* Testify

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:15-16 NKJV

Have you ever been called to be a character witness for someone? You're brought to a court of law, sworn in and then you proceed to tell what you know firsthand, as it applies to the person in question and the situation. You cannot be a character witness on hearsay. You cannot testify based on he-said-she-said or what you heard from someone else. It has to be personal knowledge. You must have learned it yourself during the time you spent with the person - good times and the bad. You know because you've been there with them, or they've been with you. You are able to testify for them and your testimony is entered into the court documents.

They were in the Caesarea Philippi region when Jesus asked His disciples what people had to say about who He was. They told Him some thought He was John the Baptist, some Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets. Jesus asked what they thought - His disciples - as the ones who walked with Him, the ones who knew Him on a daily basis, they KNEW who He was. They witnessed the miracles not only to the multitudes but in their own personal lives. They were eyewitnesses to the details and the deity of His life and they were able to say unequivocally, "You are the Christ."

Ten of the remaining eleven disciples who walked with Jesus were martyred for their testimonies. And they weren't the only ones. In ancient Rome, Christians were crucified, given over to the lions, beheaded, and burned alive on stakes to light the gardens of Nero. Yet, they held on to their testimonies right to their deaths. So far, that hasn't happened to Christians in the United States, but intense persecution IS happening to Christian brothers and sisters in other countries around the world and we must pray for them.

We are overcomers - victorious - by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, according to Revelation 12:11. Jesus the Christ died on the Cross at Calvary for our salvation - so the Blood of the Lamb part is already done. It's the word of our testimony that completes the act of overcoming.

You cannot testify to what you don't know. You would NEVER give a testimony that may cost your life or your freedom, based on hearsay. Do you know Him well enough to testify? To overcome? We're not talking about what your Mama says about Him or even what your grandmother said. Nor what the Sunday School teacher or the preacher told you. Who do YOU say that He is? What is He to your life? Will you - can you testify?

Prayer:

Father,
            We want to know You more - in every fiber of our being. We want to testify about Who and what we know. Give us the courage of Your convicting power. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen