February 19th, 2012 Book of Mark Wk14-The Power of Testimony

We continue the book of Mark and discuss the power of testimony. The video from youth camp that Kasey references in the message can be seen on our Facebook page here: ELEVATION YOUTH WINTER CAMP VIDEO

If you want a study tool to go along with the podcast, see Lift Notes here:

The Gospel of Mark: The Power of Testimony

February 19th, 2012  by Kasey Crawford

Today’s Passage: Mark 5:1-20

Review…(Mark 1:1-6:6)

A framework for understanding Mark: The book of Mark puts on display how Jesus brings more of heaven to earth and invites his followers to experience the same as they learn a new (kingdom) way of life from the Master and respond with regular repentance (turning to God) and belief (taking action).

New (Mark 5:1-20)

After casting out a legion of demons, Jesus says to the man…

“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”  Mark 5:19

Why does Jesus want the man to share his testimony? Is it for a cool story?  So others can be impressed? Envious? No.

Testimony _______________  ______________ the power of what God has done in one person’s life into another person’s life.

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  Revelation 19:10

One aspect of prophecy in the bible is that it is forth telling, it tells what God is about to do.  When we share testimony, it is not just the telling of a cool story, something supernatural is happening by the Spirit of God. The announcing of what God has done becomes a prophetic declaration that God has the __________ and the __________to do the same in the ___________ life.

As you encounter God’s goodness in a specific way, you become a Holy-Spirit ______________ spreader of God’s goodness in a specific way.  Some people call this an ____________.

Whatever your specific story may be of what God has done and is doing in your life, you have a special power (anointing) to ____________ that into someone else’s life through your testimony and your prayers.

When God has done something in your life, you have the ___________ and ____________ to tell what the Lord has done, because you have a Spirit anointed authority to release what the Lord has done in your life into the life of others.

To those on the listening end of a testimony, every time a testimony of what God is doing is spoken, it is an _____________that God wants to work in your life as well.

We see this modeled in the bleeding woman in Mark 5 who broke all the rules to touch Jesus. She had this expectant faith because “She had heard the reports about Jesus.” Mark 5:27

She had heard testimony about him, and she received it as a prophetic promise of what God wants to do in _____ life. So it built up her faith to __________God to work in her life in the same way she had heard in the testimony.

Taking it home…

When God has done something powerful in your life, look for the opportunity to release that into someone else’s life, through story and prayer.

Or when you hear a testimony, let it build your faith to expect God to work in your life that way, or be bold and ask that person to pray for you and  release a pouring of God into your life in that way.

jessecraig