God Revealed His Full Salvation Message to Me!
When I was about 18, we had many intellectual discussions in my class
at school. Many kids this age think they know how to solve all the
problems in the world! One of my classmates was a Christian, and he
challenged me to come along to a Christian school group. I went along a
few times, but didn’t really see the point in just sitting around and
praying to some God. However, after finishing school, I kept in touch
with my old mate and he gave me some books to read. While I was doing my
military service, I read a book called “Longing for Holiness”, which
really made me think that there was something special about the Bible
and the Christian faith.
About 2 years later, I decided to test whether praying to God really worked. To my surprise, I soon started meeting people who would answer my questions using the Bible before I even asked them. I was very surprised!!! I thought prayer was only for old people who went to church before they died to make peace with God. Some time later, I started calling myself a believer and joined a local missionary church.
One and a half years later, I moved to Gothenburg to study, and started looking around for a church to go to. However, I had no idea where to go. There were so many churches, preaching almost the same thing, but they were still different. Some said that I had to get baptised to join their church, others said, “Just come along”. After a year in Gothenburg, I became very curious about “speaking in tongues”, since I had once met a very honest and helpful elderly man who spoke in tongues. Somehow I connected the tongues to his character and it sparked my curiosity. One day, after a few months of searching and after having received prayer, I found myself thanking God and realised that some “strange” words were coming out of my mouth. I was not sure, but thought that it could be “tongues”.
After this experience, two things became very important to me. The first one was telling everyone about the Bible and that they have to get saved. I was very enthusiastic, but didn’t know where to direct the people that I spoke to. The second one was that I knew I had to find out the truth about baptism. I went to different churches, and they gave me books and leaflets about baptism. However, each church had its own view on baptism. It just didn’t make sense because I had read a scripture that said that there is
I did not think much more about it, but two weeks later something very interesting happened that was about to change my life. I was in a second hand shop in Gothenburg, looking at old Christian books, when I heard someone speaking German. I commented in German “Ah, this is only Swedish literature.” whereby the man replied “And that’s exactly what I am looking for.” I got talking to the man and his friends. They seemed very friendly and clearly believed in the Bible. They invited me home for coffee and yummy blueberry cake, and we started speaking about the Bible. They asked me if I was baptised, and I said, “Yes, I was baptised as a child.” They replied, “Aha” and took their Bibles out and showed me some scriptures about baptism. This was very different to what all the other churches had done, since they had told me their theology rather than just plainly pointing to the Bible. I believed what they were saying and that the Bible was real and I knew that I had to get baptised. The next day was Sunday and I decided to go to a church where they had told me that I had to be baptised to join their church. After the service I wanted to speak to the Pastor but he was too busy. I went home and tried to call their Youth Pastor, but only got through to the answering machine. I was getting very anxious and frustrated, and I prayed to God for help. Fifteen minutes later I got a phone call from one of the guys whom I had met the night before. He invited me to join them again and I accepted. They told me all about the history of the church, their vision and the need to do what the Bible says and it was a very interesting night.
The following day I invited the two guys home to my little student flat, and they showed me a video from their main meeting in Cornwall, England in 1992. I was very stirred up by what I saw: The Bible in action; much joy, but also much depth; healing testimonies and much more. We then spent some time talking, and they told me that if I wanted to follow God, I had to obey the Bible. I hated the word “obey” (I was an independent, selfish student!) At the same time, I knew they were right, and half an hour later I told them: “OK, I would like to be baptised and I want to join your assembly!” I was baptised later that night in Pierre’s bathtub, and an exciting life started. Instead of being a lonely, independent believer, God could start to use me the way He wanted to!
One more thing happened the night after my baptism. I was having a break in my studies and went up to a big hill where there is a fantastic view over Gothenburg. I prayed for the city, and I also thanked God for answering my prayer and leading me to the truth about baptism. All of a sudden, I felt an incredible joy and peace and I started to pray in tongues much more powerfully and fluently than before. It felt like it came from within me, not just from my mouth. I knew there was a scripture about something like this, and found it:
About 2 years later, I decided to test whether praying to God really worked. To my surprise, I soon started meeting people who would answer my questions using the Bible before I even asked them. I was very surprised!!! I thought prayer was only for old people who went to church before they died to make peace with God. Some time later, I started calling myself a believer and joined a local missionary church.
One and a half years later, I moved to Gothenburg to study, and started looking around for a church to go to. However, I had no idea where to go. There were so many churches, preaching almost the same thing, but they were still different. Some said that I had to get baptised to join their church, others said, “Just come along”. After a year in Gothenburg, I became very curious about “speaking in tongues”, since I had once met a very honest and helpful elderly man who spoke in tongues. Somehow I connected the tongues to his character and it sparked my curiosity. One day, after a few months of searching and after having received prayer, I found myself thanking God and realised that some “strange” words were coming out of my mouth. I was not sure, but thought that it could be “tongues”.
After this experience, two things became very important to me. The first one was telling everyone about the Bible and that they have to get saved. I was very enthusiastic, but didn’t know where to direct the people that I spoke to. The second one was that I knew I had to find out the truth about baptism. I went to different churches, and they gave me books and leaflets about baptism. However, each church had its own view on baptism. It just didn’t make sense because I had read a scripture that said that there is
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism”
(EPHESIANS 4:5). I was so frustrated and eventually just shouted out to God “Thank You that my parents baptised me when I was a child. In Jesus Name. Amen! However, if You want otherwise, You’ll have to throw me into a baptism tank”.
I did not think much more about it, but two weeks later something very interesting happened that was about to change my life. I was in a second hand shop in Gothenburg, looking at old Christian books, when I heard someone speaking German. I commented in German “Ah, this is only Swedish literature.” whereby the man replied “And that’s exactly what I am looking for.” I got talking to the man and his friends. They seemed very friendly and clearly believed in the Bible. They invited me home for coffee and yummy blueberry cake, and we started speaking about the Bible. They asked me if I was baptised, and I said, “Yes, I was baptised as a child.” They replied, “Aha” and took their Bibles out and showed me some scriptures about baptism. This was very different to what all the other churches had done, since they had told me their theology rather than just plainly pointing to the Bible. I believed what they were saying and that the Bible was real and I knew that I had to get baptised. The next day was Sunday and I decided to go to a church where they had told me that I had to be baptised to join their church. After the service I wanted to speak to the Pastor but he was too busy. I went home and tried to call their Youth Pastor, but only got through to the answering machine. I was getting very anxious and frustrated, and I prayed to God for help. Fifteen minutes later I got a phone call from one of the guys whom I had met the night before. He invited me to join them again and I accepted. They told me all about the history of the church, their vision and the need to do what the Bible says and it was a very interesting night.
The following day I invited the two guys home to my little student flat, and they showed me a video from their main meeting in Cornwall, England in 1992. I was very stirred up by what I saw: The Bible in action; much joy, but also much depth; healing testimonies and much more. We then spent some time talking, and they told me that if I wanted to follow God, I had to obey the Bible. I hated the word “obey” (I was an independent, selfish student!) At the same time, I knew they were right, and half an hour later I told them: “OK, I would like to be baptised and I want to join your assembly!” I was baptised later that night in Pierre’s bathtub, and an exciting life started. Instead of being a lonely, independent believer, God could start to use me the way He wanted to!
One more thing happened the night after my baptism. I was having a break in my studies and went up to a big hill where there is a fantastic view over Gothenburg. I prayed for the city, and I also thanked God for answering my prayer and leading me to the truth about baptism. All of a sudden, I felt an incredible joy and peace and I started to pray in tongues much more powerfully and fluently than before. It felt like it came from within me, not just from my mouth. I knew there was a scripture about something like this, and found it:
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”(JOHN 7:38). I also realised that before, I had been a believer, but that I only now was fully saved according to ACTS 2:38:
“…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”. Praise God - He did indeed draw me into His fold in an amazing way!!
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