Win a Soul to Jesus in 2014
A few weeks after I began my ministry at Westminster Chapel I asked the congregation, “How many of you have never led a soul to Jesus Christ?” I am not sure how this went down with them, but one man – Mr. Bob George – told me that this shook him rigid. He said to himself, “Here I am 60 years old and I have never led a person to Christ”.
Five years later I made the most controversial decision of my twenty-five years at Westminster: I invited Arthur Blessitt – the man who has carried a cross all over the world – to preach for me for several weeks in April-May 1982. (The Guinness Book of Records has since given him an award for the “longest walk” – the equivalent of one and a half times around the world). Although having Arthur got me into more trouble than any decision I have ever made – I almost got fired, it was the best decision of twenty-five years.
Arthur got us out on the streets – giving out tracts and talking directly to people about their eternal state. I had never done this in my life, and I certainly did not invite Arthur to the Chapel for him to do this! Such never entered my mind. But one evening while I watched Arthur witness to passers-by on the steps of my church I had a vision – of a pilot light, a light in an oven or cooker that stays lit day and night. In that moment I died a thousand deaths. “My ambitions, plans and wishes at His feet in ashes lay”, as the hymn “I will praise Him” put it. I knew from that moment I was being called to be a personal soul winner – not just preaching from the pulpit (which is easy) but talking to people face to face (which is not easy)
The funny thing is, only a few days before, I had asked Arthur to pray for me that I could have his anointing. I knew he had something I didn’t have – and I wanted it. I honestly felt he was the most like Jesus of anyone I had met. And yet what I really wanted was more “unction” – a greater anointing on my preaching. So he prayed for me. On our knees together in my vestry at Westminster Chapel Arthur laid his hands on me that I might have his anointing.
Not long ago I was Arthur’s guest on TBN. We were discussing my book These are the Days of Elijah. In the course of that interview Arthur asked, “R. T., what do you do when people ask for your anointing, like when Elisha asked for Elijah’s mantle?” I replied: “Well, Arthur, to be honest I actually did that – don’t you remember? In my vestry at Westminster Chapel that is exactly what I asked from you?” Yes, he remembered. Then I asked a question I had not thought of until that moment: “Was that prayer answered?” I thought for a few seconds.
YES. Arthur’s prayer was answered. First, our Pilot Light Ministry (witnessing on the streets in Westminster between Victoria and Buckingham Palace) was born a few days later. Over the next twenty years we had hundreds of people from many nations of the world pray to receive Christ (some even went into the ministry). By the way, Bob George was the first to join us on the streets. Before he went to Heaven (over twenty years later ) he had over 500 to pray to receive Christ. He made up for lost time. Second, my own life was never the same again. Apart from people praying to receive the Lord on the steps of Westminster Chapel, I have been an evangelist wherever I have gone over the past thirty years – on trains, planes and automobiles – everywhere.
Arthur’s anointing did truly fall on me. I am surprised I had not seen this before. I don’t carry a cross. I don’t preach in jeans. Or give out Jesus stickers. But I have had many hundreds pray with me to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
What about you? Have you ever led a soul to Christ? I challenge you – make it a goal to lead at least one soul to the Lord before 2014 is over. A small suggestion: try to do it soon. The months will fly by.