LIVING TESTIMONIES

1 John 1:1-3
1 [We are writing] about the Word of Life [[a]in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands.

2 And the Life [[b]an aspect of His being] was revealed (made manifest, demonstrated), and we saw [as eyewitnesses] and are testifying to and declare to you the Life, the eternal Life [[c]in Him] Who already existed with the Father and Who [actually] was made visible (was revealed) to us [His followers].

3 What we have seen and [ourselves] heard, we are also telling you, so that you too may [d]realize and enjoy fellowship as partners and partakers with us. And [this] fellowship that we have [which is a [e]distinguishing mark of Christians] is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

As we grow in our faith we should be able to testify of what we believe. I am not talking about what Jesus did for your neighbor. Neither am I talking about reciting Genesis to Revelation to show that we have arrived. If we testify of our faith it should be evidenced with fruit bearing and the power of God working in our lives not an "I used to be testimony".

If we are preaching behind the pulpits it shouldn't just be uttering words out of intellectualism like Paul said "not with enticing words". Paul was a learned man so he had mastery over the Torah. He knew the law as a Pharisee but he lacked revelational knowledge of it before his conversion. It is quiet easy for newly born again believers to maintain a positive confession because there is that initial fire but how many keep that zeal.

It is not about saying I am the righteousness of God in Christ. Do we really understand what we profess? In this scripture John was testifying about what he had learnt from Jesus when He was in the flesh as well as revelational knowledge of Him.

The more we grow in Him we will be tested but will we still maintain that confession or we will live by other people's testimony. The bible says we live by faith and not by sight. In other words faith transcends beyond the material. It has a substance spiritually that is why it comes into being.

As we grow in The Lord we should step out of fanaticism and rather become living testimonies. This is what we have been called to do. We have been called to testify of Him as He testified of The Father when He walked the earth. Jesus knew who The Father was but how many of us know Him? I am not talking about Jesus is "My Savior". Ask any scholar and he will testify that a man called Jesus once walked the earth and was crucified.

The question is do we testify of what we have really experienced or we are just punching above our weight living other people's testimonies. It is not about Pastor A- Z can pray for 1000 cripples to walk. Why are we so enthused about that but never hungry for the manifestation of His power in our lives. Many of us are genuinely saved but we have never experienced Him for ourselves. Many of us profess Jesus but we do not know His heart. This comes through intimacy with Him.

Few years ago during my rebellious days I was so intrigued about the manifestation of God's power in the life of many pastors but I never bothered to inquire further. Occasionally I will try to talk or preach like one of them but hey that was not God's purpose for me. It took intimacy in the closet before The Lord unlocked certain things that He had vested in me right from childhood. I have not arrived but there is this burden in my heart that spurs me on not to settle for spiritual mediocrity or live in the shadows of others.

We have been called to testify of The One who has saved us and our testimony must spread like fire. People should see His power working in us as the early church experienced. Its not about saying I am a Jesus freak. It is about living our lives as a living testimony. Last night The Holy Spirit told me something in my sleep. He said He wants to teach us about how He wants us to live by living through us.

Our lives must manifest His glory. Aren't you tired of living people's testimony. Last night my son in The Lord shared a wonderful testimony with me.
He told The Lord not to grant him a job until He gets to know Him in an intimate way. The Father answered his prayer. He is going for an interview today. My point is we should crave to know Him in an intimate way so that we can testify of Him as He wants and demonstrate His power to the world.

                                                                                     Glory To Jesus