You spent months,years or even decades as a Christian.
Depends on what you mean by "Christian", dear XPX (peace to you!). I have lived as both.
You sacrificed everything for God, gave Him everything you had,
Well, can't say that. Sacrificed what I wanted to, gave Him what I wanted to. Usually, out of my "surplus" versus my "all." So, can't really call it a sacrifice. But, praise JAH, He never wanted my sacrifices - He wanted my mercy [toward others]. And THAT... I always gave. Even when I didn't know Him.
you would speak every day for Him to others
Nope. My life didn't always allow for that. At one point I was a wife and mother of two who worked full time. And there were times when I was young... and very dumb. So, there were times when days, weeks, even months went by without me thinking of God. And years when I didn't mention Him to others (because I learned that not everyone can/wants to "go there").
and would live as a person dedicated to God.
Oh-ho, if you only knew. No, again. Again, my life didn't allow for that.
What did you receive in return after all your efforts?
For what little efforts I did make... loving kindness, which kindness is truly undeserved... and so, mercy. Which is basically what He promised, right?
Did He help you when you were in need?
Yes. Which is why I knew I had to get to know Him... personally. I mean, many times... after receiving such help (and my "story" is probably just as gut-wrenching as the next person's)... I would ask myself, why would He do that for ME? I mean, I was WORDLY, in almost every sense of the word. I never EXPECTED Him to do a thing for me; no one ever told me He HAD to. I was just grateful when He did.
If yes, are you 100% sure that He was the one who helped you?
I wasn't, then. I am, now, yes.
Could you feel his Holy Spirit in your life?
Yes, but (1) I didn't feel him as much as heard him, and (2) I didn't know that it was the Holy Spirit. I could hear "someone" (who I now know to be my Lord) speaking to me from the time I was about 3. Saved my life a couple times as a child. I didn't know WHO it was that was speaking to me... and I never thought to ask. Two examples, including the first that I can recall, and another, which was most significant:
1. When I was 3 years old I was playing with some little girls (they were about 4 - I remember I wanted to play with them because they were "older") in the alley behind one of their homes in Philadelphia. One of our "toys" was a large glass OJ bottle. I heard a voice say to me that one of the little girls was going to hurt me and so I should go home (back then, even a small child could wander a block or two from home and I often did. I know I was three because I was 4 when we moved to California). I didn't want to go home, however, and so I ignored the voice. The voice very softly and kindly told me again to take my leave, that if I didn't I would be hurt. And I ignored it again - I was having fun playing with my friends, it was a bright warm sunny day and I saw no harm coming so could see no reason to go home. Well, while we were playing, one of the little girls tried to hand me the OJ bottle... and I miss judged my grasp and so dropped it (actually, it was too large for my hand, so I would have dropped it, anyway). Of course, it broke. I remember the girl got SO mad at me! (I remember because it was the first time I recall a playmate yelling... at me or otherwise - I was totally surprised!). So, I started to clean up the glass. But she just kept yelling at me (because I had ruined our "toy"). As I went to pick up the neck of the bottle I heard the voice say "She is going to hurt you, child..." and just then that girl grabbed the bottle neck from me... slicing my hand from my wrist to just below my middle finger. Pretty deep, so blood everywhere. Well, as you can guess, I took my little butt home then.
2. When I was six, I was returning home from picking blackberries with my sister, brother, and cousin (ages 9, 4, and 9). We lived in Bremerton, WA (my dad was in the Navy and was stationed there; however, at the time I speaking of he was "oversees" in Japan... or so I thought). As we were walking up the street, a car stopped and two young black men got out and told us that my father had sent them to pick us up. At first, my sister and cousin were hesitant (because, again, my father was supposedly overseas). But the men convinced my sister and cousin that my father had come home and sent them. So, they got into the backseat of the car and my little brother followed them. But for some reason I couldn't move. "Something" wouldn't let me get in the car. And then I heard a voice say, "Do NOT get in that car, child. You father has NOT sent these men." I hesitated, but still couldn't move. At all. And so I began to cry and I heard the voice again, telling me to tell my siblings and cousin to get OUT of that car! So, I sobbed and told them that I was going to "tell" on them... that they had gotten into the car... if they didn't get out! They got out and the men took off. We ran all the way home, NOT because we were afraid of the men but because they had said my dad was home. Of course, he was not. He was still in Japan. No one had sent those men to get us. My mother was hysterical and called the police, but they said that unless we could ID the men/their car (which we couldn't - I didn't think/hear to get the license plate no.)... there was nothing they could do.
And those are just two of probably 20-25 incidents like this... where I heard a voice distinctly tell me, well, where to step. It was not "instinct"... because it was a voice. I NOW know that voice... and its Owner, my Lord, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH (which is how I know his name - he has said it TO me), who is the Son and Christ (as he has identified himself to me) of the MOST Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies (who he also made known to me).
I am not the only one that such things have happened to; I am, however, one of the few who attribute such to its true Source... rather than taking the glory for myself. It was not... and is not... me. Not by a long shot.
P.S:This topic has nothing to do with the Org. I am talking exclusively about God and your relationship with Him
Yep, got that.
Again, peace to you!
A slave of Christ, God's Word... who is ALIVE... and speaks...
SA
