Today’s Text is from Revelation 12:11(NIV) “They triumphed over him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
It has been said that you can argue with someone who has an argument, but that you can’t argue with someone who has had an experience. The Merriam-Webster definition of the word testimony is “a solemn declaration usually made by a witness under oath in response to interrogation by a lawyer or authorized public official; firsthand authentication of a fact; an outward sign; a public profession of a religious experience.”
However, when the Bible talks of testimony it simply means being a witness and sharing with others about your experiences with God. Testimonies are a powerful way to give praise to the Lord for the wonderful things he has done. Our personal relationship with God is built on the experiences we have with him. The older believers in our church used to say “you can’t make me doubt him, because I know too much about him”.
In the text today, we have an amazing recipe for Christian victory, we will overcome Satan by applying the precious blood of Jesus in every situation, by remembering what God has already done for us and by developing the tenacity to continue serving the Lord even in the face of adversity.
For ten years I hosted a Sunday morning inspirational broadcast with a local R and B, Hip Hop station. During those years I became friends with Mr. Jim Lewis, the owner of the station. He was a professional in the radio industry for more than forty years.
In 2013, he informed me of new applications available only to churches and nonprofits for low power radio stations on the Federal Communications Commission website. He also told me that he was willing to donate the plans he had for the engineering of a local channel 94.9FM. He had held them for years hoping that the FCC would open applications for commercial stations in the area.
In all honesty, we almost missed our moment, because we were afraid that our church could not afford the setup cost. God helped us and we found out that whenever God guides, he provides. This month we are celebrating five years of broadcasting at WHNL / Gospel 94.9FM. Another saying by the elders of our church growing up was “no test, no testimony”. Mr. Jim Lewis passed away a few months away before the construction of the station was completed. You will encounter trouble and you must overcome obstacles on the way to victory but remember, as believers, we are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from victory. However, when we testify of God’s goodness to our church in regards to the station, we always honor Jim Lewis and his selfless gift to us.
Sharing and giving your testimony is a form of thanksgiving to God. It will encourage others to trust God and believe that he will show up in their tough times. Hallelujah!
Katrina Deason is the Senior Pastor of Liberty Prayer Chapel, the Executive Director of The Liberty County Manna House, Morning Radio Personality for WHNL, Gospel 94.9FM, and a member of the United Ministerial Alliance.