What the Bible Says about Witnessing

Witnessing is telling others about the forgiveness, love, deliverance, empowering, fruitful life and ministry, etc., that you have found in Jesus.

Jesus' last instructions to His disciples before He ascended to His Father were in relation to witnessing. He commissioned them to make disciples as they went into all the world, and to baptize and teach them. He promised them that when they received the Holy Spirit they would be powerful witnesses of Him. The Lord will confirm your witness, just as He did the witness of His apostles with signs following (Mark 16:20; Matthew 28:19, 20).

What Scripture Says

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19, 20).

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

"I tell you the miracles themselves. 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" (John 14:12).

"He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you" (John 16:14).

Counsel

You are a witness. When a person has experienced the forgiveness of his sins, he is then able to witness or give testimony to the salvation that is mentioned in Ephesians 4:11, but it puts you in the same place as those who were witnesses in the early church. They said, "For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). You are able to witness about Jesus, for you have met Him personally.

God's desire is that everyone, worldwide, be reconciled to Him and He has given Christians the "word of reconciliation." That privilege uniquely belongs to all who have believed in Christ (II Corinthians 5:19).

The authority to witness is from Jesus (Matthew 28:19, 20). The power and boldness to witness is given as a result of the work of the Holy Spirit (Mark 16:17-20; Acts 1:8). The willingness to witness is a decision each one must make. The message to share is the simple truth that "God loves you. Jesus saves all who come to Him in repentance of sin and who have faith in Him. He gives life (John 10:10), equips for living through the Holy Spirit, and He is coming again."

Your own testimony is the best witness you can share. It is not just teaching Bible truths. It is "being" a product of those truths. In other words, don't just say it -- be and do it. Allow the Holy Spirit to produce within you the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, meekness, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, patience and self-control, thereby "becoming" what you are witnessing to.

As You Pray

Pray that God will fill you with the Holy Spirit, equipping you for witnessing. You may have to pray to be released from bondages of fear or feelings of not knowing enough or not being good enough to share Jesus with others. The general direction of prayer should be that you want to be bold and free to share your faith whomever may be open to your witness during your daily life.

Ask God each morning to lead you to someone to whom you can witness. Expect Him to do so. As you read God's Word, ask Him to give you a message that day for someone who needs your witness.

References/Personal Study

The Guilt of Man

• Psalms 14:3
• Ecclesiastes 7:20

Separation from God

• Romans 5:10
• James 4:4
• Colossians 1:21

God's Judgement upon the Ungodly

• 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9
• 2 Peter 3:7

God's Provision for Man

• 1 Timothy 2:5
• Hebrews 12:24
• John 4:16
• Acts 4:12

Forgiveness

• Ephesians 4:32
• 1 John 2:12
• Acts 5:31
• Acts 13:38
• Acts 26:18

Cleansing

• Isaiah 1:18
• 1 John 1:7
• Revelation 7:14

Justification

• Acts 13:39
• Romans 3:24
• Romans 8:30
• Titus 3:7

By Grace

• Ephesians 2:8, 9
• Titus 2:11
• Titus 3:4-7
• Romans 3:34

Stay in Jesus

• John 15

Witness in Love

• 1 Corinthians 13