Nervous about my faith. / sharing faith with others

[CupOfMilk]

Hello. Everytime i speak about my faith i get nervous but i am not sure why. My hair stands i get sweaty. How do i fix this? Also i have a few family members who have not accepted Christ. I love my family and would love to get them on a walk with Christ but with my walk i have trouble trying to help them get on that walk. What would be something i could say or do that would be easy to do without being nervous?

[HisLeast]

I would suggest you spend time in the word and spend time living life a little. In my experience, people aren't very receptive to the gospel until you can really understand where they are coming from. Does that make any sense?

You need to understand the word to the point that you are confident in it, then worry about spreading the gospel with a purpose. Until that point, ensure that the way you live your life is a witness to what you believe. This is the foundation to everything that comes after.

[crossnote]

"What would be something i could say or do that would be easy to do without being nervous? "

You could smile and say "Nice weather, eh?"
No one says sharing the gospel comes easy. Most remain mum. At least you are putting forth your desire and God will bless that.

1Cor 2. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, [New American Standard Bible ]

[RevLogos]

HL's advice on living life is actually one of the best ways to witness to others - through how you live your own life. I remember, before I became a Christian, that there were just a few people I had known who acted different than everyone else. That kind of witnessing was more effective than any Bible thumping.

Lurk about in the Christian Answers forum. Look at the kind of questions that are asked and ask yourself - would I be able to answer this? How?

Don't expect people to listen to you and become Christians. You might be surprised at the resistance you get even from your own family. There's a thread here now about this called "Spiritually attacked by my own FAMILY". Not to be discouraging, but know when to, as the bible says, shake the dust off your sandals and move on. The impression you leave may not have an immediate effect but eventually it may.

I'm always impressed by those who can quote Bible by chapter and verse off-the-cuff. I've never been able to do that. I know the verse is there but I always have to spend time looking for it.

Before I was a Christian, I thought most people were Christian (in the States). Now I know how wrong I was. We have our work cut out for us!

[JohnH]

As I see some have already suggested... you must spend time doing your homework in the Bible. The late Dr. Walter Martin, one of the best at defending the faith and in answering the questions and challenges to the faith once spoke of a time early on in his Christian walk where his gumption was greater than his know how.

By his own admission, he got pretty bloodied (spiritually) until he studied to show himself approved a workman who need not blush with embarrassment rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15.

And when he studied and learned he found out that the Holy Spirit spoke through him at times as he gave answers he did not actually know. It's a symbiotic relationship with Almighty God living in us that believers are woefully ignorant of or just do not consider most often.

You have the Holy Ghost, God, living in you. Trouble is, we don't know how to listen for him or discern his voice above the devils' in the world or our own fallen sin nature until we get regimented in the word of God and in deliberate times of prayer to rejuvenate our own spirit...

We are ineffective spiritual warriors with emaciated spirits deprived of its kind of food the word of God and prayer.

Armed with these and a fatted spirit, the gates of hell hath no chance to stand against your personal and aggressive witness for Jesus Christ!

[SteveL]

Don't expect people to listen to you and become Christians. You might be surprised at the resistance you get even from your own family. There's a thread here now about this called "Spiritually attacked by my own FAMILY". Not to be discouraging, but know when to, as the bible says, shake the dust off your sandals and move on. The impression you leave may not have an immediate effect but eventually it may.

AMEN! I'm actually the one who posted about the FAMILY thread you mentioned. Thank you brother, I actually felt very connected to your post before I ever even got to the FAMILY thread part of it. Powerful post. I also agree with HL's take. It's about life experiences and how you simply live life and conduct yourself that will be the most effective form of witnessing to others. Bible thumping is not very effective to adamant non-believers... but if they see the POSITIVE changes in your life that come from out of nowhere, like an almost supernatural coach feeding you plays and blessings, THEN the non-believers start to really ponder what's what, who's who, and the seed is planted and slowly watered.

I pray all the loved ones in our lives, the current non-believers, will be surrounded by strong Godly Christians who live out the word day by day, and yield constantly to the Holy Spirit, so that these non-saved loved ones of ours will eventually see the light, embrace it and DECLARE JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOR! I pray these things in the name of Jesus, AMEN!

[lovex]

I was in your boat!!!!!!! (even stil a little bit!!). I am a very , very shy human being. I don't going out and saying PRAISE JEEEESSSUSSS even though I'd love to scream it 100000 times a day. God showed me that it doesn't just have to be strictly talk... it can be action. I show others the gospel by doing deeds from my heart that only God could have given me. I try to be patient, kind, humble, and have self-control. I do say when others say thank you, I say "thank God! not me!"...

[inforlife]

can you hang out with your friends and talk about all sorts of stuff besides like the Lord? Try relational evengelism its like saying "hi hows your day goin? and lets say you have a cup of something blue to drink...start talking about smurfs. Like if this drink was made of smurfs. (Pause for laughs I guess). Then start talking about how small they are and that like none of them died. So then you could say maybe someone is watching over them or that papa smurf as a leader needs wisdom to keep up with all them smurf goings on. SO you have made the point of God and Wisdom. also line your words up wisely like one subject to bring up a Bible subject. like to meet their needs accordingly and like it goes also be an example of utmost true faithfull living. and don't give up, they say practice makes pefect hopefully shoving that nervousness out of you. I would also not talk to long so you can give the other a chance to talk and ask questions.

[ShortStuff]

Hello. Everytime i speak about my faith i get nervous but i am not sure why. My hair stands i get sweaty. How do i fix this? Also i have a few family members who have not accepted Christ. I love my family and would love to get them on a walk with Christ but with my walk i have trouble trying to help them get on that walk. What would be something i could say or do that would be easy to do without being nervous?

I believe that we can all understand where you are coming from...I have always been more shy and reserved..through God's grace and strength, I have become less so through the years...in my opinion, sometimes the best witnessing tool a Christian has is to simply tell others what God has done in his/her life personally...what has God brought you out of and what is He doing for you now ? Sometimes this makes a huge impression upon others.. I think we must also remember it is not us that saves others but God, and God will provide the words we need..

As others have stated, I also believe that the example we live can be a great witness without having to speak...seeing that we are different often brings up questions for others. I know that is the main thing that raised questions for me...my husband was so different..there was a peace about him that drew me in and made me want that, too..

As far as your family goes...the best thing you can do for them is to pray for them...that is what I do...and I simply let them know where I stand for God...usually by simple comments about what God has blessed me with...something like, "Well, God really blessed because the storm was not that bad here..I pray for my brother..that God will use me or send someone to help him see...

[Jude]

How well and how long have you known Jesus?

[EvangMike]

Hi. Any Christian can have problems talking about Christ with their family or others until they follow a New Testament pattern. I knew embarrassment at one time, too.

However, remember that we have the opportunity to have the same Holy Spirit as the Apostles, and people are the same everywhere. Also, God is just as willing to use us as ever to bring the lost to Himself.

Here is the difference between many of today's believers and the NT Apostles (let's be honest here):

1. They believed Jesus would send the Holy Spirit to make them His witnesses (Ac. 1:8)

2. They tarried in the Upper Room (waited until they received power)
Most believers don't have a clue about what it means to pray fervently and stay in God's presence. They sincerely sought Him and His power - and received it.

3. They were clean and transparent before God.
Their sins were confessed and they were surrendered to only do what He wanted. Known sin will immediately rob you of boldness and faith to do His will. (See I Jn. 1:7,9)

4. They loved God more than men.
Remember that if we are afraid of men - we are not filled. (II Tim. 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.")

5. God's love flowed through them to men.
His love flowing through us will enable us to love others enough to want them saved - at any cost!

Someone else here mentioned being prepared to be a witness will also help - indeed it will. But there is no substitute for His power - none! We cannot do His will in the power of the intellect or flesh!

God Bless you as you seek to be a better witness for His Glory! Hope this helped.