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O.K. Let's assume that you are ready to walk out the door specifically for the purpose of witnessing. Keep in mind that witnessing opportunities happen everyday at a fairly high frequency so we must be ready to witness at a second's notice. We must be "tuned in" to the circumstances surrounding us, aware and watching for those persons and situations that cross our path. They can come up without warning and, if we're not alert, will pass us by without us ever noticing. BUT, for today, we are going out for the express purpose of "seeking and saving that which was lost". What do we do? How do we prepare?
Everybody is different but here's what I would advise you to do to prepare. It begins when you get out of bed in the morning. Have an "attitude" of prayer and meditation. Try to prepare yourself, spiritually. Don't do a lot of other activities during the time leading up to walking out the door. I know some who can be involved in a flurry of activities and, when it's time to go witness, kick into witness mode. They, though, sometimes have a hard time letting go of the events of the day to concentrate on the task at hand. Find time to get alone and get quiet before the Lord.
Open up your Bible and begin looking up key verses. Even if you've read them 1,000 times, take the time to look them up and read them again. If you have a booklet with key verses already laid out for you, you can use that. They can be purchased at Christian bookstores. Key verses might include verses dealing with salvation, assurance, comfort, and verses dealing with answering common objections. Common objection verses might be verses dealing with procrastination, doubt, and atheism. They might include verses that deal with believing that good works is enough, that the Christian life is too hard, that they have been hurt, that God doesn't know they exist, etc.. Keep your spiritual ears open for the Holy Spirit to give you some direction. I have been led many times to read passages that I seldom would think about and, then, use those passages numerous times during the actual witnessing time. Remember, the Holy Spirit knows where you're going to witness and to whom. He knows what they need and will help prepare you to be effective with them. I like to spend at least an hour or so just looking up verses. As you witness more, your familiarity with scripture and those verses that are most effective will increase. It will get easier.
Spend time in prayer. Hopefully, you have been praying all week about this moment. Ask the Lord for the words to say. Ask Him to bring to your remembrance the verses that can be used in various cases. Ask Him to lead you to the right places, down the right street, and to the right door. Ask Him to prepare the hearts of those to whom you will witness. Ask for direction. Ask for peace. You'll need His peace. Ask Him to help you relax and be a voice for Him. Ask Him to let you see them through His eyes. Ask for compassion. Ask Him to cause the person that He has prepared to be witnessed to to answer the door or cross your path. Let Him know that, without Him, this will fail. He must be there for you and He will be there. You must have His anointing! Even Jesus had to have His anointing (Acts 10:38).
Now, about your approach. Be true to your personality. Don't try to be Billy Graham, your pastor, or someone that you aren't. Be natural and be yourself. If you are bold, be bold. If you are reserved, be reserved. Just be yourself. If you try to witness like someone that you are not, you will have a difficult time. It will not feel natural. God made you who you are and He will use you just as you are. If you stay true to your personality, you will come across as genuine. Be prepared to listen. You don't have to have an answer to every problem and don't feel like you've failed because you didn't know what to say. Sometimes, the Holy Spirit just wants you to be quiet and listen. The person may just need someone to listen. Listen, not just to what they are saying, but listen, also, to their heart. Sometimes, what they are saying is not as important as how they are saying it. Approach them with respect. Don't look at them like, "You SINNER!". Respect what they say, take it seriously, and try to be understanding. Respect their property. Don't walk across their yard. Don't barge into their home without an invitation. Don't look around as if you aren't interested in what they are saying. Don't rush. If this is the ONLY person you witness to, today, that is good enough. I have spent a couple hours with some people and 1 minute with others. It all depended on them. Be relaxed! Just breath normally. Realize that it's just two people talking. You are on an equal status with the person. You are both just human beings trying to get through this life. You are there to help them if you can. They may help you more than you help them. It is permissible, even advisable, to talk about other things. It doesn't have to be all so spiritual. Be observant! Look around. Is there a boat in the driveway? Do you like to fish? Admire their boat before you talk about spiritual matters. Are there photos of children on the wall? Ask about them? Is their paper laying on the porch? Pick it up and hand it to them. What kind of house do they live in? What is on their porch? The stuff around their home can tell you a lot about the person inside the home. Be humble, compassionate, and genuine. Weep with those who weep, rejoice with those that rejoice. Care about them and their lives. Care about their problems. Remember, God cares and you are there to represent Him. Don't be arrogant. Don't be a know-it-all. Don't be argumentative. You can, though, be aggressive when called for. Sometimes, you have to state God's case with authority. Be sensitive, though, as to when to do it.
These things can apply whether you are going cold door-to-door witnessing or just talking with family and friends. You can use them on their front porch or while pumping gas at the gas station. People see God through us! They tend to think that God is who we represent Him to be. Sometimes, that's too bad. The devil has lied to the world and blinded them. They have a distorted view of God and, therefore, have difficulty coming to Him. We are there to represent God, to defend His honor, to expose the lies of the devil, and to reveal the truth about God and the gospel. We are there to let them know that they are important to God. Important enough that He sent us to them. Revelation 12:10 says that the devil is the accuser of the brethren to God. I believe that the devil is also the accuser of God to the brethren. We must set the record straight.
If we don't, who will?
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