The Indisputable Reality: Your Experience

Bienhome Muivah *

"It goes beyond knowing." The most powerful weapon you have in your warfare against the world, the mind, and the devil is your testimony. When you know God has done something for you, don't be afraid to say it. Use it as a reminder to yourself in times of future need. It will give you strength and build your faith. Use it with others to help them overcome the lies of the trickster in their walk with the Lord. Use it against the enemy who would want you to forget the good things God has done.

If your testimony can be stolen away, you have nothing but lifeless doctrine. The proof that the Gospel is true is that it is true in your personal experience. You have lived it. You have experienced it. You know that Jesus loves you, for you have experienced Him for yourself.

Doctrine and Theology do not change the world. Our trust and experience is with a living life-force who is greater than anything else in the universe. He has done what we could do for ourselves. Speaking the world of our testimonies separates us from the systems of religion that want to control what we believe for their own purposes.

Before others can experience God's supernatural reality beyond their five senses, believers need to share their testimonies with the world-through their spoken Word of God's saving grace, the Holy Spirit can work His redeeming love. When you show others what you have seen, handled, and experienced of this realm of spirit, you give them hope that they can too.

They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev. 12:11).

The blood of Jesus and His testimony overcame Satan. It is not doctrine, or a rule for church membership, or our theology. The blood of Jesus shed for us on the cross and the testimony of His followers trump Satan each and every time. It is the reality of the Gospel, not the doctrine of the Gospel.

The Old Testament talks about the Ark carrying God's presence. It was called the Ark of the Covenant or the Ark of the Testimony. The Ark contained the Testament or the Testimony of the Lord-the Ten Commandments written on stone by the fingers of God Himself (Exodus 31:18). When humanity yields to the will of God, His commandments are wonderfully and miraculously written on their hearts.

We move from natural people to spiritual people, from people with no destiny to people who know why they are born and understand why they breathe. The Ark of the presence also contained the testimony of God to the people. God reveals Himself to His people in ways they can understand. Here is how the prophet Jeremiah describes the reality of the spirit world and God's personal and direct influence upon humanity as individuals (Jeremiah 31:31-33).

EXPERIENCE BEYOND

When we have not yet seen Him in the Spirit realm for ourselves, we believe what others say they have seen, what they say they have experienced. Since we have not seen, we sometimes accept the experience of others as the way things really are. We often feel that those with a "spiritual reputation" know better. Our tendency is to accept the words of others even those words do not feel right within us.

Oh, how easily we lay down our own experience at the word of others. How easily we reject what is happening in our own hearts when someone of so-called reputation contradicts what God is doing in us. Remember, discernment is not natural. Even though the discerning of spirits is a gift, it is far different from leading a discerning life. Many things affect the way we discern. That is why we need to be renewed, healed, sanctified, and matured.

Otherwise, we allow our past, our pain, our politics, doctrines, traditions, fears, and stubbornness to jade our ability to correctly discern. Since we are not sure of another person's spiritual journey, we should be extremely careful when being advised by another.

Then again, we do not want to reject another person's words merely because they differ from us. God is so big that our experiences are bound to be different in many ways. We need to be willing to hear and actively discern the words and experiences of others. Listening to those whom we are sure, have our best interests at heart, is critical. Of course, 'best interest' have to be defined by all concerned so that you are certain of a councilor's intent.

During our earthly journey, God will give each of us unique, personal experiences. We need to stand firm about what He is doing in us and through us, but with the softness and humility of an open and teachable heart. If there is one thing affliction should teach us, it is humility. In affliction we discover not only that we truly are not in control but also how badly we need Him to be in control.

Our positions are often tested in these trials. They will either cause us to re-examine what we believe or to stand firm in what we have been taught. Both are essential, for it is a fire that burns away what is wood, hay and stubble in our thinking and the same fire purifies what is already gold within our hearts.

Let's not pollute our testimony!