Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
Salvation, what an amazing word! I have heard some great testimonies lately of lives totally and radically changed because of the transforming power of Christ’s salvation. It made me think back on my own salvation encounter.
In my early teen years I got involved in a drug culture because I was looking for a place to belong and be accepted. Over the years, I got deeper and deeper into this world, but I never became addicted to drugs. It was more of a lifestyle and all the things associated with that world that I was into.
One night I was at a club with a young lady and I had been drinking and smoking marijuana most of the evening. We decided to leave and I was too intoxicated and high to drive so she drove. The world around began to spin like I was on a merry go round and I became nauseas and I was afraid I was going to throw up in the car. I didn’t want to ruin the evening so I cried out, “God please help me!” And He did. Instantly this invisible liquid fire covered my entire body and I was straight as an arrow. I told her “take me home.” I was scared. Something supernatural happened and I knew it.
I spent the rest of the evening in awe that God would actually take note of me and answer me in such a powerful way! Over the next several weeks I began reading the Bible, but I could not get out of the first three chapters of Genesis. I became convinced in my heart that God was the creator of everything including me, but I had a question I spent hours thinking on and asking God about. I told Him, “I believe you are the Creator of everything, but where did you come from?” I just couldn’t get that out of my heart. He never answered that question directly, but unbeknownst to me, He was using it to reveal Christ to me.
While this was going on things began to come unraveled in my life. I split up with a long time girlfriend, my grades were going downhill, my family was upset with me, some of my so-called friends were betraying me, new enemies were threatening me and I had serious financial issues.
Finally, on a strategic evening I was at the end of my rope. I was absolutely miserable and scared. I went to a church and sat on the front steps and wept while I poured out my heart to God and finally entrusted myself to Christ. I went home flushed all my drugs and alcohol down the toilet and I have never really looked back. God has been so good to me. I would not be alive today if I had not given myself to Him.
God rescued the whole world through Christ (John 3:17). Specifically, it was Jesus’ death on the cross and subsequent resurrection that achieved our salvation (Rom. 5:10, Eph. 1:7). Salvation is the gracious, undeserved gift of God (Eph. 2:5, 8) and is only available through faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).
How do we receive salvation? We are saved by faith. First, we must hear the gospel in our hearts (Eph. 1:13). Then, we believe, fully trusting the Lord Jesus (Rom. 1:16). This involves repentance, a changing of the way we think about our self, lifestyle and Christ (Acts 3:19), and calling on the name of the Lord (Rom. 10:9-10, 13).
All these year later I still remember that fire He poured over me that night. It still burns in my heart today.
Many Blessings, BW