Contagious Joy – Dr. Charles Stanley
Jesus calls us to be His “witnesses.” When some Christians hear
this word, they worry that they need exceptional skill or charisma in order to
share the good news with others. Yet to witness is not to merely speak of the
“plan of salvation” to someone. The word literally means to see, hear, or know
by personal presence and perception; to testify; bear witness to; give or
afford evidence of. When John wrote that he was sharing what he had experienced
first-hand, he was saying, “I am full of joy because of the experience of
knowing Jesus, and I want to invite you to share in that joy!”
When you’re in love with someone, you are excited about the
relationship and time spent together. Likewise, when you’re in love with Jesus,
you can’t keep to yourself the joy that comes from knowing Him—it just spills
over, bearing witness and strengthening other believers. In fact, as you give
testimony of who God is and how He’s working in your life, it makes no
difference whether you speak quietly or with great exuberance: in their spirit,
Christians will pick up on the deep, genuine gladness in your heart that goes
beyond natural happiness. And people who don’t yet know the Lord will find
themselves hungering for the relationship you have. In that way, they will be
drawn to His Spirit in you.
Witnessing is not a matter of eloquence or talent. It’s an
overflow of the personal relationship with Jesus Christ that is conforming you
to His image. As you allow the Holy Spirit to increasingly express His life and
power through you, contagious joy will be “fruit” of His indwelling presence.
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