Listening to God as you witness is the key to being winsome as you share the Good News of Jesus. Philip was experiencing a great move of God in Samaria when suddenly, the Lord had a different assignment for him. Acts 8: 26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia.[1]
Before we witness to someone, we first need to listen to the Lord. Only the Lord knows whose heart is receptive. The Lord desires to speak to you! As the Good Shepherd, He longs to engage you in an ongoing conversation. So great is the Lord’s desire to talk to us; He gives us the Holy Spirit. As a believer in Jesus, you have access to the heart of God through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that guided Philip will also guide you.
God’s Discernment
Philip obeyed the Lord and soon met the Ethiopian eunuch, but he had to continue to listen to both the Lord and the eunuch to determine his needs.Acts 8:29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah.[2] As Philip obeyed the voice of the Lord, he soon found himself in a place where he could help the man.
Acts 8:30bPhilip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. [3] Our interaction with the Lord is often one step at a time, and as we obey and follow, the Lord gives us the next step. Listening to the Lord is an ongoing conversation as He guides because He is the Good Shepherd. As Philip sat with the eunuch, he realized he was reading from the book of Isaiah, which prophesied about Jesus, the suffering servant.
Sharing the Good News of Jesus
As Philip explained the suffering servant in the book of Isaiah, he sensed it was time to share the Good News of Jesus. The man’s heart was open to the Gospel, and soon, the eunuch wanted to be baptized. As Philip shared the Good News of Jesus, He must have also taught him about the importance of baptism. It says in Mark 16:13, “Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.[4]”
After Philip baptized him, God supernaturally transported him to the town of Azotus, and the treasurer of Ethiopia continued his journey home, rejoicing in the Lord. Philip could only successfully witness the eunuch because he continually listened to the Lord’s guidance, and you can do the same as you let the Holy Spirit guide you.
To learn more about listening to God as you witness, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/philip-and-the-ethiopian
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.