You Can Have a Miracle By David Wilkerson Believe it or not, miracles do happen today! I can give you the names and addresses of many who have experienced a great miracle in their personal lives. Nicky Cruz now lives in Colorado. Not too many years ago he was vice president of the notorious Mau Mau gang in Brooklyn. He was vicious -- so much so, he once tried to kill his own brother. Seventeen victims were stabbed by him in gang fights. He and Mau Mau president Israel Narvaez roamed the streets of Brooklyn, terrorizing, fighting -- full of hate and violence! From 1956 to 1958, the Mau Maus were one of the most feared of all New York City gangs -- making headlines regularly. Today Nicky Cruz and Israel Narvaez are both ministers. Both have written tremendous books, telling of the miracle that happened to them. I was a country preacher at the time, and both Nicky and Israel heard me preach on a street corner in Brooklyn. I simply told them how Jesus Christ could take the hate out of them and make something out of their messed up lives. They were tired of the killing and violence, and their gang members were getting hooked on heroin. I asked them to surrender their lives to Christ; and with a simple, honest prayer, they invited Him to become their Lord and King. Nicky Cruz has become a legend, preaching to multitudes -- as many as 50,000 at one time. He went from gang leader to evangelist in just four years. Israel Narvaez now lives in Everett, Washington, and he travels extensively, preaching the Gospel of Christ also. The Mau Mau gang called the conversion of both of their leaders "a real miracle!" Sonny Arguinzoni pastors a church in Los Angeles, with a congregation comprised mostly of converted addicts, alcoholics, and prostitutes. He has also founded an entire organization of addict churches throughout the United States called "Victory Temples." I met Sonny on the corner of Flatbush and Myrtle Avenue in front of a pizza parlor. He was a hundred-dollar-a-day junkie -- dirty, sick, and hungry. He thought I was a narcotics agent at first, but he took a few minutes to hear me out. He had been busted so many times, he lost count. He had no time for his parents or God -- all he lived for was the next fix. He busted apartments and stores, stealing everything he could find to pawn for drug money. He was a con man, a cheater, a liar, and a thief. But drugs had worn him down to the bone. He was tired of the hassle. I helped him kick his habit, cold turkey. But most important of all, Sonny turned his life over to Jesus Christ. Talk about a miracle -- Sonny walked away from his habit, his old con friends, the pushers and pimps -- and went to college, married a beautiful lady, and entered the ministry. Today Sonny Arguinzoni is a respected minister, author, and friend to thousands of junkies and other street people. Jesus Christ took a nobody from a back alley -- and turned him into a man of God. It's a miracle! Jacque Schultz had been a drug addict for years. She had been arrested for armed robbery and sent to prison on numerous occasions. She was also in and out of mental hospitals and drug detoxification programs. But she never stopped craving dope. She introduced her teenage brother to drugs -- and held him in her arms as he died, only seconds after she removed the needle from his arm. When her boyfriend died of an overdose of drugs in her bed, she and a friend drove his body to a construction site, where they buried him. What a life of horror and heartbreak she lived! Jacque was told about my ministry in New York City to drug addicts. She was told about Jesus and His love for her. She cried out for His help, and His love burned out all her sin, all the dope, all the bitter disappointments and haunting memories. Jesus Christ made her a brand new person. She went to Bible college and is now married to a minister. God's healing is complete! She experienced a miracle! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God Is Not Dead! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I get tired of hearing people say God is not real, or that He no longer answers prayer, and that the days of miracles are long gone. Right now, all across this land, hundreds of miracles are taking place. Addicts who were once stoned out of their minds are being cured by the power of Jesus Christ. Prostitutes are quitting the tricks and the trade, and they are finding a new life of respect and dignity through Jesus Christ. Homosexuals and lesbians, from New York to San Francisco, are experiencing this same miracle of deliverance from life-controlling habits. Christ is emancipating so many of them now -- organizations are springing up to assist them in finding a new lifestyle. I can give you names and addresses of many of them -- all of whom will tell you about a miracle that happened to them the day they started seeking the reality of Jesus Christ. The same Christ who was in the world nearly two thousand years ago is still in our world today. He performed miracles and set sinners free from their sins then, and He is still doing it today. He is forgiving, loving, and guiding exactly as He did then. You may think this book is not for you because you are not hooked or wasted. But you need a miracle to save you from your emptiness, loneliness, and feelings of rejection. So please read on. [Next: Do You Need a Miracle?] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Do You Need a Miracle? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What is it going to take to straighten out your life? You know that no doctor, psychiatrist, or any other human being can change you. You need a miracle! You need a super-human power to break all your habits and put a new mind in you. Jesus Christ loves you as much as He loves Nicky, Israel, Sonny, and Jacque. He doesn't play favorites, and He never turns anybody down who calls on Him for help. Jesus said: "Him who comes to me, I will not cast out" (John 6:37). Jesus knows exactly where you are and what you are going through, and He cares about you. Maybe there was a time you got really down, and in desperation you called out to God. Maybe it was late at night, when you were lonely or at the end of your rope. Maybe you were thinking about suicide -- you were so mixed up and hurting. Was there a time when you prayed to God and you thought nothing happened? You got the impression God didn't hear you -- or maybe you were not good enough for God to help you? The trouble is, you didn't really want to change and become a new person -- you just wanted temporary relief from your hurt. Jesus doesn't work that way. He isn't interested in patching you up -- instead, He wants to make you over into a brand new person who is not a slave to sin. The Bible says, "If anyone gets into Jesus he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:17 Living Bible). I don't care how good or bad you are -- you need a miracle. I don't care if you are a junkie with the biggest habit in this city -- you can have a miracle in your life. I don't care if you are a drag queen, a sadomasochist, a drunkard, or a homosexual -- you can experience a miracle, too. Are you divorced, confused, or out of work and feeling all alone and rejected? Do you get the feeling there's no future left for you, and all you can hope for is to make it through the day? It doesn't matter to Jesus Christ! You have the potential of becoming a new person, with new hopes and dreams, and a future so great it could blow your mind. It is all possible through faith in Jesus Christ. Just ask people who have experienced His miracle power in their lives. It's not a joke! It's not a phony trip. It's as real as the sun, moon, and stars. Why not start getting hungry for this miracle power in your life? Aren't you even curious enough to find out if it's really true and possible for you? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Devil Can't Hold You ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When Christ died on the cross, he destroyed the power of the devil. Jesus Christ walked all over the devil and made him weak and powerless. Jesus won -- the devil lost! The Bible says the devil has no right to keep you as his slave. ************************************************************ "The Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil..." (1 John 3:8 Living Bible). ************************************************************ Don't ever think you can't walk away from your evil habits and sins. The devil can't make you do anything, if you decide to get into Jesus Christ and let Him do your fighting for you. Satan would deceive you into believing you are powerless to resist. He wants you to think you are never going to get out of the mess you are in. But not so! All you need to do is remember that Jesus died on the cross to set you free from Satan's power -- and then call out to Him to take over your life. He will do it! The Bible says, ***************************************************** "Whoever Christ sets free is free indeed" (John 8:36) ***************************************************** Why do people resist the call of the Holy Spirit? Why do they keep on ignoring Christ and go on living in misery and pain? Mostly because they are stubborn. I used to think that the love of a secret sin kept people from accepting Jesus Christ as Lord. But now I know that some people wouldn't answer God's call even if Jesus Christ appeared to them in the flesh. God is not mad at any sinner -- whether drug addict, alcoholic, homosexual, gambler, massage parlor operator, adulterer, or otherwise. The only thing that angers God is premeditated resistance -- trying to stop Him from getting through to them. I have four children, but I can't help any of them if they won't even listen to me. You can't help anybody who shuts you out. And God can't work a miracle for anyone who refuses His love. Sinner friend -- you are loved by God as much as the holiest Christian on earth. He doesn't call you unfit or unworthy. He calls you His friend. But if you continue to build barriers and hang up on Him -- you will die in your sins. God never damns a soul! Man damns his own soul. You cannot stop God from calling you! You can't stop Him from sending someone to you to put tracts and books into your hand. You can't stop Him from speaking to you through radio or TV. You can't stop people from praying for you. All you can do is shut it out! To God, no man is hooked by sin -- no man is hopelessly addicted -- no man is forever given over to Satan's power. To Him, there are only two kinds of sinners -- [1] those who are lost and want to be found, and [2] those who are lost and want to stay lost. No sinner can say, "God gave up on me. God forsook me. God quit talking to me. God quit thinking about me." Not so! He's been there all the time! He's been shouting -- calling -- knocking on your heart's door -- but you have been refusing to answer! You won't even go to the door. You are in there somewhere with your friends, playing, saying, "Let Him knock -- let Him call. Let's don't be disturbed. Maybe He'll get tired and go away." Finally -- you can't hear His call -- like those who grow so used to noise, they can't hear it! What an unbelievable situation we have now! People PREFER darkness to light. They prefer emptiness, despair, hangovers, addiction -- to a new life of miracles in Jesus Christ. Christ knocks at the heart's door with an offer no intelligent person should refuse -- an unbelievable offer, so great it staggers the mind. Yet, people slam the door in His face, preferring the devil's company. On Judgment Day, I believe the first question Christ will ask the rejector is -- "Why?" "Why did you turn down My offer that could have made your life fulfilling? Why did you prefer your evil friends and sinful habits? You must have had a very good reason -- let Me hear it!" I wonder if God will ever understand the reasons mankind refuses His love and forgiveness. [Next: Here's How To Get Your Miracle] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here's How To Get Your Miracle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Get desperate enough to do what Christ asks you to do! Not that He wants you to come crawling to Him. When He asks you to do something, it is only to help you get free. For instance -- you will have to get rid of your old friends who dragged you down. Jesus said, "If anyone is a friend of the world, he is an enemy to Me." He also said, "No man can serve two masters." Why does Christ demand this of you? Only because He knows they will tear down everything He builds up for you. They will infect you with their wicked viruses. You are asked to do it, not for His sake, but for yours. For that same reason, Christ asks you to stay away from the old places. "Old things have to pass away; all things must become new." 2. Talk to Jesus out loud just as though He were standing right beside you! No fancy, religious sounding words. Be honest and tell Jesus all about what's going on in your head. He knows anyhow, but you need to talk it all out with Him. His ears are always open to hear your prayers, and He really does answer. Tell Him you are sorry for putting Him off for so long. Tell Him you are fed up with your sins. Tell Him you need Him, and want Him and that you are ready to let Him take over your living and be your guide from now on. 3. Believe Christ to miraculously change you into a new person. The Bible calls that being "born again." It simply means, "a new start in life." Jesus said, "Ask whatever you will in My name, and I will do it." Believe Him to help you resist your old ways and sins. You can't win over your old life by just trying to be good and change by human effort. You can't do anything at all to make this miracle happen -- but believe. Your trust in what Jesus said makes it happen. He said that if you confess your sins to Him with your mouth, and believe in Him with all your heart -- you will be changed. That is positive -- but it won't happen until you take Jesus at His word. 4. Don't be ashamed to follow Jesus -- even if the crowd makes fun of you. This man Jesus Christ is not complicated. You don't have to figure Him out or understand how He works. And you don't have to call very loud for Him to come to your rescue -- because He's been there all the time, just waiting for you to come to the end of your rope. You don't have to understand Him at all. You don't have to understand the doctrines about Him. You don't have to know all about what His Cross means. You don't have to know any theology. All you have to do is follow Him. Jesus Christ makes no other test for being His disciple. He said, ****************************************************************** "If any one wants to be a follower of mine, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me..." (Matthew 16:24 Living Bible). ****************************************************************** It is so simple, even a child can understand it. Jesus is saying, "It will cost you something to follow me and be my disciple." All it costs you to become a follower of Jesus is your old life of selfish pleasure that has caused you so much pain and guilt. Pay the price, give up everything to Jesus -- and get your miracle! Find good Christian friends, and start reading your Bible regularly. Pray this simple prayer: ****************************************************************** Dear Jesus -- I need a miracle. I believe You can remake me into a new person. Forgive me of all my sins and set me free. I believe You are God's Son, that You have all power in heaven and earth, and You hear me praying. I give You my life right now, and I will take You at Your word -- and accept Your love and forgiveness. Amen! ****************************************************************** --- For address and information about the people mentioned in this book, please write to: David Wilkerson Crusades Post Office Box 260 Lindale, Texas 75771 U.S.A. texas@worldchallenge.org Please let us help you receive your miracle. I know we can help you. Just write me at the above address. Used with permission granted by World Challenge, P. O. 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