ALCOHOL

Peter Sweeney
Melbourne Australia.
I started drinking by the age of 14, I wanted to experiment and by 15 years of age I was drinking myself in to total oblivion, my parents had no control over me.

Many times I would drink so much that I would be sick and black out, I could pass for 18 at bottle shops so buying alcohol was not a problem, by the time I was 16 I was using marijuana and life just progressed into worse drugs and alcohol, where it became my lifestyle I would get wiped out on drugs and alcohol everyday I could not hold a job, in my young years I think I had hundreds of jobs, some jobs lasted months some jobs lasted hours.

By the time I was 22 years of age I had been in much trouble with the police, I had been in three serious car accidents, due to alcohol and drugs and fortunately no life was lost.

In my early 20,s I started selling drugs, I became well known by the police, they would raid my house for drugs quite often, smash the door in and come in with guns, by now I was using heroin and amphetamines with a needle, and anything that I could get my hands on, I tried to live life as though life was just a party, but quite obviously my life was a mess on a downward spiral towards hell.

 I only knew criminals, so that was life. However through these years my sister became born again I mocked her she never said anything to me, but her and her friends were standing in the gap for me praying for my salvation, unbeknownst to me. In all these years my life became a nightmare, people dying around me, some of my closest friends have murdered people for drugs or because of drugs, and I have seen death pain suicide, nothing but a taste of hell came out of that life, and I ended living in a shed in someone’s backyard with nothing but the clothes on my back I had given up on life and I cared about nothing anymore, I wasn’t suicidal but I was a broken man.

The filthy wretchedness of a life of sin had caught up with me, one morning I went to a doctor in my area to try to get these pills called rohypnols I told him I was a heroin addict and I needed them.
This doctor told me about a church in my area and about Jesus and that the lifestyle that I was living was sending me to hell, it didn’t mean much to me at the moment as I didn’t believe in hell (how convenient) but I wanted to go to this church as I had enough of this life (I was broken). And so I was picked up one Sunday morning about two weeks later from my tin shed where I was living and taken to this church not knowing what to expect. My mind was so far gone because of drugs and alcohol I didn’t get much of the message, but the people were so friendly and they had much love in their midst, at the end of the service I was asked by a pastor there if I would like to accept Jesus Christ as my savior, I said yes not knowing what I was doing, I did not feel anything different but God had plans, from that day on seventh day of February 1993, 29 years of age I never touched drugs and alcohol again, my old friends finally thought I went mad, The following Thursday night I went to a healing service and for the first time in my life I felt Gods presence and knew that he was real, and that he set me free from alcohol and drug addiction, I cried for the first 12 months of knowing him I felt the lord had kept saying to me I have taken the drugs and alcohol the more he said that the more I just cried, my life changed dramatically the filthy language went almost straight away, my hunger for the word and for God and his presence and spending time with my Christian family was awesome. If not for a praying sister and her friends I believe I would not have changed. My heart now is for people that have come from this wretched lifestyle, I have shared with many of my old friends and have bought many of them to church many of them have now been touched by the Lord, but sadly have not turned yet, however I have seen many lives changed and been able to share with people off the street and so forth and help them in their walk with the Lord. Praise the Lord if God can change me he can change anyone. Without Jesus life is a whole lot of garbage. Today I have my own house which is a miracle I have worked fulltime for 6 years now, the walk with Jesus has been difficult but exciting, I love him with all of my heart, without Jesus life is a whole load of garbage. 
Praise the Lord. 
Peter Sweeney 
Melbourne Australia
religionkills@hotmail.com

My name is Cass Waria and I come from the Torres Strait Islands. I praise the Lord for giving me the opportunity of everlasting life with Jesus in the Kingdom of God.

It was 20 years ago that I was baptised by full immersion and when I came out of the water I received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues, a new language I had never learnt, just as the Bible said I would. As I continued in the fellowship the Lord took away my desire to smoke and drink.

When my son was two years old I carried him to see the doctor because he had a very bad asthma attack. The doctor suggested he be admitted into hospital, but I didn't like the idea so I took him home and prayed all night and by the morning he was completely healed. I took him to see the doctor again and all he could say was, "That's not the same boy I saw yesterday."

I praise the Lord for looking after my family and me and I look forward to meeting Jesus Christ when He returns. Amen
My name is Allyson Waria and I've been with the Revival Centres International - Brisbane, for 20 years. I've repented, been baptised by full immersion and filled with the Holy Ghost with the Bible evidence of speaking in tongues.

I was an unhappy person with really no goal in my life, but I thank the Lord that I could see what the Bible had to offer me.
I found that there is nothing that the Lord can't do. He took away my desire for cigarettes and drinking alcohol. I have had hard times in having children, with difficulty carrying children throughout the full 9 months. There was a great risk of my heart failing, there would always be something wrong. With fervent prayer and seeking the Lord, He turned the situation around and now we have four children. The Lord is consistently blessing us and is always there to meet our needs.
I can certainly praise the Lord and give Him the glory for I now have a goal and purpose to live. Thank you Lord. It is possible to change.

My name is pastor Wayne Higgins.

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. I was saved in 1986. For most of my adult life I struggled with the Bondages of alcohol and marriage problems that came about because of it. I first heard the truth about Jesus Christ from co-workers who would constantly tell me about the love that Christ had for me. At that time I did all I could to discourage these people from sharing the gospel with me. I would harass them, mock them and would dare the Lord to strike me down in front of them if he was real. Thank the Lord for his great mercy, and being able to see in the eternity of time.
After years of being "witnessed to" much of the Word of God was entering my heart in the form of seeds. Many times I tried to stop drinking to help in marital problems but just wasn't able to do it. I tried A.A. With very little success. I believe this organization does tremendous work, but the total truth concerning deliverance from bondage is to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

After leaving my place of employment to take another job in the Fire Department, the drinking got worse. I was in danger of losing my job, my wife and my family because of all the problems associated with being an alcoholic. In 1984 both my wife and I decided we would get divorced, thinking we could not solve our problems and work out our differences.
This lasted for three months, but in Gods grace we decided to give it another shot. It was great for a while, but eventually began heading back in the same direction. During this time our oldest daughter Jennifer gave her heart to the Lord and began to serve him. Through the witness of my daughter, my wife also made a commitment for Christ. As for me I was getting deeper and deeper into bondage. Many people were praying for me for deliverance and for salvation.

One particular night, after a day of drinking, I came home and forced my wife to come with me to a bar, so I could continue to drink. After just a short time I decided this wasn't where I wanted to be. So strange because I would always stay as long as the bar was open. I couldn't leave knowing I might be able to get another drink. This night we went home and I began to start an argument, when all of a sudden I began to weep and sob. I wept uncontrollably. I couldn't understand what was happening to me. I hadn't wept in years. I truly thought I was losing my mind. As I was weeping this thought came very strongly to my mind: "Wayne if you do not commit your life to me, you may not get another chance..." It shook me to the very root of my heart. Somehow I knew it was the voice of the Lord.

All the thoughts, all the seeds from the word of God began to flood my heart. I asked my wife to call the Christians friends and co-workers who had been telling me of the love of Jesus for years, to see if they could help and to explain what was taking place in my life right now. They came and shared Jesus with me and asked if I wanted to make him my Personal Lord and Saviour. That was exactly what I wanted, and I prayed and asked Jesus to save me, to be born again. That very moment I prayed, I became sober. I had likely consumed 24 bottles of beer, and drank a pint of rum; but I went from being drunk to completely sober. What a weight was lifted from me.

That night before my wife and I left to go to the bar she prayed and said to Jesus "I just can't take any more of this, please Lord do something with Wayne tonight." Also on that night people where gathered in a home meeting, and I was lifted up in prayer. They prayed that I would be saved and delivered. Praise the name of Jesus; there is power in fervent prayer.

After that night I became so hungry for the word of God. I read my bible for hours at a time and prayed. I would even take time off work to read the word of God. Not really the proper thing to do, but the Lord was starting a work in me. I grew in the Lord, and wasn't without my struggles. The Lord gloriously filled me and baptised me with his Holy Spirit shortly after my conversion. What a wonderful experience that was. Sensing the love and the power of the Lord in my life in this way.
After two years of serving God, I felt I needed to go to Bible College, and so enrolled. I worked my regular job plus focused time on my studies. Initially I went to Bible College just for growth in the Lord, but while I was there he spoke to me and called me into his service. In 1990 I graduated from bible college, and in the summer of that year went to assist a pastor at a nearby full gospel church. In 1993 I was Ordained, and in June of 1994 was set in as senior pastor of that Church.

Truly it is a wonder, a miracle and a marvel this saving grace of Jesus Christ. In this new work for me, I continue to see his signs and wonders poured out on lives that are just as marred and blemished as mine was for so many years. To the Lord I offer this testimony. It is the things which I have seen, which I have heard, and have handled with my own hands. If there is anything worthy of praise in it; to him be the praise and honour and glory. Truly, great things he has done. He continues to rescue people out of the miry clay and place their feet on solid rock. That rock and corner stone being Christ Jesus.

Thank you for the opportunity to share this testimony with you, I hope in some way it may bless you and others, especially those who struggle with the bondage of substance abuse and marital problems. May the Lord richly bless you and your work here on the Internet?
Wayne Higgins