Day 18 — Share What Jesus Has Done

“Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.”— Mark 5:19 (NIV)

You may not know how to answer every question about the Bible and may not consider yourself an evangelist. You may not feel confident explaining complicated theology but if you have encountered Jesus, you have something you can share. You have a testimony. Your testimony is simply the story of what Jesus has done in your life. Maybe Jesus rescued you from a life far from God or maybe He brought you through a season of fear. Maybe He restored something that was broken or maybe He freed you from an addiction or destructive pattern. Maybe He healed a wounded place in your heart or maybe He answered a prayer when you had almost stopped believing. Maybe He gave you peace in the middle of circumstances that did not change or maybe you grew up knowing Jesus, and your testimony is the faithfulness of God throughout your life. Your story does not have to be dramatic to be powerful. The power of your testimony is not found in how shocking your past was. The power is found in Jesus.

In Mark 5, Jesus encountered a man whose life had been completely overtaken by demonic torment. Jesus set him free and afterward, the man wanted to travel with Jesus but Jesus gave him another assignment: “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” Jesus did not tell him: Wait until you understand everything. He did not say: Go study for several years and then you will be ready. Jesus told him to go and tell what the Lord had done and that is exactly what the man did.

Mark 5:20 says: “So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus (NIV) had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”

He knew what his life had been like. He knew he had encountered Jesus and he knew he was no longer the same. That was enough to begin telling people about Him.

A testimony is not an opportunity to make ourselves impressive but an opportunity to make Jesus known.

Revelation 12:11 says: “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of (NIV) their testimony.”

Notice what comes first: the blood of the Lamb. Jesus is the center of our testimony. Our story matters because it points people toward Him. When sharing your testimony, resist the temptation to spend most of your time describing everything that went wrong and only a few seconds talking about Jesus. The darkest parts of your past are not the hero of your story. Your mistakes are not the hero, and your pain is not the hero and even your transformation is not the hero.

Jesus is the hero.

Your testimony should leave people thinking more about Him than about you.

Sharing your testimony does not need to be complicated. A simple framework can help: BEFORE → JESUS → AFTER

Before

What was happening in your life before Jesus met you in this area?

Keep this part honest but brief. You don’t need to share every detail.

Jesus

How did Jesus meet you?

What truth did He show you?

What did He do?

How did you begin trusting or following Him?

This is the most important part because this is where your story points directly to Christ.

After

What changed?

What has Jesus done in your life since then?

What are you learning?

How are you different because of Him?

Your testimony might sound something like: “I spent years carrying fear about things I couldn't control. I loved God, but I was constantly anxious about what might happen. As I began surrendering those fears to Jesus and learning to trust what He said instead of what I felt, something began changing in me. My circumstances didn't always change, but I did. Jesus has given me a peace I didn't have before.” Simple, honest and Jesus-centered. You are not trying to impress someone. You are simply telling them: “This is what Jesus has done for me.”

Sometimes we think our testimony is only the story of how we first came to Jesus. That is such an important testimony, but God continues working in our lives. Over time, you may have many stories of His faithfulness. You can testify about a prayer He answered or a time He provided. You can testify about a relationship He restored or a season when He carried you through grief or a moment when He gave you courage or a stronghold that He helped you overcome. You can share a truth from Scripture that changed the way you lived or a time He redirected your life or simply a season when you learned to forgive, or a moment when you experienced His peace.

These smaller testimonies can become natural bridges in everyday conversations. Someone may tell you they are afraid, and you can say: “I understand that. I walked through a season of fear too. Can I tell you what Jesus taught me?”

Someone may tell you they are struggling to forgive, and you may have a story of how God helped you release an offense. You do not need to force your story into every conversation. Listen first. Then, when your story genuinely connects with what someone is walking through, it can become a bridge pointing them toward Jesus.

Our testimony is powerful, but our testimony is not the gospel. Our testimonies tell people: “This is what Jesus has done in my life.”

The gospel tells them: “This is what Jesus has done for all of us.”

Scripture tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Sin separates us from God, but God loved us so deeply that He sent His Son. Jesus lived without sin, died on the cross for our sins, and rose again. Through Jesus, forgiveness and reconciliation with God are available. We can’t earn salvation through good works. We receive it by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

When a conversation opens the door, our testimony can lead naturally to the question that matters most: “Can I tell you what Jesus has done for you too?”

You do not have to deliver a perfect presentation. Just tell the truth about Jesus and trust the Holy Spirit to work in the person's heart.

Never exaggerate your testimony to make it sound more powerful. God does not need our embellishment. If healing happened gradually, say it happened gradually. If you are still walking through part of the struggle, say so. If God gave you peace even though the circumstances did not change, tell that truth. If you do not understand why one prayer was answered differently from another, you do not need to pretend you understand.

A testimony can honestly say: “I am still walking through this, but Jesus has been faithful to me in the middle of it.”

That is still a testimony. Authenticity matters and people don’t need polished stories that make the Christian life sound perfect. They need to encounter a real Jesus working in the lives of real people.

Remember what you have been learning throughout this week.

People are not projects. Listen before you speak and your testimony should be offered, not forced. A natural opportunity might sound like: “I went through something similar. Would you mind if

I shared what Jesus did in my life?” and if they say yes, then share. Keep it relevant to the conversation. Keep it reasonably brief and pay attention to the person while you are talking. You do not need to tell your entire life story every time you share your testimony. Sometimes two or three minutes is enough. Leave room for questions, for conversation and room for the Holy Spirit. Leave the person free to respond.

We share because we love people, not because we need to win an argument.

One of the greatest fears people have about sharing their faith is: What if they ask me something I don't know? Then you can say: “I don't know.” There is no shame in that. You are a disciple and you are still learning. You can say: “That's a good question. I don't know the answer, but I'd be happy to look into it.” You don’t have to pretend to know something you do not know.

Your credibility is not destroyed by admitting that you are still learning. You know what Jesus has done in your life so just start there. The man in Mark 5 could not have answered every theological question but no one could argue with this: He had encountered Jesus, and his life was different.

1 Peter 3:15 says: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give (NIV) the reason for the hope that you have.”

Preparation matters. You do not need to memorize a speech, but it is wise to think through your testimony before the opportunity comes. What was my life like before?

How did Jesus meet me?

What has changed because of Him?

What is the clearest way I can point someone toward Jesus?

When you have thought through your story, you are more prepared when a door opens.

Then you can relax. You aren’t performing but testifying. You’re simply saying: “Let me tell you what Jesus has done.”

Today, write a simple two-to-three-minute testimony using: BEFORE → JESUS → AFTER

BEFORE

Write two or three sentences describing what you were experiencing before Jesus met you in this area.

JESUS

Write several sentences explaining how Jesus met you, what He showed you, or what He did.

AFTER

Write two or three sentences describing what changed and what He is continuing to do in your life.

Now read your testimony and ask: Is Jesus clearly the hero of this story?

Circle or underline the sentence that most clearly points to Him. Then practice telling your testimony aloud. Don’t try to memorize every word just learn the story well enough that you can share it naturally. Finally, pray: “Holy Spirit, when You open the door, give me courage to tell someone what Jesus has done.”

Do I believe my testimony matters even if my story does not seem dramatic?

When I tell my story, is Jesus clearly the hero?

Can I explain simply what my life was like before, how Jesus met me, and what He has done since?

Am I willing to be honest about areas where God is still working in my life?

Am I prepared to admit when I do not know the answer to someone's question?

Who in my life might be encouraged by hearing what Jesus has done for me?

I have a testimony. I do not need to know everything to tell someone what Jesus has done in my life. I will share honestly, simply, and courageously. Jesus is the hero of my story, and when He opens the door, I will be ready to make Him known.