My testimony

This might be a long one lol.

So when I was a child my family and I attended a first free will Baptist church. I attended a Christian school, we were a happy Christian family. We had our Bible studies and ate at the dinner table. We were all very close to the lord and each other. My mother decided she couldn't live the Christian life anymore and decided to divorce my dad.

After the divorce I had to live with my mom for the most part. I was 7 when we stopped going to church. Let's fast forward....I am now 14. I had turned away from the lord and had been attending public school. I had started smoking cigarettes, drinking,and smoking pot.

Fast forward.... I am now 17 at this point. I am smoking a pack a day and if I wasn't in school I was drunk and smoking pot. I was now trying mushrooms at this point in my life. I had lost my virginity and my first tattoo was around the corner.

Fast forward.... It is now a little before Christmas 2021. It was a Saturday night. I had been drinking, smoking, and life was a ball....or I thought so. I was in a sinful relationship, and really felt like I didn't have a care in the world. I had gotten my hands on some mushrooms and I ate them. I had done them multiple times and thought it was just another night. I ended up eating more then I have ever eaten.

Now this is where people say you had a bad trip....it's all in your head...things like this. Yes I had a bad trip....yes. I ended up seeing things I didn't want to see. I felt so alone. I had my ex asleep next to me people downstairs below me. I felt so alone. Everything crashed at this point. I got up walked over to my 10 commandments plaque my grandparents gave me, I dropped to my knees and prayed.

I asked the lord to forgive me. I asked for his help and that I messed up. I begged him. I'm telling you I heard a voice, like it was loud but far away at the same time. "If you hear me and are listening and I mean listening, then go. Leave this house and leave it for good". Maybe it was the mushrooms maybe it was something just placed on my heart.... But I can still hear that voice when I think about it.

I separated from my ex after 6yrs of being with her 5 engaged. I gave my life to the lord as a man 1-9-2022. I did try to have her come with me to church....but I saw the yolk before my eyes. I left. I no longer smoke or drink, I do not do mushrooms or pot. Ever since I gave my life to the lord....the old man has died. I am so thankful for that.

I thank the lord for his forgiveness, his patients,his love , and so much more. I don't mind what it took to get me back in his grace...I am so thankful. I had felt like I was at hells gates that night. People can say what they will and it's fine....but I am no longer him...he is dead. I am a child of God . Fun fact though, the church I attend now is my childhood church . The lord works in mysterious ways.

Dear Lord thank you for pulling me up out of my sinful life, thank you for showing me mercy. Lord I pray others to will turn from their sins and come forward to you. Please knock upon the hearts of others lord. I pray they will open the door and let Christ in. I thank you and I praise you lord. In Jesus name amen

God bless thank you for reading

Praise God Jake. That's an amazing testimony. I do believe you heard from God even though you were under the effects of a mind altering substance. I believe this because you mentioned a detail that I have experienced myself as one who is sober.

"I'm telling you I heard a voice, like it was loud but far away at the same time."

That's what the still small voice is like. It's right in your face, but also coming from somewhere over the horizon at the same time. It's almost like it's everywhere at once. When you pray, God speaks like that regularly. Next time you pray, pause and listen closely for an answer. Jesus often went to the wilderness to pray. Where it's quiet and there are less people around, it's easier to communicate with God. I don't know why, but that's just my experience.

Sin separates us from God in a sense and effects our ability to hear from Him precisely. So keep walking in the light my friend.

And I stand in agreement with your prayer. Amen.

That is wonderful to hear, my brother in Christ.

Turning away from sin and living solely for Him is the way to eternal life.

Thank you for sharing Jacob. I loved reading it, it’s inspiring and powerful.
I come from a similar background and I used to be ashamed of my past and God told me he had put power into my story to help others.
Im sure you can empathize and help others with addiction. We all have different stories and testimonies to win souls for His kingdom! And yours is beautiful!
I pray God keeps you in His light, you abide in him and him in you. I know its not and easy race but God is with us, holding our hands, he wont let go.

I don't doubt you saw and experienced real things after taking the mushrooms. I personally believe that any substance that can alter the natural state of the mind can lead to a peak behind the veil that separates the physical world and spiritual world. That there is the possibility to see things that the human mind was never meant to see and that can lead to a spiritual wake up call or in some cases even mental instability as the person struggles to comprehend or understand what they have seen, but can never grasp or handle it. I have also heard of people hearing an audible voice of God. The Bible tells us that Samuel heard God call his name when he was young, so why wouldn't God speak to other people if he knew that is what they needed. He might of been speaking to your heart/spirit, but came across as an audible voice.

Thank you for reading and for your kind words. That is a life I will never return to. I am so thankful the lord had open my eyes and led me back to him.

Yes amen.

Yes amen. I too have my shame in this, but I feel it does give me the want to tell others in a like situation. Is not easy to talk about, most people laugh or blame what I went through ond the mushrooms. It is ok, I know I messed up but I also know the lord called me.....I just picked up the phone instead of it just ringing. I am thankful to have my path cross yours

Yes, the things I saw ....the best way to describe it is like this. I felt alone then evil filled the room.i felt so hott. I felt like I was at hells gate and it was like Satan and his demons were there and it was also like Alice and wonderland all at the same time. I was the mad hadder. Satan was the cat.... He was in and out visibly in the room....just so many things. After I had prayed I was dropped off at my families house and I kid you not about 10 minutes later....I was completely sober. I only had my plague and Bible with a water. I don't remember grabbing any of them.

We're told that God is the potter and we are the clay. We are vessels created by God and so many of us are broken and cracked by life in a fallen and broken world. God is able to restore us, but he doesn't return us to a like new state without mark or blemish. It is our scars that tell our story and give God glory. It is through those cracks and holes that God's spirit and grace pours out of our lives into other people's lives. Instead of seeing our scars as something to regret, we should see them as the tools that God will use in us to minister to other people because we can relate to their pain and hurt. We should be careful when we have regrets and wish something hadn't happened, because when we do, we mistakenly are saying that we don't appreciate the help that God gave us in that situation and how he used it for good, to turn us around and to ultimately use it for his glory.

Welcome back to Christ. I'm happy for you.
Don't doubt what you hear, I know it's true, thank God.
I'm starting to envy you, haha.Why should I be jealous of you? Isn't that something to be happy about? LoL.

Please don't be jealous of. I am no one to get jealous over . I turned my back on god....I lived in sin. I did things even though I knew it was against god.....do not be jealous of me. Focuse upon the lord and he will be there with you.

Amen, what a testimony!!!

@seoulsearch here is my testimony. It was a little bit back lol

Hey! I really appreciate your testimony and the time you took to write it… long

Thank you so much. It means a lot to hear that.

Yes,

I was like Peter,
I took my eyes off
the LORD of glory
and began looking
at circumstances,

so like Peter,
I also began to sink.

Praise God, he lifted my eyes to the one who has all power in heaven and in earth.

May your eyes be lifted.

God has forgiven my sin and failure, healed my wounds.

He can do the same for you.
Only keep your eyes on Him
(as I have learnt, that is the secret).

Whatever happens,
now I know,
That God did it, not any person.
Or God allowed Satan to do it.
If we are the sheep of His pasture, the Body of Christ, the House of God,
Then, our Heavenly Father loves us very much.
And wants us to Grow Up, to be strong,
To have His wisdom.
He wants us to rule and reign with Him on this earth.
Don’t stay in the shallows of Christianity.

Speak to your saviour, tell him your heart, even though He knows it.
He loves to hear our voice.

Sorry I posted in the wrong place.
Oooops!

Do you mind if I share your testimony?

Of course you can. If it helps show the lord's love and forgiveness while helping someone......I'm all for it . If he is willing to love and forgive a man like me, I know he is willing to forgive others as well.