How should the fear of God impact what we say when we evangelize? Paul Washer gently reminds us that it is only the Spirit of God that can create a fear of God in an unbeliever’s heart. We are not the cause of a new heart in an unsaved soul. When evangelizing an unbeliever, we must first explain who God is, what His law is, and His plan of redemption instead of starting with wrath and condemnation. Then, the Spirit of God will work to create that fear in people’s hearts. Taking the time to sit down with an unbeliever, answer questions, and explain biblical truths is an avenue through which the Spirit of God can work to create the fear of God in their heart. Ezekiel 36:26 (NKJV) - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Well, I think the fear of God is very important in evangelism, but we have to understand some things. It is only the spirit of God that can create the fear of God in a person's heart. And the spirit of God is going to work in the most astounding manner as we are faithfully proclaiming truth about God. I see, you know, I've street preached and things like that. And I see a lot of street preachers today that are not effective.

And I believe that it's because they're trying to take upon themselves the mantle of Whitfield. They're going out into the middle of a park somewhere or sidewalk and they're they're preaching furiously against sin and calling people sinners and calling people to repentance. But we're not living in an England that is saturated with scriptural knowledge. When I go on a college campus, these people are pagan. They have no idea who God is.

They have no idea what Jesus is or what Jesus has done. And one of the things we've got to realize is that we're going into areas not like even 30 or 40 years ago. We're going into places where people understand nothing about God. So in before jumping to condemnation and law and wrath and all these things, I believe that we have to clearly delineate from the scriptures to these people who is God, who is the God of Christianity. Why is he this way?

How does he act? What is his law? What has he done for the redemption of men? And I think that as we're faithfully proclaiming that the spirit of God will work to create fear in people's hearts. But just to stand out on a street corner and yell about the wrath of God to come.

I don't think it works because it's not biblical. It is informing people, telling them about God. You know, I've seen just sitting down with people and asking them questions, you know, Who do you think God is? Well, I think God is this way. Well, what's your basis of authority?

Well, it's just in my own mind. Well, could I show you what the Bible says about God and then begin to converse and answer questions. Well, this God of yours, his laws are so, you know, binding. I had one student tell me and I said, really, which law is that? Is it the one that says you shall not take your neighbor's wife.

Is that binding to you? And if it is, what does that say about you? Is it the law that says don't lie? Is that the law that's binding to you? That's oppressive, you see?

And so sitting down and explaining truth, not compromising, but informing, not just calling people to do something, but informing them. The Spirit of God works through that proclamation of the truth to create the fear of the Lord in people's hearts. You