Testify

Here’s a team of us singing on the streets about God’s love on a Street night with Envision Mission.  This last session is about sharing our testimony-

Testify (session 9:

Pray

Read Matthew 5:16, Luke 9:26, Colossians 3:1; 4:2-6, 2 Timothy 1:6-12; 1 Peter 3:14-18

 

Set your heart on Christ, devote yourself to prayer.  Pray as soon as you get up in the morning, thanking God for life and salvation.  Sing to Him in the shower, in the car on the way to work, talk to Him on the way home, before dinner, before bed.  Pray for an open door for the gospel to be proclaimed clearly.  That’s a prayer that God is always quick to answer with a yes.  Try it and see.  Pray that the mystery of Christ would be made known to people’s hearts, because until God reveals it the Gospel is a mystery to people.  Then you’ve probably heard the phrase: “preach the gospel, use words if necessary.”  That has to do with showing Christ through our behavior and there is truth in that.  Let your light shine that they may praise God (you don’t have to force it).  Let your actions of love be evident, especially towards outsiders.  Let your speech be gracious and spicy, and then you’ll have the words.  If you are in prayer, praying with mindfulness and thanksgiving for open doors and for the mystery of Chrsit to be made known; if you’re actions exude Christ and your conversation is healing, bringing spice to life, and full of grace the promise of God’s word is that you’ll be able to give an answer for the hope you have to those who ask you. The assumption of the Apostles is that you’re rubbing shoulders with folks that don’t know Christ and that they’re seeing Him in you and either asking you why you’re so full of joy, peace and love or confiding in you as a safe person and there’s your opportunity to give an answer.  You don’t have to read long books about how to do evangelism, just a few short verses from the Apostles’ teaching on Iit and you’re equipped! Especially if you put it into practice.  You will learn as you go and Jesus sends you out as sheep among wolves, unready, but learning from the Master as you go.  Don’t be so nervous, it’s really quite simple.

While we’re at work we never know when opportunities will arise.

Don’t be ashamed of Christ; it is important to use words and make the most of every opportunity.  Otherwise they’ll never know if you don’t tell them because that’s how God has chosen to send out the message: through us.   

From here on we’re called to testify to others what we’ve experienced and learned.

Let’s start with each other.  Think of one thing you’ve learned from Jesus during these last few weeks and one way in which Christ has changed your life in general.  Take some time to make note of these things and share them with someone you trust.  That’s a good place to start.

Prayer