THE OFFERING OF A TESTIMONY
THE POWER OF A TESTIMONY
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
I. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT ARE GIVERS, AND THEY FORGET TO GIVE A POWERFUL TOOL OF DELIEVRANCE.
A. I know loving people that give regularly to the work of the Lord.
B. I have been sustained for the last 25 years because of the loving giving of God’s people.
C. GOD GIVES US:
1. TIME
2. TALENT
3. ENERGY
D. WHAT WE DO WITH THOSE THREE GIFTS SHOW WHAT WE LOVE!
E. Many are faithful to tithe and give sacrificially of their time, talent, and energy --- BUT THEY FFORGET GIVING A TESTIMONY IS A POWERFUL GIFT TO GOD TO TOUCH OTHER PEOPLE.
F. A TESTIMONY’S POWER CAN BE RELEASED IN CHURCH AND
AT YOUR HOME AND AT YOUR WORK PLACE.
II. DO YOU KNOW THE TWO KINDS OF POWER?
A. KINETIC POWER:
Of or relating to the motion and energy associated therewith.
Active, lively, dynamic energizing.
B. POTENTIAL POWER:
Existing in possibility.
Capable of development into actually.
Expressing possibility.
THAT WHICH MIGHT COME TO BE THE CASE.
C. WHAT IS A BATTERY? KINETIC OR POTENTIAL?
The battery could be both?
If the battery is sitting idle it is Potential energy.
If the battery starts the engine it is KINETIC energy.
D. MUCH OF CHURCH LIFE AND THE POWER OF THE TESTIMONY
IS VESTED IN POTENTIAL ENERGY.
E. Faith can not be passive.
F. A THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY STARTS WITH A PLAN?
A THOUSAND MILE JOURNEY STARTS BY ONE STEP.
III. DO WE UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF A TESTIMONY?
A. TESTIFY
To make a statement based on personal knowledge or belief.
To serve as evidence or proof.
To express a personal conviction.
To bear witness.
To make a solemn declaration under oath for the purpose of establishing
a fact.
Attest, to make known.
To give A STATEMENT SOLEMNLY STATED TO BE TRUE.
B. TESTIMONY
In the Old Testament the tablets of stone inscribed with the Mosaic law was called The Testimony.
A firsthand authentication of a fact.
Evidence, an outward sign.
A solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness under oath.
An open acknowledgement.
A public profession of a religious experience
IV. THE TESTIMONY HAS POWER. WE MUST LEARN TO RELEASE THE POWER.
Rev. 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
A. IF THEY HAD A TRIAL TODAY, WOULD THERE BE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONVICT YOU OF BEING A CHRISTIAN?
B. A Christian’s faith is not despair.
The proof is a Christian can persist in surviving and raising up a testimony.
C. David Hume said:
No testimony is sufficient to establish a miracle, unless the testimony be of such a kind that its falsehood would be more miraculous than the fact
which it endeavors to establish.
E. A testimony can take many forms.
A testimony could be a song God’s children sang while in slavery in a STRANGE LAND.
A testimony of a groan or a moan could be a prayer going heavenward dreaming of deliverance from the chains of bondage.
V. THE LAW REQUIRED THE TESTIMONY OF TWO TO BE SPOKEN
BEFORE THE JUDGE COULD ESTABLISH A TRUTH.
A. There was a problem with testimony? Some testimony could be false?
B. If a person made another person mad enough, perhaps in anger that person would tell a lie and defame another person.
C. Thus the law built in a protective clause to require the witness of two.
Deut. 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
John 8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.
VI. WATER BAPTISM IS A PUBLIC DECLARATION AND TESTIMONY OF JESUS’ SAVING POWER.
A. OUR STAY IN THIS LIFE IS NOT A MATTER OF HOW LONG OR HOW SHORT OUR LIFE IS, THAT MATTERS LITTLE.
B. WHAT MATTERS IS A TESTIMONY OF FAITHFULNESS AND TRIUMPH OF FAITH AND THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD.
C. WATER BAPTISM IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE. TODAY MANY BELIEVERS COME TO THE LORD AND THEN THEY BYPASS THE COMMAND OF JESUS.
D. WATER BAPTISM IS SYMBOLIC OF:
1. DEATH
2. BURIAL
3. RESURRECTION
Mark 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
E. THERE IS MORE THAN WATER BAPTISM, THERE IS A SPIRITUAL BAPTISM.
Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
VII. BECAUSE OTHERS OVERCAME, I CAN OVERCOME.
1 Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
A. BY THE POWER OF OUR TESTIMONY OTHERS CAN LEARN --- THEY TO CAN BE OVERCOMERS.
2 Cor. 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
B. OFTEN TIMES WE GO THROUGH SOMETHINGS WE DON’T UNDERSTAND, AND SOME ONE CAN TESTIFY THEY BEEN THERE, AND DONE THAT...
AND IT HELPS US TO KNOW WE CAN OVERCOME...
VIII. THE GREATEST WITNESS TO THE WORLD IS A CHANGED LIFE.
A. Often times people look for a tangible sign that there is a Living God.
Seeing a changed life, from deep sin to a changed life, is a good testimony.
B. HEARSAY IS NOT ADMISABLE IN COURT.
C. There is no greater power of witness in the church than that of a changed life and a changed family!
CONCLUSION:
In West Prestonsburg, Ky, we had a precious Christian man named Paul that was the postmaster of our little Post Office. Often times the Post Office took on the atmosphere of a church as people would gather and talk about the Lord.
Paul and his wife were active at the Methodist Church in the community.
Paul’s wife was a very quiet woman, but one Sunday night Paul’s wife stood and gave her little testimony. Those there said it was beautiful.
She declared a personal experience with her Savior Jesus Christ and her hope of heaven.
She told how she loved the Lord, her church, and her family.
Quiet tears ran down her face as she testified of God’s goodness.
Paul and his wife went home and talked about how they enjoyed the service.
She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Paul heard a loud noise and ran into the bathroom, there his precious wife was dead. It was so sudden.
But I heard Paul say many times, that his wife’s testimony was life sustaining to him in his solemn day of death.
WE NEVER KNOW THIS MIGHT BE OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OTHERS OF JESUS?
Do we see the power and value of testimonies in the church today?
There is a great danger in the church. The danger many hide under timidity, and we say we lack the courage, the ability to speak powerful words, or we don’t have the self confidence to speak.
Maybe we are lacking in boldness or determination and desire. But we must fan the flame, there is great power in a personal testimony.
May we offer to God our testimonies at home, at work, at play, and at church.
Someone needs to hear your testimony!
Great test make great testimonies.
Big messes can turn into great messages.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
