Understanding Soul Winning
Tim Downs

Today I would like to help others understand some of the principle mistakes we make when thinking about soul winning.

The first and most common mistake is knowing when a soul is saved. We must look at the scriptures; we will start with our favorite one! Acts 2:38 says to Repent, be baptized in Jesus name and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Also we can add John 3:5.

For instance, if I go to a store, find a sinner, begin talking to them about salvation and their need to repent and be baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost and they receive what I�m saying and they actually do it than their soul is saved. Now if they repent and are baptized but do not receive the Holy Ghost they are not saved.

This is actual soul winning! Someone has been converted from being lost to saved!

Now here is where we sometimes get confused. The scripture clearly says he that endures to the end shall be saved. We first must realize that if a person should die minutes after being born again than they are saved. A soul winner wins that soul at that moment. Now, if after years of time or even a moment of time goes by and the saved person goes back on their commitment to God they are no longer saved.

One point to understand is Discipleship of the new babies. We must do all we can to teach them, train them and grow them. This is where the 5 fold ministry comes into place. We must do all we can to perfect the saints. We must teach them, love them and disciple them! This is the job of every person who is saved.

Another misconception of soul winning is the fact that some see the scripture referring to planting and watering as soul winning. We must be clear that planting and watering is not winning souls. For instance one day I may give out a card to a person I meet. I planted a seed, the person is still lost. The next day I may pray for someone this is watering but the person is still lost unless they are converted. There are times that we will plant and other times we water but neither is soul winning. Soul winning only takes place when a person who is lost is converted and now saved.

Because of the command from Jesus and many other scriptures we know we MUST win souls. Yes, some times we may water, some times we plant but we must always remember there is a requirement to win souls! We cannot think that because we planted a seed someone is saved, we cannot think because we watered one day that someone is saved. God giving the increase is when we actually go out and win someone and God fills them with the Holy Ghost!

There is no place in the Bible that tells us how many souls we must win, however I believe we must reach every soul possible, we must compel every one we can to be saved!

God Bless
Evangelist Tim Downs
www.Gowinsouls.com
740-975-0042

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