How can one be a living witness? This is one of the most urgent questions and probably the most answered question by those who have gone through a Christian witnessing course. But is witnessing the whole point of being a living witness? Jesus called Himself the Faithful witness (Revelation 1:5) and the Faithful and True witness (Revelation 3:14) while He also called Antipas as His faithful and true witness who was martyred for His name in the city of Pergamum (Revelation 2:13). The Word witness comes from the Greek word marturus from which we derived the word martyr or one who bears witness through his death. The verb of martur, martureo denotes “to bear witness to” or “to testify.”

But to understand the Christian witness as simply testifying by his death is a shallow understanding of what is a true witness. Every witness who goes to the court of law brings with them their own message. They have to stand and boldly declare their “testimony” or “witness” once they are asked by the judge to speak up. In the same manner, Christianity is a bold witness to the powers of hell that we are standing for Jesus Christ, a living witness of the life that He too lived on earth. For one to understand what a witness means in this sense, it is necessary that we understand and look at the life of Jesus Christ and those who have been most like Him. When I was asking the Lord what I shall preach or bring for you this morning, the Lord gave me a word—it is Abraham and it is becoming the salt and light of the World.

I do not teach or write unless I have the urge or the witness inside me guiding me and showing me what to do.  I have learned that I can talk and tell you many things but then the message is shallow and the impact to those who needed to hear this word of encouragement minimal, unless the Lord anoints me and gives me the needed message.

The greatest  witness is the life of obedience founded on love. Love is the highest form of wisdom because love gives and love does not desire hate, nor does it desire self. Above all things, love is the foundation of true Christian ministry or witnessing. Therefore Paul having realized in his own ministry that the works of the flesh or the carnal strength of man cannot accomplish the works of God spoke and said, “…but the greatest of this is love” (1 Corinthians 13: 13).

Passion is built on love

The greatest messengers of all Ages are those who have founded their lives and ministries built up on one thing, that is loving God and loving their fellow men. Until the recent years, many have thought that to do ministry, one has to have his brains operated on the table and let his masters insert different doctrines into each holes. Thus, this types of works produced shallow men and women whose mentality is confused as to what ministry is. Therefore when tribulations, pressure and demand come, these whither away. Ministry to men is good, but above all things, there is one foundation upon which everything in the Scriptures is summed up—“Love the Lord thy God” for in the beginning was God. There is nothing in the beginning but God, there is no storm, there is no darkness, there is no evil but only God. Not even human beings but out of His great desire to have a companion and a fellow for whom He would consider as His friends and children, the triune God decided to bring make man, and He did not make man in the image of the beast, nor did He made man in the image of angel. He made us according to His own image, a reflection of His beauty, behavior and character. This is why the greatest calling of the “New Creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV), which you are, is to be conformed into His image and do His works.

The impact of the world into the church

One primary way we can measure the success of the light that we radiate is by measuring how much evil has been deflected, or overcome in our lives and in the lives of our neighbors and then our community. Light is measured by its brilliance and every stars that shine above has their own measure of “celestial glory or brightness.” In the same way, every child of God has a measure of light that he reflects and brings into this world. Because the Lord ordained that everything will come through a seed, everyone has started as a tiny seed, with a measure of faith that grows from faith to faith and from strength to strength. Paul reminds us, “…the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith…and the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17).

This was the sole truth that liberated the greatest darkness that enveloped the world during the Middle Ages and brought the reformation into full scale. True to this every revelation of truth that we receive is given level by level, or as Paul calls, faith to faith. In the same way, the devil tries to copies the methods of God so that he brings them as an angel of light and he also does this bit by bit until the church knew it too late that satan is already sitting in the throne of God in the hearts of every believers. This is the conflict between light and darkness, the epic battle in the last days, the heart of every man on earth! Who shall prevail in the end?

Think about the social re-engineering that is occurring at every levels of the society, the secular schools that promote evolution and bring the religion of humanism into the minds of every person that goes through the public school system. Think about the advertisements today where women are dressed as if now only wearing fig leaves as Eve did. Can we recognize the Church as set apart from the world during these times? Or is there a Church that is impacting the World in so much that the inroad of darkness have culminated into a clash and brought the powers of hell to its knees? How can we bring more light into the Church so that her witness into this world is a life set apart for the Lord, a chaste Bride waiting for Her Bridegroom. One way we can do this is through a life of intercession and obedience that Abraham portrayed when he walked the earth.

The witness of the Church

The Church was never called to be conformed into the contours of the earth. Just as the two seeds of Adam and Eve prophesy of the carnal and the spiritual church, those who have given themselves into the Lord are not bound by time nor are bound by the earth. It is pathetic to see churches trying to gain political influence so that she can do her work. When we compromise using the political spirit, we also fall from where we are seated with the Lord, because no one can serve two masters; there can only be one source of power for the Church to do all that She is called to do and to accomplish all that She is called to finish. The Apostle Paul tells of the power that is exceedingly great towards us who believe,
“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling,

what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,  and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:18-23).

What Paul is saying here is “Oh how I wish you all know, understand and see how much power there is in everyone of you who believes in Jesus Christ. I hope your eyes will see this, how much glory, power there is that He has given us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For whom the Father has raised back to life and is now seated in His seat of power, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” And He has put everything subject under His feet, and Head to His Church, which is His body so that all fullness belongs to Him.” What power? What glory? Is there weakness in the plan of God?

Or is there a weakness of God? This is the reason why we can command sicknesses to flee, we can have miracles inside the churches, we can raise the dead back to life, we can preach the gospel and send missionaries, and we can command nature to obey the Word of God because we are His Body, and if Body, God uses us to trample all things under His control. As you have observed here, the Body does not direct the head or the things done, but the Head who is Christ directs the Body so that there is order and we work according to this framework of order then the Lord brings His fullness or glory just as He filled the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem. Is there a provision that Jesus cannot answer? Are there problems, bondages, troubles or natural events that could be greater than the power and authority of Jesus Christ? Is your sin bigger than His power? Paul writes again, “And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:4). Therefore if Christ is the answer what is the problem?

The problem

Though Paul penned these powerful words that has impacted the Church and the world throughout the ages, the Modern Church has forgotten the power of Her God and true to the saying of Jesus, She erred because She does not “know the Scriptures nor the Power of God.” Whenever men have tried to built up barriers into understanding and laying the foundation of love of the Scriptures and fellowship with God, darkness quickly came in and usurped the authority of Christ in His Church. This is exactly what many built through their doctrines and vile understanding of the Word of God. They continue to read but never understanding the purpose and power of God for this age and the age to come. They say they tend the flocks of God but lead them into programs that never change the heart of man, nor make it tremble before His Word. Today where is the impact of the Church which was started in the Reformation? Where is She today? Married to the world? As the book of Revelation unfolds before our days, we see that today Jesus is found knocking at the door of the Church. Whatever happened to our King?

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

Many have used this verse to witness to the world, yet this is not what it really means. Jesus is actually found standing outside into today’s Laodicean Church, the lukewarm Church. Her lukewarmness is rooted in her love for the gold and the apparel of the world. To be lukewarm is the most terrible state that a Christian can fall to, because Jesus will snuff out his light, He will spit it out! The debauchery and pride of the church today is telling the Lord, Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” (Revelation 3:17)…which is true because when we count all the bank deposits of all the Churches in the world it will be the biggest corporation and the richest one in the world but she gained the riches of this world at what price? By forsaking her first love. Jesus diagnosed the sickness frankly, “you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”

How many among you has seen the light and glory of God? How many among you loves the Lord more than your idols, the riches you trust into? How many hours do you spend time with the Lord more than you do relaxing after your work or study in the schools? Which tells us the state that we are into, we have exchanged Jesus Christ for the entertainment of the World and quickly tells Him that we do not need Him. The solution, “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:18-19).

What is gold refined by fire? Eyesalve to anoint our eyes? This speaks of the life conformed to His will, sacrifices that are worth in the eyes of God; Again it is written, “I  urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2). The word transformed here is the same word from which we took the root word of metamorphosis. Change is necessary to be a witness that can impact this world. Just as a caterpillar slowly struggles from its cocoon to come out as a beautiful butterfly, the Church needs to struggle against the world so that she can look up and soar above like the eagle does. No one can be enlightened without using His light so that we can see in the darkness of this world. The candle and light of the world that we need is the Lord Himself, if we draw nearer to Him, who is the True Light of the world, we too can become the glorious light of the world and the salt of the earth. Transformation needs our cooperation and willingness to be changed. Those who cry of their worst conditions, those who cry in pain because of their lack and inadequacy and genuine concern for His Church and for Her purpose are candidates of being lights of this world. In the last days, Daniel describes this group of people who will emerge to take genuine authority and bring apostolic revolution in the church as those who know their God who “shall be strong, and carry out great/mighty exploits” (Daniel 11:32 NKJV).

How then should we live?

When Abraham walked the earth, he obeyed God radically so that his mighty exploits have been recorded since immemorial and his life continue to shine the path for all who have faith. He defined what is to have faith, and he determined the standing of many among those saints who walked also in the path of obedience. Like Enoch, he walked with God and has a testimony that his faith pleased Him in so much so that the root of the Savior that would come into this world will come from his loins or the stock of Abraham.

What was so radical of Abraham that deserves us to look and continue to inspire genuine faith in many believers? Abraham did not pretend to God, this is true but if there is one thing clear from this man, he was a man in the pursuit of God. The Scriptures say, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.”  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:8-10). There is a subtle philosophy that comes from humanism, which is “to see before you believe” but the Word of God does not have any precedent of this in the lives of past saints. It is always to believe then you shall see.

Because the foundation of Abraham’s, faith is founded on the vision of seeking the City whose architect and builder is God, though he swerved at times, yet His faith remained strong and even his weaknesses were not noted in this chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews because he has this testimony that by faith, he literally received the promised son, Isaac. The greatest trait of Abraham however is his undying faith in the Lord about all things which was portrayed when the Lord consulted Abraham about destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. Because the “the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7), He visited Abraham and told him of His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. In that fateful encounter, Abraham prayed for Lot. He ask the Lord if He would spare the city if there were 50 righteous men, until he reached 10 and the Lord said that if He would find 10, He will spare the city (see Genesis 18:26-33).

In the same manner as Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah, we have a great task before us, prayer is the single greatest divinely powerful weapon that we have been entrusted with to change the landscape of the world and bring the doors of heaven upon our churches, families and cities. Intercession is the ministry that opened the church age, just as the cry of the slaves in Egypt for deliverance brought Moses to them, the prayer of the saints broke through the barriers of all nations on the Pentecost and they all spoke in tongues so that many traders and men from different parts of the world understood that the disciples were talking to them in their tongues, adjuring them to repent and turn to God,

“And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?

“Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—

we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God” (Acts 2:6-11).

The greatest witness of the Church is still to be found in unity or in one accord and found waiting for the Lord (see Acts 2:1-4). The praying Church is still the greatest servant, and the only vessel that can be used mightily to the full extent of unprecedented power because She is one with her Lord. Where two or three are gathered in His name and found asking the Lord to do something in their behalf, He will do it! Unity multiplies the power and authority of the Church just as only the unified cord of many fibers can resist breaking and hold to strength.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:12-14 NIV)

Do you need more light? More power? Reach out to your fellows and start praying together because the House of the Lord is the “House of prayer for all nations.” He does not dwell in splits or divisions because this is contrary to His heart. The Father has only one goal, to glorify the Son and He cannot use us unless we come into unity with Him and therefore with our fellows. Prayer is the starting point for any great works of God. Let us pray.