Read Romans 11:33-36

• In John 3:8, 

  ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

  the Spirit of God is described as a wind. We cannot control Him or make Him move; He blows where He wills. We cannot create movements, only the Spirit of God can. But we can position ourselves so that when He does move, we are ready to move with Him. The simple skills you’ve been learning help do just that. The good news is this: the Spirit of God is at work everywhere! Let’s keep preparing ourselves and praying for the Spirit to move.

Paul had been arrested because he was falsely accused by the Jewish leaders of breaking a temple law. During his defence before the Governor, Paul shared the story of how he came to know Christ.

² When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

Then Paul said:³ “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.⁴ I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,⁵ as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

⁶ “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’

⁸ “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.⁹ My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

¹⁰ “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.

“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’¹¹ My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.

¹² “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.¹³ He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.

¹⁴ “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.¹⁵ You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.¹⁶ And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

¹⁷ “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance¹⁸ and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’

¹⁹ “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you.²⁰ And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

²¹ “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul’s story (testimony) can be summarized in 3 parts:

• his life before meeting Christ,
• how he met Christ, and 
• his life after meeting Christ. 

This pattern is still an effective way to tell others what Jesus has done in our lives. Our stories are a powerful witness of the benefits of knowing the Lord. 

What is your testimony?  Can you share it in three phrases?  That may be all the time you have to keep someone's attention so they want to hear more.

One person wrote:

“I noticed I was putting things in my life that only postponed my emptiness. I pursued the concept of truth and read part of the Bible.  I discovered my concept of God was wrong. He wants a relationship. I’ve been gladly following Him since then and feel like I’m moving toward abundance.”

Here are four steps to get you started:

1) What are two or three words that describe your life before Christ (or before you walked with Christ?

2) What are two or three words that describe what your life was like after you received Christ?

3) Write one sentence that tells how or when you received Christ

4) Now see if you can combine this all into a paragraph

• Share your three phrase testimony with someone else in the group.

Paul's testimony was about 500 words and took approximately three minutes.

What would your three minute testimony be?  Would you share it with us the next time we meet?

Here are some questions to help you get started:

BEFORE I ACCEPTED CHRIST

• What was my life like that will relate most to the non-Christian?
• What did my life revolve around the most? What did I get my security or happiness from? (The non-Christian is relying on something external to give them happiness)
• How did those areas begin to let me down?
• What is one word that captures this feeling? For example: empty, lost, etc.

HOW I ACCEPTED CHRIST

• What was my reaction when I first heard about Jesus?
• When did my attitude about Jesus begin to turn around? Why?
• What is one word that captures this feeling/change? For example: grace, amazed, etc?

NOW I HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST

• What specific changes have taken place in your life since giving control of your life to Jesus?
• How have your motivations in life changed since becoming a Christian?
• What is one word that captures what life is like now? For example: peace, hope, etc.