TRIALS, TESTS, AND TESTIMONIES
KEY SCRIPTURE: They overcame him (the enemy) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony... ~ Revelation 12:11 (NASB)
For years, (for most of my life, actually,) I was afraid to let anybody know anything about me. Especially my past. I believed the lie (that the enemy has convinced most of us of!) that if people REALLY knew me, they wouldn’t love me. In fact, they probably wouldn’t even LIKE me.
I was also afraid of my past being used to hurt me… and it was. When I came back to Christ after wandering off on my prodigal journey, I laid my sins at the foot of the cross… where some others found them, picked them up, and proceeded to beat me with them.
For years.
It was only after I came to REST in the true love of Jesus, (not the “fair weather” love of people,) did the power shift. God already knew my story. He knew it before I was even born. And He doesn’t love me one bit less now than when I took my first breath. And He doesn’t love me one bit more now that I’ve come back home to Him. His love for me doesn’t change.
Neither does His love for you.
The power shift happened when I realized that my story had power. No longer the power to hurt me because now I know Christ’s love for me, but the power to overcome the enemy.
My story of failure and weakness and suffocating despair was turned to victory when I gave it all over to Jesus and started following Him. Not just checking the boxes, like go to church, tithe 10%, read my Bible, blah blah blah… but actually FOLLOWING Him. Listening to Him. Obeying Him. Once I actually started FOLLOWING Him, my life started changing.
In radical ways I never saw coming.
In profound ways I could never have asked for.
And now that my life is different, it is very tempting to only paint rosy pictures. To only show how wonderful life is. To only post perfect Instagram stories of blissful beauty and try to keep the skeletons in my closet from rattling their bones, and their stench of death from wafting under the closet door.
But, to quote a brilliant pastor friend of mine, “Your Instagram feed doesn’t help anybody.” When people only see how seemingly “perfect” your life is, that only makes them feel horrible. Envious. Covetous. Resentful. Less than. Miserable. Worthless.
Please don’t hear me to say you need to vomit your life on everyone around you. As I’ve heard it said, speak from your scars, not your wounds. You need to heal first before sharing…
But then, you need to share.
Share your trials!
Share your tests!
Share your testimony!
Open up that closet and let the light shine on those old dry skeletons. Tell the world what your life was like before, and what its like now. How Jesus has worked in your life. How He has helped you. How He has saved you. How He has changed you. The truth of your testimony will set you… and your skeletons… and others… free.
When people hear some of my testimony - some of my awful , sinful past - they realize, “Wow! If Jesus can love and forgive HER, as horrible as she was, then He can love and forgive me, too!”
And THAT my friend is the power of our testimony! That is when the enemy is overcome! By the blood of the Lamb, AND the word of our testimony!
In Jesus’ name!
Amen.
SCRIPTURES
Revelation 12:11 ~ They overcame him (the enemy) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony... (NASB)
Psalm 139:16 ~ Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began. (CSB)
John 3:16 ~ For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (NET)
Matthew 16:24-25 ~ Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (ESV)
1 Peter 3:15 ~ But in your hearts set Christ apart as holy [and acknowledge Him] as Lord. Always be ready to give a logical defense to anyone who asks you to account for the hope that is in you, but do it courteously and respectfully. (AMPC)
John 8:32 ~ And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (NLT)