I was given an advanced copy of “Anyone But Me: 10 Ways to Overcome Your Fear and Be Prepared to Share the Gospel” by Ray Comfort.
I hate this book and am giving it five stars! I need to clarify this statement. I hate this book because it is so good and so true; and that it also reveals that I so often fall short in sharing the Gospel with others. I also must say that I love this book. I love that it speaks truth to both the believer and the unbeliever. It gives helpful insight into how we as believers can overcome our fears and prepare ourselves to share the Gospel.
For those familiar with Ray Comfort, if you have watched one of his videos or read any of his evangelistic books, then you know he utilizes the “Good Person” model of questioning. He asks the individual if he or she is a good person. Almost everyone says they are. Using the 10 Commandments, he asks the familiar questions: “Have you lied, stolen, and lusted?” He uses this line of questioning to help people see themselves as not the good people they had assumed themselves to be. He later asks the person if God judges them by the 10 Commandments, would God send them to heaven or hell? Ray is pricking the conscience of the listener to see that he or she is in trouble with God, so that the Gospel message will be able to do its work. The point is you will hear some familiar points in this book, and that is a good thing.
Like the 10 Commandments, Ray has given 10 ways to overcome our fear of sharing the Gospel and helping us to prepare to share the Gospel. Ray’s 10 ways are to be loving, obedient, decisive, defiant, focused, prepared, truthful, practiced, faithful, and prayerful.
In chapter 1, Ray writes about his experiences of showing love to those who have ridiculed him. After quoting Luke 6:27, he rightly states: “Our unconditional love sets Christians apart from the world and stops the ignorant mouths of evil men.” Over the years, Ray has given gift cards and fruit baskets, and wrote kind notes to his detractors. Ray gives some thoughtful insight into how we as believers can change the way we think and love others, and this also helps us to move forward with sharing the Gospel. Love is foundational for us to be able to share this life-giving message with others.
Ray then goes into being obedient in sharing our faith in Chapter 2. He speaks about Samson’s secret strength, which is not his hair. Like Samson, every believer has the abiding power of almighty God just waiting to be loosed. This chapter helps us to see that we as believers are not alone, and we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, so we should not fear.
The third chapter is about being decisive in sharing our faith. Strangers almost never come up to us and ask us to share our faith with them. It is important for us to make the conscious decision to share the Gospel, and then go out and do it.
The fourth chapter is about being defiant against the real enemy, the devil. Ephesians 6:11, Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ray speaks about how seemingly innocuous things such as sleep and well-meaning isolationism can be barriers to sharing our faith. Even well-meaning Christians can be a barrier to doing what Christ has commissioned us to do. We must be defiant, and push forward in telling others about Jesus.
Chapter 5 reminds the reader that we must be vigilant and focused when we speak with others. It is easy to get caught up in chasing rabbits down rabbit holes, or debating issues that divide believers and unbelievers. We must keep our eyes on the cross and exalt the risen Savior.
Chapter 6 is about the believer being prepared and putting on the full or complete armor of God in order to be prepared to stand, defend, and be victorious against the schemes of the devil.
Chapter 7 is about truth - the Gospel truth. The word gospel means good news. Gospel and truth have long been synonymous with one another. As believers, we are admonished by Ray to stand for truth because “the enemy stands for the opposite.” Our enemy is Satan, the father of lies. We will necessarily fight lies with the truth. The Gospel is truth. It is imperative that we preach the all sufficient sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and nothing we do can add to that work. We have been called to salvation in and through Jesus because of his unmerited favor (grace) toward us.
Chapter 8 is about being prepared to share the Gospel. We do that by practicing what we will be sharing with others. Understanding the Gospel message and how we will go about sharing it with others will go a long way in being able to share it. The more we do it, the better we will be in doing it. Sure, we will come across someone who will frustrate us as we try to give them the words of life. However, this is also an opportunity to learn. The truth is that even in situations that frustrate us, God can use the encounter to change the heart of the hearer of the Gospel. Still, these encounters should bring us back to the word of God, so we can seek the Lord’s guidance.
Chapter 9 is the shortest chapter of the book. It is by no means the least of the chapters. It is a call to be and remain faithful in sharing the Gospel with others. Ray reminds us that It is also important to be at peace with others, and to take every opportunity to stop any misunderstandings as soon as possible. We must be careful in our words and deeds.
Chapter 10 reminds us that we need to pray and be prayed for with all kinds of prayer. Study the Bible on a regular basis. Make the most of the time, and look for ways and opportunities within the areas of your influence to share the hope found in Christ alone.
As I come to a close, I must tell you that I actually loved reading this book. I read it over two nights. I saw areas in each chapter where I could improve. Ray has given me some new ideas about how I can go about sharing my faith with others. He has definitely done an excellent job getting his points across. I highly recommend everyone read this book.