, have a realization, turn their life around, and find redemption.

These narrative concepts connect with us because they are true, and they are true because they are ultimately about Jesus. Think about it. Jesus defines good and evil. Jesus is the ultimate self-sacrificial hero, and all of humanity needs redemption.

As God’s children, we are to live by this command:

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”

Romans 12:21.

But how does this help you talk about Jesus?

When you’re having conversations about these topics, ask open-ended questions to explore these topics at a deeper level.

‍

This list of questions is obviously not exhaustive, it’s just to get you thinking. Always start by asking what they think about it, then share your thoughts and make sure it’s a conversation, not a sermon.

There are trending cultural conversations happening around you all the time. Be aware of these stories in the movies or streaming on TV. Consider how they reflect Jesus and use them as starting points for great conversations.

What stories do you know that could lead into a conversation about Jesus?

Bailey Jeffs.

Surfer. Photographer. Guitarist with a curiosity for synthesizers. He is a man on a journey to discover what the expression of his creativity looks and feels like.

At the moment, it looks like a music project, ‘LUUNG’ — melodic musings set to an introspective backdrop of chimey guitars and smooth synths.

“I’m actively pursuing a career in music and it’s only because of Him (Jesus) that I’m doing that.

It’s a really bad investment, music. You put so much in with very little return, but I’ve got this sense that He’s guiding it.” — Bailey

Like many artists, Bailey’s creativity is rooted in a conversation at the core of who he is and what he believes.

“My personal faith journey was after finishing school.

I had the realization that the person other people say you are when you’re in school, that’s not who I had to be. And I guess Jesus came into that.” — Bailey

With a passion to connect his faith and identity to his creativity, Bailey has found inner confidence in his gift.

“After leaving school, I realized that God is real and He’s made me this specific way.

I’ve got gifts and abilities that I’m stoked to have because of Him. Not comparing myself to other people, but I’ve got big dreams and stuff I wanna do in my life and I just want to own that, ’cause I’m proud of that and I know God has a plan.” — Bailey

‘Christian music’, as a method for preaching the gospel, has an awkward reputation for superficiality, either avoiding the deep issues of life or providing shallow answers at best. Bailey is keen to explore a third option: asking great questions.

“I don’t feel like I’ll be making music so I can go up to someone and say, ‘Hey! You should follow Jesus.’

I don’t want to go around quoting scripture or like, ‘this is why I’m being good and buying you a coffee.’ You know, you don’t do that. Music gives you the space to ask big questions like that without isolating people. I think that’s what I like about it.” — Bailey

Bailey is just as passionate about his craft as he is about living an authentic life in relationship with God and allowing his creativity to be the overflow.

“I think there’s so much inspiration that can come from being a Christian,

(knowing) the God that created everything, literally the greatest creator of all. Surely we should be making better stuff than every other person who doesn’t have faith.” — Bailey

You can experience purpose by knowing your calling, having the courage to pursue it, and trusting that God will create opportunities to use you and bring others into relationship with Himself.

“Find what you’re good at and pursue it wholeheartedly.

Give it to God. It’s hard but He knows what He’s doing at the same time. I think that’s what I’m put on the earth to do — express my faith through whatever I’m making. It’s simple but that’s also what I think faith is about.” — Bailey

You live in a world of fences. It’s all too easy to live inside your secluded home, stream on-demand TV, and lock away the world outside.
‍

These fences aren't just physical; they're emotional as well. People like to keep others away because they feel safer. This can make sharing Jesus with your next-door neighbors a challenge. So how can we change that?

Jesus told a story about a good neighbor. A Jewish man was robbed and beaten and left on the road. After a priest and temple worker walked right past, a Samaritan man stopped to help him. Samaritans and Jews had a bad history and more or less hated each other. But when the Samaritan saw the robbed man, he had compassion for him despite their differences and helped him. Jesus said this Samaritan man was a good neighbor and tells all of us to do likewise Luke 10:29-37.

You have the opportunity to be a good neighbor. The Samaritan man helped the Jewish man despite the differences they shared. Differences don’t need to be a barrier. Reach out and have compassion for them. Find some common ground and serve them.

Start by paying attention to what’s going on in your street. If you take the time, you’ll be surprised to see what’s going on in the lives of the people living around you. Try taking some time to walk around your streets and observe. Pray as you do so. Some families are very busy and struggle to keep up with the yard work. Some people are lonely. Some people struggle with health. Don’t be nosy, but be observant.

If you observe someone that could use some help, approach them humbly and sincerely and offer to serve them. You might offer to mow their lawn or help them with their garden. Take their dog for a walk once a week. Offer to serve them in a tangible way that lets them know you care about them. Even if they don’t accept, they may still feel encouraged that you offered

Some people will just love your company. Loneliness is a big problem in our culture today. Spending one hour a week talking with a neighbor can mean the world to them. Listen and care for them, and if a chance to share Jesus comes up, do it.

God has placed you where you live for a reason. Listen to the words of Jesus and be the good neighbor he wants you to be. Take initiative, show compassion, and love them the way Jesus would.

Take time today to observe the streets you live in. Choose one person in need and reach out to them.

If you find yourself in a situation where you want to talk about Jesus but you don’t know what to say, just remember you have a story. Your story is a celebration of what Jesus has done in your life and He wants to use it to impact and change the people in your world. Stories have power; they have the ability to change and challenge you. Stories are often God’s chosen method for transformation.

Sharing your story is as simple as telling others how Jesus has changed your life–sometimes we call it a testimony. It is something Jesus often encouraged those who he healed to do (Mark 5:19). Taking the time to consider and construct your testimony is time well spent. It can be a powerful tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit as He guides you in conversations with your friends.

Here are some helpful tips on how to build and clarify your Jesus-story.

Construct a statement and story for each of the following points:

1. WHAT your life was like before Jesus? Without Jesus, our lives are void of identity and purpose. What was an area of identity or purpose that was lacking before you met Jesus? Perhaps you were filling your life with an addiction (social media, alcohol, bad relationships) because you lacked purpose. Or you felt lost in the world because you had no place to belong.
2. WHY did you to follow Jesus? The moment Jesus broke into your world and changed your life is a powerful story. Sharing it helps you avoid cliches and it personalises the Gospel. When you share your story, focus on what was happening internally for you, not just the sequence of events.  People will be impacted by hearing about your change of heart. For example:

“I really believed that no one could ever love me but I was looking for it everywhere. It wasn’t until I heard the story of Jesus’s death that I started to comprehend that I was loved–even cherished.”

3. HOW your life has changed since following Jesus? Jesus changes us. He gives us a new identity and purpose. Share how Jesus has impacted and changed your life. Focus particularly on the identity and/or purpose you were lacking in section one, then share how Jesus filled that lack. Share how His love and mercy has shaped your emotions (no longer angry, anxious, etc), or changed your actions for the better (love helping people, don’t react, forgive quickly).

5 Tips For Sharing Your Story

Be Fresh — Share what Jesus is doing in your life now. Jesus is always changing us, so take notice and be ready to share a recent story.

Be Honest — Authenticity is often the make or break for people. You don’t need to embellish or exaggerate. Instead, trust that the Holy Spirit will use what’s true to change the hearts of your friends.

Be Specific — Be vulnerable and include details–about the journey of your heart and the truth and lies that rose to the surface of your mind; this will help make your story relatable.

Be Normal — Use everyday language that your friends will understand. Avoid Christian cliches.

Be Sharp — A story that has a point is powerful. Be careful not to explore too many tangents, instead focus on the main thing Jesus has done in your life.

You have a story and the Holy Spirit is your helper. Get out there and start sharing your story. Trust the Holy Spirit will use your story to change people’s lives, just as He did with you.

Have you ever felt completely unqualified? You are given a job to do at work or an assessment task at university. It can make you feel overwhelmed. You might feel at a loss of where to start, so you keep putting off the task. Perhaps you feel this way about sharing Jesus. You know the Great Commission exists, but the task seems too grand and unachievable.

The good news is you don’t have to feel unqualified, because you’re not. God made you on purpose and with a purpose. You are qualified to share Jesus because God created you with a unique personality, and skills and abilities to reach the specific people in your everyday life.

Here’s some truth to speak against the lie that you’re unworthy to share the gospel. You are who God intended and created you to be. You are not a mistake.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made” . (Psalm 139:13-14)

God has given you gifts, passions, and a personality that are designed to do the work of sharing Jesus that He has prepared for you (Ephesians 2:10).

Here’s the bottom line. You don’t need to be someone else when talking about Jesus with your friends. Be the ‘you’, God made you to be. For example, if you love hosting parties and cooking for people, do that. Invite people to your place, cook for them and use that time to share your lives together. As you go, find opportunities to talk about Jesus. If you’re a creative person, find ways to share Jesus through your creativity. There are many ways you can translate your gifts, passions, and personality to sharing the gospel – the only limit is your imagination.

You are in the right place, at the right time. Your mission field is all around you.

Think about your friends, your family, the barista at your coffee shop, the people in your study group or sporting club. These are the people God has placed in your life to share Jesus with. Just like the words said to Esther in the Old Testament, you have been called for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Open your eyes each day to the mission field you already find yourself in.

So, how do you start?

1. Start by praying for the people in your world and ask the Holy Spirit for opportunities to have conversations and build relationships
2. Be salt and light. Let God bring out His flavours and colours in your life, and when people ask what is different about you, be ready to give an answer to what Jesus has done in your life.

God has placed you where you are for a reason. Don’t try to be someone else, be yourself. Think about the people in your life that you have regular contact with, how can you get creative with your gifts, passions, or personality to share Jesus with them?

Conversations about faith and religion always bring important questions and objections to the surface. These objections can often be misinterpreted as scary, discouraging, negative moments. In reality, an objection isn’t something to be feared; it’s an opportunity to engage.

When it comes to addressing objections, often it’s as much about how we respond as it is about the response we give.

For example, someone might be resistant to faith because of the violence involved in the Crusades. But as you listen more closely you realise that behind their question is a personal experience where they were hurt by the church. Why would people who claim to love in the name of Jesus act so hurtfully? Often resolving a question doesn’t just mean giving “the right answers”.

Ever heard the old adage: “people don’t care what you know until they know that you care”? How we speak speaks volumes. At the same time how we discern what’s behind the question can hold more value than a masterful apologetic response.

Here are 4 tips so you can respond rather than react when objections are raised:

1. Don’t be surprised

If challenging questions are raised, don’t assume that you’re being attacked. There are many reasons that objections to Jesus and the Bible are raised. They can come from a place of hurt, misunderstanding or from competing worldviews. And often the most alienating way we can respond is with surprise or alarm. Don’t be surprised: invite conversation.

2. Engage

Don’t avoid objections when they’re raised, engage with them. Good questions are your superpower. They are an excellent conversational tool that you can bring out when an objection is raised. Ask often: “What makes you say that?” It slows down the conversation and makes the thought process more of a dialogue.

It also gives you space to listen, think, and pray. Let’s say someone says “I just don’t understand how a good God can allow so much pain in this world.” By asking “What makes you say that?” you will uncover the heart behind the objection. You might discover they have an illness, or a loved one died recently. Ultimately, you’re not answering a question, you’re answering a person.

3. Learn as you go

Getting completely stumped in a conversation is an opportunity to learn. Don’t try to be an expert or “get it perfect.” Admitting that you don’t know an answer can sometimes be the best answer to give. Say you’ll look into it and get back to them. This keeps the conversation going, shows humility, and helps build your knowledge and resources.

Remember – there’s more going on behind the scenes than just a conversation. The Holy Spirit is always at work. Be honest and trust Him.

4. Be ready

The Bible says to be ready to “make a defence to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Sharing Jesus and loving your neighbour means engaging in difficult conversations.

Spend time thinking about why you believe in Jesus–specifically. Why do you believe in Jesus rather than Buddha or Mohammad or nothing? Study the Bible and listen to a wide range of good apologetics podcasts (apologetics means defence of the faith). Include them in your weekly listening and study. Consider these things for yourself, and be ready to respond in gentleness and respect.