Part of Revelation 12:11 reminds us that we triumph over the enemy “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony”. In the official, literal sense testimony means sharing our experiences with others – telling others how God has made a difference in our life. We each have our own journey and path filled with peaks and valleys. Our testimony is a means to encourage others by sharing how God orchestrated our highest peaks and comforted us in our lowest valleys. God is ever-present. He is faithful through our highs and lows. Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds us that he’ll “never leave nor forsake us”.

However, I fully believe that our testimony is not just to inspire others. I also believe that reflecting and meditating on God’s grace, mercy, goodness, provision, and protection also means reminding ourselves of our own personal gospel – a captivating story from our birth to death that is a powerful testament to God’s goodness. When we face difficult or discouraging situations, we need to remind ourselves about how much God has already brought us through; how He has already blessed us; kept us, nurtured us; sustained us; and saved us. The enemy wants to distract you and trick you into thinking your current crisis is permanent. He wants to steal your joy and peace. Most importantly he wants to disrupt your relationship with God. He wants to sabotage that sacred relationship because such a relationship with our heavenly father is one that he won’t ever have again. Since his relationship is already ruined, he wants to steal yours away by disrupting, discouraging, and deceiving as much as possible. Keeping you engrossed in the current crisis instead of allowing you to momentarily pause and consider the situation across a greater scale – keeps you operating in a reactive mode of deficiency. In addition to the immediate crisis, you find yourself battling a platoon of accompanying hinderances – all of which threaten your sense of peace and well-being. When you aren’t doing well, those around you suffer also, creating a dangerous, spiritual domino effect.

We approach some situations with a dreadful attitude for one of two reasons – either it’s a new situation that takes us completely by surprise or it feels like the recurrence of an old situation that is emotionally jarring. Either way, we must faithfully abide and take comfort in the fact that the Lord can bring us through any situation. In our humanness, it is very easy to open the door to worry, frustration, and fear. Yet, when we train ourselves and cultivate our spiritual memory, we can actually be in prayerful anticipation of God’s resolution to the current crisis.

Here are some tips for cultivating your spiritual memory:

• Identify a reflection point that expresses your faith – it can be a song, poem, picture, scripture, or something else you choose. The point is that it must be something that reminds you of the faithfulness of the Lord.
• Document your victories – it doesn’t have to be a dissertation, but keeping a written record of your situations and resolutions will eventually bless you with a record of your breakthroughs, victories, spiritual growth, and moments of grace.
• Adopt a survivor mindset – if you are still here to tell the story then it didn’t kill you. You are a survivor. You are NOT the culminating history of your failures. You are the manifestation of God’s grace and mercy. You are full of promise, even as you go about seeking God’s direction for your purpose.

Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Remind yourself of your own spiritual victories as you progress in your journey toward becoming all that your heavenly Creator designed you to be.