”They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.“
Revelation 12:11 NIV
Stories can give us courage.
When someone testifies, they are giving their account of the facts of a story they experienced as best as they can in order to convince someone of the truth of it.
In the case of this verse in Revelations 12, John is telling us that the people of God were able to defeat the accuser (the devil) through the blood of Jesus, which was given as payment for the sin of all of us AND our remembrance of it through our testimony; their story of how Jesus saved them.
There are as many stories of how we receive the salvation of Jesus as there are people – however, the essential truth remains the same for all of us:
”Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,“ Hebrews 10:19-24 NIV
Telling our stories helps us remember where we’ve been and the promises that God has made to us. It can give us, and the people around us, encouragement to overcome our fear about what may come.
Now – a testimony that is never given doesn’t do anyone any good.
Would you prayerfully consider telling the story of your relationship with Jesus to someone, asking Him who that may be? What led you to Him? Is there someone in your life whom you could ask to tell the story of their faith journey? I’d bet that they would be willing to share it with you and that you would be encouraged!
