What does Acts 22:15 teach about the importance of personal testimony? Setting the Scene Paul stands in Jerusalem, recounting how the risen Jesus met him on the Damascus road. Ananias re-tells God’s commission: “‘You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.’” (Acts 22:15) Key Words That Shape Our Understanding • His witness – testimony belongs to Christ; we speak on His behalf. • to everyone – no selective audience; testimony is for both friend and foe. • what you have seen and heard – firsthand experience; not hearsay or theory. Why Personal Testimony Matters • Divine Assignment – Acts 1:8 “You will be My witnesses…” The Spirit empowers the calling already given to Paul and to us. • Authenticity That Connects – 1 John 1:1 – 3: the apostles declare “what we have seen… looked at… and our hands have touched,” turning experience into proclamation. • Evangelism’s Entry Point – John 4:29: the Samaritan woman’s simple “Come, see a Man…” opened a village to Christ. • Spiritual Warfare Tool – Revelation 12:11: believers “overcame… by the word of their testimony.” Our story disarms the enemy’s accusations. • Glory to God, Not Self – Mark 5:19: Jesus commands the delivered man, “tell them how much the Lord has done for you.” Focus remains on the Lord’s work. Elements of an Effective Testimony 1. Before Christ – honest portrayal of need (Ephesians 2:1-3). 2. Encounter with Christ – highlight His initiative (Acts 9:3-6). 3. Transformation Afterward – evidence of new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). 4. Ongoing Dependence – continuing grace, not perfection (Philippians 1:6). Practical Takeaways • Value your story; God authored it for a purpose. • Share plainly—Paul repeats the same facts three times in Acts (chs. 22, 24, 26). • Expect varied responses; some believed, others scoffed—faithfulness, not results, is our measure. • Keep Christ central; the power lies in “what the Lord has done,” not our eloquence. |
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