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
