“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2 KJV)
Did not profit them? One of the biggest challenges in the witnessing process is the question, “Is there a God?” Not because there is any doubt whatsoever that there is, that He actually came to us, and that we can have a personal relationship with Him because of what He did for us. But that is not how the unbeliever typically hears this question. They generally look at the situation that their world is in and try to balance the rationalization of “are things being handled efficiently” and “why are not things handled better”? They may look for a sense of control. They may look for a sense of justice. They may look for the implementation of a better plan than what they perceive. Simply put, they are interested in the belief in God as a belief that is profitable.
A key point to recall is that the natural work of the Holy Spirit is to reprove of sin (see John 16:8-11). God takes the approach of convicting us of our sin so that we might know that we are in need of a savior. This is a stark contrast to giving us the inside scoop on better management skills, better ways to handle situations, or a tighter grip on otherwise slippery issues. That information may or may not come later, but without an upfront understanding that any righteousness that is to be must begin with Jesus; then all other paths to wisdom and knowledge have already taken a sharp turn downward.
Heaven may seem like a very profitable place to end up. Especially when compared with Hell. Notwithstanding, we are on Earth at present and this appears to be the place that we learn to develop our faith and practice His love despite all else. Unless we give ourselves up for lost and surrender to His righteousness then we will never understand what profitable really is. Faith is the essential ingredient. It does not take much. You will even find that it grows to be something very strong. It grows strongest as love is practiced. Perhaps the better approach to witnessing is simply telling your story. Win, loose, or draw that is what God did in your life. Do not be afraid to share it. Remember, we have been told to count the cost; not to reveal the profit (see Luke 14:26-33).
“And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.” (Luke 18:42 KJV)