I am known for telling stories… again… and again… and yes… again.
It can become redundant. And as good (in my humble opinion) as these stores can be there are times when people slump their shoulders and give me the “not again” look.
I gained 30 pounds just by promising to first take and finish a bite of food before I started to tell a story.* (Of course, it was mainly to distract me while people fled the room!)
I love a good story. Whether told by myself or someone else.
But even more than stories... more than carefully crafted commentary or perfectly prepared preludes … I love testimonies.
“Sworn statements of witness.”
Things that people have witnessed for themselves… things that they would swear to.
Like how God has worked in their lives… how they have known that Jesus is with them… how He gave them the peace that passes understanding He promises…
… how they have been saved… and healed.
These aren’t just stories…“For we did not follow cunningly devised fables… but were eye witnesses.” (2 Peter 1:16)… these are statements of witness.
We need to share these witnesses… We need to let others hear them…
Why?... because “faith comes by hearing.” (Romans 10:17)
But wait… that is not all… there’s more.
A set of knives? Yes!!! Our testimonies are a weapon against the kingdom of darkness.
When we share our testimonies… when we tell others how God has worked in our lives… in our situation… in our struggle…
When they hear them… their faith rises… and they begin to believe that what He has done for us… He can do for them.
Your and my separate testimonies become more than just yours and mine… together, along with all that they have heard… all that has made faith rise in them… become their testimony… and when the adversary comes against them…
they overcome him “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev. 12:11)
When we hear about a brother who was delivered from addiction…
Or one who recovered from financial ruin… One who learned how to love his wife the way she needed… And be the father his kids longed for…
When We hear about how someone was able to forgive the unforgiveable… be reconciled to the irreconcilable… to face the unimaginable and not lose hope… not lose faith… not give up on God…
We become the immoveable… undefeatable… already-been-made-victorious-in-Christ…
body of believers in a world of doubt…
shining lights in a sea of darkness we were meant to be!
Share your testimonies! Listen to the testimonies of others! Let’s lock arms and let faith rise as we together overcome the wicked one and deliver a crushing blow to the kingdom of darkness!
Oh Yeah!!! Can I get an Amen!
SDG
*I didn't actually lose the weight... but I thought it would make a good story :-)
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