You shall be [My] witnesses.
—Acts 1:8
The fourth mark of Christ’s church is that His servants are to be witnesses for Him, continually testifying of His wonderful love, His power to redeem, His continual abiding presence, and His wonderful power to work in them.
This is the only weapon that the King allows His redeemed ones to use. Without claiming authority or power, without wisdom or eloquence, without influence or position, each one is called, not only by his words, but also by his life and actions, to be a living proof and witness of what Jesus can do.
This is the only weapon they are to use in conquering men and bringing them to the feet of Christ. This is what the first disciples did. When they were filled with the Spirit, they began to speak of the mighty things that Christ had done.
It was in this power that those who were scattered abroad by persecution went forth, even as far as Antioch, preaching in the name of Jesus, so that a multitude of the unsaved believed. They had no commission from the apostles; they had no special gifts or training, but out of the fullness of their hearts they spoke of Jesus Christ. They could not be silent; they were filled with the life and love of Christ and could not help but witness for Him. It was this that gave the gospel its power to increase; every new convert became a witness for Christ.
One non-Christian writer wrote, in regard to the persecutions, that if the Christians had only been content to keep the worship of Jesus to themselves, they would not have had to suffer. But in their zeal, they had wanted Christ to rule over all.
This is the secret of a flourishing church: every believer is a witness for Jesus. And here we see that the cause of the weakness of the church is that so few are willing in daily life to testify that Jesus is Lord.
What a call to prayer! Lord, teach Your disciples the blessedness of knowing Jesus and the power of His love in such a way that they may find their highest joy in testifying of what He is doing and what He has done for them.