When God does something miraculous in our lives, He does so not only for our benefit but for His glory. We owe it to Him and to others to testify to God’s goodness. We share our testimony with all who will listen. So, what does testify in the Bible mean? Why is it important to give our testimony? And, why do we testify of God’s goodness? It’s in our testimony that God is glorified and the enemy is defeated.
What is testify in the Bible?
- To make a solemn declaration, verbal or written, to establish some fact; to give testimony for the purpose of communicating to others a knowledge of something not known to them. Jesus “needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:25).
- To bear witness to; to support the truth of by testimony. “…to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
When we testify, we share our testimony with others.
~~~
Cancer. Chemotherapy. Cure. These three small words held such weight not only on our shoulders but in our souls as well.
When our oldest child was but a toddler, my husband received a diagnosis of a very rare form of cancer. That six-letter word carried such a punch that our picture-perfect life in our glasshouse was shattered. The prognosis was poor, and doctors warned us to “get your affairs in order.
Still, we prayed and determined that despite the doctor’s report, we were not settling for anything less than God’s report. We fully believed God could heal him.
With respect to cancer, doctors rarely talk of “cure.” They readily speak of remission…but rarely will they consider a patient is cured.
Major surgery was scheduled followed by months of grueling chemotherapy treatments and tortuous side effects. Following the cessation of his treatments, we held our breath as we waited for the results from medical tests to assess the condition of the cancer. Despite the odds which were not in our favor, the doctor himself was surprised to report “no evidence of disease.”
We exhaled with relief before asking what we really wanted to know: “Does this mean he is cured?”
Such assurances were not forthcoming, despite there being no any evidence of disease. Every follow-up doctor’s appointment, lab work, and scan again caused us to hold our breath for fear of what we might be told; we never again wanted to be taken off guard.
When Jesus healed the leper
When I think of the story of Jesus healing the leper in Matthew 8:1-4, it’s not difficult to put myself in the leper’s situation. He approached Jesus and almost in a matter of fact manner stated, “If you feel like it Jesus, you can heal me.”
I wonder why he approached Jesus in this way? I don’t know how I would have behaved, but when my husband was diagnosed with cancer, we searched high and low for the best doctors with the most experience, and after hearing his prognosis, grasped for help. Some doctors cast him aside, feeling there was nothing they could do to help. Everyone else had cast the leper aside, perhaps he feared Jesus would as well.
It spoke volumes when Jesus responded simply, “I want to.”
God still desires to heal today. 3 John 1:2 reminds us that God desires for us to be healthy: “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul.”
Why is it important to give your testimony?
In the Leper’s case, Jesus instantly healed by a simple touch. What Jesus said next is crucial for us. He told the leper to go to the priest to be examined, and then the healed man was to give a public testimony of his cure.
I suspect Jesus did this for a couple of reasons. If there was any lingering doubt in the leper’s mind, Jesus knew the priest would declare him to be cured. Faith comes by hearing, and by hearing himself declared healed, it would bolster his faith. It was also important for him to give his testimony because Then he was to as he publicly told tell about his healing as a testimony of what Jesus had done for him, it also bolstered others’ faith.
I have to wonder if it was difficult for the leper to come to terms with what Jesus had done for him?
He had been accustomed to being a leper and then was instantaneously given a new identity of a clean man. I wonder if that took a while to settle within him. It did for us after my husband was declared to “have no evidence of disease.”
I wonder if it was difficult for him to share with others? “What if the leprosy returned? What if they didn’t believe him?”
We struggled as well.
The doctors didn’t declare my husband cured, despite the lack of evidence of disease, so we had a choice to make. We could choose to hang on to doubt or choose to believe that God had performed a miracle and then share our testimony with others to encourage their faith.
We chose to believe God and shared our testimony with all who would listen. Mostly we wanted to encourage others. God does not play favorites. If He healed my husband, He would do it for others too.
Why do we testify of God’s goodness?
When God does something life-changing in our lives, He does so not only for our benefit but for His glory. We owe it to Him and to others to testify to His goodness.
That’s how we defeat the enemy of our souls. “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
When God steps in and intervenes in your life, will you testify about it to others?
I’d love to hear about God’s goodness in your life in the comments below.
Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
(If you have a question you’d like Dr. B to answer, contact her here now. Your name and identity will be kept confidential.)
Depression doesn’t have to become a permanent part of life.
There is hope.
Hope Prevails: Insights From a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression and the companion Hope Prevails Bible Study help the reader understand how depression comes to be, recover their joy, reclaim their peace, and re-establish their true identity, while knowing their worth, remembering their secure destiny, and being confident that nothing separates them from God’s love.
Hope Prevails and the Hope Prevails Bible Study are must-reads for anyone suffering from depression or knows someone suffering from depression.
“It is refreshing to have a board-certified neuropsychologist acknowledge the spiritual component of depression, but it is even more impressive that Dr. Bengtson would be willing to share her own journey through the fog of despair. Her personal insights are invaluable for those who are struggling with what is often described as ‘the common cold of mental illness.’”
Dr. Neil T. Anderson, founder and president emeritus of Freedom in Christ Ministries and
Author of Overcoming Depression
Thank you Dr. Bengtson for sharing your STORY. I was just diagnosed with meningoencephalocele after being told for years that is was psychogenic non epileptic seizures and I am confused and feeling even more lost and confused in the flesh which is normal right? Have you ever heard of meningoencephalocele?
Dr. Bengtson, I rejoice with you that the Lord brought healing to your husband. I know you want to encourage others, but I think we have to be very cautious when claiming to know God’s will for each person’s life (“God does not play favorites. If He healed my husband, He would do it for others too.”) Though He certainly CAN heal, He may have other plans for how we are to glorify Him, but we can always trust that His will for our lives is for our best. Whether He lovingly calls individuals home in their old age, prime, or youth, He is always good and can be believed in, trusted, worshiped, and praised. As I know you’re well aware, our ultimate hope isn’t found in the gifts He gives us, but in Him!
I have studied healing for years. I like that leper story and His answer. ” I Am willing. ” He puts the I Am in, depending on the translation. John gospel is what I like to read. The leper needed the priest to declare him clean so he could go home. I think it would be alright to declare your husband clean of cancer, like my uncle. It is interesting how He did things, some people He told to say nothing, sometimes it was the devil He put out and some people were healed as they went.
What an amazing story! When my Mom and Dad were about to get married, Mom was told that, because of her severe scoliosis, she would never have kids or live past the age of 40. Well, she had 3 healthy kids and lived to the age of 54. Honestly, I can’t imagine the fear the diagnosis must have caused, but she and Dad both trusted God over the doctors for the future!
Praising God for your husband’s wonderful testimony of healing.
One of my favorite verses for situations that may seem “hopeless” is from Isaiah 43:19 “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Thank you for sharing great encouragement here.
Karen, I love that verse and am receiving it today as a gift from God through you!
And thank you, Michelle, for your consistent and faithful proclamation of God’s greatness.
The devil cringes when we give God praises. I often forget to give God credit for the things He does. Your family is so blessed.
Thanks for linking up with Literacy Musing Mondays. You’ve helped fill my book wishlist this week!
Such a powerful testimony! Thanks for sharing! Tweeted?
I want testify of the goodness of God in my life and my family. My son was diagnoised with a rare cancer also. The doctors told him the treatments they are giving him would be only to prolong his life. We believe and I declare the word of God over my son’s life, God sent His word and healed all our diseases, forgave us of all our iniquities and delivered us from destruction. Despite what the doctor say, I say by the stripes of Jesus he is healed. I give God all the glory. Thank you for this space to share my testimony. Thank God for you.
Thank you for giving God glory through sharing your life. God has healed me from so many losses and hurts in my life. He has redeemed the years of the locust in so many ways. He is good and we can put our hope in HIm even when it feels like life is a mess!
Thank you for sharing so powerfully, Michelle. We share our testimonies to give God the honor and glory He so deserves, And in so doing, we encourage others to hold onto the promises of God, for He is faithful!
Thank you for the encouragement to testify of God’s goodness to “all who will listen”. A few days ago I posted a blog which did not get any likes. I just now reposted it hoping the change in the time of publishing it will make a difference. I was feeing discouraged and about to stop this new series of posts I plan on making, but you reminded me that I should testify because God says so. You also made me realize that even if only one person’s life is changed, whether now or far into the future, it still makes a difference and is worthy the effort.
Amen 🙏 by Faith we will be healed & restored in the name of Jesus. Only Jesus can give us a permanent healing and complete our empty broken heart. He will turn sadness to joy and triumph. It’s victory in Jesus. Thank God for his Grace and unfailing love. The only one do miracles to those who believes in him. Nothing impossible to God. Back on 18 years ago I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression because of abuse relationship and not God the center of my life that time. The storm of my life makes me more stronger in my faith and make be a strong woman because I depend to God. When doctor gave me prescription for Anxiety and Depression that time I don’t buy the medicine instead I turned to God. I made a choice to depend on him than anyone else. I prayed and cried to him 🙏I surround myself wherever ago with his music and read his words. He rebuild and restore my strenght. He healed me without any medication in my body and over 18 years now free in anxiety and depressions. The fruit of the Spirit lives in me is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and no enemy can defeat me no matter what days bring coz my God is bigger in anything. Jesus overcome the world and victory in him 🙏 Amen and Amen. Hallelujah, praise God, King of my heart, rock, redeemer, Physician, majesty, my Jesus , Lord and Savior. Sing praise to him and testify in the world of his goodness and miracles. Truly God do miracles just pray and believed. Faith move mountain in the name of Jesus. The only one can make us brand new, forgive all our trespasses, paid all our sin and loved us unconditionally
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God bless you all my brothers and sister in CHRIST 🙏
In Christ
Maria Lucille