Spiritual Warfare Through Christian Unity: A Starter Kit by Jesus to Grow With

By Bill McCracken

When the cover for Christian Unity Through God's Starter Kit by Jesus was being designed, we decided to show a church that was cracked and splintered because there are 38,000 different denominations of Christianity worldwide and 1,500 in the USA. Matthew 12:25, "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them. Every kingdom divided ag

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: May 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887382050

Book preview

Dedication

This book is dedicated to My Heavenly Father, His Son—Jesus, and the Spirit of God—The Holy Spirit. I have learned as I have spent the last thirty-five-plus years writing that He never gives up; although I have wanted to give up many times, I always was drawn back to what He wanted me to do. This publication would have been impossible without God. Luke 18:27, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Thank you, Father.

This book is also dedicated to the countless number of people that have gone to a church to be set free from the power of the devil and the power of their past and the fear of their future and haven’t understood or been taught correctly God’s plan, His Starter Kit By Jesus, thus rendering them ineffective in the kingdom of God. It is our dream that they can now be set free from the power of the past and the fear of the future and fulfill Romans 8:37, In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.

MY PRAYER FOR YOU

I use a prayer that the Lord gave Kenneth Hagin based on Ephesians 1:16-21 and 3:14-20. (The Authority of the Believer, chapter one, The Prayers of Paul.) He said he prayed this over himself and began to get more revelation than he had in his previous 16 years as a Christian. Brother Hagin stated on page 3 that People often want to know how to pray for fellow Christians. If you start praying these Ephesians’ prayers for them, you will see results in their lives. I suggest you pray the prayers for yourself too. Pray this prayer over anyone you choose, such as individuals, groups, and don’t forget yourself because if you don’t pray for yourself, sometimes nobody will, or they may not know how to pray for you. I always put the person’s name or us, our or we, in the appropriate blanks for groups and then lift each individual name up to heaven in the Name of Jesus and if you don’t know the person’s name, just say something like the readers of this book. That is how I pray for you as you read this book.

KJV—[Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus Christ, putting satan and his demons aside]. Ephesians 1:16-21,

I cease not to give thanks for ___, making mention of ___ in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto ___ the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: The eyes of ___ understanding being enlightened; that ___ may know what is the hope of His calling, and what [are] the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

Ephesians 14-20,

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in Heaven and earth is named, That He would grant ___, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in ___ hearts by faith; being rooted and grounded in love, May [we] be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ___ might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

CAUTION

This message is separated into chapters and is designed to be read chapter to chapter. It is not designed to teach a certain subject before you have read what was written to lead up to that subject because if you haven’t been taught the preceding pages, you might not understand what the Lord is trying to say. Someone told me that they didn’t bother to read the scriptures, only the testimony. If you are going to do that, please give this to somebody else who is interested in the truth as seen through the Word of God. Whenever a comment is bracketed with [ ], that is my comment. Whenever a comment is bracketed with ( ), that is a comment that is part of the verse or scripture being quoted. The Bible verses are not generally in Italics for a reason, as they are just simply to be read as part of the message, and it wouldn’t make sense without God’s Word. It is also designed to reach conclusions based on the Word of God and the Word of God only, and it is not an accident that some of the scriptures are repeated several times because we need to hear the Word over and over to get it into our spirit and sometimes the same scripture will apply to more than one subject. This was written to help Christians become united and be prepared to be used of the Master as quickly as possible. My testimony is to be used as a reference point, and it will be linked to the Word of God throughout this message which is designed to enable you to teach others the truth of the Word of God.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE THROUGH CHRISTIAN UNITY

Table of Contents

1. YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN, THE NEW MAN, WISDOM, REPENTANCE,

JESUS-THE WORD OF GOD, PERFECT? OVERCOME! SALVATION!

2. THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM,

REMISSION, IMPUTE, RECEIVING THE HOLY GHOST, REDEMPTION,

and SANCTIFICATION-REGENERATION!

3. MY PERSONAL FIRE AND THE TRIUNE CREATURE—BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT,

AND ONENESS!

4. PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD-TRUTH, RIGHTEOUSNESS,

JUSTIFICATION, PEACE, FELLOWSHIP, GRACE, MERCY, GLORIFIED!

5. THE SHIELD OF FAITH!

6. SPIRITUAL WARFARE. THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED!

7. THE STORY OF sATAN! WHY hE WAGES WAR.

8. THE STORY OF JESUS!

9. THE COVENANT GOD HAS MADE WITH US THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS SON JESUS!

10. THE AUTHORITY THE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER HAS OBTAINED OVER THE POWERS OF DARKNESS THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD, THE BLOOD, AND THE NAME OF JESUS!

Scriptures I use to minister. Please copy and distribute.

Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God!

First Peter 5:6-11,

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Be strong in the Lord.

Isaiah 40:28-31,

Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Be sure your armor is in place.

Ephesians 6:10-18,

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

No weapon formed against you will prosper.

Isaiah 54:14-17,

In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear.

Second Timothy 1:7,

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Romans 8:37-39,

We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ephesians 4:27, Neither give place to the devil.

Forget the past and reach for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!

Philippians 3:13-14,

But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-10,

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God’s plan and purpose for your life!

Jeremiah 1:4-5 says,

Then the word of the LORD came unto me [Jeremiah], saying, before I [God] formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Romans 8:28,

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11,

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Psalm 100:3,

Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us.

Psalm 34:8,

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.

Forgiven and Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus

First John 1:7-10,

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Revelation 1:5-6,

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Colossians 1:12-14,

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet [Worthy] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Chapter One

Born Again, All Things Become New!

CAUTION!

Failure to read this message from page one to the last page and from section one to the last section could cause the reader to misunderstand this message. Please read page to page and section to section. The introduction is part of the message. Thank you, Father, for blessing the reading of Your Word.

If you begin to have difficulty reading this because of distractions or lack of concentration,

please proceed to SECTION SIX—FIERY DARTS!

Throughout Spiritual Warfare Through Christian Unity, satan is not capitalized.

This is intentional. satan is our enemy and will be given no respect—only the Word of God.

WE ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS IN A BODY OF FLESH

In Genesis 1:26 and 27, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. What is the real image of God, the God that gave His only begotten Son so that we could be set free from our sins? John 4:24 says, God is a Spirit. Colossians 1:15 says that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, and as long as we are in this realm, He is an invisible God. Deuteronomy 33:27 and many other scriptures tell us that God is eternal or immortal, The eternal God is thy refuge. First Timothy 1:17, Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen God is an invisible, immortal Spirit, and since God created us in His image, we are invisible, immortal spirits also. John 4:23-24, But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

When we combine Genesis 1:26 and 27 with Genesis 2:7, it completes the picture as to who we are, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Until that day, man was a spirit creature. We were created as invisible, immortal spirits in the image of God, who is also an invisible, immortal Spirit, and then placed into a body of flesh so we could become a living human being with a body and a unique personality or soul that sets us apart from each other not only physically, but spiritually. Ecclesiastes 12:7, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Psalm 100:3, Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us. Our spirit being inside our body of flesh longs to be set free to serve God.

EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD

First John 4:6,

We are of God; he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error." The Bible never made sense to me before I was born again, but you must be born again to enter into the kingdom of God and see or understand the spiritual realm that is all around us in this world. John 3:1-8, "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with Him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see (eido—understand—behold—perceive) the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born? Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

I have been born again twice. The first time I was eighteen and had no man to teach me about receiving the Holy Spirit, and the second time was on October 18, 1983, at 3 p.m., as I unknowingly obeyed Acts 20:21, "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," and God placed me in a church that would take a month and teach on nothing but the Holy Spirit. I determined in my heart to do things God’s way and was born again at work on October 18, 1983, at 3 p.m., and received the Holy Spirit on November 26, 1983, at about 11 p.m., driving on I-10 east just past downtown Houston. If you haven’t been born again, you will not understand what God is trying to say from this point onward.

Stop right now and talk to God and tell Him you want to do things His way and ask Him to open your understanding so that you can understand His Word and become profitable for the Master’s use. Luke 24:45, "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. Second Timothy 2:19-21, Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet [euchrestos-profitable] for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work."

THE BORN-AGAIN PROCESS

Life is a spiritual journey. From the minute we enter our mother’s womb until our spirit being returned to God, we are on a spiritual journey, and that spiritual being in a body of flesh is dead and can’t get anything done until it is born of the Spirit. Ephesians 2:5, "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ" Definition of quickened is to reanimate conjointly with, to make one alive together. Definition of reanimate is—1. To restore to life, resuscitate. 2. To give fresh vigor, spirit, or courage. 3. To stimulate.

Over the years, I have heard many versions of being born again, and mine is based on my testimony and the Word of God. Revelation 12:11, "And they [the brethren] overcame him [satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. One of the few things that I knew when I was a sinner was that Jesus died on the Cross and took away the sins of the world. John 1:29, The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. I also needed to know Ephesians 2:4, But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us even when we were dead in sins, and John 3:16-17, For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved."

I needed to know that even as a sinner, God loved me and gave His only begotten Son for me and was waiting with open arms for me to come to Him. I was confirmed in the Methodist Church in 1952, walked the aisle of a Church of Christ in 1958, and walked the aisle of a large charismatic church in 1980, but I was not born again until October the 18th, 1983, at three pm and since that time I have cried out to God on a variety of subjects and asked Him why. God loves to answer questions, and I have kept Him quite busy in the last thirty-eight-plus years answering my questions. I feel like anytime God reveals something to us, He wants us to share what He reveals to us with anyone that will listen, and I would like to take this opportunity to share what He has taught me with you and see if we, as Christians, can find a way to come into one accord on being born again and becoming a Christian.

On October the eighteenth, 1983, at 3 p.m., I knew for a fact that I was a different person because I was a sinner for forty-three years, and I used to be very unhappy if I didn’t get to sin, and I would even brag about my sins. After I was born again, I would tell people I was born again, and they would just look at me and say, What about all that stuff you did? I didn’t know, but I knew I was born again. What happened when I was born again to make me know I was different? I didn’t know what had happened, but just like a gust of wind would blow your hat off, I knew I was changed.

John 3:1-8,

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with Him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see (eido—understand—behold—perceive) the Kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he must be born again to see and enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus didn’t understand this, and in verse four, he says, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? The word Jesus was using that was translated born is from the Greek word "gennao," and it means to procreate (properly of the father but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate: bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.

It was a single word that contained the three-fold process of the natural physical birth, conception, development, and delivery. To Nicodemus, Jesus was literally saying that he had to be physically born again, and in verses 5 and 6, Jesus explains, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jesus was telling Nicodemus that we all must be born of the flesh, or a natural birth, plus we all must be born of the Spirit, or a spiritual birth.

THE BORN-AGAIN PROCESS THROUGH THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER

Throughout the pages of Christian Unity Through God’s Starter Kit By Jesus, we will use The Parable of the Sower as found in Matthew 13:3-9 & 18-23, Mark 4:3-9 & 14-20, and Luke 8:5-8 & 11-15 to illustrate various stages of spiritual growth, such as, born again, truth, righteousness, peace with God, faith, prayer life, healing, financial prosperity, our marriages, our ministries, etc., etc. and can be used at any time in our Christian walk to determine our spiritual condition. We are going to use Mark 4:1-20 as the scripture basis to illustrate the born-again process.

Mark 4:1-20,

And He [Jesus] began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto Him a great multitude, so that He entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And He taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in His doctrine, Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow.

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty and some sixty and some an hundred.

And He said unto them, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

And He said unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables? The sower soweth the word. And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

There are four stages of spiritual awareness in the parable of the sower. We see in verse fourteen that the sower soweth the Word. The sower can be any medium that God chooses to show you the truth of His Word, such as the Bible, a preacher, a family member, a friend, a co-worker, a donkey [Numbers 22:21-35], me, you, etc.

Stage one is found in verse 15, And these are they by the wayside, where the Word is sown; but when they have heard, satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the Word that was sown in their hearts.

Stage two, verses 16 & 17, And these are they likewise which are sown on stoney ground; who, when they have heard the Word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the Word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

Stage three, verses 18 & 19, And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the Word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Stage four, verse 20, And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the Word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

The people in the parable of the sower are people that are receiving the Word, but three out of every four have the Word stolen by the devil, succumb to persecution or let the cares of this world choke the Word, and are never born again and stay in the developmental stage. Matthew 7:14, Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

As I look back over the spiritual course of my being born again, it fits into the parable of the sower quite well. I entered stage one when I was confirmed in the Methodist church at the age of twelve, and I can remember feeling grown-up for the first time as we went through a time of preparation before our confirmation. But, just like Mark 4:14-15 says, satan came immediately and stole the Word out of my heart. I remember in Sunday school that we would tear the little decorative balls off the window shades and throw them at each other and cutting Sunday school to ride around in the city park where we lived.

I entered stage two when I was eighteen and was attending my Aunt Benny Lynn’s Church of Christ. We were having a revival and had an evangelist conducting the services. I don’t remember what he was preaching, but it was powerful enough to get somebody that intensely disliked getting up in front of a small group to walk down a church aisle in a crowd of about 200, and I was baptized that same night. I can remember going through about a year of being good, which was a turnabout for a boy of eighteen that had been arrested four times and had his driver’s license suspended. But, I never read a Bible, didn’t attend Sunday school, and probably didn’t attend church real regularly, and like Mark 4:16 & 17 says, I received the Word with gladness, but I had no roots and endured but for a time which was about a year and we will discuss that later in the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

During the next twenty-two years, I had two experiences that stand out in my mind that made me cry out to God. The first was in 1973 when I did something that was totally out of character for me. [I feel like the churches of today make way too much out of public confession. If you sin against a person, confess to that person. If you sin against the church, confess to the church. And if you sin against God, confess to God. This was a sin against God, and He has forgiven me, and the only way I will confess my sins to you is if I feel like that is what God wants me to do for your benefit.] I cried out to God and asked Him why, why God, why? I have since learned that God has big ears to match His heart and is constantly listening for a repentant heart; and He heard my cry and, at that moment, put the wheels in motion to answer my question, but unfortunately, because of me, not Him, it took fourteen years.

Another thing that made me cry out to God concerned my son when I decided to start jogging in 1974. I hadn’t exercised at all in about ten years and got extremely sore, and every evening after supper, I would take a walk to try to work out the soreness from jogging, and this day my son, Michael, who was about two, and could easily keep up with me, was walking with me. I looked over and noticed that he was trying to put his finger in his pants pocket just like I had mine in my pants pocket, and I immediately cried out to God and said, Oh no, Lord! He wants to be like me! I didn’t want him to grow up to be like me.

Twenty-two years after I had walked down the aisle at the Church of Christ, I entered stage three as God began to draw me to Him. I was getting my hair cut, and the young lady that was cutting my hair had a MasterCard sign that said, Let the Master take charge of your life. I asked her where she went to church and decided to attend the next Sunday. I was not attracted by her but her boldness for Jesus, and I feel like God used this to draw me closer to Him.

The church she attended was a very large charismatic church of about 4,000. I sat toward the back, and when the pastor invited anyone that didn’t know what would happen to them if they died in the next ten seconds to raise their hand for prayer, I did because I didn’t know. He asked us to stand, and I didn’t because I don’t like getting up in front of a lot of people. When he asked us to step out in the aisle and come down front, I was not about to with all those people. An usher came over and encouraged me, and I reluctantly went down front with a lot of others.

I don’t remember a word the pastor said at the altar because of being so self-conscious. I just knew all 4,000 pairs of eyes were staring straight at me. We all had a counselor and went to an enclosed area in the corner of the church, and as we talked, I told my counselor that I felt like I needed to do this every Sunday. He told me that God forgives sin. First John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We will find out as we go along that he was telling me a half-truth because First John 1:9 wasn’t applicable in my relationship with God at this point. The scriptures should have been John 3:1-12, First Peter 5:6-7, Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: ⁷Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. Acts 20:21, Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Colossians 1:12-13, Giving thanks unto the Father, which has made us meet [euchrestos—profitable] to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, and Romans 10:9-11, That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed," and then lead me in a sinners prayer based on these scriptures.

Such as: Dear Heavenly Father, in the Name of Jesus, I come to You today and humble myself under Your mighty hand and confess that I want to do things Your way and learn to have faith in Jesus Christ-the Word of God-the Son of God. As I learn to stay humbled under Your mighty hand, you will begin to fill me with wisdom and revelation and show me the unique plan that you have for my life. I thank you, Father, that I am delivered from the power of darkness and am now Your child and have been translated into the kingdom of Your dear Son. Amen!

I bought a necklace with a cross and two Bibles I never read, one to carry to church and another for the coffee table and took notes in church that I never studied and also bought two wall plaques with Jesus on them when I found out someone had committed suicide in my house, but I still continued to enjoy fornication, drinking, clubbing and anything else I had always done and just like Mark 4:18-19 says, the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust of other things entering in choked the Word and it became unfruitful. Matthew 7:21-23, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Note: As we read the Bible from the book of Romans through Jude, we see where there is much teaching exhorting Christians not to do everything that I was doing, and we will find that we are in a battle, a wrestling match, warfare, and that we must contend for our faith, and sometimes we lose a battle and we must, as a body, realize this and fulfill Galatians 6:1-3, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in a spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." Generally, if you are happy sinning and not crying out to God on a daily basis, you are not born again.

During the next three years, I would usually attend church on Wednesday or Sunday night, and when they would give the altar call, I would raise my hand when they asked if you were saved, but I knew in my heart that I was still lost. I would be driving on the freeway by the church on Sunday morning on my way home from spending the night with my girlfriend, and I could feel the Lord drawing me to stop and go to church. I know a lot of you probably don’t believe that, but I could feel Him drawing me. John 6:44, No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. He’s an all-forgiving God of unconditional love, and He had seen me step into the aisle at the charismatic church, and He knew I was sincerely seeking Him.

I was attending church one Sunday night in July of 1983, and the preacher made the statement during the course of the evening that God would turn His back on somebody if they weren’t careful. I remember leaving that evening and walking to my car with my head down and knowing that was what had happened to me. I now know better! Praise God forever! All I had to do was turn around. I had my back turned to Him and had been looking for love in all the wrong places and was afraid I would miss out on something.

The next Wednesday night, I decided to try it one more time since I didn’t have anything better to do, and he did a complete turnabout and preached on the armor of God as found in Ephesians 6:10-18,

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

I often wondered whether the preacher’s wife or the Holy Ghost got on him about the earlier sermon, and he was trying to make up for it [I now realize that God had him preach both sermons just for me], but it was exactly what I needed to hear, and I never dreamed God has armor for us. In the next three months, I can’t say I really prayed because I didn’t know how, but I know I talked to Him a whole lot, and He must have heard me because He began to make a way for me to become His child so He could take over my life.

On October the 18th, 1983, at 3 p.m., as I stood in front of a sink at my place of employment in the laboratory of the Exxon refinery in Baytown, Texas, I determined in my heart to do things God’s way, and at that instant, I was born again and entered stage four of the parable of the sower and Romans 2:4 became reality, "Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? and Second Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

I was spiritually conceived sometime in my childhood in the Methodist church and then went through a long spiritual pregnancy or developmental stage, and after a twenty-eight-year pregnancy, the labor pains really began in 1980 when I stepped into the aisle at the charismatic church. Delivery took place on October 18, 1983, at 3 p.m., as I stood in front of a sink at my place of employment at the Exxon Baytown Refinery Laboratory in Baytown, Texas. My obstetrician was the Holy Spirit; my pediatrician was Jesus-The Word of God, and the proud Papa was my Heavenly Father, and suddenly, I had a whole host of brothers and sisters. And from that moment on, this has been my