Share Your Testimony

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A Personal Testimony is not simply a story of how God rescued someone from a life
of horrible sin. It is an account of how God transforms lives no matter where the
person comes from or what circumstances the person has experienced. Many people
are encouraged by the testimony of someone who was introduced to the LORD at an
early age and who then avoided many pitfalls of growing up. God uses each of us as
we are, created in His
image and transformed by his power.

Before You Start

Ask the LORD to guide your thoughts and written words. Then trust him to do so.
remember, your story can bring Glory to Christ and also be a plan for the
salvation of others.

Write as if your were sharing with just one person. Many first-time speakers make
the mistake of speaking to a group instead of an individual. But if you write as
if you are talking to one person, your testimony will be more direct. Each person
in your audience will feel that you are sitting beside him or her
personally to share you life

A good testimony should be no longer than 15 minutes and no shorter than 5

minutes.

Putting It on Paper

1-Before I received Christ

2-How I Received Christ
3-After I received Christ
4-Conclusion

Decide what is most important to your testimony

Always say “I” and “Me,” not “You” The Ideas is to share, not preach.
Remember, everyone has a different background and each one is just as important as
the next one, because those who are listening come from different backgrounds too,
and will only be able to connect or relate to those individuals that they have
something in common with.

Your testimony is a declaration of truth as you have experience it. A testimony is

your own story and not someone else’s. As you prepare to give your testimony,
remember that you are telling others what Jesus Christ has done for you.

Why give your Testimony

A. In 1 Peter 3:15, the Apostle Paul instructs us to always be ready to make a

defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you,
yet with gentleness and reverence. 1John 1:3

B. Your personal testimony is one of the most effective means you have for making
such a defense of your faith in Jesus Christ. There are times when an individual
is not willing to sit down and go through a Gospel tract or when doing so would be
inappropriate. However, people are often more interested in knowing your story:
how you came to put you faith in Christ and the difference that decision has made
in your life.

C. There are numerous examples of individuals sharing their testimony through the
New Testament. Who is giving the following testimonies and who is listening to
them?

1- John 4:39-
42______________________________________________________________________

2- John 9:24-
34______________________________________________________________________

3- Galatians 1:11-13, 2:1-

21______________________________________________________________________

4- Acts 21:40, 22:1-

21______________________________________________________________________

5- Acts 24:10-16,
24:24______________________________________________________________________

6- Acts 26 ______________________________________________________________________

Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 is a biblical model you can follow in writing your own
personal testimony.:

Lead-In verses 1-3 Before - verses 4-11 How - verses 12-20 After - verses 21-23

There are Three Basic Testimonies:

[1] The Covenant Child, [ Romans 3:23, Genesis 12:1-7, Galatians 3:6-29 ]

These are individuals who have grown up in the faith, Children of believing
parents, who were faithfully nurtured in the Word, in Prayer, and in the
Church. Their lives demonstrate they are covenant keepers and heirs to the
promises of God.

Timothy is an example of such an individual who had known the holy scriptures
since he was an infant which were able to make him wise unto salvation
[ 2 Timothy 3:10-17 ]

These individuals certainly understand their own sinfulness and need of a Savior
and that Christ alone is that savior. Their testimony will not contain a radical
“before conversion’ but will demonstrate a life of growth in grace, sometimes
slower and sometimes faster depending on the circumstances in their lives. It is
appropriate to include a statement about what you have seen others try to make
their lives meaningful that failed and it is by God’s love that
you did not follow a similar path but it is in other ways that rebelled against
God.
[NOTE: Our culture does not seem to value this type of testimony as much as it
does one that exhibit’s a life of radical sin and then conversion. Somehow it is
suggested that it takes more of God’s grace to save someone from a life of radical
sin that sustaining a lifelong faithful walk with Him. The only ingredient that
makes either work is God’s grace.]

[2] The Conscious Convert [Acts 9:3 ]

This conversion usually takes place anywhere from the late teens through
adulthood. This person has typically pursed many avenues in search of
happiness and attempting to fill the void in their life only to get disappointed
time and again. Nothing has worked. Some are on this search for a few
years. Other’s for decades.

This individual may have been raised in the church and learned all the right words
to say and things to do, but never came to know Christ personally or
they may have grown up in a totally pagan world.

At some point, the call of the Spirit of God is heard in their lives and they turn
in repentance to Christ for His forgiveness of their sins an life eternal. While
the daily struggle in life does not go away, it is no longer empty and there is a
sense of purpose and growth where there was once only emptiness. Living
for Christ becomes a consuming passion and as a result of that, every area of life
is touched.
The Apostle Paul is a clear example of this type of conversion and testimony,
[3] The Wandering Believer [ Ephesians 4:27, Acts 13:22, Psalm 51]

This individual has a history of walking in the faith, but allowing the Devil a
foothold in their lives an for a season walks in the shadow of darkness.
Typically this individual was raised in the faith and strayed in the teenage
years, or even after an adult conversion, they became ensnared by the things of
this world and allowed their Christian walk to falter. In God’s own time He called
these individuals back to faithfulness.

David, a man after God’s own heart is an example of this type individual, and is a
wonderful prayer of confession and repentance, while seeking God’s
forgiveness and renewal.

Writing, The Before, How & After

1- Before: I accepted Christ

You will need to use additional paper to answer the questions

This section covers what your life (as an adult) was like before you accepted
Christ.
[The following questions may help you think through what you want to convey]
[Start at a time in life which relates to your experience with Christ. remember
that this is not a biography from childhood.]

1-What were the unmet needs in your life? Some possibilities include: loneliness,
lack of significance, lack of purpose, a sense of emptiness, fear of
death, aimlessness, lack of peace etc.
2-How did you attempt to have these needs met? Some possibilities include:
accomplishments, accumulation of wealth or things, drugs, alcohol, sex,
finding fulfillment in work, education, athletics, etc.
3-What things were most important to you? What did your life revolve around?
(Examples-money, marriage, career, etc)
4-Why were they so important? What basic need were you attempting to fulfill?

Many people’s actions spring out of their unsatisfied deep inner needs.
[ Check Those that apply to you ]

 lack of peace  fear of death  no meaning to life  something missing  desire

to be in control
 lack of security  loneliness  lack of purpose  lack of significance  no real
friends
 no motivation  Acceptance Self Worth  Other____________________

Non-Christians are usually trying to satisfy their deep inner needs through
unsatisfactory solutions. In the past, what unsatisfactory solutions did you use
to attempt to meet those deep inner needs?
[ As you develop your testimony, list positive as well as negative solutions you
may have tried.]

 marriage/family  work  drugs/ alcohol  sports/ fitness  money  career 

medication  counselor
 education  hobbies/ entertainment  sex  wrong friends  physician  Suicide 
Other

Communicate Your Testimony, Before I accepted Christ

A- What was my life like? How can I communicate this in a way that will relate to
the non Christian? (Don’t focus on the religious upbringing side of your
life)
B-What did my life revolve around the most? What did I get my security or
happiness from? The non-Christian is relying on something external to give him
happiness.
C- How did those areas begin to let me down?

2 - How: I Received Christ

This section describes the circumstances and events that caused you to consider
Christ and the steps you took to become a Christian.

a-Describe the circumstances that caused you to consider Christ as the solution to
your deep inner needs. Identify the events that led to your conversion. In some
cases this may have taken place over a period of time.

b-State specifically the steps you took to become a Christian. If there is a

particular passage of Scripture that applies here, you may want to use it. Usually
you will simply paraphrase it. Include the gospel clearly and briefly.

Examples:
·All have sinned
·Sin’s penalty
·Christ paid the penalty
·That there was nothing I could do to save myself
·Must receive Christ, for that is the completed work done on the cross

·Always uphold the Bible as the authority. Don’t say Pastor told me I was a
sinner, say Pastor showed me from the Bible that I was a sinner.

Communicate Your Testimony, How I Received Christ

1-When did you first hear the message of Christ and what was your reaction?
2-When did you first begin to feel positive toward the gospel and why?
3-Why did you make the decision to trust Christ, and how did you specifically do
that?
4- How did God speak to your heart?
5-Who did God use and how did they witness to you?
6-Where were you when Christ found you?
7-How did you respond to the call?

In answering these questions your are seeking to identify specifically the process
that brought you to the point of receiving Christ.
This is the climax of your testimony.

3-After: I Accepted Christ

This section explains the changes that have occurred in your life since receiving
Christ. This should relate back to the specific issues you discussed in the
“before” section.

A-State how Christ filled or is filling your deep inner needs. In the before, you
expressed your needs and how you tried unsuccessfully to meet them. You
now want to briefly show the difference that Christ has made in you life.
B-Conclude with a statement like: “But the greatest benefit is that I know for
certain that I have eternal life. The person you talk to will tend to comment
on the last thing you say. Often it is natural to move from the testimony into a
clear presentation of the gospel.

Communicate Your Testimony, After I Received Christ

1-How did Christ specifically satisfy the basic need you stated in the before
section?

2-What changes have occurred in your life as a result?

3-How do you know Christ is in you life?

4-How has this change impacted your personal life?

5-How has your changed life impacted others?

The Conclusion

Your conclusion should be a summary statement of one or two sentences referring

back to your initial basic need and the fact that Christ now fills that
need.
[Example: I made this decision over 10 years ago. It was the most important
decision I have ever made. During this time I’ve had a growing sense of
purpose, peace, and fulfillment based on my personal relationship with Jesus
Christ, not based on my successes in life.]

Don’t be too wordy, Have a clear point and direction to your words. Don’t
emphasize how bad you were.

Be Realistic Share how Christ enables You to walk through you problems, rather
that removing them from you life.
Is the gospel so simple and clear that a non-Christian would be able to receive
Christ as a result of hearing Your Testimony ?

Procrastinating. Yes, this may be hard, and it will take hours. Putting it off
doesn’t get it done.

JUST DO IT!

We would love to hear from you and post your testimony on the Hand of Refuge
Ministry Web Site.

Be Sure and Send Us Your Testimony, Copy & Paste the worksheet and send it to us.
Or Write out your testimony on a separate sheet of paper

E-Mail @ - Handofrefgueministry@yahoo.com
-0r-
YOU CAN WRITE TO US @

Hand of Refuge Ministry

404 Poplar Street
Harlan, Kentucky 40831

WEB SIITE: http://www.handofrefugeministry.com