Keep praying for an open door, then walk through it

When we read the gospels and we look at the commission Jesus gave to His followers, as well as the activity they engaged in after His resurrection, we can clearly see that it is a high priority on the Lord's agenda that His followers simply tell others about Him. But from personal experience and conversations with many believers throughout the years, it has become clear to me that sharing about our faith in Christ frightens many people, even those who have a genuine desire to do so.

What are we commonly afraid of? I think we're afraid of rejection and ridicule. I think we're also afraid of confrontation and arguments. Some of us are also afraid of being asked a question that we don't really feel like we have the answer to. I have been fearful of many of these same things, but the Lord has been teaching me something that has helped me to be much more open and intentional with sharing in recent years.

I believe genuine believers as a whole have a sincere desire to see as many people as possible come to faith in Christ and experience the new life He grants all who trust in Him. We pray for our friends and loved ones to come to faith, but we also know that someone needs to speak up and actually verbalize the message of the gospel for it to be heard, understood, and received. Scripture tells us that, "faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." (Rom. 10:17)

In recent years, I have been blessed with some wide open doors to share about Jesus, and those experiences are teaching me that most of us are overcomplicating what it means to tell someone else about Him. We mistakenly believe that we need to convince people that they need to receive Jesus, and we often treat salvation like it's something you can be argued into. I certainly believe in being persuasive and offering convincing information, but we aren't the ones who soften hard hearts and open blind eyes. That's the job of the Holy Spirit. Our job is to joyfully live out our faith in Christ with integrity, share about the difference He has made in our lives, speak of our hope to others with humility and respect, pray for the Spirit of God to intervene, and entrust those we love over to His illuminating power.

I don't believe I will ever argue or outsmart anyone into believing in Jesus, but what I will do is live a transformed life that demonstrates His power and presence. And when I'm given an opportunity to tell someone what Jesus has done for me (and what He desires to do for them), I want to seize that opportunity.

In the closing chapter of Colossians, Paul gives excellent counsel on how we as believers in Christ can joyfully make Him known to others even if we're being pressured not to.


I. Pray for an open door to talk about Jesus

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.  At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison”
— Colossians 4:2-3

One of the hallmarks of a healthy faith is the discipline of prayer. One of the hallmarks of a healthy church is steadfast prayer as well. Paul challenged the Colossians to be prayerful people. He knew they would need to access the power of God in the midst of the culture they lived in. He also knew that it was highly likely their faith was going to be tested just as his faith was tested. But in the midst of those tests, and in the midst of their growth, Paul reminded them to remain thankful because the Lord had already blessed them in so many ways.

And as they were praying for themselves, their families, and their community, Paul also wanted them to keep praying for him. One of his big requests was that the Lord would grant him an open door to tell others about Christ. Why do you suppose Paul would be inclined to use a phrase like "open door" when he made this request? Keep in mind where he was. At the time he wrote these words, he was under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial for proclaiming the gospel. I'm sure there were many days during that multiple-year imprisonment that Paul looked at his door and wished he could step outside, walk freely, and tell others about Christ. While he waited for that door to open, he sought God's power to sustain him, and he asked the church to pray that the Lord would miraculously intervene on his behalf.

How often do we ask the Lord to open up a door for us to tell others about Him? What does an open door even look like? I'm convinced that if we keep sharing our lives with those who don't know Christ, and joining together with them where we have common ground, the Lord will open up those doors for us to testify about Him. Let me give you an example from my own life.

Many of you know that I spend some of my free time writing and podcasting. I used to consider those activities hobbies, now I consider them a major facet of the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me.

In the process of creating that kind of content, I have developed other friends who are doing the same thing. Some are believers and some aren't. Last year, one of those friends asked me for a ride back from one of the conferences we were planning to attend. He has no religious faith, so I joked with him and said, "Are you sure you want to be trapped in a car for five hours with a pastor?" He laughed, but agreed to anyway. Then I simply asked him if he would be interested in recording a conversation while we drove that I could air on my podcast where we asked each other non-argumentative questions about each others' faith. He loved the idea. Unfortunately, a health need prevented him from attending that conference, but we decided to have this conversation anyway, just at a later date. I asked him about his beliefs and listened respectfully while he shared. He asked me about my beliefs and listened respectfully as well. We recorded it. I shared it online, and since that time he has shared that conversation with many family and friends.

That conversation was an answer to prayer. It was an open door to testify about Jesus, so I walked right through it. And at this point, I have no idea what the next chapter in that story is, but I'm hopeful that my friend and many others will come to know Jesus as a result.


II. Pray for clarity and relatability in how you communicate

“that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.”
— Colossians 4:4

Have you ever said something and then realized that the person you were speaking to had no idea what you were talking about? Sometimes I have experienced that while preaching. I try to keep good eye contact when I'm speaking, partly because I'm trying to read faces and discern by facial reactions if what I'm saying is coming across clearly. (By the way, if you ever wondered if the pastor knows whether or not you're on your phone or actually paying attention, he knows.)

When Paul was sharing about Jesus with others, he didn't just want to use words to fill up time. He wanted to be abundantly clear in his presentation of the truth, so he asked the church to pray that his communication would be clear. He didn't want to be lofty. He wanted to be relatable and understandable.

I think there's a good lesson for us in his comments. The best teachers, speakers, and books work hard to simplify and clarify complex information. Sometimes when I'm reading a book or listening to a speaker, I feel like the author, preacher, or professor is just trying to impress me with his vocabulary, but when that's the case, the odds of me actually learning anything valuable diminish. The most effective teachers strive for clarity. They teach in relatable ways and they stay focused on helping you learn something new instead of focusing on trying to impress you.

Paul asked for prayer that this would be the way he taught. I'm certain this was his aim because he knew that this is precisely how Jesus taught when He was engaged in His earthly ministry. And if Paul and Jesus spoke this way, let’s follow their example as well. Don't aim to be impressive and lofty. Aim to be helpful and relatable. In doing so, the message you convey will come across with much more clarity.


III. Be mindful of your testimony before those who don't share our faith

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.”
— Colossians 4:5

What does this world think about Christians? Culturally speaking, I see a lot of stereotypes conveyed about what people assume Christians are like. Many of those stereotypes are negative, and I'd like to help show those who don't share our faith that those stereotypes aren't true.

Paul's counsel was for us to walk in wisdom toward those who don't share our faith. The time we've been allotted in this world is brief, so we should make the most of it. When we're given the opportunity to share a segment, season, or moment of our life with someone who is outside our faith, we're called to be wise in how we handle it. Unfortunately, we don't always do a great job of it.

When I was a new pastor in my early 20's, three older pastors invited me to play golf with them. I went, but was completely embarrassed when we went up to the counter to pay. The pastor who had organized the outing told the person who was working the register that we were all pastors and we'd like to utilize the "clergy discount." She had no idea what he was talking about, but he insisted that clergy were given a reduced rate. I felt so humiliated in that moment. There we were, holding up the line, while a cashier had to find a manager to see if there was such a discount and how it was applied. They reluctantly ended up giving us a discount and I could see in their faces that they thought we were all a bunch of goofs.

The testimony this world needs to see is not a bunch of people looking to have our own needs satisfied at the expense of others. This world needs to see men and women who love sacrificially, give of themselves generously, serve joyfully, testify sincerely, and walk with integrity. The impression many people have about Jesus is reinforced by the lives of those who claim to follow Him.


IV. Speak graciously

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
— Colossians 4:6

Paul concludes this portion of Scripture with a challenge to us to speak graciously. It's a relevant encouragement for us in our era, especially since we live in an age where communication happens so easily. We take for granted the fact that we can type something or record something from our living room that can be instantly seen everywhere in the world. Wouldn't it be nice if we chose to be gracious in how we made use of that opportunity?

I believe the Lord speaks through His people, and I frequently pray that He will give me the precise words to say. I pray before I preach a sermon, teach a class, record a podcast, and I often pray that very prayer before a conversation with unbelieving friends and family members.

We live in a distinct era of history and God is giving us open doors to testify about His saving power during this age. You don't need a microphone or a pulpit to speak of His goodness in your life. You just need a mouth and the willingness to engage others in conversation. If you put yourself in the proximity of others, and live out your faith with sincerity, I truly believe God will open doors for you and give you the very words He wants you to say.

© John Stange, 2022

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