One of the things I mentioned to the Council when we met on Thursday was the fact that I would like to see us incorporate testimonies in our worship services more often, in our small groups and as we share with one another. I mean real testimonies, telling about what God is doing in our
lives. As I am sure God is acting in our lives and we need to tell others about it. It will encourage the growth of our faith and also encourage others.
Shortly after this I saw this article in Christianity today, which supported the point. In the article written by Scott Sunquist, he makes the point that testimonies are an expression of praise to God. And indeed that is so for when we testify of what God is doing in our lives we are indeed ‘bigging up’ or praising God. And this certainly enriches our worship and our lives. In the article Sunquist quoted David in Psalm 40, “I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly” (v. 9–10). Commenting that it would be an act of disobedience to keep our mouths shut about what God has done. This could not be more true. Sharing our testimony is a way of praising God.
I refuse to believe that God is doing nothing in our lives so we must ask why aren’t more people rushing to the podium on a Sunday morning to share what God has been doing in their lives? Could it be fear? Could it be that we are not really listening to God? Could it be that we are being truly disobedient? Could it be that we do not really want to praise God? Or is it that praising God has been reduced to a few choruses in the worship services led by somebody else? The fact is friends our story should be like the Samaritan woman who announced to her neighbours, “Come see a man, who told me everything I ever done”. Or like the experienced Jeremiah, when he decided to hold his peace and not talk about God, said he felt like a fire shut up within his bones (Jer. 20:9). Or like Peter and John when they were charged not to speak about Jesus and what he had done in their lives declared, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”(Acts 4:20 ).If God has done it we need to share it. We should never deny God that act of praise and perhaps someone is just waiting to hear a story told so they can share theirs as well or their faith in God to come alive.
Apart from giving praise to God, the other reason we need to testify is that Satan, the “accuser, and deceiver of the brethren is conquered by the blood of the lamb and the testimonies of God’s redeemed people (Rev 12:10-11). The more we talk about God and what He has done and is doing, the more Satan’s influence is decreased in our lives. Isn’t that what we sing in the popular chorus, “In the name of Jesus...demons will have to flee...”.
Friends I’m excited, what about you? Will you as of today begin to be more thankful, more grateful and talk more about what God is doing in your life, than about who you think don’t like you, or who you don’t like? Will you commit to talk more, testify to others in your small groups, at home, at work, at classes, wherever you are, about what God is doing in your life? What a difference it would make when we praise God more in this way, and when we resist the devil more in this way. Join me in giving God the glory in our testimonies.
Amen.