There are few things that impact me more than listening to someone being completely transparent and real in sharing about God’s faithfulness and power in their life. There is an inexplicable comfort found in connecting with another person’s frailties and struggles on a personal level and then hearing about how God met them, right where they were, in the midst of their brokenness and need. This connection breaks us free from Satan’s lie that we are alone in what we are going through and gives us the truth that we so often need to hear - that the God who created us is intricately involved in our lives, He sees us and He is willing to meet us right where we are.
I don’t think there is anything that can replace the passion we witness through the testimonies of those in awe of what Jesus has done or is currently doing in their life. That excitement and joy is incredibly contagious and fuels a desire in others to see Him move in their own lives - and God designed it that way for a reason!
Telling those we come in contact with about what the Lord is doing in our lives should be a natural overflow of growing in our relationship Jesus. His goodness and provision in our lives should be a part of normal daily conversation, especially with those close to us. If that's not happening, then something is missing.
When God moves in a life, when He saves, when He heals, when He protects, when He speaks, when He provides for a need, when He answers a prayer – it should be exciting and praise worthy. When we don't acknowledge God at work, we hinder the Holy Spirit's ability to work through what He is doing in our lives to be a witness for Him to others.
When God moves, it's meant to be shared and celebrated! God moving in a person’s life or circumstances is not to be taken lightly, hidden or ignored. We never know who needs to hear what God is doing at that very moment! We cannot underestimate the importance of the progression that begins the moment a life lived for Christ impacts the life of another. When we are obedient to share what He is doing, God sets the trajectory of our testimony in motion, propelling the Gospel forward to impact the lives of those waiting to hear about the Good News of Jesus Christ.
The testimonies of God’s people are powerful and there has never been a time in the history of mankind when the testimonies of God’s people were unimportant. I’d go so far as to say that our testimony of who Jesus is and what He has done for us is essential in the furtherance of the Gospel. We read testimony after testimony throughout the pages of scripture of how God used the lives of imperfect men and women who chose to walk by faith. We also see God do many miraculous things for His people, and in turn, His people gave testimony to God’s power and goodness in their lives. We read about altars being built as a reminder and testimony to future generations of what God had done.
Unfortunately, we also read that as time passed, the generations to come would begin to forget and eventually cease to tell of God’s mighty works. When the testimonies of His people grew silent, “another generation rose up who did not know the LORD, or the works he had done.” (Judges 2:10) I believe we are now witnessing a generation rising up in America who do not know the LORD, because the testimonies of God's people have grown silent.
God changed my perspective about the importance of sharing my faith story many years ago. I use to think about it in terms of the potential impact on that one person I was feeling led to share with. And let’s be honest, it’s much easier to put off sharing or even walk away from the opportunity to share when we think about it solely in terms of one person. When we think this way, we automatically negate the continued impact that God has planned for others through that one who places their faith in Jesus Christ. I’m pretty sure the person who was faithful to share with the person who then shared with the person who led Billy Graham to faith in Jesus Christ had no idea what the impact their obedience would have on the lives of millions of people around the world.
The importance of sharing our faith begins to take on new light when we think about the potential for continued impact from that person to another.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He has written His testimony in your heart and all over your life. He not only desires to work in you as you grow in your relationship with Him, He desires to work through you, by using your testimony of who He is and what He is doing in your life to impact the lives of others with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
God can do immeasurably more than we could ever think or imagine through one simple step of obedience. Remember, He has the trajectory for your testimony already mapped out. He knows exactly who needs to hear your faith story and the lives that will be impacted as a result of your obedience to share.
We are called to impact this world for Jesus Christ and it is time for God’s people to break the silence and make Him known to this generation - and the generations to come!
Each and every believer’s story is a constant reminder that God is still working powerfully in and through the lives of His people - and the world needs to hear what He has done and is still doing, unhindered.
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised;
His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend Your works to the next,
and will proclaim Your mighty acts—
the glorious splendor of Your majesty.
And I will meditate on Your wondrous works.
They will proclaim the power of Your awesome deeds,
and I will declare Your greatness.
Psalm 145:3-6
Lord, forgive me for negating the importance of sharing my faith with others. I know there have been times that I have walked away from opportunities you have given me to share. Help me to surrender my fear and allow your Spirit to work through me - through my obedience to share who you are and what you have done in my own life. As I seek to live more fully for you each day, please create in me a desire to share what you are doing in my life with others. Use me, use my life, to impact my marriage, my family, and the lives of those you have placed around me each day for your Kingdom, even today. In Jesus name, Amen
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