My Best Tips for Helping People Live Free
I once heard a woman say, “When I meet with people to help them get set free, I go in with the goal to work myself out of a job.” She went on to say that the best we have is to help people connect with Jesus Christ. If we connect them to us, the end result will be disappointment, idolatry, and more bondage. If we connect them to the giver of life and the champion of truth…well, they will be free, grow strong, and mature into healthy believers.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. John 8:31 NKJV
HOW DO WE CONNECT PEOPLE with JESUS?
Contrary to what many people believe, God is never at fault for our bondage or the delay of our freedom. He 100% of the time wants to connect with us more than we could even imagine. He loves us first. A big fat lie of the enemy to keep people in bondage is to do bad deeds and then blame it on the Holy One.
We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 NKJV
#1 Way to Connect
The first thing we can do to connect people is to get connected ourselves! We must be in fellowship with Jesus and allow Him to remove all the lies we believe. A grave mistake is to think that we are the answer to the problem. We have the humble job of being people who just hold the sign that points the way to Jesus. Some of us are twirling the sign to get more customers and some of us are just standing with a sign causally pointing to the cross.
2nd Way to Connect
The second move we can make is to position ourselves to show people how to seek God, how to hear Him, and how to commune with Him. After connecting to God, we position ourselves to be on His side. We hear what He says, love what He loves, and hate what He hates. We obey Him and follow His guidance.
3rd Way to Connect
Thirdly, we hear from God and then say what He says. This can be repeating the Word or hearing directly from Him through one of the gifts of the spirit. John 16:13-14 says that Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus and doesn’t speak on His own initiative but points people to Jesus. Holy Spirit in us will do the same thing for other people.
WHY Can’t People get connected on their own?
- They cannot do it:
- They can’t connect because they are already connected to other things. When doing marriage meetings, I like to use an example of a piece of tape that has debris all over the sticky side. It was made to adhere, but it no longer can stick.
- Unforgiveness is debris that will keep a person’s heart from being able to connect with God. Sin clings to the soul and the connection can’t be made. A belief in lies about God, self or others also hinders connection.
- They do not want to connect:
- They can’t connect because of their own will. Sometimes people will say they want God but really actually want other things more. We can’t come to Him with one foot in the world and one foot in heaven. It doesn’t work like that. If we want to connect with God, we come as a child. Luke 14:33 Matthew 18:1-3
- They can’t connect because they don’t know how.
- When I took my daughter to the airport for the first time, it was a bit overwhelming to her. I took the lead and led the way. While doing so I explained what a concourse was and how to find the terminal she needed to make a connection to her flight. Today, she flies regularly all by herself.
Why Connecting With Him is the Only Way.
Your words will have no power to convince a person they are loved, wrong, victorious or in error. Connect them to HIS WORDS and the truth will shatter every lie. We do this through the WORD of GOD (Bible) and we do this through prayer and dialogue with GOD.
- Example: A woman believes that if she dies that everyone will be better off. We can ask the Lord to show her the truth. If she can’t see the truth right away, we can take her through the process of breaking down a lie stronghold.
- A man tells you that he is going to leave his wife and he says that the Lord only wants him to be happy. He will not listen to wise counsel. If he gets connected with the Lord, he will know the truth. You can show him in the Word what it says. You can also ask something like, “Have you considered praying about that?”
Connection Deliverance or Ministry Mistakes
I was dealing with a married couple who was not getting better. The methods and tools in my toolbox produced no improvement. I noticed that they enjoyed coming to talk to me. They wanted me to hear from God for them. The biggest mistake I could make would be to allow them to connect to my relationship with God instead of them connecting to the source. There are people who like having others dependent on them, but for a healthy mature adult in Christ, they have to be dependent on Jesus alone.
When I told my pastor that I could no longer meet with the couple he said, “I approve. I am glad that you know that you aren’t the answer.” I was a bit taken back but I see the truth in that statement. There are times I will walk every minefield to help a person be free, but if they don’t want the freedom giver…I won’t be an easy albeit pitiful substitute for Him.
Our Job is that of a Pointer
Be careful to not give your opinion or advice. Point. That’s the job that’s needed..be a pointer. Point to the Truth and Giver of Life! Point out scripture. You can ask questions that get them thinking like, “Where did that thought process come from? What do you think God thinks about that? What was happening in your life when this started? Do you believe that God loves you?” Ask God and He will reveal. He wants to set people free and heal more than anyone else.
Connecting TIPS:
- If you hear a person say a lie, then connecting them with the truth will set them free. This is done by asking God to show them the lie. Once they know the lie then they can renounce it and ask God for the truth. If they will connect their faith with the truth, it will connect them. They need to keep tearing down the lies until they’re gone. A good question is, “Who told you that lie?” If it’s a person, then forgive and renounce it. If it’s a situation, ask God to come to heal it and renounce that lie!
- If the reason they aren’t connecting is because of their will, then the only thing you can do is pray and watch your own life walk blamelessly. My youngest brother is a Honduran pastor. When asked about frustration over people not serving God he said, “I cannot sweat their fever for them.” We can lead them, point them in the right direction, we can jump hoops, and scream, but each person has to walk out their own salvation with fear and trembling.
- Know when to shut up.
Connecting is Supernatural
Finally, enjoy the ministry of Jesus Christ. The weight of connecting is His. As a pointer, you do not have to make it happen, just know that it is His will. If all you do is display His character so that people connect with His goodness, that is enough for miracles. The Word says it is His goodness that leads men to repentance. Romans 2:4 Once the connection is made, life and life abundantly will come forth.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 NKJV
