Rev Dr Betia shares, “In the year 2000, I met an evangelist. I was curious how he prepared for an evangelistic meeting in a certain place. His reply was simple. ‘All I have to do is get a written permit from the village chief or the municipal mayor.’

This is all one needs to bring the Gospel of Jesus to a certain place?

A close study of the Last Command of Jesus will guide us in our preparation for evangelism. We must know and go by the objectives Jesus set.”

What are Jesus’ objectives?

Well, after Jesus died, He rose again and made an appointment with his disciples.

Matthew 28: 16-18

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

We hear 3 major objectives of evangelism:

1. Restoration of Authority and Control over Creation – All Power…

God wanted to rule over creation through man. But man relinquished that right and gave it to God’s enemy when Adam and Eve listened to the words of the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit.

When Jesus completed the work of salvation for mankind, He restored His authority and control over creation.

In the book of Acts 2: 23-24, the Apostle Peter who spent much time with Jesus and witnessed first-hand his death and resurrection, told his listeners:

 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead ….

And in verses 32-33:

 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God …. 

Peter clearly pointed out the strategic importance of what his listeners had done with Jesus. He reminded them that they had killed Jesus! But God resurrected Him and made Jesus sit at His right hand. The authority and control over all creation was now restored to Jesus, the Creator!

Evangelism is the process of the effective restoration of Jesus’ authority and control over creation.

Let me illustrate:

In 1621, a boatload of Spanish soldiers landed on an island called Limasawa. They planted a wooden cross and declared that island and surrounding islands - 7,100 of them - belong to Spain. He named the archipelago Las Islas Pilipinas, in honor of his king, Philip II. With this simple declaration, the Spanish occupied and colonized the land of Rev Dr Betia and subjugated his people for the next four hundred and fifty years.

Just as what the explorer, Magellan, did in Limasawa, we too should plant the cross of Jesus and declare ownership in places we want to restore to Jesus’ control.

Jesus is Lord and he wants his disciples to assert this status to every political unit in the whole world. We are not to invite people, but to command them to be subjects of Jesus. The Lordship of Jesus over all things and persons is not an option!

No follower of Jesus should ever be apologetic while witnessing!

2. Territorial Reclamation – In heaven and on earth…

Jesus is Lord over the material and immaterial dimensions of creation. Why do Christians do evangelism and missions? It is to reclaim the territories occupied by the enemy for Jesus.

Satan and his cohorts are squatters in the Kingdom of Jesus. The primary activity of Christians in evangelism is not only to plant the cross of Jesus but also to give notice of eviction to the spirits, idols and all enemies of God that had occupied a given territory for a very long time. It is important that we drive away all the evil spirits in our villages, our towns, our cities and our country. This is necessary because they have influenced the life of the people and society. The kind of society we have is the product of the control of God’s enemies over the people.

The Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians said that Satan has blinded the eyes of people. Satan has also covered their ears and made them deaf towards the Gospel of Jesus. It is useless to share God’s Word to a spiritually deaf and blind person!

When Satan and his followers are driven out of a place, the blindness and ignorance will be lifted. Thus, when the Gospel is presented, people will be able to hear, understand and make the appropriate choice and response.

The book of James chapter 2, verse 19, says that when a Christian prays, Satan and his demons tremble in fear. What do you think will happen when Christians go in united prayer? Prayer bombardment is necessary in preparation for any evangelistic activity. Some Christians do a “prayer walk”, to bombard a specific location with prayer to drive out the spirits. These spirits have fortified themselves in the area and in the hearts of the people there and have deceived them for so long.

3. Human Emancipation – Make disciples of all nations …

Actual evangelistic activity can be done only when Satan and his demons are driven out of a territory. With them gone, the eyes and ears of the people will be opened; they will have the chance to hear the Gospel message and turn back to God.

Each of our personal stories of how Jesus impacted us is now ready to be shared. Those who hear the Gospel message can choose to recognize Jesus as the new Manager of their lives.

The messengers of the Gospel of Jesus must go to where people are. We do not invite and bring them to attend our activities. No, the message of the Gospel of Jesus must be brought to them.

The Gospel tells them they are no longer captives of Satan and his demons. They can get out of their prison cells of ignorance and deception and enjoy the freedom and blessings that Jesus gives. People must dethrone whoever had control in their lives before and enthrone Jesus. Only then will people begin to truly live the Life God wants them to fully enjoy.

Every human being in the whole earth deserves to hear the Gospel and be given opportunity to live their lives to the fullest.

Evangelism is a declaration of war. It is not a walk in the park nor a parade! Followers of Jesus are to attack the enemy, drive them away from Jesus’ territory and set the people free from their bondage. It requires adequate and thorough preparation. The land must be free of all demonic presence. Prayer is an absolute necessity to drive out the enemy. The residents must have the freedom of sight and sound to hear, understand and respond to the Gospel of Jesus! They only have to Simply Listen and the Holy Spirit will do the rest!