Your Testimony - Tell It!
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."Revelations 12:11, KJV
I discovered something while a student in law school that shed light on why so many people are bound by situations they should be set free from. During an Evidence class, we came to the topic of "Testimony". In summary, I discovered that testimony serves the purpose of proving the truthfulness of a matter by the confirmation of another who has (preferably) first hand knowledge of the events. This person is called a "witness". This individual only qualifies as a witness if they have "first hand knowledge or experience" of the matter. The most powerful testimony a witness can possess is "eye witness" testimony. The testimony of a witness who lacks this first hand knowledge is categorized as "hearsay". Hearsay has very little probative value and is often excluded from being accepted into evidence. Oftentimes, the freedom and very life of the one being tried, depends on eyewitnesses that are willing to testify concerning what they know.
As I read Revelation 12:11, I thought about what I learned in law school. It occurred to me that many people are unnecessarily bound and perishing in their trials because the enemy has shamed the witnesses from coming forward and testifying about their our own experiences and what they know. The enemy knows that our testimony has the power to defeat him and set the accused free. Many people are serving life sentences in bondage, condemnation, and some even losing their lives, because they have lost all hope of things getting better or them surviving what they are going through. However, we are living testimonies or evidence that you can make it. The enemy tried to destroy our bodies, minds/souls and spirits - but failed. Our testimony proves that the devil is a liar and defeated.
Testimony, by its very nature, is not for the one testifying but for the benefit of the one being tried. I don't care how shameful your past may have been; someone else needs the deliverance that is in your mouth. There is a ministry in your testimony that cannot be denied or refuted. Proverbs 18:21 declares, that the "power of life and death is in the tongue".
It is interesting to note that the root word for "testimony" in the Greek is "martus". It is the same word from which we get the word "martyr". A martyr is someone who died for what they believe and know to be true. I mentioned earlier, that "hearsay" testimony is generally not accepted as evidence. However, there are exceptions to this rule. One such exception concerns the "words of a dying or dead person". These words are considered unusually reliable because a dying or dead person has nothing to lose by telling the truth. They are no longer subject to fear, intimidation or the power of those who have an interest in the outcome of a matter. They're free to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help them God!
As born again, blood washed, forgiven Believers, we too are dead to the guilt and shame of our past that others cast upon us. It is all under the blood, buried in the watery grave of baptism and crucified with our old man. When and if we fall short, we can pray for forgiveness and God forgives us, never to be brought to our charge again. With this being the case, let me ask you a question: What are you afraid of? What's keeping you from testifying to others of what God has brought you out of and delivered you from? Others are struggling with the same thing you have been delivered from and need to know the truth - that God is a deliverer!
The text says, "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." Jesus has done His part in perfectly defeating the enemy. He shed His blood and rose from the grave. Now we must do ours by tell our testimony! Every time you tell it, it reminds the devil he is defeated! Go ahead, do not be afraid or ashamed - "tell it!"
It is interesting to me, the depths the enemy will go to keep us from sharing our testimony with others. He tries to diminish the importance of our individual testimony by sending arrows of doubt as to the effectiveness of our testimony. He tries to use guilt and condemnation to keep us quiet, when the testimony of what we have been through is actually what will set others free. He tries to use fear of rejection to keep us from testifying to others because we do not believe our Christian brothers and sisters can handle the truth of our testimony.
Yet and still, Revelations 12:11a states "And they overcame him (the enemy) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony." God has given us authority" over all the power of the enemy" Luke 10:19b. The means by which we exercise this authority is by speaking. There is power in your testimony. We must share our testimony with others and continue to overcome the enemy. AMEN