Hepzibah

What are Testimonies? They are powerful, extraordinary , prophetic and supernatural written or oral public recounting of religious experiences, relationship with God or miracles . They can also be defined as the Mighty works of God beyond science and human understandings in the lives of people. It’s a recount of God’s blessings, deliverance, victory and healing in one’s life. A confirmation that God is alive and He is still doing wonderful things in the lives of His people, Jesus the same yesterday and today.

History of Testimony

God encouraged record keeping of His might acts in the lives of the Israelites for prosperity and for generations to generations to know Him through these testimonies. He directed Moses to construct the Ark of Testimony to specifications , where His testimony- the 10 commandments was kept ( Exodus 25: 16) . The manna which the children of lsreal ate for forty days in the wilderness was a Testimony to be kept for generations of Israel ( Exodus 16:32,34). The whole Bible recorded Testimonies about the nature of God and the mighty works of Jesus. Giving Testimony is God’s way, a biblical injunction and an ancient act.

Why you must Testify :

• Testimony is to Honour and bring Glory to God ( Psalms 22:22) . It is an act of gratitude to God beyond Thanksgiving.

• Testimony begets Testimony : David narrated his testimony about the miraculous delivance of his flocks and him from lions and bears by God to King Saul when he was to confront Goliath. He said in 1 Samuel 17:37 , that the same God that delivered and gave him the testimony of victory, will do same with the uncircumcised Philistine. With such confidence, that God will do it again, he recorded victory over Goliath.( 1 Samuel 17:50) and a greater Testimony emerged- young David killed Goliath with only a stone and a sling . It can only be God.

• Testimony seals the miracles and make it permanent: ln the story of the 10 lepers that were healed by Jesus, it was the only one that came back that was made whole , restored and permanently healed of leprosy ( Luke17::19)

• Testimony as Evangelist: ln some circumstances, only Testimony can convince people that Jesus is alive and that God is Almighty. ( John 9:3)The bold Testimony of the blind man from birth that was healed was so strong and convincing that the Pharisees gave up, he won the bad arguments about Jesus . It turned to teaching about the ways of God ,in John 9:31,- 33 that God doesn’t hear sinners but only hear only the voice of true worshippers and that such mighty works can only be done by the Almighty God – the blind man became an evangelist, the power of Testimony. The man was eventually saved and he worshipped Jesus. Also, the Testimony ( Acts 3: 8) of the healed lame man at the Beautiful Gate by Peter and John led to the salvation of 5,000 ( Acts 4:4) .

• Testimony as an Overcomer : Revelation 12:11 says “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Testimony do overcome the power of the devil as God is being Glorified.

• Testimony as an Encourager: It encourages the listeners that God can do same for them as their faith is being strengthened. It inspired them to hold on to God as He will do it again as they receive thier miracles. Infact, the Hebrews interpretation of Testimony is “Do it Again”.

God endorses Testimony, God wants to the glorified, God wants His Mighty works to be acknowledged and publicized, so you MUST testify . What has God done in your life? Do you confess God openly with you Testimony? Are you shy ? Afraid? You should not, because the more you come out publicly to declare His goodness and greatness in your life, the bolder you become ,the more testimonies you will give. Amen.