Photo By: Bill Morrow
How’s your memory?
If you’re like me, you do pretty well remembering some things – your kids’ names, the fastest route to work, your ATM code, maybe your anniversary. But, like me, you might be less effective at remembering other things – the name of the client you are supposed to meet with next Thursday, directions to your wife’s cousin Fred’s house, or the names of all the kids who cross your path at church.
You probably could remember some of those odd, random things that you need every once-in-a-while. But, in most cases, it’s enough to be reminded of them when you need them. You put important names, dates and directions in a planner or on a smart-phone, and when it’s time to go visit cousin Fred, you look up the map to his house, the names of his 7 kids, and any other pertinent information you need to get through an awkward vacation with a distant relative.
Some things you put in your easy-access mental file that you remember all the time. Other things just get put in cold storage to be remembered only when you need them. Both are necessary. Both are reasonable. But they are different things.
The first, the active memory, is like kinetic energy. It’s something that has been put in motion. It’s something that is relevant right now.
The other, the stored memory, is like potential energy. It’s there for later use, but you have to do something to activate it. You have to intentionally release the energy of that memory.
Most of us have encountered God in a significant way more than once in our lives. We have experienced salvation. We have witnessed His grace. We have felt His mercy. We have seen His power in miracles worked in our own lives or the lives of others. But how much of that do we remember? How much of that is in motion in our lives, released like kinetic energy to demonstrate God’s goodness? Many of our memories of what God has done are in cold storage. Waiting. Stagnant. Frozen. Forgotten.
Remember
…For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10b NASB)
In Revelation it says, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” What that means is that when we choose to remember what God has already done, it releases the potential energy inherent in that memory. Our testimony releases the power of God to bring salvation, show grace and mercy, and perform miracles.
God’s power is already there. He proved it when He showed up the first time and did the things when He did. But He has made a way for us to partner with Him by remembering His acts, revealing His ways, and releasing His power.
The key to seeing God do those things again is to remember that He did them the first time. The remembering – the testimony – isn’t for His sake. God doesn’t need our words of affirmation. He isn’t looking for a pat on the back. Recalling those memories is for us and the people around us. When we remember what God has already done, it reminds us that He can do it again. When we recall the miracles He has performed in the past, it builds our faith that He will do it again. And when we release testimony over those around us, it builds an expectation that God’s power is relevant and active right now – that He is doing it again.
Recount
During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. (Esther 6:1 NASB)
It is important to note that you can’t release the testimony of Jesus if you don’t remember what He has done.
Memory is a funny thing. Sometimes we easily remember the most useless details of life. For instance, I have an impressive mental store of commercial jingles tucked into a convenient corner of my mind, ready to bubble up at the slightest provocation. Other times we have trouble remembering the most important things at the least convenient time, failing to recall things like birthdays, anniversaries, or the names we gave our own children.
To combat the fickle nature of memory, we use all kinds of tools. Lists, calendars, and a variety of devices for storing them is a start. Many people develop acronyms to help remember important information. And anyone who has ever studied for a spelling test knows that it’s important to repeat what you want to remember. Rehearse it enough times, and it becomes a part of you. The more you repeat what you want to remember, the easier it is to release that memory when needed.
In order to repeat a memory, it is useful to have a record of the event. Keeping a journal is a great way to record the good things God has done. Going back to revisit, re-read, and rehearse those things moves them from where they might have been temporarily forgotten, back into our active memory. It gets those testimonies ready, loading the testimony slingshot, preparing them to be released into any circumstance.
We see memories released when King Ahasuerus reads from the chronicles of his reign in the book of Esther. It reminded him to bestow honors upon Mordecai. We also see words changing things when Moses reads the book of the covenant to the people, causing them to commit to obedience to the Lord (Ex. 24). And throughout Israel’s history, they get in trouble when they go their own way, then restore their covenant when they remember their God… often because someone decided to read the book of the law.
Release
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; (Isaiah 61:1 NASB)
The most important result of our memories and testimonies is that we set people free. We need to bring them the good news, not just that Jesus died for them, but that He is alive and active and wants to do something for them now!
That good news comes with a price. The price is to demonstrate His power. And part of that demonstration comes through releasing His testimony. We have been sent, not to simply tell people about Jesus, but to bind their wounds and offer them genuine liberty.
Some of the people we encounter have been held captive to diseases. Some have been slave to addictions. Some have been prisoners of their own poor choices. The testimony of Jesus has the power to free them all.
It’s up to us to release it.
[custom_author=Amy]