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What is a testimony?
It is a first hand account of something you saw, heard, and/or experienced. The declaration of something witnessed first hand.
Why is it so important for believers to testify?
(To remind the devil every chance you get, that you know he is defeated by Christ Jesus and has NO power over you, that God may be glorified and others may be saved and edified)
Revelation 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants[a] the things that must soon take place.He made it known by sending his angel to his servant[b] John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.
Revelation 12:7-12 (The Apostle John was told write this vision down)
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,8 but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them[a] in heaven any longer. 9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they OVERCAME him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. (This is why the devil attacks us with fear, to keep our mouths shut, because he knows if we open our mouths and testify, proclaim, become a witness for Jesus... We will walk victorious on earth and glorify our Father in heaven)12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
Now, I hope you know, believers, this earth is not our home, so we can rejoice as those who dwell in the heavens. Jesus told the disciples, He goes away to prepare a place for them, “if it were not so, I would not have told you.” The word tells us we are Ambassadors for Christ, aliens... This earth is not our home. So, we have overcome Satan, by the blood of Jesus and The word of our testimony of Jesus!!! Therefore, Satan’s time of wrath upon the earth does not have to intimidate or defeat us, because Christ has defeated him and given us the power to defeat him by the words of our testimony.
Revelation 12:13-17
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.[b]
- Who is Christ to you?
- Where did He come from?
- Who sent him?
- Why is He here?
- What has He done for you?
- More important than who others say that He is, who do you say that He is? (He asked the disciples)
- (Luke chap 9)18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” 20 Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
- 28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,[b] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One;[c] listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.
In the Book of Numbers, God told Moses to speak to the rock to provide water for the people and Moses disobeyed God by striking the rock twice. That is what we do when we do not testify, we make it look as if our own might has given us what we need, instead of being obedient and proclaiming, testifying to what God has done or is doing in our lives that others may see the glory of God. We rob God of His glory... The times when we need to close our mouths they are wide open, but when we should be telling what God has done, we keep it shut... Lord help us...
Jesus wants us to testify of His goodness and mercy!!!
Mark 5:18-20 (ESV)
18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
We are here to be a witness for Jesus Christ, testifying, living epistles, declaring, proclaiming, and preaching the gospel into all the world... Coming into agreement with God The Father, The Son, and The heavens, that the devil is defeated and Christ Jesus is victorious!!!!! Jesus is the Power of your testimony.
How do we get to a life of testifying of Jesus Christ?
1) By dying to self
John 12:24-32(ESV)
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
2) By lifting up the name of Jesus
1 John 5:11(ESV)
11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
3) Testifying of Him through our lifestyle as believers.
1 Corinthians 5:12(ESV)
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[a] whom you are to judge?
