Not long ago, being recently saved myself, I began having the urge to tell old friends about Jesus and plant a seed in their minds and hearts about the Gospel. I ran around with a wild bunch, and as far as I know I'm the first and only one to have given that life up and be saved. Though I had a great intention to do this, I feared that I didn't have the words to say, that they wouldn't listen to me.
I got a call from a friend one night, who began telling me that she'd been having panic attacks and major anxiety just from walking out her door. She went on to tell me about a few times when these things happened to her, then went on to tell me that she'd pick up the Bible at night, and while reading it, she found comfort in it. We started talking about church, and I invited her to come along, but she went on to tell me that she was too afraid to take that long a trip. I told her that even if it's the worst trip in the world, I promise you that it'll be the best trip back if you'll just work up the courage to come along. Bring your Bible if you believe that will help. At about that time, my spirit got the best of me - I started spouting out God's promises and verses of scripture and things that I can't even remember, what came to mind for me was the verse talking about rivers of flowing water coming from you, and I was certain that that was what I was experiencing. God knew just what she needed to hear, and He laid those words on me, it seemed. I could hear her voice breaking up over the phone, obviously touched by the words, sniffling, I could tell she was crying. She told me that she really, really wanted to be saved, but didn't know how. She had it in her mind that she had to be at an altar in church.
I told her that she could be saved RIGHT NOW. I went on and asked her a few questions. Do you believe that Jesus is the living Son of God? Yes. Do you believe that Jesus died and rose again on the third day? Yes. Do you accept Him as your living Lord and Savior, and know that He is the only way to Heaven? Yes. These things confirmed I told her that I'll give her a few moments, that she said go to a quiet place in her house and voice these things out loud to God with a sincere heart, and she will be saved right then and there. So she did.
She came back, and I could literally feel discouragement of some kind over the phone. I didn't take it to heart, this was my queue to fight discouragement with comfort. I told her that now, she'd be going the same place I'm going when we leave this world. I told her that all her sins have been washed away, and she's a living child of God now. I told her that if she offers her worries to Christ that He will deliver her. I told her that she never has to worry again. I could hear her beginning to weep again, as she said 'Blake, just as you were telling me those things, tears came to my eyes and I felt a great warmth inside'. Sure enough, with that confirmation, I felt it too! I told her that it was the Holy Spirit of God coming to live with her since she had accepted Him with her heart. I told her that you can't please God with words, and that He sees the heart of men. There was no more discouragement. With happiness in her voice she thanked me, and told me she needed to go lay down and think. So she did.
This was confirmation to me that, if we have the desire to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone, even though we fear we might not have the words to say, God will give us the words to speak. After I hung up the phone I was on fire for the Lord, praising Him, thanking Him, shouting and all. I felt like Moses on the mountain, when God assured him that even though he had 'a slow tongue', God made the mouths of men - and God surely can use any one of them for His will.
Another story of faith is when God laid it on my heart to fast for 24 hours, and get into the Word. So I did nothing but drink water that day and if I remember correctly I read the Book of Matthew. I love that book. But anyways...
The next morning I got a call from an old friend I hadn't heard from in quite some time. I'd been praying to hear from her for awhile to know that she was alright, and simple as it was, I knew it was a blessing from God. Since then I've learned that there's nothing we get in this life that isn't His blessing. Praise God.
The morning after my baptism I woke up to an email from a friend I hadn't heard from in over 6 months. We'd parted ways because he was a devout Christian and I, well... I was a druggie. I found that pretty amazing, that even though he didn't know I'd been saved, baptized and changed my life since then, God did.
Very powerful testimonies, everyone. I look forward to reading more of them!