The Word of Testimony

God has been speaking a lot to me, lately, about being a living sacrifice and a living testimony. He has been reminding me of the promises He has made and given to me and the miracle HE has already done. This world can be such a discouraging place and we can get so wrapped up in the negativity. The one place of refuge we have is with Him. God’s word is living and breathing but many Christians have grown stagnant in their devotion times. During my devotions the other day I had a goal of reading 1 John 1, but God decided to stop me after verse 4. Let me walk you through what happened that day in hopes that it will change the way you read the Word and let God speak to you.

 1 John1:1-4 (NIV)

“That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. The Life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ, we write to make our joy complete.”

As I read the passage I realized that I could read it as one looking at someone else’s story, or I can look at it as if I was the one writing the story. So I decided to go back and re-read it in first person. I have used a similar technique when I pray scripture over people, but for some reason I never really used it for me.

1 John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which ‘I’ have heard, which ‘I’ have seen with ‘my’ eyes, which ‘I’ have looked at and ‘m’ hands have touched – this ‘I’ proclaim concerning the Word of life.”

By looking at these verses in this way I am forced to reflect on what God has done in my life. What have I seen of Jesus in my life, with my own eyes? What have I looked at and touched that was from God?

1 John 1:2 “The life appeared; ‘I’ have seen it and testify to it, and ‘I’ proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to ‘me’”.

“The Life” was presented to me through the Word at a young age but it was the “Word made flesh” living in and through those who believe that convinced me of the Truth.

Jesus is the Word made flesh but when we accept Him and accept the gift that He came and sacrificed Himself for me and then comes and lives in us (Col. 1:27), we then become the word made flesh when we begin to apply the Word and surrender to His perfect will.

1 John 1:3 “’I’ proclaim to you that ‘I’ have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with ‘me’. And ‘my’ fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ”

As I reflect on that verse, I remember things that I have seen and words that God has spoken to me. Making it personal, I look at my testimony. I can read theses verses and look at what God did thousands of years ago, among a group of people I have no physical connection to, but I think that He wants me to make it personal. He wants me to stop and reflect on what I have seen and heard.

I have witnessed His healing power, I have been the recipient of His miraculous provision and His restoration. I have heard Him speak to me and I have even felt His arms around me. To me these are not just words on the pages of a book, it has become reality.

The things I have seen or heard are not just for me. I have went through times in my walk with Him that I have boldly proclaimed what He has done for me, but then at other times I have grown stagnant.  I am reminded in verse 3 that it is for you that I give my testimony of what Jesus has done in and through my life, so that you too can have fellowship with Him. Since it is required of me to share my testimony, I must spend time reflecting on what Christ has done for me and is doing for me. Why?

1 John 1:4 “’I’ write this to make our joy complete.”

New King James says, “to make ‘your’ joy complete", but I like the “our” in NIV. When I share my personal experiences and encounters with Christ it makes “my” joy complete, but it also gives others hope and encouragement and hopefully at times sets them free. This bring joy to them.

Revelation 12:11 says, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

We overcome not only by the blood of Jesus, which was poured out for All of us, but we overcome by the word of OUR testimony. God still moves, miracles still happen, He still speaks. We can have daily fellowship with Him thanks to the sacrifice of His Son on a cross and His resurrection. It is our duty as disciples and followers of Christ to share our personal testimonies. We need to share what God is doing in our lives. The world doesn't need or want a god that moved a couple thousand years ago, they need the Living God of the Universe that still moves and lives today. The best way for them to see Him is to see Him moving in our lives, but they won't see if we don't share. So spend time reflecting on what God has done and is doing for you and get out there and share it.