A TITLE OR A TESTIMONY

[Nick Daniels]

A Title Or A Testimony

Revelation 12:7 (NIV) And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

Revelation 12:8 (NIV) But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.

Revelation 12:9 (NIV) The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 12:10 (NIV) Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

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

Revelation 12:11 (The Message) They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ.

Revelation 12:11 (Amplified) And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, …

Revelation 12:12 (NIV) Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."

Revelation 12:12 (The Message) So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there, but doom to earth and sea, For the devil’s come down on you with both feet; he’s had a great fall; He’s wild and raging with anger; he hasn’t much time and he knows it.

There is coming a day when Satan and his forces are going to be destroyed.

When that day comes Satan and his forces will no longer bother anyone again.

Ephesians 6:11 (NIV) Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

Before you were born Satan got together with his forces and devised a plan to destroy you.

· They developed a scheme to destroy you.

· He has plans for you and they aren’t good.

· The devil hates God and God’s people.

· The devil hates you.

· He wants to destroy you.

The Book of Revelation tells us that we can overcome the devil right now by the combined power of the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.

· When you were born you cried and your loved ones were happy.

· When you die, you will be happy and your loved ones will be crying.

We have to discover what is important to us.

· We have to discover if we want a title or a testimony.

There are many titles in our society.

Just in my profession, Pastor, Reverend, Padre, Father, Bishop, Elder, and Pope.

In the medical community there are, “Doctor, Dentist, Nurse, and Technician.

In Government there are, “President, Vice-President, Senator, Congressman, Governor, Mayor, Councilmen.

In the Military there are, “General, Coronal, Major, Lieutenant, Captain, Sergeant, Corporal, Private, Admiral, Captain.”

The lists could go on and on.

· It’s not wrong to have a title.

· In fact it’s honorable to have a title.

It’s says that you have accomplished something.

· It’s says that you have worked for something.

· It’s says that someone thinks well of you.

There are a lot of people in this life that only live their lives for themselves and only end up with a title.

· They want to make it in this world and they don’t need God.

Please make sure that you have more than a title when you face Jesus.

· Make sure that you have more than a title when the devil sends all of hell against you.

· Make sure that have more than a title when you get sick.

· Titles aren’t going to help you when you need a miracle.

· Titles aren’t going to help you when you need a healing.

· Titles aren’t going to help you when you are discouraged.

· Titles aren’t going to help you when you are being attacked.

· Titles aren’t going to help you when you are down and out.

· You don’t need a title.

· Make sure you have a testimony.

Ø In the Old Testament Satan was the angel who was the counsel for the prosecution against men in the presence of God.

Ø In the New Testament we overcome the counsel for the prosecution with the Blood of The Lamb and the Word of our Testimony.

How do we get a Testimony?

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

Revelation 12:11 (The Message) They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness. They weren’t in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ.

· God will give us a Testimony when we love Him more than we love life.

· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important then life.

· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important than sleep.

· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important than food.

· God will give us a Testimony when He is more important than our wishes.

Testimony is evidence that is given verbally in a court of Law to prove or disprove a point.

· We are all on trial.

· Satan tries to put God on trial for the entire World to criticize.

Testimony is a remembering of past events that proves to the court of public opinion that something has happened.

· Something has happened in our lives.

· We could have been lost but Jesus saved us.

· We could be dead, but Jesus spared us.

· We could be down, but Jesus lifted us up.

· God wants us to have a Testimony.

God is going to see to it that you have a Testimony.

Say with me, “God wants me to have a Testimony!”

· God is going to be so good to you that you will have no choice but to have a Testimony.

· Make sure when you face all the forces of evil that you have a testimony.

· Make sure that when you face the World that you have a testimony.

· Make sure that you live your life with such a faith in God that it will produce a testimony.

This testimony cannot be about what you have done.

· Let’s be honest, anything that we have done is nothing compared to what Jesus Christ has done for us.

· This testimony can’t be about we have done.

· This testimony has to be about what God has done.

· If we face all of hell with a testimony about what we have done the devil is going to laugh in our face.

· But, if we want to overcome him by the Word of our testimony and we tell him what Jesus has done in our lives then he is defeated.

If a title is all you want then that is all you are going to get.

· I want a testimony.

· Rameses the second had a title, Pharaoh of Egypt.

· Moses had a testimony.

· Jezebel had a title, “Queen of Israel.”

· Elijah had a testimony.

· Nebuchadnezzar had a title, “King of Babylon.”

· Daniel had a testimony.

· Pilate had a title, “Governor Of Jerusalem.”

· Jesus had a testimony.

· Out in the World men and women have titles.

· In the Church, the Lord has determined that we are going to have a Testimony.

o The reason that we are in the trouble that we are in is because we are getting a Testimony.

o The reason that some of us have cried tears is because God is getting us ready for a Testimony.

o The reason that some of us are having trials and tribulations is because God is getting us ready for a Testimony.

o When Satan attacks us we can defeat him with the combined powers of the Blood of Jesus and the Word of our Testimony.

God is going to make sure that we have a Testimony.

We don’t have to walk around with our heads hanging down with nothing to Praise God about.

If you are a believer, if you are a child of almighty God, He is going to give you a Testimony.

· Some people make money their God.

If money is your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because money will fail you.

· Some people make drugs their God.

If drugs are your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because drugs will fail you.

· Some people make alcohol their God.

If you make alcohol your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because drinking will fail you.

· Some people make their job their God.

If your occupation is your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because you can’t depend on you career to help you make it.

· Some make a God out of a person when they develop a personal relationship with that person.

If a person is your God then someday you are going to hang your head in embarrassment because people will fail you.

If we make Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives and we serve Him with all of our hearts we will never have to hang our heads in embarrassment.

· We will never have to hang our heads.

· We will never have to be ashamed.

· We can be proud of the God that we serve.

· We can testify with joy about the God we have given our lives to.

Romans 1:16 (NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Romans 1:16 (The Message) It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else!

· Yes, I have cried tears of sorrow.

· Yes, I have suffered from physical and emotional pain.

· Yes, I have been hurt.

· Yes, I have had troubles.

· Yes, I have had trials.

· But, Jesus has brought me through every one of them.

· I’ve got a Testimony.

Romans 1:16 (The Message) It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else!

I’ve got a Testimony.

Romans 5:5 (NIV) And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:6 (NIV) You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:7 (NIV) Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.

Romans 5:8 (NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:5 (The Message) In alert expentancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary-we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:6 (The Message) Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway.

Romans 5:7 (The Message) We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice.

Romans 5:8 (The Message) But God put his love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.

I can understand the concept of Nick Daniels who is a sinner, who deserves to die, dying for a righteous man like Jesus.

· I deserve to die for what I have done.

· Jesus died in our place so that we could live.

· Jesus wants us to live for Him not die for Him.

· He has already provided His blood to defeat the devil.

· He will provide the Testimony also.

2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

2 Timothy 1:12 (The Message) It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground-the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what He’s trusted me to do right to the end.

· I am sure of my ground.

· I have no regrets.

· I am not ashamed.

· I am excited about Jesus.

· I am excited about my future.

· I am excited about my Church.

· I am excited about my relationship with God.

· I am excited about my Testimony.

· I’ve got something to shout about.

· If you knew where Jesus brought me from you would shout with me.

· If you knew all the things that Jesus has done for me you would shout with me.

· If you knew all the little miracles that God has performed in my life you would shout with me.

· If we all knew where Jesus brought all of us from we would shout this roof off.

But we have a Testimony!

· When we are feeling low, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.

· When we are sick in our bodies, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.

· When we are discouraged, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.

· When we have forsaken, we need to remind ourselves that we have a Testimony.

We have made it before, we are going to make it now, and we are going to make it in the future.

· Don’t ever forget what God has done for you.

· Don’t ever forget where God has brought you from.

· Don’t ever forget that God has never failed you.

· Don’t ever forget that God has never left you alone.

· Don’t ever forget that God has given you the victory.

· Don’t ever forget that you have a Testimony.

· Don’t ever forget that you owe God Praise.

We have something to shout about.

Isaiah 12:1 (NIV) In that day you will say: "I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.

Isaiah 12:2 (NIV) Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."

Isaiah 12:3 (NIV) With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 12:4 (NIV) In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.

Isaiah 12:5 (NIV) Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

Isaiah 12:6 (NIV) Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

· I’ve got a Testimony!

· I draw water from the well of Jesus.

· I’ve got a Testimony!

Jeremiah 31:3 (NIV) "The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

· I’ve got a Testimony: The Lord loves me with an everlasting love.

· I’ve got a Testimony!

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:6 (NIV) So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

· I’ve got a Testimony!

· God will never leave me.

· God will never forsake me.

· The Lord is my helper.

· I will not be afraid.

· I’ve got a Testimony!

Psalms 37:25 (NIV) I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.

· I’ve got a Testimony!

· The righteous has never been forsaken.

· I’ve got a Testimony!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (Amplified) Therefore, if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!

The Lord has given us a Testimony.

We have a Testimony.