Acts 4: 13
Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
Now how would you like this to be the testimony that people speak about you? This is what I would like my testimony to be, that people can tell that I have been with Jesus. Oh Glory!
I read a book a couple of years ago which I cannot place my hands on now in order to tell you the title but I recall reading about some of the great saints of early American history. What made such an impression on me was that people could see with their own eyes that these people had been with God. It was remarked about one man that when he left his room of prayer there was a perceptible glow about him.
The presence of God lingers on us. As we spend intimate time with Him we are changed. We become increasingly like Him. Our thoughts change, our words change. His anointing resides with us as we abide in Christ and it shows. People may not always know what they perceive but they will know there is something about you.
I believe we are entering the days when people will marvel and recognize us as having been with Jesus. My reaction when I read that book was to spend more time in prayer. However, just because I was spending a chunk of time “in prayer” does not likewise mean that I was spending time with Jesus. I was still works oriented, i.e. “If I spend more time in prayer I will have more of Jesus.” What I have since discovered is that if I give more of myself to Jesus then I will have more of Him. It is the integration of my spirit with His that is increasingly helping me to know Him better and thus reflect Him better. I am not saying that I have laid hold of it yet but I am learning that this time of intimacy with the Lord marks me. I am different when I have spent quality time with Him. When I haven’t the old Ivey begins to arise from the dust and ashes. I find myself less tolerant and less forgiving and the razor tongue comes back. You wouldn’t look at that person and see Jesus but as we let ourselves relax into His embrace, into His presence then we take on His grace and it shows.
I realize that people who are afraid of intimacy have trouble here but Jesus is the man who can help. He knows all there is about being tough and tender and believe it or not, he really makes it okay to open your heart. He will take you into a quiet, private, safe place; in fact, you can determine the place for yourself if you want. That is what I had to do in the beginning. I actually put God across a conference room table from me at one time. The key is in you being comfortable and that is what the Lord wants. He will meet you at your point of need. Just begin the dialogue. Tell Him that you want people to see Him on you when you leave His presence. Invite Him into the space you design and let Him speak to your needs. He is a loving Father who wants to pour Himself out to you.
We are the people; we are the generation that can walk in this grace. We have only to embrace the idea and then Father will cause it to happen. He desires for this to be the testimony of each and every one of us. You can have this report about you that people recognize that you have been with Jesus. What a glorious report!