Last night, after returning from our Sunday night service at Revival Tabernacle in Detroit, I was closing down the center here and getting ready to settle in for the remainder of the night in my room when I came across a new student who entered the program last week. He was kind of wandering around in his pajamas in the hallway outside of my door with a look on his face like he didn’t want to go to bed just yet. It turns out he had something to tell someone. Anyone.
“Hey, man”. I said. “You ok?”
“Yea…” he dreamily replied. “I…just feel like I…I dunno…like something happened to me at service tonight…” This was not going to be a 3 minute counsel session with a prayer and a good night, so I took him down to talk in the Men’s Division office to talk.
He began to tell me how, during the fiery preaching from the pulpit tonight, something shot him in the heart. The message was strong, speaking from the life of Joseph in Genesis 50. How all of the evil his brothers did to him, God really meant for good. How, through his “holding on” long enough through that whole experience, Joseph was an example to us. The speaker was imploring us to “hold on” as well, encouraging the audience that help was coming, and that Jesus sees all of our hardship. How Jesus is not only wanting to help us through, but He is ready and willing right now to take our hand and walk us through our own times of testing.
She preached for about 45 minutes. But that was long enough for the Holy Spirit to quicken the word within this student and bring him to salvation, proclaiming that Jesus is Lord.
“I don’t know what happened. All I know is that before I got there tonight”, he excitedly proclaimed, “I was hateful and unforgiving. It’s all I remember being. I blamed my parents for everything. EVERYTHING. But now I know that it’s not true!” Tears were coming from his eyes at this point.
“How old are you?” I asked, only seeing him in and out for the past week and not really touching bases with him yet.
“24.” He answered. “And all of my life I have hated so much. But tonight..right now..I am CHANGED. Something happened while she was preaching. I can’t explain it! I once hated, but now I love! I know God has changed my heart! I want to tell everyone what just happened! I can’t explain it…”
“I can.”, I included at this point. “You have born again and the angels are rejoicing!”
I had the honor last night of being one of the first of many he would give his testimony to. We prayed after our time of sharing, reading the scripture and celebration and I encouraged him strongly to start a journal from this night forward and mark this as the day he came to know the Lord Jesus. He heartily agreed and walked off on cloud nine to his room.
It’s moments like these that the Lord allows me to take part of here at LC that remind me how blessed I am to be a part of such a wonderful, caring ministry like this. Although, after being here as a student for an entire year and to still be separated in many ways from my children, family and friends as an intern can be very difficult. I am not kidding you. It’s a battle to be here some days and I want this season in my life to change, but not so just yet! God is not done. He has brought restoration to my life and keeps on working many wonders in the hearts of the men here at Life Challenge. Being able to tell these stories to my children as well as document them here keeps the fire of revival burning!
Darren is not the first life I have seen changed here. There are so many. But this one in particular was worth more than a mention. Darren’s is a life saved and God deserves all of the honor and glory! Its lives that are changed here on a daily basis that keep me steady and “Holding On” through the hardships. Jesus is worthy to be praised! Hallelujah!
And just as I was heading back to my room last night from a bit of worship and my nightly rounds, I found Darren at the door of one of his neighbors here telling them the good news of his salvation as well. Being the caring intern, I let him go on a bit more before I put my arm around him and encouraged him that it was past the time of lights out and it was time for him to turn in. He was just doing what I told him to do when I encouraged him: “Now it’s time to tell people what Jesus has done in your life!”
He was just following orders!
Glory.
~pat
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