Testimony

We all go through life, experiencing ups and downs. Some of those events can have profound effects on us. Some can even be life changing.

When we look back on our lives, what are the key "steppingstones" that got us to where we are today? And what if we took those turning points and turned them into a story . . . about God?

That's our testimony. It is a story about how God changed our lives for our good and for His glory. Do you have such a story? You should.

The Apostle Paul had quite a testimony. You can read about it in the Book of Acts.

"About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. ⁷I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

⁸‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked.

‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied. ⁹My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

¹⁰Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’

‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

¹¹Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus. ¹²There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there, ¹³came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.

¹⁴Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice. ¹⁵You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’" - Acts 22:6-16

Wow! That's quite the testimony! Most of us don't have a story to tell that can compare with Paul's, but we all have SOME kind of story to tell.

And what does Jesus want us to do with our story? Here's what He told a demon-possessed man to do after he was healed.

“Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him." - Luke 8:39

Ans so should WE do.

If you look at Paul's testimony, he has a before, during, and after phase - his life before meeting Jesus, meeting Jesus, and his life after meeting Jesus. His life after meeting Jesus testified to his changed life.

Our next Youth Night Bible study is about giving our own personal testimony. The three adult leaders will be giving theirs. What is yours?

"They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." - Revelation 12:11

Here's one more word of advice from an angel of God who was speaking to Lot and his family.

"As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back." - Genesis 19:17

Don't look back at your old life and think about what once was. You have been saved! Saved FROM it. Look at what awaits you in the future instead! Give glory to God by sharing what He has done in your life and how He has helped you to overcome.

Overcome - Jeremy Camp