How did you get saved?

[DefnderOfMan]

To be honest. i am not sure when. i know once when i lay in an ambulance because i tried to end it all i lay down and it all went dark, not like when you close your eyes but dark with me eyes open and fully awake. a face suddenly came to me of a man with long curly hair what can best be described as a perm with a beard but not a long one, quite a short one. Only one question was asked of me and that was, "Where are you going?", "Where...are...you...going?". well that's when i decided to fight. i was on my own, taken enough pills to kill me ten times over. no drug to combat the effects. didn't know the face of the man but i know it was no-one i had ever met physically, never even seen that face before. But what a strange question i thought. the doctors told me i have enough tramadol hydrochloride in my blood to kill me 4 times over and more in my stomach to kill me 6 times over and they didn't know how i survived. Anyway, i went to spiritualist church simply by a friend who meant well, got into that but didn't do what most do as regular but always in my heart i believe Jesus rested, not only that, through my life i believe Jesus has been there for me through other major times. Soon i naturally stopped going though some of it was through being unable after moving. It was more of a natural parting of the ways. Though i gained much knowledge of what goes on. Met friends from other religions. A friend who is buddhist even commented on how was i able to practically quote buddhist scriptures i had never read. That my friend, is through life experience though i do also feel that is how i am, how i feel. Anyway. i moved to my current address and found my neighbour was also a spiritualist years ago but now a christian and he very slowly spoke of this and how he came to being a born again christian. I do not think i needed convincing, my grandparents were methodist and firm believers in jesus christ. i went to their church for sunday school when visiting them. the problem i found and why i went on that journey i briefly described is because the church leaders (vicars) could never clarify to me what they preached. The meanings, interpretations, some i held dear to me all my life like that of the good samaritan. Anyway, my neighbour got me to listen to Chuck Missler and things started to fall in place. Here was someone saying "don't take my word for it, go look for it yourself, I could be wrong". GREAT. finally someone admitting he could be wrong but atleast trying to offer some viewpoint. So i started reading and researching for myself. The prophecy of isreal's return as a sovereign state clinched the meaning totally. Finding that the prophecy actually if worked out does also come to 1948. What i found was this. If you believe the prophecies then you have no choice but to believe in jesus. To believe in jesus means you have no choice but to believe the prophecies. There is much more revelation that came after this. My partner got my explanation and came from catholism, though she didn't practice at all, to christianity.

My partner and i had been together on and off for a while and used protection so not to have a baby and that worked as we were not ready. Well, as we got more into learning and researching etc, we were still using protection, that one week shortly after starting, she fell pregnant. The contraceptions we were using didn't work nor did the morning after pill. We had both longed for a child but for stresses etc we didn't want one right now. So through the pill, morning after pill and other she still got pregnant, and now we hope for a boy, which we shall soon find out. As we both came back to christianity and she fell pregnant, through all that, it occurred to me God was listening. He must have felt the time was right for us and so gave us a child. we hope for a boy and chose these two names if it happens to be, Caleb Jaden, i found a reference saying they were hebrew and knowing Caleb and we both liked, and being biblical. But Jaden? I do not know if i am correct but apparently they mean, Caleb - faithfull and bold, Jaden - God has heard. It is our way of saying thank you for giving us a child. We are not rich nor comfortable, we sometimes have little arguments but what we do have is love. we both have disabilities but we get by, being provided just enough to get by, as God promised, he will provide for his own.

Did we have a vision? well maybe i did. did my partner? nope. but we have been given a another sign by my partner's conception. we are ever so thankful. What my partner did have the other day was 2 words told to her when no-one was around and that was "look up". jesus said in the last days to look up.

words fail to describe how thankful we are but i know he knows.

and that is how we got saved, i think. (he moves in very mysterious ways).

[TAUTOG RICH]

Got saved at a college and careers bible study in NJ. Invited by someone I knew, salvation plan was laid out and there u have it. Lost my way after many yrs, came back alone but not alone...He was there all along.

[clemson]

I realized (at age 6) that if I died, I was on the bad road and would go to hell. I wanted to go to Jesus on the green road (how I visualized it back then) so my Mom showed and led me to being a Christian. Even now, its like (I know this happened (ex: Jesus rising again) just because I do and the Bible says so).

[Evoo327]

So, um, this is kind of long.... I hope that's okay....


Growing up, my parents said we were Christian, but I did not grow up in the church. I did not hear the Gospel until I was in my early twenties, the night I came to Christ. As a child, I was obsessed with the supernatural, and by the time I was a teenager, I was practicing witchcraft. Meanwhile, I did know that there was someone named Jesus but I didn't really know who he was, except that some people called him "God."

When I was fifteen, a boy from a neighboring school swept me off my feet. But within eight months, I had fallen victim to his manipulative charms, and had ditched all of my friends, most of my activities, and had started to avoid my family. Looking back now, I wonder how I didn't see it coming... The first time he beat me, I had just turned sixteen. For a year, I wrote off the intermittent abuse as a fluke. However, once it intensified, I felt too scared and alone to do anything about it. It's very difficult to understand that, even now, having gone through it. I was so deceived, and very naive.

One night, during a particularly fierce beating, I spontaneously cried out to this mysterious "Jesus" to help me. I don't know what made me do it. The boy pulled me close, spit on me, and told me there was no God to save me. In that instant, I believed him-- if there was a Jesus, then I wanted nothing to do with Him, because He sure wasn't helping me just then.

As I neared my twenty-first birthday, I had had enough of the abuse, and I left, moving 1000 miles to get away. I had increased my involvement in witchcraft over the years, and it evolved even more once I was "free." An altar always stood in my bedroom, and I even had a "familiar." I had "spirit guides" and I worshipped several different gods and goddesses. Over the next couple years, I grew exponentially more promiscuous (even stripping for a time), drank a lot, and had grown addicted to self-injuring. I was branding and slicing my skin to find relief from the flashbacks, nightmares and anxiety due to the past abuse. I had frequent bouts of nearly paralyzing depression. None of my promiscuity or drinking or prayers to my gods seemed to assuage the emptiness and turmoil inside me. And during this time, I grew to simply HATE Christians. I nearly hissed at the name of Jesus, making a point of trolling websites where I could mock Christians and try to persuade them to turn from Jesus Christ.

In 2007, I met a man who was a Christian, but I didn't know that right off the bat-- had I known, I probably would've wanted nothing to do with him, except maybe to ruin him morally. (I didn't realize he was a Christian at first, because at the time, he was being very rebellious, and not living for God. If he had been, he probably would have avoided someone like me!) I fell for him hard.... But I began to pick fights with him about religion. I tried to persuade him to give up this so-called Jesus. The more I railed against him, the stronger this man's faith became. It made me so angry!!

One day, I noticed something peculiar. I couldn't seem to pray to my gods and goddesses anymore or say the words involved in my spells. I was quite literally gagging on the words. I nearly vomited. This continued, and I was getting more and more frustrated. The following week, I had the strangest urge: I wanted to buy a Bible. I fought the urge for days, until I finally bought three. Reading them, I was intensely annoyed because I found I could not make sense of the words. I ended up cussing a lot and throwing them at my walls. The next week, an even stranger and more disturbing urge surfaced: I found I wanted to go to church. I held it in for a few days, until I quietly broached the subject with that Christian man I was dating. He chuckled and felt my forehead, asking if I was feeling okay, but then he arranged it so that we'd go with his mom to her church that weekend.

Walking into the church that Sunday, I was shaking. I thought for sure everyone would know instantly that I didn't belong, that I wasn't one of them. I felt dirty. As we sat there, I began to cry during the worship, and it continued into the sermon. I don't have a clue as to what the sermon was about, because I was completely wrapped up in the experience I was having in that seat. Inside me, emotions boiled. All of the things in my life seemed to converge on that one moment-- and it was overwhelming. In my head, I cried a very strange thing, over and over, "Why did you leave me? Why did you let that happen? Why did you leave me?!"

Suddenly, I felt a warm, comforting feeling. Then, something that is very hard to describe, it was like I 'heard' in my heart, "I never left you."


That night, confused and shaken, I knew what I had to do, but I was scared. I knew, somehow, that Jesus Christ had reached out to me. So I randomly opened one of my new Bibles that I just could not understand. I looked down, and a verse jumped off the page at me:

"I have wiped away your transgressions like a cloud; your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."
--Isaiah 44:22

I was like, "Okay!"

Right away, I called the mother of the man I was dating and told her that I wanted to know Jesus. For the very first time in my life, I heard the Gospel; she explained everything to me, and I knew instantly that it was the truth: that I was a sinner in need of a savior; that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day so that I would be washed clean and redeemed; that I would have new life in Him.

I was born (again) on September 23, 2007, at the age of 23.

Everything changed. I was transformed. Some things were instant, others gradual, some still going. I went home that first night, and found myself repulsed by being in my room where my altar to my gods stood. I set about quickly to dispose of or destroy all of it, and the process took about a week. I began to thirst for the word, and I finally found that I could understand it. I read through the Bible for the first time within nine months.

Since then, I've been deepening my relationship with Jesus, and daily find myself more and more dependent on Him. I've stopped injuring myself; I've come off of depression/anxiety medication; I rarely have flashbacks and nightmares. I've quit smoking, I don't drink (except a glass of wine at family functions, like, twice a year), and I've found I have new desires-- desires to serve Jesus, to love others, and to know God more fully, and I find I have an ever growing urge to share the Gospel. I am now married to that Christian man I was dating, and he loves me just as I am, even knowing my horrid past, and encourages me to grow in Christ.

Think about it! The former witch, who despised Christians, who nearly hissed at the name of Jesus, has been fully redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ! I am new! In no way am I perfect, but He who is working in me IS perfect. And I know that the Lord will complete the good work He has begun in me. Praise be to God! The only ONE who is altogether lovely!

Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other name by which we can be saved. Glory, glory to the Lamb!


"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. "
-1 Timothy 1:15

[Mtown]

These testimonies are awesome and show the amazing love our Father in heaven has for us. I have been literally brought to tears by some of these! Tears of JOY of course!

[so-blessed]

Wonderful testimonies. God is awesome
I got saved 10 years ago (almost to the day now). I met a man in such unusual circumstances that it can only have been the Lord's work. He told me he was born again & although I was a passionate atheist, I listened to him. He told me the Gospel & I told him I knew it as I'd been brought up in a church school. I threw back loads of questions expecting to catch him out. But I couldn't - he gave me scriptures explaining creation, sin, the flood , hell and God's solution to everything, Jesus. I couldn't disprove anything he said. Each time I met him, I tried so hard to catch him out, but the answer was always there for me. Finally I was defeated. I was really scared because I was faced with my sin and I knew I was going to hell. I told the man God wouldn't want me. He explained how much God loved me because His son, Jesus, died for me.
A week & a half later, we prayed together and I got saved. No flashing lights, fireworks, signs & wonders. Just His Peace.
And that man is now my dear, dear, wonderful husband. Praise God.

[Luminary]

I've been going to church since I was very small, so I can't quite remember the exact moment that I was saved or how it happened. However, my grandma told my mother when I was around 5 or 6 years old that I came out from Sunday school one morning and talked to her on the way home about the Lord and what He did for me and every single person, and how I had prayed to ask Him to live in my heart that morning. That's all I know :-)

[ehbowen]

Please explain your answer

I was saved in Vacation Bible School at Kingspoint Baptist Chapel (not yet a full-fledged church) on Wednesday, June 3, 1970. The pastor was telling the kids, "If you want to ask Jesus into your heart, then..." and the thought which went through my mind was, "Of course I do." That was enough. I knew immediately that I was now a Christian.

I can't say that I never wavered or was unsure, but each time that I drifted a little God was there to gently correct me and bring me back into his will. And that is where I want to stay.

[Mommytoa3rdgradeboy]

Wonderful testimonies. God is awesome
I got saved 10 years ago (almost to the day now). I met a man in such unusual circumstances that it can only have been the Lord's work. He told me he was born again & although I was a passionate atheist, I listened to him. He told me the Gospel & I told him I knew it as I'd been brought up in a church school. I threw back loads of questions expecting to catch him out. But I couldn't - he gave me scriptures explaining creation, sin, the flood , hell and God's solution to everything, Jesus. I couldn't disprove anything he said. Each time I met him, I tried so hard to catch him out, but the answer was always there for me. Finally I was defeated. I was really scared because I was faced with my sin and I knew I was going to hell. I told the man God wouldn't want me. He explained how much God loved me because His son, Jesus, died for me.
A week & a half later, we prayed together and I got saved. No flashing lights, fireworks, signs & wonders. Just His Peace.
And that man is now my dear, dear, wonderful husband. Praise God.

Love it! Do you ever have discussions these days w/ atheists in an attempt to witness to them? If so, do you have any advice?

[shane8353]

I got saved in February 2000 when I was a 10th grader in High School. I grew up in a Christian home, knew all the stories, knew about Jesus but really never knew Him and what he really did for us at the cross. I started to get an intrest in this girl that went to another school in another town. Well it didnt go to well and she dumped me and I was angry. Ive always been a person to easily fly off the handle. So the night I was dumped I got into a splat with the girls sister who was in her 20s. Well she added more fuel to my anger and I said in my anger that I wanted to kill her. Well turns out her dad was a deputy sherriff. He called my dad and he told my dad to deal with me or I go to juvey. My dad whooped me and sent me to my room. Upon sitting in the room with my thoughts I finally realized my sin and realized I was a sinner. I knew about sin, I was raised in Church, but it wasnt until that night I really realized what consequences sin can have. My dad walked into my room that night and led me to Christ. I believe God allowed the officer to not turn me in, cause He knew the lesson I learned would save me from an eternity in hell. If you want any more details about more of my walk Im willing to share it through a pm.

[Bondservant]

God saved me during an alter call after a sermon at church in July of 2009.
I grew up in a Christian environment, but never truly knew Jesus. I said a prayer and asked Jesus into my heart when I was about 10, but just left it at that. I had a lot of head knowledge from going to a Christian high school, Sunday School, and church, but never really had a personal relationship with Jesus. When I turned 18, I left home and the "churchianity" behind to do my own thing. After over 20 years of over indulging in everything life had to offer (alhohol, drugs, pornography, etc.), I knew I had to do something about my life because things had gotten completely out of control. I went back to church as a New Year's resolution on the first Sunday in January of 2009, scared out of my wits at even thinking about opening the door. At first, I just did my best to try to fit in with everyone else, playing the game, and it worked for a while, but then the Lord really started dealing with my heart and I knew I had to make a decision...either truly trust Jesus, or walk away forever. I took the narrow road, trusting Jesus, and my life has been completely changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

[NoProvision]

I was raised in the Christian Science cult but became dissatisfied with that. I had my membership in that church officially removed in 1988. After that I was a typical heathen for most of my adult life. Then one day, in October of 2010, I was feeling very intimidated by the world. I felt very strongly that I couldn't trust anyone and that big trouble was on the horizon. I knew I was lost and I was terrified. The only thought that would alleviate my fear was what I could remember of what Jesus said about the tares and the wheat; something I had read in the Bible some fifteen years before.
I was convicted that Jesus was the only one I could trust so I bought a Bible and started reading. I was greatly comforted but it hadn't really moved from my head to my heart yet. Soon after that I was listening to an audio Bible on my Ipod while working in the woods harvesting firewood. I was listening to Isaiah 45; especially Isaiah 45:9 “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’? And also Isaiah 45:12 "It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts." I was totally shattered by these words and was struck with a sudden awareness that God made me and loved me. Words can not describe the joy and gratitude that came over me and filled me up. I just fell down and cried like a baby - a very happy baby! I knew then I was nothing without Jesus. This is when I was saved.

[so-blessed]

Love it! Do you ever have discussions these days w/ atheists in an attempt to witness to them? If so, do you have any advice?

Funnily enough, we were witnessing to an atheist last night. I just try to think back to how I used to think & try to witness from that view point. I usually tell them that love is hard to prove, it's something you have to experience. That usually makes them think & then the conversation is wide open for the Gospel - "God so loved the world.." etc. But mainly, we've learnt that each witness must be Holy Spirit led. Atheists have an arguement for everything (my brother is one) & it's totally up to God to lead our conversatins or they can get too heated for my liking.
Incidently, I forgot to add to my post that DH can't remember what he said to me as he witnessed, but I can remember. He quoted scripture that he now says he didn't know he knew! Praise God.

[khristian101]

I was saved at a bible camp called Trails End Ranch when I was about 6 or 7. It was the most exhilarating moment of my life. I knew that I was on the right path.

[Snoopynstorm]

He saved me after over a year of searching for who God really is and how to really get saved.

The 1st part is a really long story so I won't go through every detail. I was bullied. A boy (pray he finds Jesus) threatened to stab me with a pencil in 8th grade in Nov. of 06. I was bullied to the point I was suicidal. I didn't do it because I was afraid of going to heck (I didn't call it Hell back than). I didn't realize without Jesus I would have went to Hell. I talked to someone online and started to learn about "God and Jesus". (I didn't believe He was God at the time). I found an online prayer. So, when people kept asking me if I was saved, I thought I was! I didn't really know anything about His death, burial and resurrection. I wasn't saved yet thought I was because I said a prayer.

At home, I think it was around Jan. (I was in 9th grade) I talked to someone on an online prophecy forum. I found out from him that Jesus is God. I struggled though with that belief for quite awhile, but God settled that years later.

In the Summer of 08 I met the Jehovah's Witnesses,it was before I got into 10th grade. I seen the one elder before on my friend's (pray she finds Jesus) bus, I didn't know he was a JW when I was getting on that bus. Anyways, I met him and another elder outside. The Trinity got discussed with mom. The one guy said how it's confusing and how those who believe it must not know how to count. I knew something was wrong but it was too late I already met up with them. Sometime in like Sept. I got their anti-Trinity (the elder and his wife did "bible study") watchtower. I started questioning my beliefs. Thank God they weren't there at the time I was really thinking about it or I may have become a JW! I was really thinking they knew the truth. Anyways, I found out some odd things online and didn't become a JW.

That pretty much started my search for God. I did what the Bible said and searched for Him. It's better to search for Him a long time and know the right God than search a little bit of time and get a false god. I don't know when but eventually I found out I wasn't saved.

More than a year, possibly atleast a year and 4 months, I tried to find out who God really is and how to get saved. Just letting you know before He saved me I was so stuck up! I was not . I condemed so many people! My friend who is a Christian wore skulls on her jacket, in my heart I condemed her to Hell. I thought I was one of the few going to Heaven (I thought I was doing things right and the others weren't doing good enough). You know who I condemned the most? Those in Christendom. I thought how wrong (this belief was before Jan. of 9th grade,2008) you guys must be for believe God came down in the flesh! That creeped me out so much. I really thought bad of those who believed in the rapture. I thought another belief from Christendom, it must be wrong!

This was in like the end of/close to it 2011. The Holy Spirit showed me through the scriptures of those people vanishing in Matthew (one would be taken and the other left), he used the guy on t.v wanting those who believe in the rapture to disappear. He was pacient and helped me to eventually see the truth in the rapture. He let me see that truth like the end of last year. He was pacient for I ignored Him for quite awhile on the rapture.

I condemed , I condemed anything Nickolodean, I condemed anything I thought was unclean. I was such a proud person! I thought I was better than the other girls. I never had a boyfriend (unless my "boy" friend/s in elementary count), I didn't wear make-up, I didn't do things like those other girls. Infact, in 8th grade english a subject about boys or whatever was brought up. I proudly said out loud in class. "I'm a virgin!" (how embarssing now that I think back) A girl said I was proud, that I was-very proud. More than she even knew...I thought I was one of the best. I didn't go out with boys, I didn't do things like the other girls.

Now I know I wasn't better than anyone...it was just probably because I more than likely have autism.

Mom said people wanted to trade kids with me(that probably didn't help my ego). Sad thing is they didn't realize I was a very bad kid. I was full of hate,I stuck someone's, atleast once, backpack in dog poo, I read her notes and hockered in her hair one time. I had a feeling of hatered for pretty much anything to do with God. I even had a feeling for Chi-Chi (R.I.P sweety) and my dad (pray he finds Jesus.) I asked people on another forum to pray the hate would go away and it did!


Ok, now you know somethings He's forgiven me of. Ok, back to the point-I was searching for God. I ate a salad at lunch for a side dish that I got to have with my lunch (11th grade). I found out something was wrong with the lettuce. I was laying there in bed (at home) pretty much begging God not to let me die. I knew I needed to be saved and who knows when the lettuce would actually kill me (which it obviously never did). I don't know if it was on that day or when but I heard on one of my bluegrass Christian CDs "Only Trust Him",an old gospel hymn bluegrass style. I went to an empty room. Someone (obviously a demon) tried to convince me to continue searching for God. I heard Someone else. I was told not to harden my heart to the Holy Ghost. And if I did I'd ether never get saved or it'd be extreamly difficult (on account of how hard my heart would have been). I heeded that warning (God,thank you for that warning) and afterwards Jesus gave me eternal life on Sat. May 29th 2010.

[ericaweb07]

My parents took me to church as a small child and after I saw someone baptized I naturally started asking questions. Several months later we went to my grandparent's house and my grandfather (a preacher) walked into the dining room, sat down at the table and said "I wanna talk to my little Erica" and that's where he explained the plan of salvation to me, showed my the Bible verses, and prayed the sinners prayer with me. When I prayed that prayer, I'd never experienced anything like that before (I was only 8). I remember not understanding why I was crying, I do now. That is my greatest memory

[Verisimilitude]

I was raised catholic. I was taught catechism, and knew nothing about Jesus. About 25 years ago I was flipping channels on the radio and came across WYLL. What a blessing!!! I started listening daily to Greg Laurie, David Hocking and Chuck Swindohl and learned I had no relationship with Jesus and being baptized at the age of 3 weeks didn't guarantee me entrance into heaven. Within a short time, I got to know Jesus and gave my life and my trust to Him. He's never disappointed me.

[Mailmandan]

I was raised in the Roman Catholic church and had no assurance of salvation. I was one of those people who thought if I could be "good enough" then God will accept me. I remember people trying to share the gospel with me, but no matter how clear their words were "place your faith in Christ for salvation," "repent and believe the gospel" etc..all my spiritually deaf ears heard was, "if you want to make it to heaven, you need to really crack down and live a virtually sinless perfect life and then God will accept you". I remember feeling overwhelmed with such a high standard of conduct that I usually said to myself, I'm just not ready to be "that good" yet but hopefully some day I will get my act together. Then one day my mother in law passed away and I was in the room with her. I was completely overwhelmed with the reality of death and was pondering where I will spend eternity and I got very serious with God. I even prayed to Jesus and specifically asked Him, "whatever it takes to get me to heaven, put the answer right in front of my face so that I will fully understand what I need to do and will have no excuse for not doing it." I expected Him to give me a long list of works to accomplish in order to earn my way to heaven. Jesus wasted no time leading me to the truth. I came across a Roman Road to salvation letter which quoted passages out of the book of Romans that someone else had written. I knew that I was onto something but it didn't click right away. I could feel myself really being drawn to God's Word. I continued to read through my Bible seeking wisdom and understanding and then it finally clicked! I was reading Ephesians 2:8,9 when the lights finally came on. We are saved by grace through faith, not works. Prior to my conversion, I had been trusting in my works for salvation and not in Christ as the allsufficient means of my salvation. I didn't change myself and then He accepted me. I accepted Him and then He changed me. Praise God!

[Buzzardhut]

http://www.youtube.com/v/ncyJTiG8Jug

[tbrian40]

I will never forget. It was late fall, 1989. There was a show on, Jack van Impe. And he was talking about the fall of the Soviet Union and and the break-up of eastern Europe. There was alot going on at that time for me. Depression. Emptiness. I was dead inside--tried it my way and was done with it. So tired. I remember praying to Him for the first time that same night after the show. Did I know instantly? Yes! It took awhile to sink in but glory to God...the greatest miracle is when a soul is acknowledged by King Jesus to the Father. I was born a new creation in Christ Jesus! I want others to be saved from their sins, I don't want them to go to hell. Anyone who has not invited Jesus into their heart, please do so--the hour is getting late and God's lovingkindness endures forever. You don't have to be separated from God for eternity. All it takes is a whisper of a prayer..."Jesus forgive me of my sins...please save me..."