"And they overcame him (Satan) by the Blood of the Lamb, and by (through, on account of) the Word (Logos) of their testimony...." (Revelation 12:11a, from today's reading)
Derek Prince once said that the best translation of the phrase, "by the word of their testimony," is, "by the Word to which they bore witness." Notice the difference here. The emphasis is not, "their testimony," but rather, "the Word to which they bore witness." This is the, "He must increase," of which John the Baptist spoke, of which Biblical Theology teaches humanity, of which Father speaks of the Son, "My Beloved...in Whom I am well pleased."
Do people walk away from me with the conclusion that I have "increased" Jesus Christ, or increased me? Do people walk away from worship/His Presence gatherings with the overwhelming observance that Jesus Christ "increased," or the worship leader, the music, "that-was-great-worship" increased? Do they walk away from our church services, seminars, ministry to the poor, the homeless, the aged, with the actuality of the old hymn, "May Jesus Christ be praised," or, "What a wonderful work they do?" What people "walk away with" is what actually occurs, not what we hope occurs.
Now this does not for a moment diminish our, "testimony." What this does, however, is "elevate" Jesus Christ, "The Logos of God," to His proper "place" of Glory in the Universe. It is as Peter said on the First Day of Pentecost in the Church Era, "This is that...." His testimony was to the Words of the Prophets, "God-Breathed," Words, "the Logos of God." When I speak of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done over my whole life, and especially what Jesus has been doing in my life over that past 47 years, it is all a testimony to, "the Logos to which they bore witness." Our testimonies are our testimonies to the Bible promises, the prophecies, the Law, to the, "exceeding great and precious promises," of which Peter speaks.
Perhaps we should respond to people who ask, "What has happened to you?" with the words, Exactly what the Bible said would happen to all who surrender their lives to Jesus. It is not our testimonies by which we, "overcame him," but by, "The Logos to which we bore (bare) witness." This, my friend, is the only "overcoming power."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray from the bottom of my heart that my "testimony" is to You and not to me. Amen.
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Fall, 2017 Mission: October 28-November 15
Derek Prince once said that the best translation of the phrase, "by the word of their testimony," is, "by the Word to which they bore witness." Notice the difference here. The emphasis is not, "their testimony," but rather, "the Word to which they bore witness." This is the, "He must increase," of which John the Baptist spoke, of which Biblical Theology teaches humanity, of which Father speaks of the Son, "My Beloved...in Whom I am well pleased."
Do people walk away from me with the conclusion that I have "increased" Jesus Christ, or increased me? Do people walk away from worship/His Presence gatherings with the overwhelming observance that Jesus Christ "increased," or the worship leader, the music, "that-was-great-worship" increased? Do they walk away from our church services, seminars, ministry to the poor, the homeless, the aged, with the actuality of the old hymn, "May Jesus Christ be praised," or, "What a wonderful work they do?" What people "walk away with" is what actually occurs, not what we hope occurs.
Now this does not for a moment diminish our, "testimony." What this does, however, is "elevate" Jesus Christ, "The Logos of God," to His proper "place" of Glory in the Universe. It is as Peter said on the First Day of Pentecost in the Church Era, "This is that...." His testimony was to the Words of the Prophets, "God-Breathed," Words, "the Logos of God." When I speak of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done over my whole life, and especially what Jesus has been doing in my life over that past 47 years, it is all a testimony to, "the Logos to which they bore witness." Our testimonies are our testimonies to the Bible promises, the prophecies, the Law, to the, "exceeding great and precious promises," of which Peter speaks.
Perhaps we should respond to people who ask, "What has happened to you?" with the words, Exactly what the Bible said would happen to all who surrender their lives to Jesus. It is not our testimonies by which we, "overcame him," but by, "The Logos to which we bore (bare) witness." This, my friend, is the only "overcoming power."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray from the bottom of my heart that my "testimony" is to You and not to me. Amen.
**************************
Fall, 2017 Mission: October 28-November 15
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only tied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
