Testify
6 min read
26 “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. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”
John 15:26-27
The Holy Spirit has come in fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel:
28 “And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”
— Joel 2:28-29
The Holy Spirit has come in fulfillment of the prophecy of Jeremiah:
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the LORD.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
— Jeremiah 31:33-34
The Spirit of truth has come, and so those who believe must also testify about Jesus Christ. Some believers might think that they do not need to testify because they were not literally with Jesus since the beginning of His ministry.
But because all of us who believe have received the gift of the Holy Spirit through faith, we have been with Jesus from the beginning through the Holy Spirit—even if we were not physically there among the apostles. And so again, those who believe must testify.
And even if a believer has not been given the specific gift of evangelism, every believer has gifts from the Holy Spirit that are available to us with which to “evangelize.”
And so we must mot neglect the spiritual gifts, because those gifts are given to build up the body of Christ and to bear witness to Christ. And we must recognize that those gifts are given only to build up the body of Christ and to bear witness to Christ.
Some have the gift of teaching, pastoring, prophesying, and/or evangelizing. We use the gifts to build up the church and to testify about Christ.
All of us can sing (even if badly XD), but some have the gift of music. We use the gifts to build of the church and to testify about Christ.
All of us can invite, but some have the gift of hospitality. We use the gifts to build up the church and to testify about Christ.
All of us can give, but some have the gift of giving. We use the gifts to build up the church and to testify about Christ.
All of us have the gift of love. That is the one gift that every believer must receive and exercise to build up the church and to testify about Christ.
All of us can evangelize, but the body of Christ must have the gift of evangelism powered by the gift of love. Otherwise, how can we call ourselves a church.
Father, You are sovereign, and Your Spirit testifies about Christ according to Your good pleasure. Forgive us when we neglect the work of the Holy Spirit in us and neglect our calling to build up the body and to testify. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit and the gifts that come through Him. Use me to testify boldly. Use us to testify boldly. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
