VRFD | Your Story, God’s Glory

Introduction

Think about the photos on your Instagram for two seconds. What do you see?

Wins, sunsets, the one picture where everyone looks good.

Now, I want you to think about the photos on your camera roll, the ones that never get posted :

The crying in the car one, the blurry photo that you can’t even make out what it is, the random screenshot.

What Instagram and social media have taught us more than ever is that we can only show the good stuff, how can we make ourselves the look the best, the best clothes, the most fun, the coolest thing.

2016 challenge

I remember when I was your age, I was OBSESSED with how I presented myself on Instagram. Every thing I did was motivated by how can I present myself to be the coolest person ever.

I’ve seen so many people look like they have the perfect life on social media, and they eventually crash out, talking about how they’ve been struggling this whole time.

f your story only includes the highlight reel, people will never see how God actually works.

Tonight is about letting the Holy Spirit help us tell the parts of our lives we usually try to hide.

Most of us edit our story to protect our reputation. Breakups happen, so we post or try to act like we’re doing completely fine when they are around. Anxiety becomes ‘I’m just tired.’ A rumor starts and we go quiet because we don’t want to be labeled. We post the trophy moment, but hide the late-night panic.

But the parts you hid are usually the ones God uses the most. When we only show the shiny version, the people around us stay convinced they’re the only ones struggling.

Context : This is at the Last Supper, Jesus has just washed the disciples feet, and he’s acting a little abnormal. The disciples can tell something is up, and that Jesus time is coming to an end.

John 15:26-27 - “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father - the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father - he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

Jesus said the Advocate - the Holy Spirit - will testify about Him and we will testify too. That means the Spirit points to Jesus and helps us speak about what Jesus has done in our actual lives.

We’ve talked about the Fruits of the Spirit so much, but the Holy Spirit does more than give us the Fruits of the Spirit.

Jesus said, I’m not just giving you the Holy Spirit to give you goosebumps. It is to empower you to TESTIFY about Jesus.

We are deeply wired to be drawn to stories, which is why we love movies and books and all sorts.

Revelation 12:11 says God’s people overcome by the Blood of the lamb (what Jesus did for us) and the word of our testimony. Your story doesn’t have to be dramatic to be real. It just has to be honest and about where God met you.

People need to hear your story, the mess and all. Your story could help someone around you to be filled with hope for their situation and overcome what they are going through in their own life.

Kelsey’s testimony vs. my testimony

Share my testimony -

I was anxious all the time, because I felt like I had to be one way with my group of friends, and another way around my family, and another way around my friends at church.

Encountering the Holy Spirit is the REALEST thing I’ve ever felt. It is a love like you’ve never felt before, it is a peace like you’ve never felt before.

I felt both convicted by the life I was living, and at the same time more loved than I have ever felt before.

After that moment, God became the most important thing in my life.

I dreamt and prayed for all the time for revival to come to my school. So much so, that I started to write a short story of a kid who sparked revival in his school.

Telling Nate and bringing him to Church

That’s what I was known for, more than sports or anything else.

My testimony is still on going, it will be for the rest of my life.

What about you? What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you? What is Holy Spirit asking you to do?

Practice

Write Three lines : One highlight you usually post, one ‘never-post’ moment from last month, and one sentence where God met you or what you learned in that real moment.

Now shape a 60 second story using one paragraph :

Before - ‘Before God, I used to think/feel/act…”

God - Here’s how God met me/what I learned from God…’

Now - ‘I’m not perfect, but I’m learning to… Here’s what’s different about me…’

Practice it in the mirror.

Don’t sit on your story. Ask the Holy Spirit for boldness and timing. Your reputation is not your rescuer - Jesus is. The Spirit will help you speak, and God will use what you share.

Praying on the Bus - “Holy Spirit, would you give me someone today to share your good news with today?”

Ask the Holy Spirit for the right moment to share your testimony.

Prayer : “Holy Spirit, You know my whole story. Give me the courage to tell the truth about where You have met me. Show me when and with whom to share. Use my honesty to bring hope, freedom, and healing to others. Jesus, get glory from my story. Amen.”