Pastor's Pen May 12, 2012
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Telling Your Story
Everyone who has been rescued from sin by the Lord Jesus Christ has a story to tell! It is a story of salvation and deliverance. We who once were on our way to eternal destruction are now on the way to eternal life. We who were stumbling around in darkness are now walking in the light. We who were dead in sin are now alive in Christ. We have a story to tell!
Why is it that we often are so hesitant to tell our story? Why do we shrink back from sharing our faith with others? Why do we feel so intimidated? The early church prayed and asked God for boldness to share their story of being rescued by Jesus. “Grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word” (Acts 4:29). It’s interesting to note that they prayed for this boldness after having been severely threatened by the Sanhedrin (the Jewish Supreme Court) and told they were no longer to share their story of being delivered by Jesus (Acts 4:17). Their response to this threat was to ask God to give them boldness and confidence to continue sharing their story AND they asked God to back them up by healing the sick and doing miracles by them! And the Lord did exactly what they asked.
God is just as eager to back us up today! We do not face severe threats at the hands of religious or political leaders (at least not yet). The opposition we face is real however and we all sense it. Therefore, we need to ask God for boldness to witness. But do we? When’s the last time you asked God for boldness to tell your story? I follow that question with this question: when’s the last time you told your story?
Part of our intimidation is that we don’t know enough scripture or how to answer people’s questions. And while there is certainly a need to study the word and know what you believe sharing your story is simply telling others what Christ has done for you. If you were drowning and someone jumped in the water and pulled you to safety would you have any problem telling others about it? I think not. And this is the heart of witnessing—telling your story and sharing your personal experience of coming to know Christ as your Savior and Lord.
I think of the man born blind that Jesus healed in John 9. When he was interrogated by the religious rulers demanding that he tell how he was healed his response was very simple: “Once I was blind and now I can see.” There it is! He told his story! He then added, “Do you want to become His disciples?” What a wonderful witness he was!
Keep it simple! Tell your story. Share with others what Christ has done for you. Tell others how good and how wonderful Jesus is. Share with them how He forgave you and gave you new life. God is ready to back you up with His presence and power and through the Holy Spirit speak to the heart of those you share your story with. Our part is to be willing to be His witness. His part is to speak to the hearts of those who hear our story.
We had the privilege of flying to Orlando, Florida and back recently to be with my siblings. On the way down and the way back I had the joy of telling my story to those who sat on the plane with me. It was easy. It was fun. I will probably never see them again but the Holy Spirit can and will bring back to their minds the simple things I shared with them. Who knows, I may see them in heaven some day. And what better thing can we use our lives for than that?
You have a story to tell! There are so many who need to hear it. So, tell it!
Pastor Dan
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