Are you intimidated at the thought of sharing your personal testimony? The idea brings questions like where do I start, how much detail do I share, and what do I do if someone asks me a question that I don’t have the answer to? The point is that it is not easy to be vulnerable when telling your story to others. The encouraging aspect of sharing our testimony is that we do not do it alone. Acts 1:8 promises that the Holy Spirit will empower us to be witnesses for Christ. Think about the weightiness of that statement. When we share with others what Christ has done in our life, that is one of the greatest tools the Holy Spirit uses to convert lost sinners.
In today’s Christianity, it is tempting to believe that the Holy Spirit empowers what we enjoy as quiet and personal times with the Lord. We enjoy our individual worship moments, our favorite worship music, and our favorite books, but at the end of the day all of these things are exclusive to our devotion life. What the Holy Spirit empowers is a public witness, in other words, your testimony.
Scripture gives us a great model for sharing our testimony through the example of the great apostle Paul. Twice, Luke records Paul’s testimony verbatim. Once in Acts 22, while Paul is in Jerusalem, and again in Acts 26 when Paul stands before King Agrippa. Few of us have a testimony as detailed and fascinating as Paul’s, yet he was able to effectively share his story in a concise way. If you read his account word for word, out loud, it will take you approximately two minutes. Isn’t it fascinating that one of the greatest testimonies in history is only two minutes long? This tells me that anyone can share their story in a way that glorifies Christ in a matter of minutes.
So how exactly do you craft your testimony? Here is a simple template to follow: First, describe who you were before you met Jesus? If scripture says that the old has passed and the new has come, be able to describe your old lifestyle. Identify what was missing prior to Christ. Number two, how did you meet Jesus? How did Christ lead you to Himself? What were the events that shaped your conversion? Third, who are you today after experiencing Jesus? What change has Christ brought to your nature and your desires? What has it been like to walk with Christ on a daily basis? Your testimony does not have to be spectacular. It is the gospel itself that is spectacular. Your testimony does not have to be powerful. It is the gospel itself that is powerful. Your testimony simply needs to be clear, concise, and Christ-glorifying. The Holy Spirit will do the rest!
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