And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. Revelation 12:11 (NLT)
The "him" that was defeated in this text is Satan. WOOOHOOO! He is defeated for all times by the blood of the Lamb! But notice what else is used to defeat him? Our testimonies. What is a testimony? A testimony is another word for our story.
Each of us has a story. Each of us has events in our lives that are unique to only us and that no one else can tell. What's really amazing is that God uses these all the time! He wants you to share who you are with other people so they can see him shine through.
Have you made a mistake where you've had to live through the consequences? That's your story. Have you seen God show up in those failures and consequences? That's your story. Have you listened to his voice even when it didn't seem sane and watched him do only what God can do and work it all out? That's your story! What I find so mind blowing is that God uses our upside-down, messy stories for his glory.
How do you share your story?
- Pray.
- Keep your ears and eyes open. If you pray and ask God to send someone for you to share with, he will.
- If you sense that you are to share, pray again. Ask God what he wants you to share. Sometimes, you aren't supposed to share anything but only listen and let them know you understand.
- Ask questions. Until you understand where the person is coming from, you don't have a clue what to share. Listen. No agenda. And then pray some more. God has a reason for this encounter. Let him lead.
One final thought. Remember, your only job is to pray, listen and share IF God says. The outcome of that encounter is in the Holy Spirit's hands, not yours. Get out of the way. Let God be God.