TOPIC: THE POWER OF TESTIMONY
Right from the beginning of creation, the kingdom of God has been advertised by those who have received His glory.
Testimonies are carries of supernatural miracles of God.
Testimonies beget testimonies. The more you testify, the more miracles occur.
Testimonies can spread through fame. It can be talked about by many people especially on account of notable miracles.
Matt 4:23-25(TPT)Jesus ministered from place to place throughout all of the province of Galilee. He taught in the Synagogues, preaching the wonderful news of the kingdom and healing every kind of sickness and disease among the people. 24 His fame spread throughout all Syria! Many people who were in pain and suffering with every kind of illness were brought to Jesus for their healing – epileptics, paralytics, and those tormented by demonic powers were all set free. Everyone who was brought to Jesus was healed! 25 This resulted in massive crowds of people following him, including people from Galilee, Jerusalem, the land of Judah, the region of the Ten Cities known as the Decapolis, and beyond the Jordan River
Testimonies can spread through news.
Luke 4:33-37(NIV)33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 “Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 35 “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. 36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.
God is looking for heralds who would announce Him.
Matt 9:23-33(NLT)23 When Jesus arrived at the official’s home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. 24 “Get out!” he told them. “The girl isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” But the crowd laughed at him. 25 After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up! 26 The report of this miracle swept through the entire countryside. Jesus Heals the Blind 27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” 30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region. 32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.
Miracle cannot happen without provoking thoughts about the creator – Mark 1:25-28(KJV)25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
Spread the good news.
Mark 16:15-18(NCV)15 Jesus said to his followers, “Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who does not believe will be punished. 17 And those who believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to force out demons. They will speak in new languages. 18 They will pick up snakes and drink poison without being hurt. They will touch the sick, and the sick will be healed.”
Rom 10:14-15(NLT)14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Everyone, regardless of their status, must hear the message of salvation through Christ. This is what draws people to the kingdom of God.
Matt 14:1-2(NLT)When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus, 2 he said to his advisers, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles.”
You cannot receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit without performing signs and wonders; you must do what the Holy Spirit does.
This is how we recognize a carrier of the Holy Ghost.
Luke 4:14-15(NIV)14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
This is the secret of evangelism.
Mark 5:18-20(NLT)18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.
Do you think people are healed only because of the preacher? No, the faith of the masses is lifted by the miracles they hear about before coming to the crusade ground.
Luke 5:12-16(TLB)12 One day in a certain village he was visiting, there was a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell to the ground before him, face downward in the dust, begging to be healed.”Sir,” he said, “if you only will, you can clear me of every trace of my disease.” 13 Jesus reached out and touched the man and said, “Of course I will. Be healed.” And the leprosy left him instantly! 14 Then Jesus instructed him to go at once without telling anyone what had happened and be examined by the Jewish priest. “Offer the sacrifice Moses’ law requires for lepers who are healed,” he said. “This will prove to everyone that you are well.” 15 Now the report of his power spread even faster and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.
When you testify fervently, the power in the Name of Jesus manifests in supernatural miracles.
Testimonies were so magnified that the multitude noised and spread them everywhere.
These testimonies were the driving force of evangelism.
Mark 2:1-3(TBL)Several days later he returned to Capernaum, and the news of his arrival spread quickly through the city. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there wasn’t room for a single person more, not even outside the door. And he preached the Word to them.
Luke 1:61-66(TLB)61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they asked the baby’s father, talking to him by gestures. 63 He motioned for a piece of paper and to everyone’s surprise wrote, “His name is John!” 64 Instantly Zacharias could speak again, and he began praising God. 65 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread through the Judean hills. 66 And everyone who heard about it thought long thoughts and asked, “I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in some special way.”
Joshua’s triumph was heard throughout the land.
Josh 6:27(NIV)27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.
Josh 9:8-11 (NIV)“8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan-Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
The Holy Spirit must use us as a weapon in this spiritual warfare.
We have to become noisemakers, (anyi ga eme mkpatu), proclaimers, spreading the testimonies until the fame and news of Jesus fill the earth.
What is your role in this spread?
This is why you were made manifest.
This is the compendium and the essence of spreading the message; Every human being should employ and dedicate themselves to the imminent coming of Christ.
Matt 24:14(TLB)14 “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it, and then, finally, the end will come.
Acts 3:1-26 (KJV)“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? (read on) Acts 4:1-4
