God Broke the
Chains of Sin

Caught up in drugs and alcohol, and with a broken marriage, this man discovered Jesus could change his life.

By Rudy Perez

How I thank Jesus Christ for saving me and for breaking the chains of sin that weighed heavily on my heart! For many years, I lived my life without any thought of God or His involvement in my life. Having come from a broken home, I learned early in life that I was going to have to look out for myself. Over the years, I made many wrong choices, and it seemed that one wrong choice only led to another. I became hardened and didn't let anyone get too close to my heart. Looking back, I realize there were many situations where the Lord watched over and directed me. My coming to the Apostolic Faith Church is a perfect example of how God has worked in my life.

Met a real Christian

While working for a tree trimming company, God brought a Christian to work with me. At first, all I did was persecute and make fun of him. Even though I looked for ways of making his workday miserable, he still invited me to church and showed me Christian love. One Friday evening, I agreed to go to church with him, and I don't even know why I agreed. That night God spoke to my heart and let me know that I was headed down a long dead-end street.

I don't remember much about the service, but I do remember that toward the end of the meeting, the Holy Spirit started talking to me. He asked me where I was headed and what I was going to do with my life. I realized for the first time that I needed Jesus Christ in my life. I went to the altar of prayer and felt remorse for the way I had lived up to that point. I simply called on the Lord for help and asked Him to forgive me. You know, He did just that! In a moment of time, he changed my life completely. The desire for drugs and alcohol that were such a part of my life was instantly removed, and the anger that controlled most of my actions was replaced with peace and joy. A week later, after learning that we need to live a holy life, the Lord wonderfully sanctified me at an altar of prayer.That was several years ago, and all the problems I had on board didn't just disappear, but Jesus provided me with the strength to go through them.

A heart-breaking phone call

The biggest trial that I faced at the time was the breakup of my marriage. For several years, prior to my conversion, I had mistreated my wife to the point where she moved out of our home. About a week after I was saved, I received a phone call letting me know that my wife was filing for a divorce. Right away, the devil tried to convince me to take my life. He told me that there was nothing to live for and no hope of ever being together with my wife again. By God's grace, I made it through that night somehow, and when the morning came, I noticed another difference in me. I realized that the change that God performed in my life was still going on and I rejoiced to see Him work on my behalf.

The first camp meeting I ever attended was really difficult for me. By then, I had heard about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I wanted that power in my life. Many times I saw the power of God come down and bless people to overflowing. I knew I needed that in my own life. Praying for my wife, however, became a top priority in my life, and I couldn't seem to focus on anything else. Finally, one of the brothers told me, "Rudy, God is faithful, and He has the Holy Ghost for you. However, you are going to have to leave your marriage in His hands and allow Him to work as only He knows best." I realized that I needed to turn my marriage over to God, but it was hard. The Lord eventually asked me, "Would you still follow Me? Would you still serve Me, even if your wife never, ever came?" What could I say? I went before the Lord and told Him, "Lord, You died for me on the Cross, and I will follow You till the day I die." I felt something different in my heart. I can't explain it, but it was something beautiful in my life.

I didn't receive my baptism that camp meeting, but on December 17, 1995, the Lord came down and baptized me with the Holy Ghost. I am so thrilled to know that His promises are true, and that He always backs up what He says in His Word. I didn't quite understand what the Holy Spirit was all about, but I wanted it in my life. I wanted to feel complete. Sometimes, while sharing Christ with non-Christians, l felt limited in how to tell them about Him. Now, I realize that I don't have to depend on myself; the Spirit is right there to tell me what to say.

Marriage restored

Today, I can say that it is truly wonderful to serve God. He saved my wife when it looked really bleak. He restored my marriage, and has blessed us with a son, and a daughter. I have the privilege of witnessing to teenagers at a Juvenile Detention Center here in Portland, as well as minister to the needs of homeless people who live on the streets of Portland. I count it a great privilege to share what God has done in my life with people who remind me of where I used to be. I also visit the ships that come into the Portland harbor and invite the crewmembers to our church services. I find it truly amazing to be able to talk with Jesus and have fellowship with Him. I just want to prove faithful to Him for all He has done in my life.

Rudy Perez is a member of the Apostolic Faith Church in Portland, Oregon.