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Like so many young people today, in my early teen years I began to “experiment” with the sinful pleasures that are so abundant in this world. At that time, it seemed as though partaking in pornography, alcohol, drugs and false religion was the best way to live my life. As I grew older the indulgence of these sinful pleasures became more frequent until they were a part of my everyday life. The Bible tells us that the pleasures of sin last for a season (Hebrews 11:25) and with sin comes spiritual burdens and bondages (Isaiah 1:4). The season of sin’s pleasure had come to an end leaving me with tremendous spiritual burdens and much bondage (addictions). So great were the burdens and bondages that my life was torn to pieces to the point that suicide seemed to be the only hope of relief. Twice I contemplated suicide but thank the Lord I never followed through with those intentions.
Broken, hurting, burdened and in bondage to sin, I attended an evening service at one of the local Churches. After the preaching of the Gospel, sitting in my pew, I tearfully and quietly spoke these simple words, “God…I’m giving up.” I wasn’t going to run from God anymore – I was finished trying to break free from sin’s burden and bondage. I realized I couldn’t, Jesus was and is my only hope. That evening I surrendered my life to Him and a wonderful spiritual transformation took place. I left that evening service completely transformed by the awesome power of God. Jesus forgave my sins and set me free from sin’s burden and bondage. Later that evening, when we arrived at home, my wife and I began to destroy all the pornography, cigarettes, alcohol and false religious paraphernalia. The next couple of days were spent “cleaning” the house of all that was unholy. I was truly set free in Christ Jesus.
Shortly after my conversion experience, through sound Biblical teaching I learned about the Baptism in the Holy Ghost and Fire. After learning this truth, I decided in my heart that I was going to ask and seek for Jesus to baptize me in the Holy Ghost and Fire. Three months of praying and being prayed for went by before I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. This was and continues to be a glorious spiritual experience in my every day life.
Shortly after this spiritual experience, several others and I chartered a bus to attend revival services in the southern United States. It was here that I began to feel as though God was calling me to be an evangelist. At that time all I knew of evangelists is that they preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The following couple of weeks I sought the Lord in prayer asking if this truly was what He was calling me too. One evening through a prophetic utterance, God confirmed His calling on my life.
The next couple of years were spent receiving sound Biblical doctrine, growing spiritually and gaining valuable ministry experience. Since then God has continued to open doors of opportunity to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in open air meetings, tent meetings and in Church settings. God has confirmed the preaching of Christ’s Gospel with Biblical signs following. I continue to thank God for what He has done and is going to do in my life and through the ministry He has called me too.
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