We all have a sphere of influence in our lives. That sphere is made up of those people in our lives that we have some influence over. And one of the strongest ways we can influence someone is through a personal testimony. That is when you tell someone else how something, or somebody, has affected your personal life.
Have you ever noticed how most of the commercials on TV are made to look like personal testimonies? It’s true. When you see someone advertising a product, most likely it will not be a scholar or scientist or in most cases, even a professional. When you see a commercial on TV, you normally see someone who is supposed to be just like you’ average, hard working, and honest. They will tell you what it was like before they used the product and what the product has done for them. And then, they will gently urge you to try that product. And then, what do we do? We listen to somebody on TV, a total stranger, tell us how great the product was for them and since we think we can identify with them, we run out and buy the product. That is what you call a sphere of influence!
We just heard some awesome personal testimonies here this morning. I can safely guarantee you that if you would take your personal testimony and start telling others as you have the chance, you would do far more to win people for Christ than you ever have before. We must remember that the sole reason to give our personal testimony is to affect others for the cause of Christ, and there is no better way than to tell someone what Christ did for you.
ROMANS 10:17
‘Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.’
I want to give you some things that might be able to help you enhance the effectiveness of your testimony. When you give your testimony, you need to break it down into three distinct parts. Start by telling them about your life …
1. BEFORE CHRIST
This world is a wicked and sinful place. The Scriptures tell us that the evil one runs herd over this planet for a season. Establish some common ground with the person you are talking to by telling them that we are all born into a world that has already become depraved and sinful. As we grow, two things work against us. We were not born saved in Christ, and we are under the sway of the enemy while we live on this planet. So, until we come to a saving knowledge in Christ, we are sinners living in a sinful world.
Paul tells us “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” He also tells us “the wages of sin is death.” Jesus tells us very clearly in JOHN 3:3, that nobody will enter Heaven unless he becomes born again of Him. That means that every person who has ever lived on planet Earth was a sinner one point in his life.
So, when we give our testimony, we must start with how we were once of the world, steeped in sin and reaping the benefits of sin. If we look to the Apostle Paul as an example, we see that even though he talked of his sinful past, he never glorified it. I have heard people give so much detail about their past that I didn’t know if they were trying to glorify Christ or their own past. So when you tell others that you were lost in sin before Christ, do not go into a lot of detail, as that will be perceived as your trying to glorify yourself to that person.
Tell them that you were a sinner, and as such, you were never fully satisfied or happy. Tell them that how your focus was always on you and what you wanted or expected, never on God, even though you thought you were a Christian because you were a good person.
Then, we tell them the circumstances of how you came to …
2. MEET CHRIST
Every conversion is not as powerful or as dramatic as Paul’s was, but every testimony is a “before and after” story of the grace of God, through Christ. Paul says being saved changed his life, but he does not tell them things have been great since he was saved. That is the difference between actual Godly testimony and today’s “easy to believe” stories.
In ACTS 9:1-19, we find out Paul came to know Christ. He was still trying to search for Christians to have them killed when he was on the road walking near Damascus. While he walked with others, a great light shone on him so bright that he fell face down on the ground. He heard a great voice ask him why he was persecuting Jesus. Then, Jesus told him to get up and go into the city where he would receive further instructions.
The others were speechless. They had heard the sound but didn’t see who was making it. When Paul got up, he was blind, so they led him to Damascus. For three days he could not see and didn’t eat or drink anything.
In the meantime, a Christian there by the name of Ananias had a vision from the Lord to go and help Paul. Ananias had heard of Paul’s reputation for killing Christians, and didn’t want to go, but the Lord said He had chose Paul to be His servant, so Ananias went and helped Paul.
When he approached Paul, Paul got up and was able to see again. He then began to eat and regain his strength for the journey ahead of him as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Before he was saved, his name was Saul and he persecuted Christians and helped to have many killed. After his conversion, he became one of the most powerful Christians of all time, and ended up having the Jews and the Romans plotting his death. After he was converted, he was renamed ‘Paul’ and was beaten, tortured, imprisoned, stoned, left for dead, and worse.
No, things are not always great and comfortable as a Christian, but we must remember that this life is nothing more than just a moment in time, and if we keep our eyes focused on the end of the race, which is Heaven, we shall not only endure, but we will also add to the body of Christ as Paul did.
So, as Paul began giving his testimony, he would tell of his past, but he would not glorify it. He would contrast that with the joy of the present – and in knowing Jesus on a personal level. He presented his testimony as a fact, not a feeling, for facts can be verified and feelings can go from high to low without warning.
After we tell someone how we met Christ, or how we were finally converted to Christianity, we then tell them about …
3. THE DIFFERENCE CHRIST HAS MADE IN OUR LIVES
Do you remember the story about the woman at the well? Twelve prophets had gone to that town and had tried to preach the Word of God so people would be saved, but they couldn’t get anyone to convert.
Jesus went there, had a short conversation with the woman at the well and she went back and told everybody what had happened to her and most of the town was saved. What did she do? She gave her personal testimony by telling others what had happened to her personally.
When Jesus healed the mad man at the cemetery, what did he tell him to do? He said to go home and tell what the Lord had done for Him. Jesus wanted him to go back and give his personal testimony.
And that is what Jesus wants you to do, also. He wants you to give your testimony and let others know that you were where they are, so you understand. He wants you to tell the facts of how Jesus got your attention, so they will know how it is done. Then Jesus wants you to tell them about how Jesus has changed your life so they will know their lives can be changed forever, too.
There is a wonderful story in the book of MATTHEW. It is found in the 25th Chapter, starting in verse 14. It is called the parable of the talents. It seems a man was going on a long journey, so he called three of his servants in before he left, and entrusted his money to them, according to what they could do.
To one, he gave 5,000 coins, to another he gave 2,000 coins, and to the third he gave 1,000 coins; and then he left.
He was gone for some time, and when he came back, he called those servants in to report on what they had done. The first said that as soon as the man had left, he put the 5,000 coins to work and had earned an additional 5,000 coins. Then he gave all 10,000 coins to his master.
The second man reported that he had also doubled the 2,000 coins that had been left for him. Then, he gave the master all 4,000 coins. To each of these men, the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
But when the third man came in, he said he realized how strict the master was, and he was afraid of what would happen if he lost his money, so he buried it to keep it safe and then gave the master his 1,000 coins back.
The master got angry and said he could have at least put it in the bank where it would have drawn interest, and called him a wicked and lazy servant. He then took the original 1,000 coins back and had the man thrown out into the darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.
God may not have given you 5,000 coins, but he has given you a story; the story of your personal testimony. And He expects you to put it to work where it will earn more for His kingdom. The only way you can put your testimony to work for God is to tell it to others. In that way, it will draw interest and be compounded, adding more to God’s kingdom.
But if you are like the lazy and worthless servant and try to hide it, or not share your testimony, you will be thrown out into the darkness where you will weep and gnash your teeth. And you will not be welcomed into Heaven because you refused to work for God.
MATTHEW 7:21-23, He told us,
‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons, and perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”
Many Christians do not give any testimony because they are afraid of what others will say or think about them. As Christians, we need to rise above that if we are to be faithful. God wants us to give our testimonies at every available opportunity. And we must remember what Jesus warned us about.
We have been told to do God’s will or we will not get into Heaven. One of the things God has told us to do is to give testimony. That is also called evangelizing. It is not difficult, but if you have never made a practice of it, it can be hard to start. So we are going to have a couple of evangelism classes in the near future that will help you in giving your testimony to others as the opportunities makes themselves available
These classes will be about 30 minutes in length and will be held right after normal church services on Sunday. The exact date will be given as we schedule it. The classes are meant to be fun, interesting, and instructive. I strongly urge you to attend.
As we close, let me remind you that we have heard some very powerful testimonies today, and it is testimonies like these that touch our hearts. And if they touch our hearts, they will touch others’ hearts as well.
But before you can give a testimony, you must have gone through a saving conversion with Jesus. As we sing, I invite you to just step out and come to me.
INVITATION
