The power of Testimony
This has been a long time coming but here we are, thank you Lord.
Testimonies are among my favorite things to witness and hear in this Christian faith. Hearing how powerful and loving God is and how He shows up in such a way that only He can do, is encouraging and rewarding. In addition to that, it amazes me how testimony is a weapon against the devil to overcome him and, better yet, overcome his accusations against us. Yes, that is right, the accuser of the brethren, that is Satan, the one who accuses the children of God day and night, is overcome by the word of our testimony. This is why we must share our testimonies over and over again, because not only is the devil condemned when we do, but someone else’s deliverance is happening which results in another testimony being developed. This forms a domino effect of testimonies being developed in the lives of others, leaving them to join in the victory by overcoming the devil once again.
Revelation 12:11 KJV And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Consider the context of this scripture. There was a monumental war going on in heaven that led to the Devil getting cast out to the earth and condemned permanently by the angel Michael. This was before the fall of man took place with Adam and Eve, when the pride in the devil’s heart convinced him as well as ⅓ of the angels, that they could be greater than God. This is when the judgment of Satan was declared that his time is short, and because he is aware of this, he tries to deceive many until the day of his judgment has fully come. The strategy of the enemy is to try to interfere with the lives of the people on the earth by keeping them in disobedience, a life full of sin, rebellion, and even stagnation or bondage for some believers, preventing them from seeing the manifestations of the testimonies that God has for them. When we miss out on the experience of testimonies, our faith begins to dwindle, because testimonies have the power to encourage someone to keep going in times of giving up and faith for the impossible. Where there is no faith in God, there is a heart that is beginning to forget who God is, which leads people to doubt the Sovereign God and to stop worshipping Him, excluding them from missing the eternal bliss that we get from testimonies.
According to the Greek concordance in Blue Letter Bible App, the word overcame in this scripture translates to the Greek word Nikao, which means to conquer, to carry off victory, come off victorious, of Christ who is victorious over all His foes. Christians who hold fast to their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, temptations, and persecutions. When one is arraigned or goes to law, to win the case, maintain one’s cause, to prevail.
The Greek definition of testimony in the verse translates to the word Martyria which means a testifying, the office committed to the prophets of testifying concerning future events, what one testifies, testimony, i.e., before a judge.
The root word of Martyia is Martyr, the witnesses of Jesus Christ who stood strong and defended their faith to the point of persecution and death. This brings forth more understanding as to what is stated in the last line of the verse in Revelation 12:11 “And they loved not their lives unto death”. Testimony declares that the enemy has lost yet another war, which explains why there is demonic retaliation that rises up when a testimony is forming in a person's life or even when a person testifies. The devil hates the reminder that He is a loser, and on top of that, He hates when people are aware he is one too. Complaining, backlash, people making false accusations towards you, and people who speak curses over you and your situation. The truth is their demons are aggravated that the God in you can manifest Himself in all His glory. We hear this part of scripture quoted a lot from 1 John 4:4, “greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world’ meaning greater is the spirit of God who dwells in our temple than the devil who dwells in the world. So it doesn’t matter how beautiful or light the testimony may sound, demons and their slaves know how to interpret the goodness and greatness of God, which is why they are always trying to deceive people into believing it and keep them from sharing it.
Testimonies are truly a weapon of war that will always win.
God the Father has a testimony of his son Jesus Christ that is echoed every day throughout all creation through the form of salvation and his kingship as he rules in heaven. (1 John 5:6-13)
What is a testimony?
Though I may have given the definition the Greek concordance provides, I believe the Holy Spirit has given me another definition as well. Testimony is a record of the History of God and his power moving on the earth through miracles, healings, signs, and wonders in only a way He can do. Testimony is God’s witness supporting what He has declared and done. This includes encounters people may have with God, such as salvation, healing, God doing the impossible, and God freeing people from things that kept them bound. Other testimonies may include experiencing supernatural speed for things, answered prayers, restoration, etc.
We see this in the story of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:5-25)
In Luke chapter 1, Zechariah encounters Gabriel, an angel of the Lord, who delivered a message to Zechariah, a priest of the Lord, during a priesthood service in the temple. The message amazed Zechariah because He was told that he and his wife, Elizabeth, were going to conceive a child in their old age. Once the angel released what the Lord had spoken, it was a testimony that the Lord released in the form of prophecy that he bore witness to. He supported what he spoke. However, Zechariah questioned the angel though it was an answer for what he prayed for, self-sabotaging himself with doubt. Angels are not just messengers but worshipers of God as well, so when Zechariah posed His question, angel Gabriel’s faith in God brought a rebuke. Luke 1:19 and 20 reads, And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. In other words, Gabriel was saying, “ I stand in the very presence of the one who is the Almighty himself, where no lie is found. He sent me to speak these words, I did not send myself, I’m not talking out of my neck. These words carry authority, but since you did not believe me, let me help you out by shutting up your mouth so that you don’t curse what God has blessed, and you will see that it will come to pass in due season.” Why so harsh, right? It’s because there was a record in the history of God where he already did something like this; this was nothing new for God and the Jewish faith, and as a priest of God, Zechariah was well equipped with the history before Him. Zechariah had the testimonies of Abraham and Sarah (Isaac, the promised child through whom God made Abraham a nation), Monoah and his wife (the parents of Samson the judge), and Elkanah and Hannah (Samuel prophet of Israel). Based on this, his rebuke was not random, and many of us would probably be experiencing the same thing, but because of the grace we have under the new covenant, we don’t.
But Mary? (Luke 1:26-38)
Many may have questioned what happened a few scriptures after this occurred with Mary questioning the angel on how it was going to happen. Lol, was it gender bias? No, absolutely not. There was no testimony prior to this being done, and there will never be another of someone conceiving a child with the Holy Spirit. She was birthing God in the natural, not a fleshly human being. It is a strange thing for everyone who has heard this at one point, even Joseph, Mary’s fiancé at the time, was trying to leave her. It took an angel to stop Him and let Him in on what was going on.
God’s testimony of Jesus Christ.
You may have picked up that I mentioned throughout this post that testimony is God’s witness. This is because of what is stated in 1 John 5:6-12 KJV:
“ This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
This also supports what Jesus Christ said about himself when the Pharisees said that he was bearing witness of himself and that it was not valid, but he answered that the Father of heaven bears witness of Him and with Him so it is valid. John 8:13 to 18 states:
“The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.’
To bear witness translates to the Greek word Martyreo (similar to the Greek word of testimony, Martyria). This means to be a witness, to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration. To give (not keep back) testimony, to utter honourable testimony, give a good report, to conjure, and implore.
This reminds me of how in certain church settings, when the saints would recall what God has done for them, they would ask, “Can I get a witness?’’ and people would shout and praise God in agreement to the good report or, in other words, testimony of the Lord.
I pray that the Spirit of understanding was with you all as you read this and that this bears good fruit in your life. I hope that if you have, you will begin to testify of the goodness of God, whether in conversation, online in a video, while evangelizing, or in front of a gathering of people, testify. If you have shared your testimonies, never stop (unless the Holy Spirit tells you to hold on to some testimonies you may have until he releases you).
God bless you all, I love you, and may the fear of the Lord be with you in all things in Jesus' name.
Just some encouragement: Stay hopeful because God is still good which means God is still good.
Also, If you would like to accept the love of God and His son, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, or even if you have backslidden and want to return to the Lord, Here’s a prayer to guide you.
“ God almighty, I come before you to accept your love, to no longer reject you and what you have done for me. I choose to stop running from you and to finally stop rejecting myself of your love. Thank you for dying for me Lord Jesus, thank you for taking on my sins and shame. Thank you Lord that you became a curse for me so that I would no longer be bound by them but set free by your blood that was shed for me. Thank You for making yourself available to me, as friend, father, Lord, God, helper, comforter, savior, and all the good things I need in my life. Jesus I love you and ask you to help me keep loving you like how you want me to. I accept you completely as my Lord and savior, not what this world and demons have presented to me. Now I declare in the both spiritual and physical realm, that I not longer belong to Satan nor his Kingdom but according to Colossians 1:13, God has delivered me from the kingdom of darkness and has placed me in the Kingdom of light, where Jesus Christ is, I declare I belong to Jesus Christ and I now seat with Him In heavenly places. I rebuke all demonic retaliation in me making this decision and come into agreement with a sound mind in Jesus name. I repent, renounce, denounce, and divorce myself from all the sins I’ve committed (list what you can remember) and break the evil covenants associated with them, and I declare once again I am a part of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In Jesus name I pray and seal this prayer in His blood, Amen.”
Hallelujah! Congratulations if you made this decision. I pray that you prevail in your walk in the Lord, that forces of darkness continue to fail concerning you, and that the forces of light continue to persevere and propel you in the name of Jesus.
And if you have not yet, get you a Bible. Please, it’s a lot of ghetto foolishness concerning Christianity and religion. The Bible is the only way to protect you from it and will show you how to be a Christian and have a real relationship with Jesus Christ.
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