A friend mentions in casual conversation that she enjoyed a terrific meal at a new restaurant and thinks you would like it too. A stranger overhears you and your spouse wondering if a certain movie would be good to rent for a family night and offers that his kids thought it was great. Both the friend and the stranger are witnesses. Although the word tends to conjure images of courtrooms or awkward religious proselytizing, to witness simply means to tell about something you have experienced. According to the Bible, every believer shares the privilege and responsibility of witnessing. We should always be ready to tell the story of how we met and grew to love Jesus. That story is the greatest story you can tell.
What does the Bible say about witnessing?
Is witnessing really necessary?
PSALM 107:2 | Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
MARK 16:15 | And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
God has offered a way to rescue everyone from eternal death. No wonder the Bible calls this Good News! If you have discovered this rescue plan, which is to believe in Jesus as your Savior, then you will want to tell others about what he has done for you.
MARK 1:17 | Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
ACTS 11:24 | Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.
Telling others the story of Jesus is an essential part of being a follower of Jesus. Simply tell others why you love him, and he promises to soften the hearts of many who listen.
2 KINGS 7:9 | “This is not right. This is a day of good news, and we aren’t sharing it with anyone! . . . Come on, let’s go back and tell the people.”
ACTS 8:13 | Then Simon himself believed and was baptized.
ROMANS 10:14 | But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
It is not right to keep the Good News to yourself. The only way some people can experience all the benefits of following God is by hearing and believing his message of Good News—from you! Being a Christian isn’t about getting “in” to some exclusive group. It’s about experiencing something so wonderful that you can’t wait to invite others to experience it, too. Is this how you feel about being a Christian?
JOHN 9:13-15, 24-25 | Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”. . . So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a
sinner.” “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”
A straightforward description of your personal encounter with Jesus is a powerful testimony.
What if I find it difficult to share my faith?
MATTHEW 18:14 | “It is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.”
Our commitment to witnessing begins by understanding that lost people matter to God.
JOHN 7:13 | But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public.
Even those who knew Jesus best struggled with a hesitancy to witness.
LUKE 12:8 | “I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.”
DANIEL 12:3 | “Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”
God will honor those who honor him by proclaiming the Good News of what he has done. There is no greater purpose in life than sharing the message that could make the eternal difference in someone’s life.
2 TIMOTHY 1:7-8 | For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
When the enemy tries to intimidate you with lies about your inadequacies, you can summon that same power God used to transform your life to boldly share your faith.
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