BEHIND THE PRISON WALLS of HMP Dodds, something amazing is taking place. The lives of many young men are being transformed.
They are testifying to God’s goodness, mercy and faithfulness. They are encouraging each other as they recap their journey before serving time and taking a deep look at their current state.
They speak about regrets, following the wrong crowd and how Jesus comes to their rescue when they call on Him.
As they sang joyfully last week, raising their voices in unison, giving praise and thanks to God, they shared freely and openly.
This was the scene at HMP Dodds last Sunday when members of Healing For The Soul Ministries and The Ministry Of Healing Waters held one of their monthly Sunday services.
Some 50 young men made up the audience and many readily accepted the invitation to share and testify.
By the time Brother Karl Clarke proceeded to share a message on How God Sets Us Free, these men were already enjoying their freedom to worship.
Clarke shared from his heart and on a variety of texts, including John 8:32, 36, 44 and I John 3:8. He stressed that knowing the truth was a sure way to expose sin and Satan’s work.
“Jesus said when we continue in His word we will know the truth and truth will make us free. The word of man will not make us free but who the Son sets free is free indeed,” Clarke stressed.
Pointing out his own shortcomings in growing up as a thief, Clarke explained that while he stopped stealing from man when he became a believer, he was still stealing from God by withholding his tithes and offerings.
“I needed to be freed from this work of Satan in my life,” he testified, reiterating that when people engage in sin, they undertake the work of the Devil.
“It is the Devil’s employment to influence us to sin and keep us in bondage, so we keep sinning over and over again even when we yearn to stop.”
He told the young men Jesus was [sent] to destroy the works of the Devil and “He is able to root out the Devil’s work” in their lives.
Clarke said, “Acts 10:38 says that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and went about doing good, healing all who were oppressed, who were under the dominion and control of the Devil. We see from the Gospels that power flowed from Jesus and healed a woman that had an issue of blood. We saw His power to forgive the sins of a crippled man and heal him so he could he walk.”
He added that to access the liberating power of God to forgive, heal and deliver, one’s faith in God must be activated.
“If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. When we do this in faith, God will not only forgive the sin, but will remove its uncleanness from us,” he told his listeners.
Many young men responded to the message and accepted Christ. Others who had already committed their lives to God requested special prayer as they too walked “the aisle” to receive God’s blessings.
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