Some people have reached a point in their life where they simply cannot hear anything more about #God.

This is usually the case when they've gone through an extreme trauma, disappointment or an overwhelming amount of exposure to empty #religion.

We're going to talk about what to do with these scenarios:

• How to approach
• How to maintain
• Where to go from there

How To Approach

There's two categories of people you'll run into here:

1. Ones you've had a short term relationship with
2. Ones you've had a long term relationship with
   

Short Term Relationships

The first category would be the people around you that you might not have had much contact with in general.

They could be strangers on the street, passerbyers in the malls, or co-workers/peers that you've simply never talked to.

The general rule when it comes to people who are hyper-sensitive and irritable to the message (both for those you know and those you don't) is that speed is not an asset for you in these situations.

What I mean is by showing up, preaching, and moving on will not going to do anything favorable.

Of course God can use it, but generally speaking, flash-pan evangelists only add fuel to the fire.

The best means of approach with these people is a long term and relational approach.

It's being able to go for the long haul with them without ever having to say a word about God, Church, or spirituality.

You can mention that you're a #Christian and go to #church, but if you don't feel any invitation to expand on those comments, then don't force it.

Just  let them observe you through that relationship and Holy Spirit will do the rest.

You've heard that quote "You just might be the only Bible someone might ever read." This is where that applies.

For the people you don't know who are at this level, your best method is to create a friendship with them.

An important key in this however is not to have an agenda when making the friendship. You don't want to become their friendly simply because you want to evangelize them.

Become their friend because you genuinely care for them.

If you have an agenda, first off they will smell it...second, it won't be an authentic friendship and you've missed the point.

Some practical ways you can begin building a relationship with someone you don't know:

• Get a group thing happening at your house or at a restaurant and invite them (groups are always easier to invite people too)
• Ask them out for a coffee to talk. Now I recommend having a purpose to "the talk" that doesn't make it sound like a date. Ask them for help on something (work or school related), ask for advice (on something you need and something they're good at...if applicable) or even just come out and say "I think you're the kind of friend I could use in my life."
• Join a community league of some sort and tell them they should join with you
• If the person is completely random, chances of building a relationship off the hop become more difficult, but it would be a case-by-case thing. Some people are open to it, others are a bit more skeptical.
• You can also join meetup.com and join groups of people who are hanging out over common interests. This is a great place to meet strangers and build relationships.

Most people are lonely these days and a simple invite to something is exactly what they're waiting for.

By keeping that in mind, don't expect them to make the first move. They're waiting for you!

Long Term Relationships

Because you've already known this person for a while, you already know where they are and chances they know where you stand too (aka that you're a #Christian).

Some of the methods above might apply just to keep the relationship going in a good direction.

"Approaching" them would fall more along the lines of being intentional with spending time with them more often. Not in a weird way, but in a sincere way.

Some practical things you can do with these people:

• Offer to help them out with whatever house projects they're doing
• Invite them over to help you out with yours
• Set up a game night a couple times a month and have them join
• Be intentional about taking them out for coffee
• Be there when they need you (within reason of course...don't get out of balance or get manipulated, but rather serve from a position of choice)

How To Maintain

(Applies to both short term and long term relationships)

These people are hyper-sensitive and thus mentioning anything spiritual is likely to put up a wall. So what do you do?!

Again just keep serving.

Don't think that your actions are going unnoticed. They are watching you and making assessments about you as a Christian.

If they don't want to talk about why they've been so hurt, you might not ever know why. But chances are it was because of a massive let down from God and/or Christians and your behavior acts as testimony to that.

Who you are and how you treat them will tell them more about the God you serve than your preaching ever could.

Some practical things you can do that will impact them:

• Admit when you're wrong and apologize (something rare these days...even for Christians)
• Give without expecting/asking for anything back
• Use a bad word every now and then (if you use bad words that is... if you don't currently use them, don't start. But if you do and you let one slip now and then, laugh it off... it shows you're human. You can say something to follow up with it like, "Ack! Made me use my non-christian tongue again.")
• When someone says Jesus name in a derogatory sense, follow up with "Yeah! Praise Jesus!" When they look at you weird say, "Sorry.. I thought you were praising God so I thought I'd join in." Now, play that out. Some people you can play with that. Others might just think you're weird. My point is; don't be so religious and get offended with the way the world operates. It's the world! That's just how they be.
• Don't judge the world. That's God's job. Plus you used to be one of them so cut them some slack and love them just like God did and still does with you. You can judge the fruit and tell them when they're being an idiot (cuz that's what good friends do)... but you can't judge the root, aka the heart. That's out of your ability.
  

Where To Go From There

If you can't talk with them about God to their face, then talk about them to God behind their back.

Prayer is underrated and I don't think we as Christians do enough of it.

When you pray, don't get into a religious recitation of saying the same thing over and over again (something God already knows anyways), but rather declare life over them.

Speak life into their situation. Take command and speak with authority:

• "I speak life over my friend in the name of Jesus."
• "I declare life and favor over them."
• "I renounce any demonic activity that is current in their life and I speak the love of God to be present with them wherever they go."

Declarations are much more powerful than repetitive petitions. Why?

A) God already knows what we're going to ask before we ask it, and He already knows what the person needs anyways

B) The power of life and death are in the tongue...use it for life.

The key in the long distance game is consistency. It's showing them you're human, showing them you love them, and showing them that God is involved in the mix.

It might be years of this before you ever get the open door to share. Don't fret, if you honestly believe God is in the mix, then there is still time - all the way up to their last breath.

So What Are Your Thoughts?

Who do you know right now that's in hyper-sensitive mode? How can you build a better relationship with them?