Acts 26:18 – “..to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
The following is the testimony of J of London, England of how Almighty God worked in her life by His grace to bring her ‘from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that she received forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith’ in Lord Yeshua the Messiah, Son of the living God.
J, roughly how long have you been saved?
39 years.
In your own words, what does “saved” mean and where in the Scripture do you derive your understanding?
God saves us by His grace through the faith He gives us. Both grace and faith are gifts. As it is written at Psalm 3:8, “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (ESV). By grace, we receive the faith that enables us to believe that God the Father has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross and provide the salvation we cannot achieve on our own.
One of the primary Scriptures upon which my understanding is based is Ephesians 2:8-9 which says, ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.’ We are saved by grace, God’s unmerited favour, through faith in Yeshua our saviour and Lord, not by doing good works but because of repentance of sins.
J’s background
Can you share with us about your family background?
I was born to English parents in Hertfordshire, England who were not believers in Lord Jesus Christ at the time of my birth, although they did turn to the Lord towards the end of their lives. My father was very involved in the Boys Brigade as a child/teenager, so it is possible he was back-slidden until becoming a Spirit-born believer in later life. I have four sisters and I came in the middle of these in birth order. Although my parents did not have personal faith in Lord Jesus at the time of my birth, they had me christened in a local Methodist Church and later sent me to a local Baptist church for Sunday School.
There were believers influenced by the Jesus Movement (of 1970’s) who taught in the Sunday School and Youth Group at the church. Children from the believing families who lived on the same street as us attended so my siblings and I used to attend with them.
It was probably around the age of 5 or 6 when I became conscious that there was a God. I can remember walking around the garden of our home singing ‘Away in a Manger’ and was probably conscious of the Lord Jesus as my friend before really understanding the concept of a Trinitarian God and Saviour. I also used to look at the sky and think there must be a God who made it.
Can you remember when you first heard the Gospel? What were you told? What impact did that have on you? Where were you in life at that time? What was happening?
The first time I heard the Gospel was as a child from a United Beach Missions (UBM) Outreach worker whilst on a family holiday. My sisters went to the UBM beach activities more than I did but when I went, I remember a young man talking about the need to be saved and to give our lives to Jesus. I remember talking in a discussion group with one of the team about this and feeling a bit frightened by the idea.
When did you become conscious of the Gospel of Lord Yeshua, that Messiah died for your sins, personally?
This was at the age of eighteen, at the end of my first term at university. I was becoming distressed at the lack of moral absolutes around me at the University, especially at social events. My roommate was a Christian and went to a Baptist Church in the University Town. She had previously invited me to go but I had not taken her up on the offer. I asked to go on the last Sunday evening of term after a university End of Term Student Ball, where I was distressed about what I witnessed in terms of alcohol consumption and behaviour. I burst into tears in the Church Service and was taken to see the Pastor who explained that Yeshua Messiah had died for my sins and that I needed to repent and put my faith in Yeshua Messiah as my Saviour and Lord
J’s Journey to Faith
What was your journey to saving faith from then on?
After the Pastor spoke with me, I repented that night in the Church Vestry in the presence of the Pastor and my University friend, putting my faith in the Messiah Yeshua as my Saviour and Lord. The Pastor then gave me a Gospel to read over the University Christmas break with the words of Yeshua highlighted in red, plus a devotional booklet. He advised me to read it every day. I was baptised 3 months later as was my university roommate, who had not yet been baptised, after attending Baptismal classes at the church. My parents, younger sisters, a couple (who were believers) from the church I had attended as a child and several unsaved students came to the service. One student was saved at the service who is now a Pastor. The gospel was clearly preached at the Baptismal service.
After I repented in the Pastor’s Vestry and gave my life to Messiah Yeshua as my Saviour and Lord I immediately felt a huge sense of relief and calm, that burdens and pressures had lifted and experienced a comforting presence around me I had never felt before. I later came to understand that this was the presence of the Lord. I was encouraged to read the Bible. What had been dry words suddenly became alive to me and almost leapt off the page. I went back to University after the Christmas break and the Christians from the Hall of Residence, where I was staying told me they had noticed I had changed. I had visited the local church that I had been at for Sunday school and Youth Group during the Christmas break and found the services very meaningful, even though different from those in the evangelical Baptist Church I attended near the University. Years later I found out the local church Youth Group Leader had been burdened to pray for me when I started at university (living away from home for the first time). My university roommate told me at the time that her Pastor had also been praying for me. After returning to university for the second term of my first year I started to attend an Evangelical Baptist Church in the University Town regularly with other Christian Students. I also joined the University Christian Union where I was taught how to read and study the Bible and encouraged to start to pray individually and corporately (in a small group). I was taught by the Baptist Church Pastor to ask the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit, which I did in my room, after which I began to have greater insight into and understanding of the Bible’s teachings.
When did the assurance of salvation come? When did you know you were saved? Can you describe how that felt?
I can say that for me the assurance of salvation came immediately, although I did go through a short period of doubt, about a couple of months later. Another believer came alongside me at that time, assuring me that the fact that I was worried about not being saved was evidence I was saved. I immediately felt re-assured and did not doubt my salvation after this.
I knew I was truly ‘born-again’ [Ed. see John 3:1-8 concerning the term ‘born-again’]. I had a tremendous sense of peace, joy, and relief and other believers noted change in me. I had a knowing within that I would go to Heaven when I die (or if I died suddenly without warning), that I had eternal life through repentance and faith in Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
In your own words what is repentance and its connection with salvation?
Biblical repentance, in relation to salvation, is changing your mind from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ. Repentance is not a work we do to earn salvation. No one can repent and come to God unless God draws that person to Himself (John 6:44). Repentance is something God gives—it is only possible because of His grace (Acts 5:31; 11:18).
From Then to Now
Since then, can you share a little bit about how the Lord Yeshua has worked in your life?
Since coming to the saving knowledge of Lord Yeshua, I had had a desire to be an overseas missionary and went on short term summer outreaches to North Africa and Turkey, however the Lord closed this door. He instead confirmed to me that I should work in a secular job and be committed to a local church fellowship to support the ministry in outreach work and prayer, particularly for the Gospel among Jews and Gentiles both in the UK and overseas and as for persecuted Christian believers.
Can you tell us about the ministry you serve in, what it is and how you came to know the Lord was calling you into this ministry?
I would say I serve the Lord in a two-fold capacity. In my secular work, my service is to build up trusted relationships in the local community, seeking opportunities to influence the local community, I serve, for the gospel via endeavouring to be salt and light for the Lord (including reaching out to the Jewish community, those least reached, helping the poor and supporting the distressed). In addition, I serve through prayer for the local body of Messiah, the locality, nation, Israel, and persecuted Christians alongside helping with the pastoral care needs of my church fellowship, under the direction of the Elders who lead the church.
What is your heart’s desire for this ministry?
I would say that in serving, my heart’s desire is the salvation and discipleship of both Jews and Gentiles and the building of Lord Yeshua’s true Church locally, nationally, internationally, including in Israel.
Concerning having a heart for Israel and the Jewish people, the reason for this is:
My father had some links with J community through his work. In the mid 1990’s a Christian sister from the church I was attending at the time visited my home and explained God’s purposes for Israel and the Jewish people in the scriptures, the error of replacement theology and asked if I would join a local Prayer for Israel (PFI) group, (which I did and am still part of).
I started to attend PFI conferences and pray for Israel and the Jewish people. Tony Pearce from Light for the Last Days and Senior Elder of The Bridge Christian Fellowship visited our church and PFI group and explained more about God’s purposes for the Israel and the Jewish people.
I went on some Biblical tours to Israel to increase my understanding of the needs of the land, people and diaspora. I started to attend a church in a Jewish area as I felt I needed to attend a premillennial church if I was going to introduce Jewish friends/associates to Christian friends and church events (mostly liberal, reform and secular Jewish people who would be prepared to go into a church building). I started to support Christian Friends of Israel. I supported Israel advocacy.
This all motivated me to pray for Israel the Jewish people and reach out, it happened gradually after the initial revelation regarding God’s purpose for Israel and the Jewish people which I immediately understood to be scriptural after the visit from the Christian sister in the 1990’s. (see Romans chapters 9-11 and Romans 1:16).
Within the will of God, do you have any particular hopes for the future that you can share with us?
To glorify God, to enjoy Him forever and to do the Lord’s will.
Last words
Can you share a Scripture passage through which the Holy Spirit has really encouraged, strengthened, or instructed you in your walk of faith in Lord Yeshua?
Philippians 4: 6-7 says this:
‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’ (NKJV)
This Scripture was written in a card and given to me as a new believer by a fellow student as I tended to become very anxious, especially about my course work. This verse really helped me to address the issue of anxiety from then onwards. It taught me that prayer was the answer to anxiety, that all issues can be taken to the Lord in prayer and that we can cast our burdens on the Lord. It helps me to remember, for example, to pray, think, do – in that order.
Finally, how can sisters in the faith of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah pray for you?
Please pray for me to have wisdom, to have love for the brethren and for all members of my family, and members of the communities I have been privileged to meet/interact with, to come to salvation.
To God be the glory, great things He has done!
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