Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

Preaching the word is different than giving a testimony. A testimony is a story about how God has worked in our lives: it’s our story. Preaching, on the other hand, is telling God’s story. God does this through us when we submit our story to His. God’s goal for us is to have our stories so enmeshed in His that the preaching comes through naturally. When we move from trying to tell our stories to telling His, correcting, rebuking, and encouragement will happen.

Many people are afraid of preaching because of fear of coming across as judgmental. However preaching is never about being judgmental but rather trying to keep people the coming judgment. As the verse says the best way to do this is to be prepared all the time. This means that we must consciously be aware of God’s activity in our own lives. We must be attentive to His Spirit and His work in and around us. It is essential to be aware that who we are is always preaching what we believe and who we follow.

Are you preaching with your life?

Is your testimony more about what you’ve overcome or who has overcome you?

How can you be instant in season and out?