Your Personal Testimony
The opportunity to give your personal testimony doesn’t happen as often as it used to. I’m not sure what caused the change, but seldom do I hear a leader in worship ask for someone to testify.
Do you have a personal testimony? Everyone does. If your first response when reading the question was “No.” you may misunderstand what a personal testimony is, how it is to be used, and what to include.
What it is…
Have you been led closer to God due to some event, some understanding as a result of Bible study, or Personal Devotion reading?
That is a shareable testimony.
Have you experienced the presence of angels protecting you from harm?
Has a prayer for overcoming been answered? Without going into the details of the problem that needed to be overcome, those are testimony opportunitites.
A request that God give you peace about some part of your life – or the life of a friend – that has been granted… is a shareable testimony.
At times, the answer to a prayer may be “My grace is sufficient for this need.”
That also is a testimony worth sharing.
A testimony should be pointed, planned, and practiced.
Pointed: The focus is to be on God, and His providence.
Planned: Write it out. Ask a close friend to review and edit the “story.”
Practice: Rehearse until the story flows smoothly, with a minimum of “Uhhh” and other verbal fillers.
A testimony should give the listeners courage and result in Praise to God.
Sometimes a testimony will reveal to a listener that God has been answering their need, but they failed to see Him in the outcome.
Sabbath School class may be the best venue for sharing. Prayer meeting also offers a time to share. Small group time is also good.
It is OK to request that the pastor give you time to testify.