By the time I was eleven I had no faith at all, but as a teenager I began to think that there might possibly be a God so I was baptized and confirmed without really knowing why. I still could not accept what the Bible teaches. After school I continued going to church more out of habit than anything else. I could not understand what making a "commitment to Christ" was all about. I assumed it meant accepting that Jesus was a man with a beard, wearing a robe, living in Israel and that He claimed to be the Son of God. But I had difficulty believing in God, let alone knowing what He and His Son are really like.

I was not always easy to live with, determined to compensate for my shortcomings. My world was built around me. I was a controller. I said yes to everything my Christian friends said because the quickest way to get someone to shut up is to agree with them! The barriers to any relationship with God were well and truly up! But He broke them down because He loves each of us so much that He tries anything to get through! God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever should believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him…(Revelation 3:20).

This is how it happened. First I began to feel strange, it was though I was suffocating from the inside, however there was no clinical explanation for it. Then one Friday evening I met with three Christian friends to pray. Because Christians prayed I thought I could be a Christian by praying! Rather like being in a garage and pretending to be a car! The young woman in the group began to say things about which only I knew. She said, "Stop your boasting…You’ve nothing to boast about. Salvation comes by faith not works… You did not choose me, I chose you…. The only thing you will ever have to boast about is that it is I and I alone who have saved you." I was terrified. I gasped: "It’s true! There really is a God and He knows exactly what I think!" Then it happened! There was a violent rushing wind from above. It filled the room and penetrated both my eardrums but no damage was done. My whole body was filled with this powerful but gentle wind. The suffocating stopped and I could breathe properly again. There was no wind outside and as the doors and windows were closed there was no draught. It was like a scene out of Pentecost! (Acts 2:2).

After several weeks I came to the conclusion that the Spirit of God had met with me in a very powerful way. Pentecost only happened because Jesus lived, died and rose again. I thought, I prayed, I read into the evidence supporting the Christian faith, even someone stated, "If God needed to be made He wouldn’t be God!" All this convinced me of the truth of Christ: His life, miracles, teachings, death, and resurrection. He has ascended into heaven and one day He will publicly return in person and judge everyone. In the light of this, no one can sit on the fence! Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. (John 3:36).

In 1987-June, I made a conscious decision to turn away from being wrong before God. I made a commitment to serve and love the Lord Jesus Christ. He died for me personally. This choice and belief is essential for eternal life and the only way to escape God’s wrath. Of course, I am referring to those who can decide for themselves and that is most of us! The Holy Spirit is now to us what Jesus Himself was in the flesh, He moves different people in different ways.

If you are ready to receive salvation can you pray this prayer?

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for all of the wrong things I have said, thought and done in my life. I ask you to forgive me. I believe you took all my sin on yourself when you died on the cross for me – personally. You rose again to give me eternal life with you. Please come into my life as my Savior, Lord and Friend. Thank you. Amen.

If you feel you cannot do this ask God to reveal the truth and Himself to you.

May God bless you and bring you closer to Him.

Copyright © 2003 by the author
Originally written: 2003-MAY-12
Latest update: 2003-MAY-12
Author: Anonymous