Are You A Soul Winner? You Can Be With This One Simple, But Powerful Change.
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Romans 1:14–16
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
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I am a soul winner. Learn why adopting that simple statement can change your life forever.
Consider our text. The Apostle Paul makes three “I am” statements. The word “am” is a “be” verb. It denotes a state of being.
“I am” is a most powerful phrase. Jehovah used it to identify Himself to His people in Egypt.
Exodus 3:13–14
And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
God told Moses Who He is before He explained what He would do.
Who you “are” is more important than what you “do.” We are human “beings” not human “doings.” We must become who God made us to be and we must do the things God commanded us to do. Being and doing are both important. But what comes first? Being or doing? It’s similar to the age-old question – which came first, the chicken or the egg? If you believe the book of Genesis, the chicken came first!
When we do what we should do, we become who God made us to be. So, are actions the most important? However, we find it hard to do what we should because God’s commands often run counter to who we have been. On the other hand, it is easier to do what you should do when you are who you should be. Confused yet?
Consider this example.
A firefighter fights fire. But how does one become a fire fighter? By fighting fires! I submit to you, and this is the point of this article, that one decides to become a firefighter before they learn to fight fires. Truck drivers don’t fight fires. Accountants don’t run into burning buildings. Why? They are not firefighters!
How does someone become a fire fighter. At some point, a man makes the decision to become a firefighter. Then, he begins fighting fires.
How do we apply this to the will of God? First, we must choose to become the person God wants us to be. Then, we must do the things that the people we are becoming would do.
How do you become like Jesus? Ask what would Jesus do and do it.
Let’s apply this to soul winning. If you want to be a soul winner, you must decide to “be” a soul winner. Then, you win souls because you are a soul winner. There is a large difference between a Christian who is a soul winner and a Christian who witnesses occasionally.
The soul winner witnesses because it is “who” they “are.” A Christian who is not a soul winner fights with fear, frustration, and resentment because the preacher is asking him to do something that he doesn’t do. See the difference?When you change your “I am” to agree with what God says, you change everything.
Paul gave three powerful “I Am” statements that every Christian should adopt.
1. I AM DEBTOR.
Romans 1:14
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
2. I AM READY.
Romans 1:15
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
3. I AM NOT ASHAMED.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
All three of these statements could be summarized by saying, “I am a soul winner.”
Paul identified as a soul winner. No wonder he was so effective preaching the Gospel and winning souls!
Today, there is a lot of talk about identity in popular culture. We hear of people who identify as different genders, races, or species. I just talked to a couple whose daughter goes to school with a boy who identifies as a lizard. They are putting litter boxes in public school bathrooms in Rhode Island to accommodate students who “identify” as cats. The school staff is required to treat them as cats to the point where these confused students can roam the halls or play with cat toys during class.
Today another man told me about a boy at his local school that identifies as a squirrel. Two staff members have to take him outside during class to hunt nuts because “squirrels don’t play with humans.” How far will this insanity go?? This craziness shows the power of identity.
We know a man is still a man even if he “identifies” as a woman.
The lost world gets the details wrong, but there is power in the concept of identity. That’s why Satan is using the concept of identity in an attempt to destroy our nation. Satan uses the concept of “identity” to paralyze Christians as well.
Some elements of our identity are changeable, and some are not. A wise person knows the difference.
When we get saved, our Lord gives us a new identity. It is a powerful moment when you realize that you are no longer a sinner. You are a new creature in Christ!
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Each day we can choose to put on the new man made in the image of Christ.
Ephesians 4:24
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Sometimes what we believe about ourselves and what God says about us do not line up. We must learn to adopt our new identity in Christ and live up to it each day.
Often, we believe lies about ourselves rather than what God says about us. If we believe lies about who we are, it cripples us in every area of life. When you change your “I am” to agree with what God says, you change everything.
When it comes to soul winning, it is important to identify yourself correctly.
Is soul winning something you DO, or is it who you ARE?
I’m afraid that most church members don’t go soul winning because they don’t identify as soul winners.
Perhaps you tell yourself things like:
- I’m just not a people person.
- I can’t talk to strangers.
- That’s not my spiritual gift.
- I am too shy.
I don’t know how. If you are a Christian who believes that you are not a soul winner, you will fight against the conviction of the Lord and the instruction of His preachers. You may even become frustrated with the preacher when he reminds you that the only alternative to soul winning is disobedience to Christ. Or perhaps you feel like a failure that will never be able to please the Lord in the area of evangelism. If you want to become a soul winner, let’s learn how to apply the concept of identity to the area of evangelism. Consider three layers of our lives that determine our behaviors.
These are three layers at which change can occur.
- Outcomes are about what you get. They focus on changing your results.
- Processes are about what you do. They focus on changing your habits and systems.
- Identity is about what you believe. They focus on what you believe.
Many people want to change their results, so they focus on goals to provide the desired outcome. When goals alone are not sufficient to create the desired change, people focus on creating new habits, adopting proven systems, or instilling better workflows. While there is nothing wrong with these exercises, they often fail because they don’t address the deepest and most powerful area that requires change – our identity.
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When do you intend to win your next soul to Christ?
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Imagine an overweight person who wants to lose weight and get fit. First, they focus on outcomes. They buy a gym membership and go to the store to fill the fridge with vegetables. They start with great intentions but find it challenging to stay at it.
Next, they focus on processes. They search for a system to help. They subscribe to a fitness app on their phone and attend Weight Watchers’ meetings. This is more productive than outcomes alone, but still, it fails in the end.
Why?
Because the person has not changed their identity. They are donut-eaters trying to eat kale. They are couch potatoes trying to work out. They are an out-of-shape person hopelessly trying to get in shape. This is a losing battle.
But what if this person says, “I don’t eat donuts anymore. I eat mostly vegetables.” “I am an overweight athlete.” “I am a fit person trapped in an overweight body.” With a new identity, the rules change! The mind and heart will do everything they can to live up to that identity.
The best way to create change is to work backward.
- Change your identity.
- Use proven processes.
- Settle desired outcomes.
Your life will improve and your soul winning results will sky rocket when you adopt the following “I AM” phrases as your own.
1. I AM A SOUL WINNER.
You become a soul winner when you decide to be a soul winner. There is something in our brains that seeks to align our actions with our beliefs. If you believe that you are a “shy person who has a hard time talking to people,” it will be difficult for you to talk to people about their souls. However, shyness is not an unchangeable characteristic. What if you changed your testimony to say something like this: “I used to be a shy person, but God empowers me to be a bold soul winner.”
What limiting beliefs do you have about yourself? Write them down. Replace them with God’s truth from the Bible.
What do you need to change about your identity to become a soul winner? Write a new “I AM” statement and read it every morning for a month. You may be surprised at the outcome.
2. I AM A CHRISTIAN WHO GOES SOUL WINNING EACH WEEK.
One of the best ways to win souls is to put it on your calendar. Of course, you should witness at every opportunity. However, successful soul winners prioritize evangelism by putting it on their schedule.
Are you a “busy person who doesn’t have time to go soul winning” or are you “a soul winner that needs to work out his schedule to please the Lord?”
Change your “I am” and you will change your entire perspective.
3. I AM COMMITTED TO WIN SOULS CONSISTENTLY.
Most people shy away from setting spiritual goals. Why? Because they make you accountable and require sacrifice.
Setting spiritual goals will help you stay on track. Write down some goals. Be specific.
How many people will you witness to each week?
When do you intend to win your next soul to Christ?
Write your own spiritual goals regarding soul winning. Your “I AM” goal statement may look something like this:
“I am a soul winner who goes soul winning each week. I will witness to 15 people every week. By God’s grace, I intend to win a soul every week.”
Those are powerful statements! Commitments to live by!
Conclusion
When do you become a soul winner? When you decide to become one.
Paul gave three powerful “I Am” statements that we should adopt.
1. I am debtor.
Romans 1:14
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
He understood that he had been given something that he owed to the world.
Paul understood that he owed it to the world to share the Gospel with them.
2. I am ready to preach the Gospel.
Romans 1:15
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Paul was ready. He would take every opportunity. He was prayed up and studied up. He knew what to do and how to do it.
3. I am not ashamed.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Paul would not be silenced. There was no one that Paul would not tell about His risen Saviour. From kings to beggars, all would hear the Gospel from his lips when the opportunity arose. Why? He was a debtor. He was ready. He was not ashamed.
All three of these statements could be summarized by saying, “I am a soul winner.”
Will you say this transformative statement with the Apostle Paul?