RECOGNIZING AND DEVELOPING THE EVANGELIST WITHIN THE BELIEVER PART 2: THE EVANGELISTIC MANDATE FROM CREATION

RECOGNIZING AND DEVELOPING THE EVANGELIST WITHIN THE BELIEVER
PART 2: THE EVANGELISTIC MANDATE FROM CREATION


Genesis 1:26–28

In the previous message, Part 1: The Birth of the Message, I shared how this teaching series came into being. It was not originally planned as a series. But through prayer, meditation, and deeper study of Scripture, the Holy Spirit began revealing a pattern that runs through the Bible.

From Genesis, through Noah, to Naaman, and eventually to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, we begin to see something remarkable: God has always been preparing witnesses to carry His message of salvation.

What initially looked like unrelated Bible stories gradually revealed a divine connection.

Another striking discovery was how God often uses tragedy as a strategy to spread the gospel. Situations that appear negative, painful, or accidental are often the very tools God uses to position His witnesses.

That discovery led us to the theme of this entire series.

Recognizing and Developing the Evangelist Within the Believer

There are two key ideas in this statement.


1. Recognizing

To recognize means to identify or acknowledge something that already exists.

Recognition sometimes happens within the individual, when a believer begins to sense a burden or passion for sharing the gospel.

At other times, recognition happens through others — pastors, mentors, friends, or people around the individual who begin to notice a certain grace or calling upon that person's life. Many people discover their calling because someone else saw it before they did.


2. Developing

Developing means nurturing, training, and allowing that potential to grow into maturity.

Something cannot be developed unless it has first been recognized. Many believers are praying for something that God has already placed within them.


A Powerful Insight

Dr. Mensa Otabil once made a profound statement:

“Scientists don’t manufacture; they discover. It means the thing was already there, and they just took the cover off.”

Scientists do not create gravity. They do not create electricity. They simply discover what already exists. The same principle applies spiritually.

God is not trying to manufacture evangelists out of believers. Instead, He has already placed within every believer the ability and responsibility to witness.

However, it is important to understand something clearly.

Every believer is called to evangelize, but not every believer operates in the office of the evangelist. The Bible speaks about the office of the evangelist as part of the five-fold ministry. That office is a special calling given to some individuals.

But the responsibility of sharing the gospel belongs to all believers. Some believers are gifted evangelists, but every believer is called to be a witness for Christ.


Evangelism Began in Creation

When we return to Genesis 1:26–28, we see that humanity was created in the image of God. Being created in God's image means humanity was designed to reflect Him and represent Him on the earth.

God then gave humanity a command:

“Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.”

This instruction was more than population growth. It was about spreading the knowledge, presence, and glory of God across the earth.

From the very beginning, God intended that wherever humanity went, His presence and knowledge would go with them. That means evangelism did not begin with the early church. It began at creation.


The Evangelist Hidden Within the Believer

This brings us to an important question:

What has God already placed inside you that you have not yet recognized? Some believers are waiting for a calling when the calling is already present. Some are waiting for a title when God is waiting for them to discover their identity.

Inside every believer is:

A witness

A messenger

A carrier of God's truth

The real challenge is not creation — the challenge is recognition. Once something is recognized, it can then be developed.


Prayer

Heavenly Father, We thank You for the revelation of Your Word. Open our eyes to recognize what You have already placed within us. Help us to understand that we are called to be witnesses for You. Even if we do not operate in the office of the evangelist, give us the boldness and grace to share the gospel wherever we go. Develop the gifts You have placed inside us, and use our lives as instruments to bring many people into Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Preview of the Next Message

In the next message, we will explore Noah and the Ark.

We will examine why the animals entered the Ark two by two, and why both clean and unclean animals were preserved.

We will also see how the Ark becomes one of the earliest prophetic pictures of God’s invitation of salvation to all humanity.

God is speaking, are you listening?



Prince Julius Nenebi-Darkson 

(EL-PJ God's penman)

Comments

Post a Comment

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your reflections, testimonies, or questions below. Let’s grow together in faith!

Popular posts from this blog

DEALING WITH DIABETIC WOUNDS – A BALANCED DEVOTIONAL SERIES PART 1: RECOGNIZING THE WOUND – THE FIRST STEP To HEALING

Image
DEALING WITH DIABETIC WOUNDS – A BALANCED DEVOTIONAL SERIES PART 1: RECOGNIZING THE WOUND – THE FIRST STEP To HEALING Revelation 2:4-5 "You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first."  Not every wound bleeds. Some deteriorate quietly beneath the surface—unseen, unfelt, and unspoken—until it's too late . Just like a diabetic wound that looks minor at first but spreads when ignored , many of life's deepest issues— spiritual, emotional, physical, and even national—start small . But delay is dangerous . Healing begins when we are humble and honest enough to recognize the wound. Key Scripture: " You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first." – Revelation 2:4-5 LIFE APPLICATION: Two years ago, a friend called me, asking for blood donation for his father-in-law, who was scheduled for a leg amputation at the 3...
Read more

JUMPSTARTING YOUR LIFE—THE POWER OF DIVINE CONNECTIONS PART 8:WHEN IT’S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE—LETTING GO OF THE OLD TO EMBRACE THE NEW

Image
THE STORY: A FRIEND FACED WITH A HARD DECISION Romans 1:11-12 (NIV) "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Welcome to Part 8 of our Series, Jumpstarting Your Life: The Power of Divine Connection.  In Part 7 , we saw how my landlady’s son, who had once been stranded, later became a helper to another driver stuck in the mud . We learned that helping others after receiving help is a key principle of life , and sometimes, we must recognize when we need assistance instead of struggling alone. But what if the real issue isn’t about getting help but knowing when to move on? PART 8: WHEN IT’S TIME FOR AN UPGRADE—LETTING GO OF THE OLD TO EMBRACE THE NEW THE STORY: A FRIEND FACED WITH A HARD DECISION I have a friend named Kwame who had been driving an old car for years . It wasn’t just any car—it had been his first car, filled with memories. One day, after heavy rain, he...
Read more

THE LIFE CYCLE OF SIN AS CHILDBEARING PART 2: THE GROWTH AND DEATH OF SIN

Image
THE LIFE CYCLE OF SIN AS CHILDBEARING PART 2: THE GROWTH AND DEATH OF SIN  James 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.  RECAP of Part 1 In the previous chapter, we explored how sin begins with Conception (desire) and grows when nurtured, much like a child in the womb. Today, we will continue with Maturity and Birth, where sin becomes visible through our actions, and finally Death, the ultimate consequence of unchecked sin. Let’s explore these final stages and understand the seriousness of allowing sin to grow unchecked in our lives. Then, after desire has conceived , it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown , gives birth to death . James 1:15 (NIV) 3. Maturity and Birth Sin gives birth to full-grown actions. Just as a child reaches full maturity in the womb before birth, sin, once nurtured, reaches its full stage and manifests as outward actions. What began as hidden desire now becomes v...
Read more