Truth’s Testimony A necessity for loss of freedom and a reign of injustice and oppression is the silencing of truth. It’s not enough for an evil and dangerous way of error to be loud and proud, it must eliminate any voice that might expose its error. A lie, if spoken often enough, can persuade a whole people to willingly submit to its directive, as long as it isn’t exposed by an opposing truth. In contrast, the voice of truth has much less insecurity, allowing opposing views to be voiced with a confidence that truth will triumph if it can only be clearly seen and heard. This, until recently, has been a foundational identifying virtue that has set America apart from many other nations of the world. The ability for all voices to be freely sounded without fear of silencing has allowed truth to prevail over threats of oppression and bondage. With the introduction of a concept that it’s for the greater good, however, there has been a steady pressing towards the removal of selected voices. Sadly, repression is inevitable for the society where this is allowed to persist. Where truth loses its ability to be heard, the freedom it enables will be removed. The most powerful voices of truth that will prevail against this greatest of threats are those that are not just expressing contentious thoughts but those that are telling their own real truthful encounters with truth. This battle for the sounds of truth that is so evident in the world around us is a direct reflection of the never-ending conflict for truth’s freedom in every heart and life. Wherever there is oppression and a restricting bondage there is the prevalence of a falsehood that has been enabled by the silencing of truth. It is to this war that Jesus came with a testimony of truth that will overcome in any area of a lie’s dominance. In Him we’ve been given complete freedom from any lie of sin’s bondage and life’s failures. For all who will become disciplined in refusing silence with regard to the liberty Jesus’ blood purchased, their testimony will repel every potential oppressive constraint. Though they may be threatened with loss of worldly acceptance and pleasures, truth will triumph over submission to what only enslaves. In each voiced truth of who we’ve been made to be in Him, there is revelation of truth and exposure of an enslaving lie. While our enemy is continually on a quest to censor the reality of who we are, we’ve been given a testimony of truth that renders him powerless every time it is spoken. He only triumphs where our voice is successfully silenced. How great will be our overcoming, then, as our testimony of truth resounds over our enemy’s threats. Notes Testimony – revelation or discovery of truth based upon a personal experience. A necessity for loss of freedom and a reign of injustice and oppression is the silencing of truth. With truth is freedom. With error is bondage. Manipulating testimony modifies the perception of truth. Truth is not insecure about the presence of falsehood. It will stand through the passing of much opposition. The lie exists as a result of the silencing of its opposition. The enemy’s greatest achievement – labeling the truth as dangerous and silencing it. Freedom comes when truth is given the opportunity to triumph over falsehood, not silence it. Dangerous ideologies have existed alongside truth as abnormalities until truth was silenced in the name of the better good. The testimony that overcomes is the one that refuses to be silenced by intimidation. Jesus came to give testimony (voice) to the truth. John 18:37 (NLT) 37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” The overcoming of truth is in the face of its opposition, not the silencing of it. Revelation 12:11 (NLT) 11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. With evil purpose comes manipulation of truth – calling it a lie. Romans 1:25 (NLT) 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. The blind man’s irrefutable testimony of truth. John 9:16-34 (NLT) 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.” 18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” 20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.” 24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. Faithfulness to truth in Christ brings freedom from silencing lies. John 8:31-32 (NLT) 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The liberating power of truth is activated in its testimony. Hebrews 10:23 (AMPC) So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word. Declarations • The anointing which I have received abides in me, and that same anointing is teaching me the truth. I John 2:27 • The Spirit of Truth abides in me and teaches me all things. He guides me into all truth. – John 16:13 • The Lord has put his word in my mouth. – Isaiah 51:16 • The Lord teaches me to profit and leads me in the way that I should go. Isaiah 48:17 • The Lord gives me wisdom and hides it for me (not from me). – Proverbs 2:6,7 • As I go the Holy Spirit will be my mouth and teach me what to say. – Exodus 4:12 • God’s Spirit is upon me and he has put his words in my mouth; those words shall not depart out of my mouth, nor out of the mouth of my children, nor out of the mouth of my children’s children. – Isaiah 59:21 • Christ has redeemed me from the curse of law (poverty, sickness and death). Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 28 • For poverty he has given me wealth, for sickness he has given me health. II Corinthians 8:9 • I have all sufficiency of all things and abound to all good works. II Corinthians 9:8 • There is no lack for my God supplies all my needs according to his riches. Philippians 4:19 • I am not conformed to this world but I am transformed by renewing my mind by the word. Romans 12:2 • I let no corrupt words come out of my mouth but that which is good to edifying. Ephesians 4:29 • I refuse to give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:27 • I am complete in him who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10 • God wants me to prosper and to be in health. III John 2 • Jesus came that I might have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10 • I am not moved by what I feel. I’m not moved by what I see. For I “walk by faith and not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:7. I’m moved only by what I believe. I believe the word of God. • Jesus said that if I would continue in his word, I would know the truth, and the truth would make me free. John 8:31, 32 • I overcome by the blood of Christ and the word of my testimony. Revelation 12:11 • I shall make my way prosperous and I shall have good success because I meditate in the word of God day and night and do not allow it to depart out of my mouth. Joshua 1:8 • I do not doubt in my heart but I believe that those things which I say shall come to pass so I shall have whatsoever I say. Mark 11:23 • When I pray, I believe I shall receive the things for which I have prayed, therefore I shall have them. Mark 11:24 • God is able to make all grace abound toward me; that I always having all sufficiency in all good things, may abound to every good work. II Corinthians 9:8 Overview: The success of a lie requires silencing the truth. Truth is powerful in the face of a lie. Evil calls truth a lie and a lie the truth and threatens any opposition. Jesus came to bring testimony/experience of the truth. Refusing to allow silence of who we are in Christ, liberates from oppressing lies. Prayer: “Father, I am so grateful for the truth of Your love, mercy, and grace towards me, of how You have already forgiven and positioned me in Your presence through Jesus’ blood. Fill me with the revelation of this as I remain faithful to reading and studying Your Word. Fill my mouth with its testimony of a life liberated from all the lies and works of darkness, in the name of Jesus.” Action: For areas where a lie is threatening with oppression, discover and give voice to the truth. Refuse any silencing of the truth by giving voice to declarations of God’s Word in the face of the enemy’s lies. Live in and give testimony to the liberty found only in the truth of a redeemed life in Christ. Declaration: “I have been delivered from the power of darkness and every claim of bondage to sin and its condemnation. In Christ there is freedom from any curse of sickness, lack, oppression and sin in my life. Mine is a voice that does not know silence in the face of my enemy’s lies. In my testimony is my continued overcoming and triumph.”