Evangelism outreach

Everytime I hear about an outreach opportunity, I am filled with excitement at the thought of going out and serving along with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who share the same mission and passion. However, it's also true that every single time that I am about to go I seem to encounter a sudden wave of reluctance and inability to make myself take action, as if Satan is trying to hinder me and bind me. I find myself struggling with doubt on whether God is really calling me to go or not, and I start looking for excuses like... maybe God just wants me to be a good student and spend my time studying instead, or I don't have a car, it would be too much of a hassle and out of the way to ask for a ride, and etc. Thankfully though, God has been quick to answer and provide confirmation for me in incidents when within the next few minutes I would suddenly receive a phone call with someone offering me a ride to go. =p

Although I had already given out gospel tracts and engaged in conversational evangelism quite a few times before, this time at the Pecan Street Festival I felt Satan's grip of reluctance and impairment over me again! In the first half hour I just couldn't seem to take the first step out of my comfort zone to even simply hand out a tract to anyone. I was struggling with fear of inadequacy, lack of boldness, and part of me wished that I could just join the crowd of shoppers and enjoy the festival like everyone else instead. With my partner, Emily, amidst this spiritual warfare, we knew that we had to rely on God's strength through prayer. Sure enough, soon after we prayed I felt a sense of courage and empowerment through Him. Throughout the rest of the outreach, God opened many doors for Emily and I to share our belief in the Gospel  and even gave us the opportunity to pray for a couple of people right then and there! We also had the chance to encourage and talk with a person from India who was only visiting the United States for a short period of time, as well as two men from Norway who just arrived in the afternoon and were leaving that very same night! It was so inspiring for me to see God at work in the people we met, and the thought that some of them lived in countries where it might be even more difficult to hear the Gospel really encouraged me to believe even more in His divine appointments rather than merely being coincidental encounters.

Through this outreach, I have continued to learn that God is Faithful. He has reminded me that we often underestimate Satan's power over us and forget to be faithful in prayer, relying on His strength instead of our own.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12).

But take heart! I have overcome the world (John 6:33) 

And so we know and rely on the love that God has for us (1 John 4:16) 

Our GOD is not a small GOD. He is active and moving. He is sure to answer us when we earnestly call upon Him. and He rewards those who eagerly desire to please Him.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" 
-Romans 10:14-15