The Power Of Testimony

"And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony; and they loved not their lives so much as to shrink from death."
                                                                                                                                 Revelation 12:11




In the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we find eyewitnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus. Not all of the details match one another exactly because each one of these men had a different vantage and a different perspective of the life and ministry of Christ. Likewise, because God has created each one of us to be unique, we, also, have a very distinct perspective of our walk with God. This is very important because of the nuances of our stories and the audience of peoples that our testimonies will influence and touch.

Genuine testimonies are extremely powerful. We are told that "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for life or for death]" (Proverbs 18:21). When we use our testimonies to speak truth and life, there will be a harvest in our lives that reflects this. God will add His power to them to bring about transformation and the extension of His kingdom.

Our testimony also helps us to overcome the attacks of the enemy. His attacks are nothing new, as they started right after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:15). Even now, Satan has access to heaven where he goes night and day to accuse God's people (Job 1-2).

His strategy is to persecute God's people and to destroy them, if possible (1 Peter 5:8). Therefore, our lives as believers will always involve a degree of conflict. The apostle, Paul, tells us, "Be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and deceits of the devil" (Ephesians 6:10-11).

The name devil means "accuser" and Satan means "adversary". Even though he stands before the throne of God and fights us through accusations (Zechariah 3), Jesus is our "heavenly Advocate" (1 John 2:1-2) who represents us and makes our defense. Because of His death and resurrection, we ca overcome Satan "by the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 12:11). We can rest in knowing that our salvation is secure, not because of our works, but because of the finished work of Christ on Calvary.

The same serpent who accuses God's people in heaven also deceives the nations of the earth (Revelation 12:9). One of his biggest strategies is to lie about the church. He convinces the world that Christians are dangerous, deluded, and destructive. It is because of this deception that the leaders of nations come together against Christ and His people.

It is our union with Jesus that gives us peace in the midst of hostility and victory over every scheme of the enemy. Jesus' blood gives us perfect standing before God and the confidence to boldly share our testimony. Satan's power must fail when God's people trust in the power of the blood and in God's Word.

Our testimony provides an unique perspective of what Jesus has done in our lives. Because "our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:10), we can rejoice in knowing that these forces have already been defeated. This is what enables us to share about God's power, sovereignty, and faithfulness in the midst of the storms in our lives.

The storms we encounter have great purpose. Despite the howling winds and the tempest that rages around us, Jesus is the "I" of the storm, if we allow Him to be. The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, "we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul" (Hebrews 6:18-19).

Not only can the storms rage around us, but they can also rage within our hearts. This usually emanates from fear of the potential outcome. When the disciples experienced the storm out on the sea of Galilee, they began to plead with Jesus to help them, which, of course, He did (Luke 8:24)!

After Jesus calmed the storm, He directed to them a simple question. He asked, "Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25). This question always requires a simple assessment of where our trust lies?

Faith is the cord that ties us to our union with Jesus. It is what provides the assurance of Jesus' love, goodness, and power. Our faith is what gives us the confidence that He still speaks to our storms and command them to be still. No matter how ugly or messy they may be, God will use our testimonies for good. It is also what reassures us that His promises will carry us through into an eternity spent with Him.

Jesus is our refuge. He is firm and unchanging and will safely carry us through every storm. Truly, this is where we see His power. This is where we come to know Him more intimately. This is where He heals and comforts our aching hearts. This is the place where testimonies are made, and where He also infuses them with His power. God's pan is to reach a dying world through a living, breathing example of His grace- you.

Our testimony should be a natural expression of who we are and our daily walk with Jesus. God wants other people to see how Jesus lives through us. He wants other people to see faithfulness and sincerity as He displays Himself through our lives. He also wants them to see that His grace and power are sufficient in our weaknesses.

Satan will do everything in his power to destroy our testimonies. He will bring temptations, false accusations, sickness, discouragement, opportunities to compromise, etc. Knowing his intentions should never make us afraid, but they should keep us alert. God promises us that, "Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

God is well able to keep us and preserve our testimonies. When we walk in humility, knowing that we need His grace every second, it will thwart Satan's plans. We flee temptation and never allow sin to grow deep roots in our hearts. We walk in forgiveness and pray continually. These are the parameters that allow us to live in freedom and see the fruit that comes from the power of our testimony!


"The most obscene symbol in human history is the Cross; yet in its ugliness it remains the most eloquent testimony to human dignity."
                                                            R.C. Sproul