By Grace I Have Been Saved Through Faith
Feb 7, 2019 14:24:16 GMT -5
John, frienduff, and 1 more like this
Post by 2fw8212a on Feb 7, 2019 14:24:16 GMT -5
I will tell you about how I have come to the knowledge of Christ and how my life has changed drastically since then.
My life before Jesus:
I was a person very tormented mentally, my mind rarely was in peace and was constantly oppressed by evil spirits.
They would try to convince me of doing terrible things not only to me, but to others lives as well.
I did not do many of those things, but I have done others, and how I regret of doing them.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." - Romans 3:23
I had many moments of anger and I could not control them sometimes, which led me to do insane things.
"A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again." - Proverbs 19:19
But it never brought me too much problem, but ideas of doing evil was almost always in my mind.
And in those moments of anger, it was the best opportunity for them to be fulfilled.
I was suffering a lot.
And as anyone who do not know Christ, my life was full of bad and sinful habits.
And while in a moment alone, and I was alone most of the time, I was thinking about my life, and how it is not right.
Then I came to the conclusion: I need to repent, indeed.
I always had Jesus in my mouth, but the reality is that He was far from my heart.
And while hearing a music, it made me think: Am I following Him?! Really, am I following Him?!
Then I realized: No, I am not following Him. I know His name, but I barely know who He really is.
Then I realized: I have to know more about Him.
All this happened about one year ago after being baptized in a near local church.
After I was baptized, I remember I was thinking: I will have to change my life.
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come..." - John 16:21
But the reality was: I do not have the power to change my life. This is the truth.
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells;
for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find." - Romans 7:18
Then how will I do it?! I cannot do it, I am powerless.
"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin." - Romans 7:14
Yes, the reality is that I could not do it. Then I decided to resume my life.
Then after some time, after suffering a lot because of my own sins, I decided to think about it.
Then I thought: I need to repent, indeed. My life is not right, and I am suffering.
I remember before that, while admiring sin I thought: I will live this way until I die.
But I knew it was not right, then something made me decide:
I have to know Jesus more. I never actually read the Bible or seek to know Him.
Then I decided to seek, and I started seeking...
When reading something on a website, I saw something inviting me to accept Jesus and be saved.
And I did it, I did it. It was like something was attracting me to it, I was like desperate: Save me, save me!
But I was not yet feeling saved.
And I remember that when I was younger, today I am 27, I used to call upon the name of the Lord.
I would use a verse and ask Him to save me, this is one of the verses I used:
"And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:24
But I was not yet feeling saved. It was like I needed to seek more.
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13
Then I decided to start reading the Bible, for real, Jesus may be there somewhere. I know He is, but where?!
Then I was convinced to start reading from the New Testament, from the first book: Matthew.
I remember I was reading on my computer, and I started reading daily.
I liked reading, Jesus is awesome... I loved Him and His words, He was like someone I always waited for.
"...If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our home with him." - John 14:23
"...the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word." - Acts 10:44
And when it was somewhere in December 2016, that while I was reading, I understood one thing:
I need to repent as soon as possible.
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come..." - John 16:21
Then, as far as I can remember, I started praying asking for forgiveness and salvation.
"...the tax collector, standing afar off,
would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’" - Luke 18:13
"if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil,
I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." - Jeremiah 18:8
"For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all." - Romans 11:32
"not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost..." - Titus 3:5
Then I thought: How could I have been like this for so much time. He was not happy with me.
And I decided: My life cannot be the same anymore.
"...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." - Matthew 16:24
"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 16:25
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come..." - John 16:21
My life after Jesus:
Then my life had to change and I knew what I had to do... And I knew one thing: I love Him.
"...bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." - 1 Corinthians 13:7-8
"We love Him because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19
And I decided to get water baptized again, this time knowing very well.
And something that caught my attention was this:
The first time (YYYY-MM-DD) I was baptized was on 2015-09-12, and the second time was on 2017-12-09.
Then I started reading the Word daily, and believing in what was written.
I was so full of problems, I could not know where to start... But I started with the milk.
"as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may
grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." - 1 Peter 2:2-3
Then after that day, my behavior changed drastically, I wanted to love more, to improve more, because of Him.
Then one day I lost patience and I had one episode of anger.
Then I thought: Why did I do this?!
I am sorry, Lord Jesus! Then I prayed, and ask Him for help and forgiveness.
"...be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”" - 1 Peter 5:5
But this was not the biggest problem I had to repent of, I was full of bad and sinful habits, and I knew I had to forsake them.
"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
But I also knew I couldn't do it on my own.
"But He said,
“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”" - Luke 18:27
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
But I was in love with those sinful habits. How will I forsake them?!
I had to make a choice:
"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;" - Deuteronomy 30:19
And I thought, sin is evil, it is not right. And if I can indeed be free, then why not?!
Sin is useless anyway. I want peace with God.
"...as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance..." - 1 Peter 1:14
"Whoever has been born of God does not sin,
for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." - 1 John 3:9
Then one day I decided to pray like:
Lord Jesus, I know these evil things do not please you and I have to confess I cannot stop loving them.
My wish, Lord Jesus, is that I can stop loving these things so I do not do them anymore.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." - John 15:7
"...this is the confidence that we have in Him, that
if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." - 1 John 5:14
"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." - Mark 11:23
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" - Matthew 7:11
"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,
for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." - James 1:6
After that day, my life started changing, and I was learning daily.
And with the help of the Lord I was feeling more free each day. What once seemed impossible, now started becoming a reality.
And today I can say I have peace with God, just as it is written:
"Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..." - Romans 5:1
And today I can say I am free indeed, just as it is written:
"...Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." - John 8:34-36
All the bad habits, all the sinful pleasures I had is completely in the past.
I just have no desire for them anymore. It is a miracle; He has been purifying my heart, in truth.
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - John 17:17
"...you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." - Romans 8:9
"...if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies
through His Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:11
There is nothing, nothing impossible for Him. I have experienced it.
And how good it is... Sin is indeed deceitful, just as it is written:
"but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,”
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." - Hebrews 3:13
"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit..." - Ephesians 5:18
Today I feel saved, and I feel in peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true." - John 3:33
"...it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." - 1 Thessalonians 2:13
And He has helped me overcome so much problems I had in my mind as well.
I am living so much better. It is something that exceeds all expectations.
And I can also say that I am waiting for His coming. Come, Lord Jesus!
"And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." - 1 John 3:3
And you?! Are you ready?!
No matter what you have done, just believe in Him and start seeking Him today.
"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men..." - Mark 3:28
"...unless you repent you will all likewise perish." - Luke 13:1
Your life will change, you will be forgiven, and you will have peace.
It is a promise, from God.
"in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began..." - Titus 1:2
"And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." - Galatians 6:9
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith." - 1 John 5:3-4
Thank you, Lord Jesus!
Blessings to you in Jesus' name!
My life before Jesus:
I was a person very tormented mentally, my mind rarely was in peace and was constantly oppressed by evil spirits.
They would try to convince me of doing terrible things not only to me, but to others lives as well.
I did not do many of those things, but I have done others, and how I regret of doing them.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." - Romans 3:23
I had many moments of anger and I could not control them sometimes, which led me to do insane things.
"A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again." - Proverbs 19:19
But it never brought me too much problem, but ideas of doing evil was almost always in my mind.
And in those moments of anger, it was the best opportunity for them to be fulfilled.
I was suffering a lot.
And as anyone who do not know Christ, my life was full of bad and sinful habits.
And while in a moment alone, and I was alone most of the time, I was thinking about my life, and how it is not right.
Then I came to the conclusion: I need to repent, indeed.
I always had Jesus in my mouth, but the reality is that He was far from my heart.
And while hearing a music, it made me think: Am I following Him?! Really, am I following Him?!
Then I realized: No, I am not following Him. I know His name, but I barely know who He really is.
Then I realized: I have to know more about Him.
All this happened about one year ago after being baptized in a near local church.
After I was baptized, I remember I was thinking: I will have to change my life.
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come..." - John 16:21
But the reality was: I do not have the power to change my life. This is the truth.
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells;
for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find." - Romans 7:18
Then how will I do it?! I cannot do it, I am powerless.
"For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin." - Romans 7:14
Yes, the reality is that I could not do it. Then I decided to resume my life.
Then after some time, after suffering a lot because of my own sins, I decided to think about it.
Then I thought: I need to repent, indeed. My life is not right, and I am suffering.
I remember before that, while admiring sin I thought: I will live this way until I die.
But I knew it was not right, then something made me decide:
I have to know Jesus more. I never actually read the Bible or seek to know Him.
Then I decided to seek, and I started seeking...
When reading something on a website, I saw something inviting me to accept Jesus and be saved.
And I did it, I did it. It was like something was attracting me to it, I was like desperate: Save me, save me!
But I was not yet feeling saved.
And I remember that when I was younger, today I am 27, I used to call upon the name of the Lord.
I would use a verse and ask Him to save me, this is one of the verses I used:
"And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:24
But I was not yet feeling saved. It was like I needed to seek more.
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13
Then I decided to start reading the Bible, for real, Jesus may be there somewhere. I know He is, but where?!
Then I was convinced to start reading from the New Testament, from the first book: Matthew.
I remember I was reading on my computer, and I started reading daily.
I liked reading, Jesus is awesome... I loved Him and His words, He was like someone I always waited for.
"...If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our home with him." - John 14:23
"...the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word." - Acts 10:44
And when it was somewhere in December 2016, that while I was reading, I understood one thing:
I need to repent as soon as possible.
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come..." - John 16:21
Then, as far as I can remember, I started praying asking for forgiveness and salvation.
"...the tax collector, standing afar off,
would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’" - Luke 18:13
"if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil,
I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them." - Jeremiah 18:8
"For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all." - Romans 11:32
"not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us,
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost..." - Titus 3:5
Then I thought: How could I have been like this for so much time. He was not happy with me.
And I decided: My life cannot be the same anymore.
"...If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." - Matthew 16:24
"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 16:25
"A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come..." - John 16:21
My life after Jesus:
Then my life had to change and I knew what I had to do... And I knew one thing: I love Him.
"...bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..." - 1 Corinthians 13:7-8
"We love Him because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:19
And I decided to get water baptized again, this time knowing very well.
And something that caught my attention was this:
The first time (YYYY-MM-DD) I was baptized was on 2015-09-12, and the second time was on 2017-12-09.
Then I started reading the Word daily, and believing in what was written.
I was so full of problems, I could not know where to start... But I started with the milk.
"as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may
grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." - 1 Peter 2:2-3
Then after that day, my behavior changed drastically, I wanted to love more, to improve more, because of Him.
Then one day I lost patience and I had one episode of anger.
Then I thought: Why did I do this?!
I am sorry, Lord Jesus! Then I prayed, and ask Him for help and forgiveness.
"...be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”" - 1 Peter 5:5
But this was not the biggest problem I had to repent of, I was full of bad and sinful habits, and I knew I had to forsake them.
"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." - Proverbs 28:13
But I also knew I couldn't do it on my own.
"But He said,
“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”" - Luke 18:27
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
But I was in love with those sinful habits. How will I forsake them?!
I had to make a choice:
"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;" - Deuteronomy 30:19
And I thought, sin is evil, it is not right. And if I can indeed be free, then why not?!
Sin is useless anyway. I want peace with God.
"...as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance..." - 1 Peter 1:14
"Whoever has been born of God does not sin,
for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." - 1 John 3:9
Then one day I decided to pray like:
Lord Jesus, I know these evil things do not please you and I have to confess I cannot stop loving them.
My wish, Lord Jesus, is that I can stop loving these things so I do not do them anymore.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." - John 15:7
"...this is the confidence that we have in Him, that
if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." - 1 John 5:14
"For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." - Mark 11:23
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" - Matthew 7:11
"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting,
for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind." - James 1:6
After that day, my life started changing, and I was learning daily.
And with the help of the Lord I was feeling more free each day. What once seemed impossible, now started becoming a reality.
And today I can say I have peace with God, just as it is written:
"Therefore, having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ..." - Romans 5:1
And today I can say I am free indeed, just as it is written:
"...Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." - John 8:34-36
All the bad habits, all the sinful pleasures I had is completely in the past.
I just have no desire for them anymore. It is a miracle; He has been purifying my heart, in truth.
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." - John 17:17
"...you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His." - Romans 8:9
"...if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies
through His Spirit who dwells in you." - Romans 8:11
There is nothing, nothing impossible for Him. I have experienced it.
And how good it is... Sin is indeed deceitful, just as it is written:
"but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,”
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." - Hebrews 3:13
"And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit..." - Ephesians 5:18
Today I feel saved, and I feel in peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
"He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true." - John 3:33
"...it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe." - 1 Thessalonians 2:13
And He has helped me overcome so much problems I had in my mind as well.
I am living so much better. It is something that exceeds all expectations.
And I can also say that I am waiting for His coming. Come, Lord Jesus!
"And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." - 1 John 3:3
And you?! Are you ready?!
No matter what you have done, just believe in Him and start seeking Him today.
"Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men..." - Mark 3:28
"...unless you repent you will all likewise perish." - Luke 13:1
Your life will change, you will be forgiven, and you will have peace.
It is a promise, from God.
"in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began..." - Titus 1:2
"And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." - Galatians 6:9
"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith." - 1 John 5:3-4
Thank you, Lord Jesus!
Blessings to you in Jesus' name!