In John 1:30-34, John the Baptist continued introducing his audience to Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah. He made it clear that although he always understood his ministry was about preparing the way for the Christ, as late as the previous day he had no idea who He was, where He would come from, or when He would arrive. But God had told him that he would recognize Him by the sign of the Spirit descending and remaining on Him.
And by the next day, John had witnessed this supernatural phenomenon. He described it as so substantial it was as though he had seen the Holy Spirit take on physical form. He said it was like a dove had landed and stayed on Jesus.
The three other Gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – recorded that this happened at Jesus’ baptism and that the VOICE of God was also audibly heard on that occasion declaring Jesus to be His beloved Son. So, it’s not surprising then that John bluntly said, “I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
His testimony was not based on wishful thinking, self-delusion, or metaphysics. It was faith for sure, but it was also empirical. It was a statement of belief tied to a personal experience. And he had no alternative. He could do nothing else but proclaim the reality of what he’d seen and heard.
And I get that.
I became a Jesus-follower on the basis of my faith in what the Bible reveals about Him. But my believing is also tightly connected to my experiencing. I too have seen and heard. My relationship with Christ is first and foremost a spiritual thing. But it’s more than that. He has revealed Himself to me in tangible, measurable, amazing ways. And I can’t deny it. It’s my story.
And our stories are powerful. That’s why Revelation 12:11 says the Devil is overcome by the blood of the Lamb – or the sacrifice of Jesus – AND the word of our testimony. John the Baptist had a testimony, and that testimony – that story – is what God used to introduce His Son to a needy world.
And God wants to do the very same thing with your story. He wants to reveal the Savior to those in the circle of your influence who need Him and to use your testimony – the story of what you’ve seen and heard – to do it.
Don’t discount the value of what you’ve experienced in Christ. You may not consider your testimony to be very dramatic. Maybe you haven’t seen the Spirit descending like a dove or heard God’s audible voice. But that’s not the point. It’s your genuineness that matters. People are hungry for faith that’s real. And yours is. Jesus has changed your life. And simply sharing THAT with someone can have eternal impact.
Salvation is never based on someone’s story, but it’s often the result of hearing that story. I encourage you to share yours with someone today.