Day 8: ‘…and to the testimony of Jesus Christ…’

The word ‘testimony’ resonates with martyr and blood-witness. The testimony of Jesus Christ is all He has said and done. The two always go together.

The words He spoke were the words the Father wanted Him to speak,1 not empty words but words of power; words that brought life, everlasting life; words that cleanse body, soul and spirit. He says: ‘You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.’2 He tells the paralytic who has been lowered through the roof by his four friends and is lying at His feet that his sins are forgiven and his body is healed. Therefore, he can take up his mattress and walk away because Jesus said so. He is the Word of God by whom all things were created and as a man in His incarnation, He also speaks words with creative power.

He commands the winds and the waves to be still.3 In His hands loaves and fishes are multiplied, matter being created under His hands.4 Water is turned into wine at the wedding feast at Cana.5 He walks on water, Matthew 14:22-36. He commands the winds and the waves, Luke 8:22-25. A withered, shriveled hand becomes a good, functioning hand of flesh and blood before the very eyes of Jesus’ disciples, so they are completely flabbergasted.6 The man born blind (probably by a birth-defect: born without eyeballs in the sockets) receives new eyes when the Lord Jesus has put mud on them,7 just as God created the whole man from the dust of the earth.8 Yes, He even raises the dead,9 because He had life within Himself,10 not only words with creative power for natural life. His disciples said to Him: ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.’11 Jesus also speaks to us through His Word and His Spirit – so read your Bible and pray every day! That will work miracles in your life, your body, your soul, your spirit and your circumstances!

• The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘God is salvation’. That is why Jesus is called ‘Savior’, ‘Redeemer’. This is the same name as ‘Joshua’ in the Old This, indeed, is why Jewish Christians call Jesus ‘Yeshua’.
• The name ‘Christ’ means Anointed One. It is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word ‘Messiah’, which also means Anointed One. The followers of Jesus were called Christians for the first time at Antioch12 – anointed followers of the Anointed One, by the same

Bible References:

1.John 14:10 2.John 15:3 3.Matthew 8:26–27 4.John 6:10–14; Matthew 14:13-21 5.John 2:7–9 6.Luke 6:6–11 7.John 9 and Mark 8:22–26 8.Genesis 2:7 9.John 11:33–44; Mark 5:35–43; Luke 7:11–17 10.John 5:26 11.John 6:67–70 12.Acts 11:26