Your Testimony Is Powerful Series

How many of you have had a root canal? I had my third one on Monday. Do you feel my pain? To say they’re unpleasant is an understatement. Actually, since becoming a member of the root canal club, I can give testimony that the thought of having a root canal is more painful than the actual procedure due to new techniques and improved methods.

For many of us, we’d rather have a root canal than share the gospel with someone. The thought of it can make us cringe but when God uses us to share the good news, it’s not so bad, is it? Today, we’re not going to discover a new technique, but rather a tried-and-true method which has been around for thousands of years. Our main idea is this: Give God glory by telling the story of God’s grace in your life.

• Listen to this example from Psalm 40:9-10: “I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.”

• In Luke 8:38-39, after healing the demon-possessed man, Jesus sent him to tell his salvation story: “The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”

• Jesus said something similar to the Samaritan woman in John 4:39: “Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’”

• John 15:27: “And you will also bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

• We’ve seen the power of testimony throughout the Book of Acts. Acts 4:33 says, “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”

• 1 Peter 3:15: “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

• 1 John 1:3 speaks of the effectiveness of eyewitness testimony: “That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you.”

• Revelation 12:11 celebrates the power of testimony as a tool in fighting against the devil: “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

People can doubt or debate the Bible or the existence of God, but no one can deny your personal story with God. Your testimony is one of the most effective tools in your evangelism toolbox. One dictionary defines “testimony” as, “giving a firsthand authentication of a fact, especially in court.” It also has the idea of “open acknowledgement,” and is closely related to being a witness. In Hebrew, it refers to someone who sees something amazing or important. In Greek, it means, “to answer” and is the word from which we get the word martyr.

The word “witness” is the most frequently used word in the Bible to express a believer’s primary role in the world. Here’s a question to ponder: What would happen if a witness took the stand, was asked for his or her testimony, but never opened their mouth?

There are at least three benefits of a personal testimony.

• Exaltation of God. A testimony can stir us to worship. Psalm 107:1-2: “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.”

• Encouragement for others. There’s nothing like hearing a testimony when you’re feeling discouraged and even distant from God. Psalm 71:15-16: “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.”

• Evangelization of unbelievers. 1 Chronicles 16:24: “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!”

Last weekend, we left the Apostle Paul standing on the temple steps. He had just been falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple, was almost killed, and then arrested by the Romans. Because he was granted permission to speak to the people, he decided to share his testimony. As evidence of how powerful a testimony is, Paul’s testimony is recorded seven times in Acts and the epistles.

Please open your Bible to Acts 22 where we’ll see how Paul approached getting the good news out to lost people.