PROCLAIMING THE EXCELLENCIES: TESTIMONY (Psalm 71:15-17)

Adventure in the Ascent

“Has God changed? Is he not an immutable God, the same yesterday, to-day and for ever? Does not that furnish an argument to prove that what God has done at one time he can do at another?” -Charles Spurgeon

A testimony is a spoken or written record of anything that God has done.

↠The Old Testament understanding of “testimony”- “DO IT AGAIN!”

↠The root word of testimony in the Hebrew (OT) means “repeat or do again” (Deut. 6:17)

↠When sharing testimony we create an atmosphere, environment for God to do it again.

↠“Keep the testimony (Deut. 6:17)- Constant preoccupation with His intervention

↠When you give testimony of God’s deliverance in your life you are: 1)Giving thanks/praise to Him for what He has done 2)Proclaiming what God has done for you, He can do for another (no respecter of persons, the same yesterday, today, & tomorrow)

↠The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10)

↠A testimony also acts as a witness statement (Matt. 24:14)

↠Jesus commissioned the disciples by saying “you will be My witnesses! (Acts. 1:8)”

↠A witness is someone who has knowledge of something from personal observation or experience (2 Peter 1:16)

↠The world isn’t looking for second hand experiences (How has He changed YOU?)

↠The testimony of the witness evangelizes (1 Chronicles 16:24–27)

↠As we declare God’s marvelous works to a dying world, we bear witness to HIm, we proclaim His Gospel!

↠Our testimony doesn’t have to be a “mind-blowing” story

↠It’s not about what you have done but what God has done in you!

↠Sin doesn’t make us bad, sin (ALL SIN) makes us dead (Rom. 6:23), we were not saved from being bad, we were saved from death (Rom. 6:5-11)

↠“Being raised from the dead is never boring. Therefore every Christian has a stunning testimony.” -John Piper

↠We don’t just “let our life testify.” we open our mouths and proclaim (illustration)

↠You have a unique God story that the world is in great need of! Personal experience has authenticity! (1 Pet. 3:15)

↠Testimony: It’s a record of ANYTHING that He has done in our lives

↠It’s not just that He saved you, but what is He currently doing in your life- what is God showing you in the Scriptures, where is He taking you? The ongoing adventure with God…

↠“Come and hear, all you who fear God, And I will declare what He has done for my soul.” -Psalm 66:16

↠OVERCOMING by the power of the testimony (Rev. 12:11)

↠Revelation describes a reality in which the accuser is also thrown down because of the ordinary stories of faithful people

RESPOND THIS WEEK: Testify! Take time to sit, pray, & write out your testimony or testimonies— salvation, HIs goodness, things you have witnessed Him do in your own life & lives of those around you– start a record. Pray/look for opportunities to share it with those around you, call, text, share on social media, ask Holy Spirit who it would encourage and take it to them! We just do what Jesus asked us to do– be His witnesses!