Lee Strobel, the award-winning author and evangelist, shared how his obedience to God actually impacted a family who never knew Jesus. His church invitation to an atheist friend was actually for someone else.
Lee Strobel
The author of “The Case for Christ” recalled his wonderful testimony that will surely inspire others to obey God.
Strobel shared that he was still a new believer in Christ when he heard God’s voice. The instruction was to go back to their office and invite his atheist friend to church for the Easter service. And so, he obeyed God.
He told his friend about Easter and how Christians celebrated the day of Jesus’ resurrection. Strobel even pointed out evidence that proved Jesus was resurrected. Then he invited him to church. But, to his surprise, his friend was just shutting him down.
Confused by God’s instruction, Strobel left. He thought, “What was that about? Why did I feel so specifically compelled to go and invite him to Easter services and talk about resurrection? I’d shared the Gospel with him, and he just shuts me down.”
The experience bothered him for years because his friend is still an atheist to this day.
Fruit of Obedience
But four years later, a man came up to him after service and greeted him. He said, “Thank you for the spiritual influence you’ve had in my life.”
Strobel replied, “That’s nice, but who are you?”
The guy then introduced himself. He recalled his first meeting with the author. “One day, not long before Easter,” the man was working in the office where Strobel worked.
He went on to describe Strobel coming in and talking to his atheist friend. The man revealed he was listening to their conversation the whole time.
Although his friend was shutting him down, the man was convicted by what he heard. “My heart was beating fast,” he recalled. “I’m thinking, I need God.”
“I called my wife, and I said, ‘We’re going to church this Easter.”
He continued, “We came to your church at Easter. I came to faith. My wife came to faith, and our teenage son came to faith. And I just wanted to thank you.”
Our obedience to God may not produce the fruit that we expected, but God’s purpose will surely prevail. We only need to trust Him and obey!
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Header Image: Lee Strobel, Facebook, February 20, 2018, https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1610916578993196&set=a.288620932620282
