Have you ever experienced the office phenomena known as the “water cooler?” Something happens, and within minutes it seems that everybody knows about it—everyone is talking. It might happen at an actual water cooler or drinking fountain. It might take place in the lunch room or near the coffee station. It could even spread over text messaging, email, Facebook, or Twitter.
Often it’s bad news that makes it to the water cooler—someone got fired, someone’s getting divorced, someone really blew it during a presentation. But even when it’s good news, it often becomes ugly. Someone got a promotion… they must be sleeping with the boss.
Of course, the phenomenon isn’t limited to offices or work environments. Neighborhoods can experience gossip. It’s extremely common in schools, and social networking sites might shut down without it. Even churches, sadly, are not immune. Anyplace where people gather, in real life or online, you will find gossip being exchanged.
I’m not sure why, but it often seems that it’s easy to talk about bad news, and even generate bad news when there’s none going around. Genuinely good news seems to be harder to come by. Maybe it’s just that the good stuff doesn’t feel like it’s very newsworthy—it sometimes seems so ordinary. But when people constantly promote the bad, they are giving power to the negative, elevating it to a place of importance in their thoughts and lives.
In too many cases, we have been conditioned to take notice and talk about people’s pain, vulnerability, and shame. When we do, even if we don’t intend to, we multiply their pain, vulnerability, and shame. We become partners with negativity. Whenever someone’s private pain, failure, shortcomings, or humiliation becomes the topic of conversation, the words on everybody’s lips, we are releasing a testimony of failure. Because our words have power, we are enabling faiure to happen again.
What is your testimony?
What has you talking? What events grab your attention enough that you feel compelled to comment?
Are you discussing depressing events and other people’s shortcomings, or are you releasing something different?
As Christian’s we are called to change the atmosphere rather than coming under it. That might mean seeing the positive where others are only seeing the negative. It might mean choosing to declare good news when everything around us is unpleasant.
When we choose to release testimonies about God’s goodness—gossiping about His works and His fame instead of people we work with or the fame of faux celebrities—we are doing more than just telling a story. We are releasing the power of God and changing the spiritual atmosphere of our surroundings.
Where do you start?
For many, releasing testimony feels awkward. It’s not that they don’t believe or that they don’t want to talk about good things that are happening. But some feel self-conscious because they can’t point to an event in their own life that seems worthy of talking about.
Of course, that’s a lie from the enemy designed to make us doubt God’s goodness and power. But even if it were true, it shouldn’t stop anyone from releasing testimony. As God’s kids, all He has belongs to all of us… He doesn’t mind if I borrow a story of what He did for someone else until I have a story about what He did for me.
There are a number of online resources readily available for those who are looking for a source or testimony to release power in their own lives or for the people around them.
Summit’s Testimony Blog
We update our blog regularly with stories from people who are part of the Summit family. It’s awesome when you can say, “I know this guy who….” Even if it’s not your own personal testimony, knowing the person it happened to can give your confidence a boost when you share it, like this recent testimony of healing…
Just got a call from Andy. He is a guy I just started doing jail ministry with at Lew Sterrett Jail in Dallas. He said thanks for praying for him on Saturday and that the Lord touched his Sciatic nerve. He has been pretty much pain free since Saturday. I don’t even remember praying – all I remember was sharing about Esther and her Sciatic nerve relief the Wednesday before. He said I prayed but I’m not sure. Either way Praise God!!!
Thought you might be interested. I love you and God Bless. ~Denis M
Bethel’s Testimony Listing
Bethel Church in Redding maintains an ever-growing list of healing testimonies reported by their members, students, visitors, and friends of the house. Those testimonies are in a searchable list on their website under “features.” Here’s an example…
A second-year BSSM student wrote:
I saw a woman at the airport with a neck brace on. I asked her if I could pray for her, and she got so excited and said I was her miracle sign. I prayed, and all her excruciating pain left 100% and she took off her neck brace!
Dream Culture on Facebook
Another part of Bethel’s ministry is Dream Culture which teaches people the art of dreaming with God and believing Him for the outcome. They regularly post miraculous news on their Facebook page, such as this recent story…
Accident on way to mission trip in Mexico. Child dead. Nurse on scene. Students prayed for child and god restored life. Students brought child to mother who received child then received Christ!
Other Sources of Testimony
You may come across stories of what God has done in other places. If it’s a publicly shared testimony, it is appropriate to re-share that testimony. If it’s something that was shared with you personally, or that you participated in, you should always obtain permission from the people involved before revealing any personal or identifiable details about someone else.
In every case, testimony should always be released in an honoring way. Give only the facts, and never overstate what happened. To do so could put God in a negative light if healing is later found to not be as complete as indicated.
Let’s all start releasing God’s testimony in our lives. Let’s gossip about God’s goodness. There is power in our words, so let’s find out what happens when we release that power for God’s purposes rather than to partner with negative thinking.
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