I was a false convert from the age of 13. Completely rocked by Ray Comfort's teaching and the Holy Spirit, I found victory in Jesus a month before my 19th birthday.
"I am thankful Christ died for me, have you died for Him?" - Leonard Ravenhill
Well, I got soundly saved on Novemer 15, 2003 after being a false convert from the age of about 13. True and False Conversions and HBKS were a huge impact on my conversion, I heard the messages at men's Bible study. Not long after, maybe a year or two later, I realized I was not saved due to sin in my life and the lack of fruit I was bearing. A sermon my pastor preached on Hebrews was the real wake up call. I broke and truly repented of my sin and sought God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I hungered and thirsted after righteousness so desperately, I knew I had to share what I knew.
I was still very confused on how a person could be saved, it was evident that "praying a little prayer" didn't cut it. I wrestled with God in prayer, in tears, over the words I knew were true. I was "working out my salvation with fear and trembling", not really sure if I even COULD be saved. I finally came to the same place the prodigal son came to, I told God I didn't deserve to be called his son or by His name, and was utterly convinced I would hardly get what I deserved by spending eternity in Hell. But through tears, I told God I would serve Him anyway, warning people of the judgement to come, even if I spent forever in torment when I died, not playing let's make a deal, with almighty God.
I remembered Ray Comfort's teaching and looked him up on the internet. I found thewayofthemaster.com and read probably every piece of information on the site, including taking the good person test. Now that was a wake up call! I listened to the two messages over and over again, reading my Bible like there was no tomorrow. One night while channel surfing through the Christian stations I finally came across WOTM TV show, I had been anxious to see it, but always seemed to miss it. It was the Firefighter episode. It shook me so much I don't remember if I slept that night. I believe around this time I ordered some tracts from Living Waters and little by little began stepping out of my 'Comfort' zone. It was at a St. Patricks Day parade that as a dear brother of mine said, "Miles has gone to another level in witnessing for Christ".
The good fruit became so evident in my life that my pastor asked me teach Sunday School to the whole congregation (we do family school as opposed to dividing up into age groups) a couple of times. Around June of 2004, he asked me preach my first sermon from the pulpit, we scheduled it for August 29. He said he would help me put together a messege, but I said I would like to do Hell's Best Kept Secret if that was ok. He heartily agreed for me do what the Lord leads. I realized as soon as I had agreed to do this messege, that I hadn't really been faithful in reaching out one to one with strangers. I knew I was about to deliver a messege on how to witness and preach and I didn't wan't to be a hypocrite so I hit the ground running. I passed out tracts as often as I could and really stepped out and started conversations with random people, and people I knew.
By the time the messege came around for me to deliver, I was equipped. I gave the messege and at the end shared my testimony about being a false convert. I had gone through all the commandments and expounded upon them, I don't recall there being a dry eye in the place. My pastor came up and took over the rest of the service. He said that was the probably the clearest way you will ever hear the gospel presented if you have not understood it before. He then dismissed church. He said if you had an offering, we would leave the collection plates on the back table. No more songs, no more praises, prayer requests, or testimonies. Just that church was dismissed, he closed in prayer. God shook the place that day.
I was worried that a hidden motive for my witnessing was to please men and impress people at church before I delivered the messege. I commited myself that I would never let up, burn up, back up, or shut up, until I have preached up, prayed up, payed up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ. No doubt I did continue running the race as to win the prize.
On Nov. 5, 2004 Jon Speed came to my town (Syracuse) and helped me and few other brothers do some street witnessing downtown. I preched open air for the first time. It was a little shaky, but it was a rush. The rest, they say, is HIStory.
Miles Lewis
