This Is the Way: A 30-Day Journey Through the Book of ActsSample

Tell Your Stories

By Wendell DePrang

Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.
As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’” —Acts 22:3-7

Our six-year-old, Jordan, runs in the room screaming, blood covering his face. He has a serious cut above his eye and it’s really bad. Stitches? Absolutely. Then we notice his eye is out of its socket ...PANIC! Is he going to lose his eye?! We can’t speak, other than screaming, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” We cup his eye with a rag and race to the hospital.

We tell the doctor that his friend accidentally hit him in the eye with a golf club. Initially, we conclude the worst possible outcome. The doctor has a slightly better prognosis: his sight would be okay at best, but the injury would be forever noticeable. However, weeks later, we watch Jordan playing outside with his friends (minus the golf clubs this time). There is no noticeable scarring, his eye is solidly in place, and he has perfect vision. The DePrangs have been given a miraculous testimony of Jesus’ healing!

We now use this story to encourage others who experience sudden trauma: “God is not intimidated by how bad it looks! Initial reports may be grim, but let’s calm down, pray, and wait on the Lord’s report! The evidence of our eyes does not define the outcome for God’s kids—He decides.” That’s our testimony!

The Apostle Paul’s testimony of his Damascus Road experience in Acts 22 is a skillful retelling of Acts 9. Paul demonstrates how retelling our stories is not only a practice of our faith, it’s essential. Imagine if Paul would have been a private person, hesitant to share. Without Paul, where would the Church be today? We would be without much of the Bible, that’s for certain. Tomorrow’s Church needs to know what God did today! Big and small, your stories have supernatural healing power.

Often, testimonies aren’t told because we attribute God’s work to something else. We have a diagnosis saying something is wrong, and we pray fervently believing for God to change the outcome. Then God moves on our behalf, and we testify, “It wasn’t what they thought! It was harmless!” But in fact, God did the miraculous and transformed the concern into nothing. God deserves the glory, and we call it luck or a misdiagnosis. Instead, tell your story and give God glory, and the Church’s faith is built! For example, say, “The scans said one thing, but when the doctor looked more closely, he discovered God had already healed me! Surgery wasn’t needed, praise the Lord!”

Sadly, many never tell their testimonies because of shame. They’re embarrassed by their stories even after God moved in to resolve the issue or redeem the pain. The enemy doesn’t want God worshiped, and he doesn’t want people delivered through testimonies.So he pours shame on us and tells us our stories will only cause us more hurt and embarrassment.

The real truth is that many of us are saved today because someone courageously told their dramatic story—a story so ugly it usually would not be repeated. But when that ugly story is repeated with the testimony of God’s patience, love, and kindness, people are introduced to the God of grace. Don’t let your fear and shame keep your story untold. When you combine your story with the magnificent story of the cross and its power, the result is salvation and freedom for others!

Our testimony is not exclusively our salvation story. Some might say, “I just don’t have a powerful testimony.” Yes, you do! You have a good Father who loves and protects you. Tell others about it! That’s a great testimony, and it’s heaven-empowered to save, deliver, and set people free! Many times your story of God’s faithfulness in your life becomes the testimony needed in someone else’s moment of pain.

Today it may be your story of how God gave you a job that may encourage a jobless friend, or your story of how God restored your marriage that may rescue a hurting couple. A great testimony can be about something you saw or possibly a miracle you witnessed. Some people don’t need “things,” they need miracles. Well friend, the good news is I’ve seen God do miracles ... and so can you! People want to hear about the miraculous works of God, so share your stories. Share the greatest miracle of how God searched for you, found you, and saved you. Tell about how God is still working in your life, and your story just may impact someone else for eternity.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for being active in my life. Forgive me for the times I have credited myself, medicine, or even luck for something You did for me. Forgive me for not recognizing Your miraculous and divine help and blessings. Lord, help me see You at work around me, and use my stories of Your goodness to minister to and encourage others. Thank You for my stories, big and small; I will tell them all. Lord, use them for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Activation

• Ask God to remind you of all the good things He’s done in your life and write them down. Then pray and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight someone to share them with.
• Create a “note” in your phone of all your testimonies—big and small. My note is called “The DePrangs’ God Stories.” Review them often, keeping the note updated and chronological. Thank the Lord as you often review and rehearse the details of His goodness.
• As a discipline of your faith, take opportunities to weave your stories into daily conversations. The more you tell your God stories, the more impact your life can have in light of eternity.

For Further Study

Acts 22; Acts 4:33; Luke 8:39; Revelation 12:11

Holy Spirit, what are you saying to me?