Testify – Be an Effective Witness for Christ
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NIV).
In Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “you will be my witnesses”, the location, “to the ends of the earth”. We are Christ ambassadors and we have a worldwide mandate to evangelise lost souls for Christ by being effective witnesses. Note, a silent witness is of no use to the Kingdom of God, nor is a witness whose Godly character has been compromised.
In a courtroom, a witness is not expected to argue the case, prove the truth, or press for a verdict; that is the job of the advocate. Witnesses simply report or testify what happened or what they saw. Jesus said we will be His witnesses, He wants us to share our stories with others. It’s unique and can cause change.
Rick Warren of “The Purpose Driven Life” wrote, “You may not be a Bible scholar, but you are the authority of your life, and it is hard to argue with personal experience”. An example of personal experience destroying the lies of the Pharisees is chronicled in the Book of John 9:1-41. It gives an account of a man who was born blind and was healed by Jesus. In summary, the Bible character said, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind and now I see!” – John 9:25 (NIV). An effective witness.
Rick Warren also wrote, “Your testimony is more effective than a sermon…”, and listed some advantages of testifying of the miracle-working power of God:
1. Personal stories are easier to relate to than principles, and people love to hear them.
2. Shared stories can build a relational bridge that allows Jesus to walk across from your heart to theirs.
3. It bypasses intellectual defenses. Many people who won’t accept the authority of the Bible will listen to a humble personal story.
However, our testimony must be consistent with our lifestyle. The Scripture in 1 Peter 2: 9 reminds us that we “…are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” Be an effective witness today.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we all have a testimony of Your goodness and faithfulness because You have brought us out of darkness into Your marvelous light. You took us out of the gutter of sin, washed us, cleansed us, wrapped our nakedness and shame with your cloak of salvation, and filled us with Your Holy Spirit. As we meet with Your creation, let us not be ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto Salvation. Help us be the witness you called us to be, in Jesus’s name. Amen!
Read: Leviticus 5:1; John 9:13-25
Bible Reading Guide: Psalms 119:145-152; Hebrews 4:1-13; Joel 2:18-32; Joel 3
I may be the only “Jesus” some may ever see or experience
Recently my mother was hospitalised and I was doing three hospital visits per day, i was so touched when my neighbor who has a busy life reached out to me with hot meals for me and support prayers. My heart was truly warmed.
Christianity in practicality.