Title or Testimony?
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Introduction
Introduction
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
The word sanctify here means to set apart for a holy purpose.
“Set the Lord God apart in your hearts”
In other words, give special place to Him above all things and before all things.
A Title Or A Testimony
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought,
but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”
There is coming a day when Satan and his forces are going to be destroyed.
When that day comes Satan and his forces will no longer bother anyone again.
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Before you were born Satan got together with his forces and devised a plan to destroy you.
· They developed a scheme to destroy you.
· He has plans for you and they aren’t good.
· The devil hates God and God’s people.
· The devil hates you.
· He wants to destroy you.
The Book of Revelation tells us that we can overcome the devil right now by the combined power of the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.
· When you were born you cried and your loved ones were was happy.
· When you die, you will be happy and your loved ones will be crying.
Young people listen to me; unless the Lord comes you are going to die.
· After you die, someone is going to put you into a casket, dig a hole, and then throw dirt on top of you.
· After they finish covering you up with dirt, all your loved ones are going to get together and eat potato salad.
We have to discover what is important to us.
· We have to discover if we want a title or a testimony.
There are many titles in our society.
Just in my profession, Pastor, Reverend, Padre, Father, Bishop, Elder, and Pope.
In the medical community there are, “Doctor, Dentist, Nurse, and Technician.
In Government there are, “President, Vice-President, Senator, Congressman, Governor, Mayor, Councilmen.
In the Military there are, “General, Coronal, Major, Lieutenant, Captain, Sergeant, Corporal, Private, Admiral, Captain.”
The lists could go on and on.
· It not wrong to have a title.
· In fact it’s honorable to have a title.
· It says that you have accomplished something.
· It says that you have worked for something.
· It says that someone thinks well of you.
There are a lot of people in this life that only live their lives for themselves and only end up with a title.
· They want to make it in this world and they don’t need God.
Please make sure that you have more than a title when you face Jesus.
· Make sure that you have more than a title when the devil sends all of hell against you.
· Make sure that have more than a title when you get sick.
· Titles aren’t going to help you when you need a miracle.
· Titles aren’t going to help you when you need a healing.
· Titles aren’t going to help you when you are discouraged.
· Titles aren’t going to help you when you are being attacked.
· Titles aren’t going to help you when you are down and out.
· You don’t need a title.
· Make sure you have a testimony.
Ø In the Old Testament Satan was the angel who was the counsel for the prosecution against men in the presence of God.
Ø In the New Testament we overcome the counsel for the prosecution with the Blood of The Lamb and the Word of our Testimony.
How do we get a Testimony?
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
· God will give us a Testimony when we love Him more than we love life.
· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important then life.
· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important than sleep.
· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important than food.
· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important than our wishes.
Testimony is evidence that is given verbally in a court of Law to prove or disprove a point.
· We are all on trial.
· Satan tries to put God on trial for the entire World to criticize.
Testimony is a remembering of past events that proves to the court of public opinion that something has happened.
· Something has happened in our lives.
· We could have been lost but Jesus saved us.
· We could be dead, but Jesus spared us.
· We could be down, but Jesus lifted us up.
· God wants us to have a Testimony.
God is going to see to it that you have a Testimony.
Say with me, “God wants me to have a Testimony!”
· God is going to be so good to you that you will have no choice but to have a Testimony.
· Make sure when you face all the forces of evil that you have a testimony.
· Make sure that when you face the World that you have a testimony.
· Make sure that you live your life with such a faith in God that it will produce a testimony.
This testimony cannot be about what you have done.
· Let’s be honest, anything that we have done is nothing compared to what Jesus Christ has done for us.
· This testimony can’t be about we have done.
· This testimony has to be about what God has done.
· If we face all of hell with a testimony about what we have done the devil is going to laugh in our face.
· But, if we want to overcome him by the Word of our testimony and we tell him what Jesus has done in our lives then he is defeated.
If a title is all you want then that is all you are going to get.
· I want a testimony.
· Rameses the second had a title, Pharaoh of Egypt.
· Moses had a testimony.
· Jezebel had a title, “Queen of Israel.”
· Elijah had a testimony.
· Nebuchadnezzar had a title, “King of Babylon.”
· Daniel had a testimony.
· Pilate had a title, “Governor Of Jerusalem.”
· Jesus had a testimony.
· Out in the World men and women have titles.
· In the Church, the Lord has determined that we are going to have a Testimony.
o The reason that we are in the trouble that we are in is because we are getting a Testimony.
o The reason that some of us have cried tears is because God is getting us ready for a Testimony.
o The reason that some of us are having trials and tribulations is because God is getting us ready for a Testimony.
o When Satan attacks us we can defeat him with the combined powers of the Blood of Jesus and the Word of our Testimony.
God is going to make sure that we have a Testimony.
We don’t have to walk around with our heads hanging down with nothing to Praise God about.
If you are a believer, if you are a child of almighty God, He is going to give you a Testimony.
· Some people make money their God.
If money is your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because money will fail you.
· Some people make drugs their God.
If drugs are your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because drugs will fail you.
· Some people make alcohol their God.
If you make alcohol your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because drinking will fail you.
· Some people make their job their God.
If your occupation is your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because you can’t depend on you career to help you make it.
· Some make a God out of a person when they develop a personal relationship with that person.
If a person is your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because people will fail you.
If we make Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives and we serve Him with all of our hearts we will never have to hang our heads in embarrassment.
· We will never have to hang our heads.
· We will never have to be ashamed.
· We can be proud of the God that we serve.
· We can testify with joy about the God we have given our lives to.
· Yes, I have cried tears of sorrow.
· Yes, I have suffered from physical and emotional pain.
· Yes, I have been hurt.
· Yes, I have had troubles.
· Yes, I have had trials.
· But, Jesus has brought me through every one of them.
· I’ve got a Testimony.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
I’ve got a Testimony.
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
· I deserve to die for what I have done.
· Jesus died in our place so that we could live.
· Jesus wants us to live for Him not die for Him.
· He has already provided His blood to defeat the devil.
· He will provide the Testimony also.
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
2 Timothy 1:12 (The Message) It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground-the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what He’s trusted me to do right to the end.
· I am sure of my ground.
· I have no regrets.
· I am not ashamed.
· I am excited about Jesus.
· I am excited about my future.
· I am excited about my Church.
· I am excited about my relationship with God.
· I am excited about my Testimony.
· I’ve got something to shout about.
· If you knew where Jesus brought me from you would shout with me.
· If you knew all the things that Jesus has done for me you would shout with me.
· If you knew all the little miracles that God has performed in my life you would shout with me.
· If we all knew where Jesus brought all of us from we would shout this roof off.
But we have a Testimony!
· When we are feeling low, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.
· When we are sick in our bodies, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.
· When we are discouraged, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.
· When we have forsaken, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.
We have made it before, we are going to make it now, and we are going to make it in the future.
· Don’t ever forget what God has done for you.
· Don’t ever forget where God has brought you from.
· Don’t ever forget that God has never failed you.
· Don’t ever forget that God has never left you alone.
· Don’t ever forget that God has given you the victory.
· Don’t ever forget that you have a Testimony.
· Don’t ever forget that you owe God Praise.
We have something to shout about.
And in that day you will say: “O Lord, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ”
Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.
And in that day you will say: “Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”
· I’ve got a Testimony!
· I draw water from the well of Jesus.
· I’ve got a Testimony!
The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.
· I’ve got a Testimony: The Lord loves me with an everlasting love.
· I’ve got a Testimony!
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
· I’ve got a Testimony!
· God will never leave me.
· God will never forsake me.
· The Lord is my helper.
· I will not be afraid.
· I’ve got a Testimony!
I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
· I’ve got a Testimony!
· The righteous has never been forsaken.
· I’ve got a Testimony!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
The Lord has given us a Testimony.
We have a Testimony.