Q. I’m not sure I know how to lead someone to the Lord. Are there any specific “rules” I should follow? What do I say?

A. Any Christian can lead someone to the Lord, so let me first encourage you not to succumb to fear or worry about what to say. Pray first and ask the Lord to fill your mouth with the words He would have you say. Then, follow this simple scriptural approach:

  1. Open a Bible to Romans 10. Have the individual read aloud verses 9 and 10.
  2. Explain to the individual that because these scriptures say that “… confession is made unto salvation,” you are going to lead him in a short prayer. Ask the individual to repeat after you as you pray.
  3. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your prayer so that the individual will be sure to
  • Acknowledge that he is a sinner (repentance).
  • Ask the Father to cleanse him, by the blood of Jesus, from every sin committed.
  • Invite Jesus to come into their heart and to be Master and Lord of his life.
  • Thank God for saving his soul
  1. Ask the individual to read Romans 10:13 aloud. Now, ask him to read it again, but this time have him substitute their own name for “whoever” in this verse.

The individual will realize that he has fulfilled the simple requirements of verse 13 and that he is saved according to God’s Word, whether or not they feel any different!

You may warmly affirm this momentous decision and welcome your new brother or sister to the Body of Christ.

Q. What can I do to help a friend receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit?

A. The individual for the baptism in the Holy Spirit must be a born-again child of God. The work of the Holy Spirit is essential for Christian growth. Through this baptism God empowers the believer to develop and express his new life in Jesus Christ.

Many people desire to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, but they don’t know how to do so. Frequently, I open the conversation by saying, “I would love to pray with you to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit.” Then I proceed to

  1. Open a Bible to Luke 11:10-13 and ask the individual to read this passage aloud. These verses establish the way to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit. We simply “ask” in faith because we know that our loving heavenly Father would never give us a “counterfeit.”
  2. Ask the individual to read Acts 2:4 aloud. Assure the individual that just as Jesus’ disciples spoke in tongues when the Holy Spirit came upon them, the candidate will also speak in tongues when baptized in the Holy Spirit.
  3. Ask the individual to read Romans 8:26-28 aloud. This will confirm the purpose and the benefits of praying in “tongues.”
  4. Lead the candidate in a short prayer during which he asks the Father to baptize him with the Holy Spirit. Now tell the candidate that, by faith, you are going to pray in the Spirit together. Encourage the individual to speak freely—as the Holy Spirit directs—regardless of how it may sound to the natural ear.
  5. You, the leader, should begin to pray aloud in tongues. After you have prayed together in tongues for a while, you may wish to sing in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15).

Although the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a one-time event, the “infilling” of the Holy Spirit is a one-time event, the “infilling” of the Holy Spirit goes on and one and never stops. Encourage your friend to pray in the Spirit every day and to expect to find a new richness in his Christian experience.