Real Christian discussion

Here is your topic Arthur to tell about your book, share some writing, introduce yourself or anything else that comes to mind ((:

Below is an excerpt of the introduction to my book Out of the Darkness. From time to time, hopefully daily I will post in chronological order a short excerpt from the book.

Out of the Darkness is my personal life story, not the entire life story, just excerpts that God could use for His glory.
Please share with others on goodreads so they may read and enjoy it also. You never know whom you share it with and what impact you will have on their life. This is a kingdom book, a tool I use in my prison ministry to help others. It exposes Satan, and points to Jesus.


“INTRODUCTION”

This book will shake the foundations of your soul, open the doors of God’s will for your life, and break the chains that bind you!

The Holy Spirit used me, and my life story to write this book to expose the schemes of Satan in your life. This book can minister to those that used drugs, as well as to those that were never addicted, as you read my life story you will see yourself somewhere in this book.

To those actively enslaved in any type of drug addiction; you have become someone other than Who you used to be.

That silent voice you hear in your soul, the one you think is you, isn’t. You have become, you have been overcome by lies which over time turned into strongholds of the enemy in your soul.

Those lies caused you to fall into a spiritual trap, a pit, then you went into slavery of addiction, and became imprisoned by your thoughts. The enemy uses dreams that glorify drug use and its lifestyle to keep you focused on yourself, rather than God’s will for your life.

Those lustful dreams you have are coming from rulers of darkness, they attack you in your sleep to keep you under demonic influence. The lifestyle of addiction has become second nature; you now justify your sinful lifestyle as a drug addiction, assigning blame to everybody other than yourself.

Addiction is a symptom of the problem. The sin of rebellion against God’s will for your life is the problem.

You have tried to treat the symptom of addiction numerous times without curing the problem, and failed. You now believe you were born an addict so you act like one. You act on your belief system, and you believe what the world says about you, rather than what the word of God says about who you are.

Who are you? Who have you become? Do you see yourself as God sees you? Come Out Of The Darkness into the glorious light. I lived the hell you are going through. I know the steps to take to guide you into the light, and regain your soul. I fought the battles you keep fighting, and came out victorious through Christ, by applying biblical truths into my soul daily.

I am here to tell you it absolutely will not fail. The ongoing process of renewing your mind with the word of God causes you to react, and act differently to every situation that arises.

Today I believe what the bible says about me, and I act like I believe, thus I walk in total peace in the midnight hour of my life, and you can too. You can walk in the favor of God in your daily lives, even when it seems everything, and everyone is against you, you can still walk in perfect peace. You will never want to replace the perfect peace of God with the fake peace of any drug. Anyone that says you can’t is a liar. You are called by God according to His purpose.

CHAPTER 1

How My Mess becomes my Message!

I was born in New Orleans Louisiana, adopted at the age of six months old. Grew up around St. Francis Cabrini and attended the same until the seventh grade. While attending St. Francis Cabrini I was taught the stories of the bible, those stories captivated me. As a young boy I remember going into the church by myself and staring at Jesus on the Cross. I felt the presence of God upon my life. I knew then I was called to be a minister. Satan knew it too! That is why so many contrary winds started to blow against my life; it was why at an early age I was tempted with using drugs. Satan didn’t want me to arrive at the point in my life where God would bless me, anoint me, and send me forth. (Satan attacks my Who, my identify) Satan made sure at every turn I was being falsely accused by my grammar school teachers, teased by jealous students, and always fighting with bullies. Satan showed me lies that I wasn’t loved by my birth mother because she abandoned me. He told me I couldn’t be anything in life because I was a bastard. Satan had grammar school teachers call me stupid for some of the questions I would ask. As I look back through the eyes of the Holy Spirit now within me, I realize Satan did all of this to bring me to a place to make a bad choice in life, a place to rebel against the will of God for my life. Satan was driving me to a place where I would first try drugs, Satan’s spiritual trap, a place where I would start down the road of living a lifestyle of sin, crime, and drugs.

In my youth I was successful at every sport I engaged in. However, football was my love. Coaches thought and even told my dad that one day I would play in the Pro’s, or at least at the college level. I was also a top swimmer, baseball, and basketball player. The only thing I didn’t like was track and field. However, later on in my life I became a track star when the police started chasing me.

Satan’s lies were starting to have an affect. My mother (the one who adopted me) kept bringing me to psychiatrists and having my IQ evaluated and re evaluated. After learning I had a very high IQ, and one doctor telling her the problem wasn’t mine, but hers she started trying to have me committed. The once a week sessions with psychiatrist, and counselors started.

These sessions only made me become more doubtful about my identity, in that I was comparing myself to other people, if I only had blue eyes, or blond hair, etc. I was questioning the authorship of God in His decision to make me the way He so desired. Instead of comparing myself to Jesus, I was comparing myself to other people. I was questioning my designers, design of me. Satan did the same thing to Eve in the Garden of Eden. She ate of the tree because it was going to maker her wiser, knowing good and evil, she would be like a god. She wasn’t happy with God’s perfect design for her.

She was already created in the image of God. Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Satan’s well laid plan was slowly developing for my destruction; he has no new temptations, just the same old lies twisted in a different format at times. He/Satan started off early in my life bombarding my thoughts with lies, half truths, he was constantly attacking my identity, my self esteem. One of the biggest things Satan used against me was the fact that I was adopted. I would often wonder if my cousins really loved me, or were they just pretending. It would cause me to wish I was like other kids; it caused me to question God’s plans for my life. (God couldn’t love me, a bastard)? Satan was setting up strongholds in my soul based upon a truth mixed with a lie.

I constantly compared myself to the other children, wanting to know why I wasn’t like them. Maybe if I had blond hair, and blue eyes they would accept me. My jealous mother adopting two other children with blond hair and blue eyes making me the odd ball didn’t help. Me having brown and hair and eyes with Italian features, made me look like an outsider in the family. My father loved me, he took me everywhere, making my mother jealous of my father’s relationship with me. (The thing that I am most ashamed of was I stuck a dagger in my fathers heart when I rebelled. God restored that relationship later on in life to where my father was so proud of me, God even allowed me to lead him to the Lord over the phone one day during one of my six time a day phone calls. My father didn’t preach any sermons when I was growing up, he lived one. He applied biblical principals in his life. But, just in case I sold him fi re insurance about a year before he passed away.

One day during my many daily calls to him I asked him if he had auto insurance and insurance on his house. He replied “Of course I do, you know I do. Why do you ask?” I said what about eternity? If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart Jesus died for you, thou shalt be saved. The phone went silent for a minute, and then my father said, “Okay!” When my father said something you could take it to the bank. I knew he confessed Jesus as Lord).

My mother made it hard for me to trust women, and those in authority over me. Thoughts kept running through my head about they (my adoptive parents) didn’t really love me, even my real mother must have hated me, after all she abandoned me. Who were my real parents? Why didn’t they love me? Why did they abandon me? Naturally Satan caused circumstances to happen to make the lies I was dwelling upon seem true (it takes time and cunning for Satan’s schemes to work). He kept building lie upon lie, precept upon precept.

I started having low self esteem issues, all this was leading up to him/Satan building stronghold on top of stronghold in my mind (those strongholds would later cause me to fall back into sin after accepting Christ as my savior).strongholds of lies, anger, mistrust, low self esteem, doubt, fear, and many more. All of these things were driving me to fi nd a fake peace, a temporal freedom from the thoughts, a place where I could be accepted by others. (I was already accepted in reality, just not in my thoughts.) I believed a lie as though it was true, and it became true to me. These lies planted into my mind early in my life, became the building blocks for more lies, bigger lies, deeper, and deeper into the pit I would eventually go. However, for now Satan was hard at work in my mind, and in my circumstances. I remember my parents telling me that they didn’t know who my real parents were. Then one day (I was about six) they let it slip that I was born feet fi rst.

Today I am sure Satan had something to do with it slipping out. Anyway, I wondered how they could possibly know that, if they didn’t know anything about my birth parents. Later I learned they knew more than they told me. Lynn my adopted mother also told me some half truths and let other things slip, further building upon the thoughts of mistrust I already harbored. They tried to make me believe (and I did all of my life) that they didn’t know my birth parents, or who they were.

From about eleven years old everything seemed fake to me, I didn’t seem to fit in, I felt like I wasn’t good enough, and God really couldn’t accept me a bastard born out of wedlock (that is what we were taught in religion class). Satan would also use a circumstance concerning my cousins to prove the lie that he told me earlier in life, “my cousins weren’t really my cousins, and I couldn’t trust that they really loved me”. They did of course, and still do. My cousins and I were close as brothers and sisters, we did everything together, vacations, weekends, everything. However, Satan never lets a good lie go to waste. I was thinking about lies and they were somewhat becoming true to me. So I have all this physical talent, a high IQ, and doubts about myself worth, all driving me to the snare of the devil for my life.

Sports became everything to me, I excelled in them especially football. I loved to hit and hit so hard that I would jar their eye teeth out. I guess that was a release for me, but even in sports I found other kids were jealous of my abilities.

I remember how they would pick on me. After a few bloody fights with them they started doing it in groups each getting their little says in, so when I would attack them they would gang up on me. Even then God’s grace was with me, I was somehow able get the upper hand on them. It didn’t matter to me how many times they punched me, as long as I was able to get in some punches in on them. I was determined that they would run off first. God was preparing me for the fight of my life, a spiritual fight, one in which I would be fighting for my life, and yours too, both here on earth and eternally. God was instilling fortitude, but I need to learn discipline to harness it.

WOW!! That is most likely the best introduction I have ever read!! Amen!!! :D

Mary Kate wrote: "WOW!! That is most likely the best introduction I have ever read!! Amen!!! :D"

Thank you!

Mary Kate wrote: "WOW!! That is most likely the best introduction I have ever read!! Amen!!! :D"

Above is introduction and Chapter One.

Very welcome (:
Also really enjoyed Chapter 1!! You have really put your feelings into this and because of that its easy to relate and feel within the story!! Its going great :D

It is my true life story. Well not all just the parts the Holy Spirit allowed in for the purpose of giving God Glory. The book shows I was taken captive by my thoughts. Chapter 2 coming next.

Awesome!!! I'm looking forward to it ((:

CHAPTER 2
I Rebelled And Ate Of The Forbidden Fruit.

"Eve acts upon what God knows, not what God says" Just like us we justify our actions with the catch phrase well God knows my heart. Satan always speaks to our soul/eve, never our spirit/adam. God speaks to our spirit/adam never our soul/eve. Satan always attacks our identity by attacking Gods word. Hath God Said? Making us believe God's word isn't for us. It doesn't happen over night, but slowly over time, and its constant (one thought at a time)

Like Eve, I knew I shouldn’t have disobeyed and eaten from the wrong tree. Eve could have eaten from the tree of life which was right there in the garden too. She made a choice based upon her fleshly desires, not upon the spirit within her. She was operating in her five physical senses, not her spiritual senses. You and I ate from the wrong tree too, we ate from the tree of lies or drugs, but like Eve I was drawn to it by my own lust through deception, like her I was operating on second hand information. When I rebelled against God’s will for my life and ate from the tree of drugs, my spiritual eyes were open to a different set of values. I saw things differently; I experienced an instant environmental change. Soon (over a short process of time) rebellion became common place. I rebelled in school, at my counseling sessions with the shrink, at home; all authority figures in my life were just trying to keep me from the peace I found in those drugs. Soon I was committed to Southeast Louisiana Hospital (aka Mandeville) where rebellion was frowned upon by being put in a straight jacket forced to lay on a cold cement floor face down, and hog tied. The best part of being committed was they gave me drugs to overcome my condition of drug addiction. My time in the adolescent ward of Southeast Louisiana Hospital (aka Mandeville) only made me harder, more stubborn, if this is how adults acted that were clean and sober, if this is what they offered me, I didn’t want it. The many horror stories I suffered at Mandeville aren’t the purpose or intent of this book. However, they did prepare me for my next imprisonment in Orleans Parish Prison, at the time the bloodiest jail in the United States of America. The adolescent ward at Mandeville was a place absent of love, and only love can conquer hate. Just after a few weeks after I turned seventeen I ended up in Orleans Parish Prison. Let me tell you the spirit of drug addiction will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost more than you wanted to pay. I thought Mandeville had horror stories; well Orleans Parish Prison (aka O.P.P.) was welcome to my nightmare. However, none of this deterred me from using heroin, my god of choice at the time. Satan made sure I got to know all the big heroin dealers in jail, Satan made sure all the old timers respected me because I was fearless. Actually God did. God knew in His infinite wisdom that the experience of those older men would keep me alive later on in the drug game. I hung around with guys ten to twenty yrs my senior, old timers. It was God using the ungodly to protect me from hell, death, and the grave. (I bet God protected you in a similar way) God also knew, and Satan did too, that I would one day serve God, I would one day chase down the things of God like I use to chase down those drugs. However, it was going to be after a process of time for me, I loved God, believed in God even though I was not yet serving Him. Additionally, and this is the key, someone was praying for me daily.
The bible teaches us in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. I loved God (the stories in the bible) always wanted to be a bible character, and I had a call on my life, so do you. (You and I are called according to His purpose). My problem was I didn’t think God loved me. Satan deceived me in my thoughts, he attacked my WHO early in my life, and Satan destroyed my ability to realize who I was in the eyes of God. I identified myself by the world’s operating system. I believed I was a loser/unworthy of love, especially God’s. One incident that helped me confirm this was when my mother turned me into the police so my brother would be released. The police caught my brother with some marijuana, and found my syringes and cooker in a closet at our camp in the Rigolets in eastern New Orleans. I was at home with my parents at the time of the raid. The police arrested my brother, brought him to juvenile then called my mother and told her if she brought me in, they would release my younger brother. She did exactly that. I thought God could never accept me if my mother didn’t. The lady that adopted me realized she made a mistake, she didn’t want me around, and so she traded me in so my guilty brother could go free. Thank God while I was still a sinner His grace covered me. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Although, I had not yet made an open confession that Jesus died for my sins God was still preventing the hand of Satan from taking my life, God protected me even in my rebellious state. However, God allowed me to suffer the consequences of my choices to bring me to a place of repentance. God didn’t cause it to happen, He allowed the seeds I planted in sin, to harvest. But, limited Satan’s hand upon me, this far and no further shall you go. In other words God didn’t want me to perish in my sin, but as Jesus had to learn obedience by the things He suffered, so did I, so must you. The good news is we don’t have to suffer the chains of bondage any longer, for all those that accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior you have been set free, it is now up to you to walk in your liberty. For example: I have a Constitutional right to freedom of speech, but if I don’t exercise my right it isn’t the Constitution’s fault, it’s mine. Before making an open confession that Jesus was my God and died for my sins, paying my sin debt in full I was a creation of God, not yet a child of His. Satan had authority and power over me in that state, Adam gave it to him. Jesus purchased it back by the shedding of His blood for me, and you. So here I am seventeen years old (not yet born again) in jail with everyone telling me that jail, drug addiction, and prison was going to be my lot in life. Guess what I did? I believed it, accepted it, and acted like I believed it, just like I believed all those lies early in my life. Guess what happened? It came to pass for a season. I faced long prison terms on five different occasions. I can not count the number of times I over dosed, was shot at, and faced death during the drug years. Being six feet four inches tall with a muscular build, and able to fight better than the other guy, I thought I survived because I could run fast and fight real well. Wrong! I later learned it was because my mother mentioned me in her daily prayers, causing God’s grace upon me so that I didn’t die in my sin. Before I go any further, let me tell you right now not many of my old drug buddies are alive today, with the exception of maybe one, or two. Those that lived are doing life sentences in Louisiana State Penitentiary, last I heard; at least they still have a chance to repent. I guess their mothers were praying for their souls as well, at least they didn’t perish in their disobedience to God. My point is, not many people survive the drug game. Why? It is Satan’s game, run by his demons, with no rules or officials. Satan’s mission is to rob, steal, kill, and destroy.

Mary Kate wrote: "Awesome!!! I'm looking forward to it ((:"
Chapter 2 just posted it

Wow, I am speechless. This is mesmerizing. It is so powerful and the hand of God is clearly written upon this! What a blessing, my friend!!

Thank you, posting it here so many people can read it. Praying it will help somebody that is going through some type, any type of a bondage, or set back from fulfilling their kingdom potential.
One more point you just don't know the battles I fight to get this book noticed. The enemy attacks me from all sides, but my God is God and the battle is His.
The book is a tool I use to help me bring ministry into jails, prisons, faith based rehab. Going in a preaching and teaching is another tool I use to reach my real goal. The real goal, or vision is to open a re entry program to disciple the men back into society, to make disciples.
And, to reach their children. To home school them within the re entry program and to discover and develop their talents into skills so they will have a platform to bring God glory. I want to break the back of lack in one generation, as well as put a huge dent into the recidivism rate of ex offenders.
Please keep me lifted up in prayers.

You will continually be in my prayers, Arthur! I totally can see why! This book is just touching! I can see lives being changed! The Lord is stronger than any if the devil's weak attempts- Thank the Lord :D
*praying*

Thank you Mary You don't know how many men in prison I reached with this book I donated numerous copies to numerous institutions, including the one I go in and preach and teach on Sunday mornings. The testimonies I get have all been positive. Most say the same things, when they read the book it read them, or that is my life story with your name on it. I just thank God

Always welcome!! (:
Aww, that's just great!!!! Sounds like the Lord has really blessed this book!!!! Its amazing how God reaches out to us exactly when we need him!!!!! Keep up the good work in the Lord my friend :D

You too.

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