Your Testimony Can Give Someone Else Strength

Have you ever gone through something so difficult that you wondered how you would make it? Maybe you prayed, believed God, and still found yourself struggling. I want you to understand something. Your struggle does not mean God has left you, and what you are going through today may become the testimony that encourages somebody tomorrow.

I've learned that there are times when our own strength just isn't enough. That's when we have to go back to the source. We have to depend on God, stand on His Word, and allow Him to strengthen us.

How Does Prayer Help You Stand Through Difficult Times?

Prayer helps you stand because it allows you to draw strength from God instead of depending entirely on yourself. Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Notice that the Scripture doesn't tell us to be strong in our own abilities. It tells us where our strength comes from. That's important because some situations will exhaust you mentally, physically, and emotionally.

In Ephesians 6:11, we're instructed to put on God's armor so we can stand against the enemy's strategies. And Ephesians 6:13 reminds us that after the battle, we can still be standing.

But how do we remain standing when the pressure doesn't stop? We pray.

Ephesians 6:18 encourages us to pray in the Spirit at all times and remain persistent in prayer.

I want to encourage you to pray in the Holy Ghost. When you're feeling weak, pray. When you're feeling overwhelmed, pray. Prayer is not something we do simply because it sounds good. It's necessary because it strengthens us.

I've watched our pastor, Pastor Donald Gray, stand through many storms. I've seen how prayer has helped him continue when circumstances were difficult. He and First Lady Sister Sharon have stood together through challenges, and their faithfulness reminds us that God doesn't leave us standing alone.

Why Should You Share Your Testimony With Others?

You should share your testimony because somebody else may need to hear how God helped you overcome a struggle they are facing right now.

Sometimes people make you feel that your testimony isn't important. They make you think nobody wants to hear what you've been through.

But let me tell you something. You would be surprised who needs to hear your story.

People need to know that the same God who brought you through your situation is able to help them. They need to understand that they're not the only ones who have struggled.

Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:16-18. They refused to bow before King Nebuchadnezzar's golden statue, even when threatened with death in a fiery furnace.

They believed God could deliver them, but they also made it clear that they would remain faithful even if He didn't rescue them.

Their testimony didn't end in the furnace. God brought them through, and even the king recognized God's power.

We're still reading about their faith today. Think about that. Their decision to stand continues to encourage people facing difficult situations.

Your testimony may do the same for somebody.

Can God Deliver You From a Struggle You've Had for Years?

Yes, God is able to deliver you from a struggle you've carried for years, and I want to share something He did in my own life.

Many years ago, probably around 1998, I was smoking cigarettes. I smoked Newports, and I reached a point where I didn't want to continue.

I remember asking God to take the taste away from me. I knew He was greater than that desire.

At my church, we had noonday prayer during the week. One day, while I was praising God during prayer, my pastor walked over and touched my forehead.

He didn't say anything. He simply touched me and walked away.

As he turned away, I began coughing and coughing. At that moment, God delivered me from smoking. He took the taste away.

I don't know why God specifically told me to share that testimony during this message. But I believe somebody needed to hear it.

Maybe you're struggling with something right now. Maybe you've tried to overcome it and haven't been able to.

Don't be ashamed of your struggle. Somebody else has struggled too. And what God brings you through may eventually become the very thing that blesses somebody else.

What Should You Do When Someone Else Is Struggling?

When someone else is struggling, take their situation to God in prayer instead of spreading their business to everybody.

I spoke about a young lady in Florida who was fighting for her life. Her lungs were collapsing, and her heart was failing. The situation looked hopeless.

When I heard about her condition, I wanted to pray. But first, I wanted to know what she wanted. I learned that she had expressed her desire to live.

That gave me something specific to bring before God.

Church, this is what we have to do for one another. When you hear that somebody is going through something, pray for them.

They don't even have to know you're praying.

And remember, sometimes you're not standing just for yourself. You're standing so somebody else can see that God is able.

Whatever you're facing, don't give up. Keep praying, keep believing, and keep standing.

One day, somebody may hear what God brought you through and find the strength to stand too.