JULIA (life story)

Julia realised that her thoughts were holding her back from a relationship with God. She was looking for the feeling that many of the people in her church experienced when they came to know God. Here is what Julia has to say ...

WINNING THE BATTLE OVER UNWANTED THOUGHTS

"I was five when I first asked Jesus into my heart. However, I wasn't changed at that time because I didn't want to change. I kept looking for that certain "feeling" that I heard people at my church talk about. They described being totally transformed, having a new lease on life, a new outlook, after they became Christians.

But every night, right after I prayed and before I went to sleep (which was a long time, because I was unable to go to sleep quickly), I would intentionally think 'dirty' thoughts. I convinced myself that there was nothing wrong with it, and I didn't feel like I knew Jesus at all.

Every night, I asked Him to change me, even though I knew that I was harbouring sin in my heart. Like Jesus said, "you can't serve two masters."¹ I was so frustrated that I never had any assurance of my salvation, but I just kept ignoring it for around five years.

Eventually, when I was around ten or eleven, I realized that my bad thoughts were wrong. So God helped me stop them. I had always prayed and read my Bible, but I started to pray more, not because I had to, but because I wanted to. At this point, I realized that prayer isn't limited to just asking Him for things and thanking Him. I started to just talk to Him about things I didn't understand, and spiritual thoughts I liked to think about. But I still didn't feel any assurance about my eternal destination.

I was constantly tormented by verses like Mark 16:16 that says "Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved."(NLT). If only He had never said "baptized"! I had never been baptized, and my church didn't really stress it. But I couldn't ignore this verse; Jesus said it! I continually asked my mom if I could, but I was unwilling to really press her to talk to my pastor; I just wanted my mom to do it all for me.

One day, I was in church and my pastor did an altar call. He has the worship group sing a song a couple of times, and I was waiting to go up during the second time they played it. But they only played it one time. I was filled with regret this I didn't do it sooner. The following few weeks, when they did the altar calls, I had convinced myself that I didn't need to. But finally, in late November 2003, I just went up on my first impulse. I felt wonderful after that, and I never had another doubt of my salvation. It was only after I got saved that I realized how. I had needed to be baptized, but I wouldn't accept that, because I knew that it was just water; water couldn't possibly save me, it wasn't magic. But I did know that it was a profession of faith, it was just showing other people that I believe in Jesus. And now, I realize that that's all He wanted.

I'm so happy now!

If you want to know who Jesus is:
Believe Jesus died for your sin on the cross and that God raised Him from the dead.

You don't need to wait for an altar call like I did just talk to God. Turn your life over to Him and you too will be so happy that you did!"

Love
Julia

"Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you." (Isaiah 49:15)

Feel free to email me directly with any questions or comments at changinglives74@yahoo.com.au
Please address your email to Julia.

HAVING VICTORY OVER UNWANTED THOUGHTS

God knows our thoughts

God knows our thoughts and we are accountable to Him. "For the Lord sees every heart and understands and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him" (Chronicles 28:9, NLT).

Be careful about what you let into your heart

Jesus tells us that enjoying sin by thinking about it is the same as if we had carried out the sin. "You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28, NLT).

Having victory in your thought life

Hebrews 4:15 and 16 are key verses. "That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone to heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it. When temptation comes to us, we have not sinned. Jesus was tempted but was without sin."

When sinful thoughts come … actively say "no" to them … relax (you can't beat the devil but Jesus can) … ask Jesus to deal with the thoughts … move on and let Jesus with His power win the battle for you.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise" (Philippians 4:8, NLT).

Read Greg's story on overcoming suicidal thoughts

THE CONCEPT OF GRACE IS 'NOT OF THIS WORLD'

When Jesus died on the cross, He died and suffered for your sin and mine. The way I see it, the bible must be from God because people would never have expected grace like this. Mercy, I believe, we can understand like forgiving a debt that someone owed us. But the grace of God through Jesus is a whole other matter! Not only are we forgiven, but also we are made rich at His expense. As Isaiah 53:5 says; “By his wounds we were healed.”

In my opinion, no one could have invented a story like this! That's why I believe that Jesus must be the truth, because men never would have dared to think that He would sacrifice His life for us who owed Him so much.

When Jesus spoke to the crowd “the people were divided because of Jesus” (John 7:43). The same happens today as it did when Jesus was on earth performing miracles … people are divided about who he was.

Everyone is welcome to make his or her own conclusions about the bible and who Jesus is. I believe Jesus rose from the dead. Try giving the control of your life to Jesus … it works … believing in Jesus changes lives … it can change your life as well.

The prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would come and suffer and that His grace would overflow in our lives. All these things were fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Isaiah 53:2-9 says:.

² My servant grew up in the LORD's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.

³ He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

⁴ Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins!

⁵ But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed!

⁶ All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

⁸ From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins--that he was suffering their punishment?

⁹ He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave.

Love
Julia

HOW YOU CAN COME TO KNOW JESUS Please let us know if you do!

© Copyright 1 December 2004
Taken from the web site www.changinglivesonline.org
This story is copyright and can not be reproduced without the author's permission.

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