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 Rachel Alabi 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]..receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith’ in Lord Yeshua the Messiah, Son of the living God.
Rachel, roughly how long have you been saved?
I have been saved for 25 years.
In your own words, what does “saved” mean and where in the Scriptures do you derive your understanding?
In my own words, ‘saved’ means having been turned from darkness to light, from the old way of living to a new life and a new way in Christ. In John 3:16-17 Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
My understanding is also derived from the following Scriptures:
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast;
Matthew 18:11 – For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost;
Hebrews 2:3 – how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him; and
Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
In your own words what is repentance and its connection with salvation?
I was a sinner, and I needed a Saviour. That Saviour is my Lord Jesus the Christ. There was no way I could have saved myself from my sins. After hearing The Gospel preached during a message on salvation, I gave my life to Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour, turning from my way to God. This was the work of the Holy Spirit.
Rachel’s Background
I was born to Nigerian parents in Lagos, Nigeria, the firstborn of five children. As a child my mother used to take us to our local church, where I attended Sunday School. The church was a missionary church and it’s still going strong in Nigeria today with branches in most of the States. This was where I first learnt Bible Stories and Christian songs.
Growing up I had some cousins who were members of the Scripture Union from their youth, who also spoke to me about the things of God. At that time, I just wanted to live my life my way, enjoying what was in the world and was not prepared to listen. Today, I and all my siblings are Spirit-born believers in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Can you remember when you first heard the Gospel?
I would have first heard the Gospel as a child in Sunday School but as mentioned above, it had no real impact on me that I was aware of at the time.
When did you become conscious of the Gospel of Lord Yeshua, that Messiah died for your sins, personally?
In my early forties, as mentioned below.
Rachel’s Journey to Faith
What was your journey to saving faith from then on? How did God work in your life to bring you to the light of the saving knowledge and salvation of Lord Yeshua the Messiah?
As I grew up into and throughout my teens, I was only a “church goer” and not committed to Lord Jesus Christ. I got a job in the Bank of Nigeria and after completing my O Levels decided to further my studies in the UK in 1981. The course I chose was for a duration of one year and after completing this I decided to stay. I found a job – where I met and married my husband – and settled down to life as a married woman. I continued being just a churchgoer until I heard about a Morris Cerullo Mission to London Conference in 1999. By this time, I was in my early forties, and it was at this time that I became conscious of the Gospel, that Lord Yeshua the Messiah died for my sins.
My journey to personal faith started after attending the Mission to London conference in the Summer of 1999. It was then that I realised that there had to be more than just “going to church” and “warming the seat” as a member of the congregation. I started yearning for more of God and began attending more conferences. I was baptised by immersion as a believer in Lord Jesus Christ in 2000 and was really blessed through a bible study group in my late Pastor’s home, which helped me to grow in my faith. During this time, I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and His gift of speaking in tongues, after which my life totally changed. I started reading the word of God and the Bible came alive to me. I became a new creation in Lord Jesus.
When did the assurance of salvation come? When did you know you were saved? Can you describe how that felt?
I received the assurance of my salvation when I confessed my sins and gave my life to Christ. I saw that my old way of living was changed to a new way of living, walking the path that God has for me.
From then to now
Since then, can you share a little bit about how the Lord Yeshua has worked in your life?
After receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit I knew that God had a plan for my life, and I had a desire to see many come to faith in Christ. I then started a fellowship at my workplace where we had thirty people come every Wednesday and Friday. We devoted our time to studying the word on Wednesdays and then praying for our employer and other things on Fridays. This fellowship went on for about ten years until people began to move to new employment elsewhere. I am still with the same employer, still praying for it with about two or three people on Wednesdays.
The Holy Spirit also led me to start a women’s prayer meeting at a church fellowship to pray for the members as well as other things as there was no prayer meeting at the church at the time. During that time, we saw one of the women, whose unborn child who had been diagnosed with a heart defect, born completely well! God mended that little boy’s heart, made him healthy and strong – today he works with the British Police Force! Another time a woman received the baptism of the Holy Spirit as we prayed with her. The prayer meeting ran for many years and many people were blessed through it.
God has also used me to bring others to the Lord Jesus, who repented and believed upon Him as I preached the Gospel, including three of my children. My first-born has yet to commit his life to the Lord, but I continue in prayer for God’s mercy that in His timing, he too will be brought into the Kingdom.
The Lord’s work in my life in the faith has also taken me to Brazil with a church fellowship I was formerly a member of on a mission themed ‘Go To the Nations.’ I was enabled to share my testimony with church fellowships out there and also a message about the prodigal son and the Father [Ed. see e.g. Luke 15:11-32]. The Lord used that message to draw some to put their faith in Christ. We also distributed a Gospel tract called God’s Love Letter and some came to put their trust in the Lord Jesus. This was such a blessing – to God be all the glory.
Within the will of God, do you have any particular hopes for the future that you can share with us?
My hope for the future is to see the Church operate in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit; this will help individuals grow in their faith as they see the power of God in operation.
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?
One Scripture which comes to mind is one that God gave me through a dream one day, which says: ‘ But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him’ (1 John 2:27).
This Scripture is important to me because only God can anoint and what I received from Him abides in me . The Helper who is the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth – teaches and reveals all things. 1 John 2:27 has really strengthened and encouraged me in my walk with God in The Faith of Lord Jesus Christ.
Finally, how can sisters in the faith of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah pray for you?
Please pray that I will continue to hunger for more of Him and that the Holy Spirit increases in me, that I continue to know and walk in His truth. Please also pray that the Holy Spirit saturates my soul, that the life of God fills me now, that His healing power breathes life and makes me whole. Please further pray that the peace of God reigns and rules over my life, for my loved ones’ lives and over the Body of Christ.
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