I was born and raised in this ministry by my parents who were both witnessed to in college, so my story of deliverance is not one of immediate, black-and-white contrast to my life before I became born again. No, my deliverance took place over a couple of decades.
I was born and raised in the northwestern part of the United States, and from a young age I was tricked by Satan into seeing my ministry of reconciliation as something to do when it was easy and convenient, or else I would be seen as crazy and rejected by my peers. There were plenty of times in my life when I was too shy to talk to people, let alone to speak God’s Word to them. I loved God and knew He loved me and took care of me, but I was still fearful to speak the Word.
My deliverance came in many stages as I grew physically and spiritually and claimed my sonship rights. I took my first Foundational Class when I was thirteen, the summer before going into high school, but I didn’t really notice any change until after I took the Advanced Class when I was nineteen, having just completed my first year of college at a local community college. I inexplicably, over many years, transitioned from being very introverted to being an extrovert. Talking to people was no longer a chore, and in fact, I now enjoy socializing in ways I never did before. I never prayed for this, nor would I have thought it possible before, but God knew what I needed even when I didn’t.
Many years later I received the next major piece of deliverance, deliverance from my fear to speak the Word. This happened when I went out Way Disciple, our ministry’s then outreach program. At the time, I didn’t see myself as fearful, and in fact I was bold to speak the Word in many situations, but there was still a nagging fear that I was wasting people’s time. I still doubted my ministry of reconciliation. There was no defining moment during my tenure that I realized I was delivered, and it wasn’t really until I sat down in earnest to write my story of deliverance that I truly realized the deliverance I’d received. Over the course of the program, and afterward as well, I saw the power of God operate in my life personally, and in the whole team. I saw undeniable proof that I could share personally, which made it easy to share what God had done for me and others, and what God would do for them too. I finally realized for myself the power of the spoken Word and the true importance of doing it, no matter what.
My growth was not without markers along the way, and of course there are still moments when I don’t speak. I still have to choose to do the Word, but now I am bold to speak and unafraid because I really know when I’m speaking the Word, it is valuable and life-giving. I believe it is the most important work we do! I’m no longer afraid I’ll be rejected for speaking the truth, because I know personally the truth is undeniable. I have also finally claimed for myself the truth that no one actually has anything better to do with their time than to hear the truth of what God has done for them, except of course to be sharing that with others!
I now know that I am a witness at all times, and I have personally been commissioned by God to speak. I have been delivered from my debilitating fear to speak the Word.
If you would like to know more about how you can overcome fear, contact us.