10 Reasons We Limit a Limitless God: Absence of Testimony

“Come and listen and I’ll tell you what he did for me.” Psalm 66:16 TPT

Testimony is one of our most powerful – and often underutilized – tools in the Kingdom-building toolbox. Why? Because testimony…

Reveals the character of God. It calls out to the lost and shines a light on the goodness of the One who loves them more than they could ever imagine or comprehend.
Creates an atmosphere of expectation. It stirs faith in the spirits of all who hear, defeating the hold of hopelessness with an everlasting truth of a God who is bigger than any mountain or circumstance we face and He is always for us.
Puts intimacy and impact in the same room, revealing how the depth of His love, grace, power, and favor that we have available to every single day can change lives all around us, if we let it overflow onto others.
Grows an insatiable hunger inside me for the God of more that I see working in you, today.

Where testimony lives, the Spirit of God moves. But in order to understand this a bit more, I want to invite you into a deeper dive. Let’s unpack the power of testimony one concept at a time. By the end, I think you’ll understand what I mean when I say testimony is one of the most powerful ways that we can reach out and grab hold of the Kingdom of Heaven – and then invite others to join us. Let’s start here…

TESTIMONY REVEALS THE CHARACTER OF GOD

For many of us, the story of the woman at the well is a familiar one. A Samaritan woman ostracized by her own people due to her lifestyle meets Jesus one day as she visits a well on the outskirts of town to draw water. The story demonstrates many beautiful details about the character of God:

He knew her past and present situation and choices and yet, He met her with nothing but grace and compassion. God will never meet you with anything less than His whole heart. He loves you, and cherishes you, today.
He did not make her come to Him, but rather, He came to her first. We do not serve a God that makes us reach up to His level before we can experience His touch. He meets us right where we are and loves us no less.
He didn’t care about the “social norms” or “rules” of the day. He didn’t need the disciple’s permission to love on her. God cares not about our social standards and religious expectations. He cares about you. He loves you. And He’s right there with you, right where He has always been.

But all that said, I want to focus on two key elements to this story that are discussed far less often:

ONE encounter with Jesus shifted something so powerfully inside of this woman at the well that it completely changed her life. Then…
HER TESTIMONY of this one encounter with Him drew an entire village into their own encounter and many were saved.

Let’s loop back to the story in John, chapter 4:

“Many from the Samaritan village became believers in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony… then they begged Jesus to stay with them, so he stayed there for two days, resulting in many more coming to faith in him because of his message. The Samaritans said to the woman, “Now we’ve heard him ourselves. We no longer believe just because of what you told us, but we’re convinced that he really is the true Savior of the world”

Whew. That’s just powerful.

I encourage you… read those last two notes again. This is the power of testimony.

We can change the world one testimony at a time friend, because we are not just sharing what God can do, we are sharing the very essence of who He is – the character of God.

Remember, the goal here is introduction. God will handle the rest. Let them know who He is through your testimony, sister.

Here’s what I feel very deeply in my spirit:

We will not bring revival and make Heaven crowded by talking about Heaven and Hell, rewards and consequences. We will, however, draw people into His Presence by talking about our own encounter with Him at the well and just how much He loved on us there and never let us go.

But that’s not all, friend, because testimony doesn’t just call others into His Presence, it does so much more…

TESTIMONY CREATES AN ATMOSPHERE OF EXPECTATION

When was the last time that you sat in a room with a group of women sharing their “But, God” moments and breakthroughs, sister? I say this with all the grace and love that one sentence can hold: If you can’t remember, it’s been far too long. I strongly believe that sharing our testimony with one another isn’t just a nice addition to our walk with God… it’s absolutely essential. And it shouldn’t be a rare occurrence… it should be a way of life. Let me dig a little deeper to explain…

Imagine sitting on your best friend’s couch while sipping on some sweet tea. You’re just catching up and sharing life when the discussion casually turns to finances. You share the pain of a recent unexpected expense that absolutely blew a hole in your finances. You’re not sure how you’re going to make ends meet without a whole lot of struggle bus weeks of beans and rice. Maybe the car broke down, the kid got hurt, the dog got sick, or the water heater broke and flooded the entire house… Whatever it is, it most definitely wasn’t in the plans and you’re now sitting stretched… and stressed.

You’re reeling with anxiety while sharing the details of this problem when suddenly, your friend turns to you and says, “I was in the same position last year. I had no way to pay for what I was praying over. I was neck deep and in desperate need of breakthrough. Then suddenly, a check came in the mail completely unexpectedly, covering down to the dollar of the amount that I needed. I know God will provide for you and your family. It may look different (or the same), but He will provide. I trust Him. Can I pray with you over it?”

What just happened? Did the atmosphere within you just shift? Did your faith and hope grab hold of what she just shared? Did you allow an expectation within you to rise, reminding you of God’s mighty ability to bring provision and breakthrough in even the most impossible or illogical places?

Let’s take this even a bit further…

What just settled into your spirit? A trust? A peace? A rest? Hopefully all of the above. Because you see, testimony reminds us that we serve a God that is bigger than any mountain we face, today and every day. He doesn’t have to provide a way through our circumstances that fits within the parameters of our own logic. He’s the God of mind-blowing, heart lifting, soul grabbing miraculous breakthrough!

(PS: This is a real testimony that a friend of mine shared with me. Let it serve as a personal reminder to you and your heart that whatever you are facing today, this is the goodness and faithfulness of the God we serve.)

You see, here’s the truth: You cannot surround yourself with testimony, soaking in stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness, without finding that it creates an atmosphere within you of faith and expectation, as well.

It shifts your perspective, strengthens your faith, and steadies your spirit. Testimony deepens our roots because it anchors us to the truth that it is not what we can do, but what He can do for – and through – us and He is a good and faithful Father. And when we rest in that one truth, it can completely change our life.

Now, let’s talk about the third thing that testimony does…

TESTIMONY CREATES A DEEPENING HUNGER FOR INTIMACY

In the Bible, examples of testimony include the telling of stories such as five loaves and two fish feeding thousands, entire armies of men being defeated with trumpets and jars, waters parting and standing to either side as entire groups of people walk through to safety, and other endless accounts of the miraculous and seemingly impossible breakthroughs. This does not even begin to tap into some of the most fascinating stories to me: Incredible God encounters and experiences like I have never known personally before. Have you ever stopped to realize that these were all testimonies, just like yours – shared, recorded, and passed down through the generations –and these testimonies still inspire us today to hunger for the God of MORE?

But let’s hit pause there, because…

Perhaps that phrase “just like yours” got you hung up there for a moment? We can take that phrase at face value and say, “Yes, both my story and Matthew’s account of Peter walking on water are technically considered *testimony*,” or we can hunger to have the same level of intimacy and experience of God that Peter had first-hand.

But wait, Shannon. Hold on there a minute. Jesus was actually present in the days of Peter and the other disciples. That is why they experienced such great miracles, encounters, and “But,God” moments in time, right? We don’t have the same power or authority to walk in these kinds of encounters. That’s how it “used to be.”

“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father!” John 14:12 (TPT)

Friend, we have the Holy Spirit within us!! We have been given all the power and authority to walk out the same experiences and encounters… and even more! We have FULL ACCESS to everything we need in the Heavenly realm to step into God’s call on our lives. The only thing holding us back from experiencing it all is a lack of belief and a lack of hunger.

But what is the best way to create hunger? Testimony! If you heard of someone walking in their God-given power and authority and seeing the miraculous move, would it make you hunger for the same? If you heard testimony of how someone encountered God and experienced Heaven in a way that you didn’t know was possible today, would you believe that such experiences are still accessible to us? Testimony reveals HIS truths and breaks through the glass ceilings that WE have built for “how God works today.”

Afterall, when did we start reading Biblical testimonies as stories of how God “used to work”? That was the moment we stripped ourself of our God-given power and authority. If we want to move in power again, friend, we must start here, with our core belief system, because this is just one way that our broken theology limits a limitless God. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow!

Let me share with you a sometimes hard-to-swallow truth: If we aren’t encountering Heaven firsthand, there’s often something broken in our belief system that is actually getting in the way of all that God is inviting us into during our time on this side of Heaven (we will talk about that a bit later in more depth, don’t worry).

But bottom line for the topic at hand: When I hear stories (testimony) of incredible God encounters today, it stirs a hunger deep inside of me. It makes me ask:

What is this level of intimacy that you have tapped into, my friend? I want to touch it. I want to reach for this God of more that you have touched and who has touched you back! I want some of that for myself!

Am I right?

Therefore, when we hear how God has shown up in someone else’s life, it pulls faith right out of the pages of the Bible (what was) and drops truth into OUR present, reminding us that God is still very much alive and at work, today! We are the gatekeepers to our own depth of experience, encounters, and walk of faith and fire!

That is what testimony does when we share it with one another in our walk with Jesus. It fans the flame of our gifts and callings and reminds us of the power and authority that we have access to every single day! We are called, after all, to move in ways that impact the world around us! Testimony is a way that we can remind each other what we have been given and who we are … in Him.

THE TESTIMONY GAP

But if all this is the case, why are we not gathering every week to get with our girlfriends, women’s group, and/or church community and encourage one another with stories of God’s goodness and faithfulness? Why are we not keeping the fire lit within us – and all around us – by adding our logs, one testimony at a time, to the flame? Why, friend, have we let the power of testimony all but die?

I have three possible considerations to throw at you and you may find that you resonate with one, or all three:

We *lack* testimony,
We lack understanding, or
We lack opportunity.

We *lack* testimony: This happens when we disregard our testimony as small or unimportant. When we believe such lies from the enemy, we end up withholding our story – and the power it holds – from the incredible impact that it could bring to all those around us. We essentially rob God of using our story to pour over onto others and move through them when we believe that our testimony is too insignificant to make a difference.

Friend, your story of that God dream may build someone else’s trust that they can experience God the same way. Your story of a God provision reminds someone else that they can trust in His faithfulness. Your story of a God Kiss (ex: heart rock in a moment of uncertainty or fear) gives another hope that God is with them and will remind them of His Presence if they look for Him with all their heart.

No testimony is too small to have life-changing impact when God works through it.

We lack understanding: Sometimes we don’t understand how incredibly powerful our testimony can be. That’s what this chapter is all about – a simple reminder that testimony is one of our greatest – and often most undervalued – weapons in our walk with God and our battle against the enemy. Give me 10 ladies in the room sharing testimony and I’ll give you 10 warriors that won’t give the enemy an inch to spread his lies. Testimony is fire, friend. Nothing less.

We lack opportunity: Sister, sometimes when something isn’t available yet, we must build it. If you want to see the power of testimony in your life, start with this suggestion (or your own version of it):

Set up a monthly informal “Testimony & Tea” or “Testimony and Coffee” meeting with your girlfriends, women’s group, or otherwise. Gather in a home, church, or local coffee shop. Whatever it looks like for you, just begin. Make the focus simply to be sharing what God’s been doing in your life lately. That’s it. Nothing huge. Nothing monumental. Just “Here’s where God has been moving, speaking to me, and showing me things. This is what I hear Him saying.” Watch as your spirits are set ablaze with story after story. You’ll never be the same.

BRINGING IT FULL CIRCLE

Here’s some truth to bring this full circle, sister: If you intentionally create space for TESTIMONY to come alongside your prayer life, you will see powerful breakthroughs as the walls of fear, stagnancy, discouragement, hopelessness, and lies from the enemy come crumbling down. You will break through the glass ceilings you have created on “who God is” and “how He works.” And you will live on a whole new level of faith and expectation in Him that touches every situation and circumstance you face. Why? Because testimony shifts your perspective to embrace the divine truth and promise of the power that already resides with you and the God who is already for you, today!

God’s daughters, YOU are called to do mighty things! No less! You were made to have impact and move with power. But in order to walk in all that we were created to be, we need to:

Bump shields.
Lift prayers together.
And SHARE STORIES!

Testimony lives in the big and the little, the miraculous and the seemingly mundane.

GOD IS IN IT ALL!

I invite you: Share and Watch.

There’s fire in there that cannot be drowned out by any words of the enemy or any battle stance he attempts to take.

No circumstance or seemingly impossible situation can stand against the God we love… and who loves us.

Truth shared is truth planted.

Truth watered is truth that grows.

Truth that grows is truth that bears fruit.

Therefore, when we share our testimony, we help one another stand in truth. And when we help one another stand in truth, we stand ready to receive what God has already pre-arranged for us.

How? Because your faith will move you to step into what your fear never could: Action. Rest. Peace. Trust. Discernment. Wisdom. Intimacy. And so much more.

We give it all to Him and what He gives us back is nothing short of everything we need.

So, let testimony fan your flame and encourage your heart, today.

You serve a mighty God and He’s got your back! Never believe anything less.