Set Free thru the Power of the Word

By Seth T. Hill

It was my senior year in high school. My father had recently committed suicide, and I was coping by consuming violent video games, pornography, and even dabbling in drugs and witchcraft. Abuse from my past was a burden I constantly carried.

My footprints wore a pathway across the floor as I mentally wrestled with the problems in my life. I was raised in a home that professed Christianity, and I knew that God was real and powerful. Why wasn’t I feeling His power in these times of darkness? Needing something to calm my mind, I grabbed my Bible and headed outside.

A destructive thunderstorm had recently wreaked havoc on our neighborhood, toppling many large trees. I hopped a fence and made my way to a large oak tree that fell on top of the others. I paced back and forth on the fallen oak like a beam, flipping through the pages of my Bible. I settled on reading the book of Job – surely I could relate to this guy!

After a short prayer, I began reading. I came to verse twenty-one: ‘“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” As I paused, I noticed a black snake poking its head out from under the tree where I stood. I hesitated. Was Satan challenging these words? I read the passage again. As I whispered the name of the Lord, the snake came closer, stopping just three feet from my foot as if it were watching me.

I knew that I was in the midst of a spiritual battle. I could feel the tension inside my heart. “Do I really believe these words that I am speaking? Has the Lord taken away my life, my joy and my father? Should I praise His wisdom for it?!” I raised the Bible back up to my eyes. Unconcerned about the snake, I read the words once more.

As I began to believe those words, I sensed their power. I held the Bible at my side and looked down at the snake. I read the verse once more in confidence, and with a hiss the snake fled to its refuge under the log. It may sound strange, but this experience began to open my mind to the power that is in God’s word.

Two years later, I began serving as a student missionary in the Philippines. I left for a year abroad with thought that I would have a fresh start: no temptations or old habits. But sin and addiction are not bound by borders. After a few months, I found myself right were I had been all those years ago. I was gripped by sexual sin and I knew I needed serious help. I prayed, “God, you have broken my heart for what breaks yours. Please Lord, take these addictions away…”

By the grace of God, I have been free from the slavery of pornography since that time. The flesh still calls out to me, but I thank our Savior that His Spirit is working in me more each day.

Are you struggling with sin? If you call on Jesus, He will hear and rescue you. He taught me that the same Word that brought the world into existence is found in the pages of Scripture. Read, believe, and claim His promises. They are the very essence of power and freeing love.

Seth T. Hill is coordinator for data strategy and millennial marketing with the Adventist Review.

Download this week's blog and prayer requests by clicking here!

World Church Prayer Requests

for Dec. 3 - 10, 2017

• PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for Health Emphasis Day, December 9, 2017. Pray that we as church members will not only advocate God’s health message but that we will learn to live God’s health message more fully.

• PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for protection and health for our families during the holiday season. Immune systems can become compromised by colder weather and sweet rich treats. Pray that the Lord will put a special hedge around His people as they seek to honor His Word through temperate choices.

• PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for the first quarter Day of Prayer and Fasting on January 6, 2018. The emphasis for this quarter is: “Interceding for Our Families.” This is a perfect opportunity to pray for family members who need a closer walk with God, or for familial healing to take place. To learn more, visit: www.revivalandreformation.org.

• PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for Ten Days of Prayer, January 10-20, 2018. Many lives have been changed because of this special initiative. Please pray earnestly that more churches all over the world will choose to be part of this powerful Ten Days of Prayer focusing on our Heavenly High Priest. To learn more, visit: www.TenDaysofPrayer.org.

• PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for your local pastor and his family, that God will strengthen and bind them close together. Pray that a special spiritual blessing and renewal would be experienced in their hearts as this year draws to a close.