What is the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism?
Pre-conversion: He prepares people’s hearts before the arrival of the message – conviction.
As we know from 1 Corinthians 2:14,
“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
The fallen state of man means that he cannot prepare himself for conversion. By His grace through the working of the Holy Spirit, God prepares a person for conversion whilst they are still in their fallen nature.
Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit would be the one to convict men of sin (John 16:8).
“And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.”
As we evangelise to people, explaining their standing before God and their good works being filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), the Holy Spirit is the one who bring full understanding and awareness to people about the fate of their unsaved state and their desperate need for a Saviour.
Jesus also taught that the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth – would testify of Jesus (John 15:26-27).
“But I will send you the Advocate -the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.”
He will testify to unregenerate hearts of the importance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and His position as the only one who can save them and redeem them from their unsaved state.
Jesus also taught that the Holy Spirit will glorify him (John 16:14).
“He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.”
The Holy Spirit shines a light unto Jesus Christ. He does not focus on himself but on Christ, convincing one of their need for him and prompting them to see Him all the more clearer, moving them to embrace Him in faith.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHrRTQ93QA8&ab_channel=DesiringGod
Conversion: He enables people to believe the message of the gospel – justification.
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” – John 3:8
The Holy Spirit acts freely and sovereignly on whom He will act upon. “You do not know where it comes from or where it goes”. This explains that the new birth is not a result of one’s will or prompting (Titus 3:5). The same goes for evangelism and mission work; one does not know whom the Spirit will act upon and in which manner, hence why in the mission field, it is extremely important to rely on him to lead.
“Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 12:3
Mankind is unable to attain or choose salvation without divine intervention. We see this in Matthew 16:17, Ephesians 2:8-9 and John 6:44. Conversion is impossible without the Holy Spirit. We are saved by grace through faith, which then enables one to confidently and wholeheartedly proclaim, “Jesus is Lord!”.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to him by faith in him as Saviour], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].”
Through the Holy Spirit’s life giving work, one is changed from having an existence that was in utter ignorance and defiance of God, destined for death and God’s wrath, to that which is alive in Christ: rich in devotion, equipped for obedience, firm in its purpose to please God and destined for an eternal life together with God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeJPcTxB4EM&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=GotQuestionsMinistries
Post-conversion: He empowers people to live out the good news in their lives – sanctification.
The Holy Spirit’s work doesn’t just stop at conversion. He enables us to live lives that are pleasing to the Father through the process of constant pruning and perfecting. He carries out this maturing work of purifying us from sin’s power, until the coming of Christ.
Sanctification is progressive, not instant, and its evidence is the fruit of the Spirit. New believers have now been adopted into God’s family, and as God’s children are now being moulded to live in a way that is acceptable in God’s sight, looking more like Jesus.
Sanctification is not an idle job, we must purposefully work on ourselves too, working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13) and being diligent to confirm our calling and election (2 Peter 1:10).
The Holy Spirit gives boldness and prepares the hearts of the missionaries to be sensitive to his promptings and direction. This comes through fervent prayer and fasting.
John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrvUZPL43LI&ab_channel=OurGodGivenMission
Additional resources:
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-holy-spirit-agent-of-salvation/