Witness or Shyness? The Witness, Part 14

"What you'll get is the Holy Spirit.  And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."  Acts 1:8 (MSG)

Notice that we cannot witness without the Holy Spirit. He is the only One who can bring people to recognize the splendor of Christ. On our own, we will never be able to make them see the need for Christ in their lives. Depending on the Holy Spirit who lives within us, however, we can have an impact on people. After all, the Holy Spirit has the power to touch people deeply.

"That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up."  Acts 2:41 (MSG)

And it didn't end there: "As they praised God. People in general liked what they saw.  Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved." Acts 2:47 (MSG)

Many of us, however, are quite shy when it comes to testifying about what Jesus has done in our lives. Some don't want to be mocked, others realize that they could lose their jobs, and still others rationalize that the people they testify to couldn’t care less…

When we rely on our own power to testify, our testimony will be a flop. Only by depending on the Holy Spirit will wonders occur. The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, and now He is the One who will inspire us on how to best testify: "And don't worry about what you'll say or how you'll say it.  The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words."  Matthew 10:19-20 (MSG)

A young Christian was walking down the street praying. Sudden the Holy Spirit told him to walk up to a young man who was coming towards him. He did so. The Holy Spirit then asked him to say: "Do you have pain in your hand?"

Surprised he said: "How do you know?" This guy was intrigued. How could a total stranger know about his condition?

The young Christian now had the opportunity to be a witness. "Would you like to be healed of that pain in your hand?" asked the Christian. “Let me pray for your healing.”

Within minutes, all pain is gone, and the one who was healed becomes quite excited: "How is this possible?"

"There is someone who cares for you deeply. Jesus the Christ. He loves you …"

This young man had experienced the power of the Holy Spirit.

This story is not a fantasy. It really happened in the streets of a busy city. The point is, people are more attracted to experiencing God than to hearing about doctrine. Our God is a personal God!

Another follower of Christ testified via email to a lady several states away from where he lives. She doubted God’s love for her, personally, until this follower of Christ asked: "Who is David?"

Suddenly this lady became quite interested in what that Christian had to say: "Do you know me?" she asked.

"I have never seen you before; in fact, I don't even know what you look like," responded the Christian.

She went on to say that David was abusing her, forcing himself on her, and she didn't know what to do. Because of this experience, she began to understand how much God loved her, and she eventually gave her heart to Jesus.

Our testimony is worthless unless we leave everything in the hands of the Holy Spirit. He knows what every individual need.  He is the only One who can touch the heart of people. Isn't He amazing?

If you don't know how to testify, ask the Holy Spirit for directions. He will guide you. Follow his lead, and you will be amazed.

To witness or not isn't the question. To experience the Holy Spirit is what is important. Those individuals who testify under the influence of the Holy Spirit are quite excited to experience Him, and so are the people who haven’t even heard about our Heavenly Father.

Rob Chaffart