Finding Freedom in Christ. . .

 



As most of you know, who follow my posts at all, I walk during my lunch break at work.  I walk about 2 miles each day.  I have type 2 diabetes, and walking is huge in helping to lower my blood sugar levels.

Tuesday on my walk, I saw a lady at a local factory, out by the road smoking a cigarette.  I heard the Lord speak to me that I should witness to the lady, and pray for her to be delivered from her addiction to nicotine.

Today on my walk, two ladies were out by the road smoking.  I again heard from the Lord, that I would witness to them and pray with them. . . At the same moment my headphones quit working, just as I was passing them by.  This is not usual.  They quit three times, as I walked by the ladies.

This is not comfortable to me. . . I walked another 50 yards or so past them, before gathering up my courage, and turning around and approaching them. . . 

I asked if they wanted to quit smoking.  Both of them said that "yes they did", but it is so hard to do.

I gave them my testimony of being delivered by God by two lady inmates praying for me, when I was a chaplain in the Elkhart County Jail two weeks before Christmas 2001.  How I had tried for a year and a half prior to that, and each time I would end up going back to smoking.  I would get so terribly grouchy that my wife, a nurse, would ask me to go buy some cigars.

I was completely freed from my addiction after the ladies prayed for me. . . No anxiety, no withdrawal. . .no grouchiness. . . no craving. . . It was completely gone!  I was free!

The one lady said her daughter was a nurse and asked her to quit smoking when she was pregnant, and she did but she went back to it.  I told of how I had quit for two or three years, when my daughter was born, and as was the practice back then guys would hand out cigars to celebrate the birth of their children.

I smoked a cigar.  The next time I quit my daughter was over 20 years old.

I asked them, "Do you have faith that God can deliver you from this addiction?"  They both answered 'Yes'.  I said then let's join hands and pray for God to deliver you, and we did. . . We had a very powerful short prayer of healing and deliverance.

I told them I would be praying for them, and if you stumble, don't give up.  Get up, dust yourselves off, and begin again. . .

Please join with me in praying for these ladies. . . for God to give them a hug. . . help increase their faith. . . help them find freedom in Jesus. . .

Thank you my God for everything You do. . . 

I love You my Lord. . . 

<3

Dave

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