Soul Winning should be the primary focus of every Christian. Considering that God cared for lost sinners enough to send His son to die and pay their penalty on their behalf, then it is true that the saving of these sinners is of utmost importance to Him. So then why do Christians not make a bigger deal about winning the lost? Here are five enemies which often hinder Christians from soul winning today.

1. Complacency

Complacency is a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger; it is self-satisfaction with an existing situation or condition. Unfortunately, a main hindrance to Christians actively sharing the gospel is their self-satisfaction with their existing situation. Every church could look at their Sunday morning attendance on a big day and congratulate themselves on how God used them to reach those people. And to some extent, the recognition that God used them to accomplish something for Him is a great tool. But the loss of attention to the remaining people who did not attend the big day would reinforce the attitude of complacency and satisfaction with the status quo. We are told that less than 5% of people who identify as Christians share the gospel with another person each year.

2. Fear

One of the most natural emotions that humans can experience is fear. This should be only partly true for the Christian, though, since having continual fear is a sin and not from God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” If fear is not of God, then it is of the Devil. It is part of man’s sin nature to have fear, and sometimes it is the cause of dereliction of the duty to win others with the gospel. Some fear not knowing the right words to say, but this thought diminishes the Holy Spirit’s role and power when it comes to soul winning. A soul winner’s words, without the Holy Spirit’s power and conviction of sin, would have no effect on a sinner. Other Christians fear the unknown of who they will meet, what their reaction will be, and what the world will think of them for being so bold for Christ. Galatians 1:10 says, “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

3. Lack of Prayer

James 4:2 says, “Ye have not because ye ask not.” Many Christians most likely do fully understand their responsibility and have a sincere desire to witness to others, yet they do not share the gospel as often as they should for a lack of opportunity. But this opportunity

to share the gospel can be directly linked to several things, not the least of which is a lack of prayer for those opportunities. Even Christians who have a mature and consistent prayer life might be neglecting to ask for the clear chance to share the gospel with someone, even if that opportunity is outside of a church-organized time to go soul winning. How much more would God bless the Christian who fervently requests divine appointments throughout his daily life to witness about the gospel?

4. Unconfessed Sin

Although God desires for every Christian to do His perfect will and be obedient, harboring unconfessed sin makes the Christian vessel unfit for service. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” God’s ability, person, and position do not and cannot change. But unconfessed sin causes a separation from God to the point where God will not hear the prayer of a Christian with unconfessed sin. Likewise, the Holy Spirit’s power would be very distant from the Christian that is unable to confess his own sins.

5. Lack of Faith

Ultimately, much of the Christian life can be reduced to the component of faith. Faith is the spotlight through which man’s limited mind can catch a glimpse of the unlimited possibilities available to God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Faith is the essential tool on a soul winner’s tool belt. Without faith in the God who does the convicting, in the God who does the saving, and in the God who gave His Son for the lost sinner, then there would be no reason for a Christian to witness to someone else. Without this true faith, the Christian is powerless to battle the world’s logic, reason, and worldview. But with faith, mountains can be moved and soul winners can be used of God to lead lost sinners to Him.

Soul winning is an essential command and powerful charge for every Christian to fulfill because it is God’s desire. There are certainly more reasons that many Christians fail to share the gospel like they should, but recognizing some key hindrances to soul winning can help each person evaluate his own actions of obedience to the Great Commission.

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Luke Flood

Luke Flood, Bus Director

Luke Flood serves on staff as the bus director and is responsible for seeing hundreds of people in church on a weekly basis. He is a true product of North Valley Baptist Church. Having grown up in a wonderful Christian family, he attended North Valley Baptist Schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. After graduation, he attended Golden State Baptist College where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.