Tag: overcoming power
Sunday rest and reflection!
Sunday November 16, 2014
Dear Friends,
Sharing Jesus with others by sharing our testimony brings overcoming power to our lives. Many Christians never share their experiences with Christ and miss out on the blessing this brings to them as well as others. Gather today with God’s people to refocus your life on Jesus Christ and have a personal encounter with Him in worship, prayer and the Word! It will be the best decision of your life!
In His Love, Pastor John and Mary
Powerful personal testimony!
Scripture reading for November 14th: Acts 21-23
Have you had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ? The word of God tells us that we overcome the accuser, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! (Revelation 12:11) Sharing your testimony is a powerful thing. It does something in you and something to overcome the enemy of our souls in others who hear. Many have been won to the Lord through the power of a testimony!
Paul had gone to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost and had taken Trophimus the Ephesian with him. He went through the temple purification rites for seven days and went to the temple to verify the appropriate offerings had been made. Some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul and Trophimus and began to stir up a riot. They aroused the city and men seized Paul, drug him out of the temple, and began to beat him intending to kill him! They felt Paul had violated their religious rules.
The Roman guards heard the commotion and stopped the beating, putting Paul in chains. The commotion of the crowd was so great that they had to literally carry Paul back to the barracks. The crowd was shouting, “Away with him!” (Acts 21:33-36) Paul asked the commander of the guard for permission to speak to the crowd. He gave him permission and Paul addressed the crowd in Aramaic, their Jewish native language.
Paul simply shared his testimony. These were his people and quite likely some of the same people who had earlier demanded the death of Jesus Christ. Paul told this hostile crowd of his own anger against Christ and His followers. (Acts 22:3-5) He told them of his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road and how he was struck blind. He told them of his healing and how he was called by Jesus to go to the Gentiles. At this point, the crowd turned on him again and demanded his death!
Paul, himself, was touched by Stephen’s testimony on the day he was martyred! (Acts 22:20) We see that our testimony helps others to relate to us and us to them. It offers us a way to share a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Share your testimony with someone today as the Holy Spirit directs!
The Power of Your Testimony
Scripture reading for November 14th: Acts 21-23
Have you had a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ? Did it impact your life? The word of God tells us that we overcome the accuser, Satan, by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony! (Revelation 12:11) So sharing your testimony is a powerful thing. It does something in you and then does something to overcome the enemy of our souls in others who hear. Many people have been won to the Lord through the power of a testimony! In today’s reading, the Apostle Paul shares his testimony of his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road.
Paul had gone to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost and had taken Trophimus the Ephesian with him. He went through the temple purification rites for seven days and went to the temple to verify the dates and times and appropriate offerings had been made. There, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul and Trophimus and began to stir up a riot. They aroused the city and men came running from everywhere, seized Paul and drug him out of the temple, and began to beat him, intending to kill him! Religion and tradition can cause people to become irrational, particularly when Jesus is present or preached!
The Roman guards heard the commotion and stopped the beating, putting Paul in chains. The commotion of the crowd was so great that they had to literally carry Paul back to the barracks. The crowd was shouting, “Away with him!” (Acts 21:33-36) Paul asked the commander of the guard for permission to speak to the crowd. He gave him permission and Paul addressed the crowd in Aramaic, their Jewish native language.
Paul then simply shared with this crowd of Jews his testimony. These were his people and quite likely some of the same people who had earlier demanded the death of Jesus Christ. Many were likely their descendants for this was over twenty years later! In sharing his testimony, Paul told this hostile crowd of his own anger against Christ and His followers. (Acts 22:3-5) He could identify with their anger because he used to be there. He told them of his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road and how he was struck blind and Jesus spoke to him, giving him instructions. He told them of his healing and then his call by the Lord to go to the Gentiles. At this point, the crowd turned on him again and demanded his death!
What can we learn from Paul’s example of sharing a testimony? We see that Paul, himself, was touched by Stephen’s testimony on the day he was martyred! (Acts 22:20) We see that our testimony helps others to relate to us and us to them. It offers us a way to share a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The results are always up to the Holy Spirit and it may not appear positive at first! Share your testimony with someone today as the Holy Spirit directs!