Friday my wife and I went to Orlando and had the pleasure of taking Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) and widow of the late great Bill Bright to dinner, and then we went to a Christmas musical at 1st Baptist Church Orlando. We could feel the warm presence of the Holy Spirit in the auditorium and it was a wonderful evening to be among so many Christian brothers and sisters all joining together to glorify the name of Christ Jesus.
Saturday morning I entered the 33rd St. correctional facility in Orlando to minister to prisoners with organizer Jack – “Murf the Surf” – Murphy and several other volunteers. We worked our way through the facility going pod to pod meeting with hundreds of inmates. Our final destination was the top floor. This was the place that all of those who were incarcerated because of capital murder charges were housed.
When we got off the elevator and entered the floor one of the volunteers loudly exclaimed, “WHAT IS THAT?” He was referring to a deep sense of foreboding evil that was present on that floor and it could actually be felt by each of us. I knew exactly what it was because I’d experienced that feeling while visiting death row and other dark hell holes that housed the worst of the worst among us. One of the guys wanted to pray for protection before we entered the cell block; so we joined hands and prayed together right then and there.
The guards were very reluctant to allow us in and I believe that had it not been for the persuasive skills of Murf, we wouldn’t have received permission. These were very dangerous men and within that pod approximately a dozen or so were out of their cells walking around in an open area and we would be in there with them unaccompanied by any guards. A couple of them appeared to be demon possessed to me and were staring at us through the glass with mean looks and muttering away. Their penetrating, darting, ferocious looking eyes gave them away and once we were inside their mouths confirmed it as they spoke in bursts of foul language laced with profanity.
Inside I spoke with a young black man. He was big and wore dreadlocks but barely spoke loudly enough for me to hear him. He told me that he had recently tried to commit suicide because his grandmother and both of his grandfathers had just died. I asked him if he would like to receive some help and comfort from God in dealing with it. He said yes and I pulled out a tract and pointed to a verse and told him to read it. He said he couldn’t read, so I read it to him.
As time went on I asked him if he wanted to receive Jesus and he said he did. I explained that first he must recognize that Jesus is God and died on the cross and in three days rose again. I took my time and made point after point to him that he must confess his sins, ask for forgiveness, turn from his former ways, and follow Jesus. After each point I would stop and look at him and ask if he was good with that. He would say yes and I would continue to the next point. When finished I asked him if he would like to receive Christ. He said yes and I led him in the sinner’s prayer and he repeated it.
Afterwards he asked if I would like to see some of his artwork. I said yes and he gave me one of his sketches. It was a simple little sketch scrawled on a small scrap of notebook paper, but he was very proud of it. I thanked him profusely and he nodded and then the buzzer sounded and we had to leave.
After we left, Murf had seen me praying with him, asked how it went. I said I’m not really sure because he seemed kind of out of it as though he was drugged. I told him the kid had lost his closest relatives and they probably had him all gooned up on a powerful tranquilizer. He said that was probably the case and that is how they deal with emotional problems inside the walls.
Hmmm . . . I thought that is how many problems are dealt with outside of the walls too.
Sunday I was back home and went Honey Lake Church and listened as my friend former NFL football great Steve Bartkowski spoke and once again I felt the Holy Spirit flood that sanctuary with His presence. It was a glorious day and the sky was bluebird blue and smiles abounded as we basked in the presence of the Lord at beautiful Honey Lake!
As I was reviewing this weekend in my mind this morning, I couldn’t help but think about the stark contrast in feeling the dark presence of evil and demonic spirits and the glorious feeling of the Holy Spirt and His host of angels of light in these churches. It is a tiny glimpse of how it will be in heaven and hell.
I’m so happy that I’ve surrendered my life to Jesus. But for His grace I could be among those hapless souls who eke out their existence day after day inside those dangerous walls of darkness and evil. I told every inmate I encountered that Jesus loves them and doesn’t see them as they are right now, but how they can be if they will only surrender to Him and allow Him to enter into their lives. Many of them made that decision on Saturday; I pray that they can stay close to Jesus until at last the cell doors open and they can return to life on the outside.
There is plenty of pain, suffering, sadness, and stress to go around in this old world. Those who suffer from it are incarcerated too, whether they know it or not. They may be roaming free, but one doesn’t have to be locked up to be one of satan’s victims and be living a miserable existence . . . Many can relate to that, but it doesn’t have to be that way with you.
Grace, mercy, and peace belong to those who love God. His love, truth, and joy replace all vestiges of hopelessness. I’ve been to both places and I’ll take the love of Christ any day over the hate of satan!
2 John 1:3
Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.
December 15, 2014 – Click here to listen