Issue 4 | 2023

More documents

Recommendations

Info

My whole life, I thought Christians were weak and only used their faith in Jesus as a crutch. I was wrong. There’s nothing more courageous than surrendering your life to Christ. to Christ. Since then, my videos have presented a new message—first of faith, then family, and then fitness. I didn’t know a lot about God, so I figured I’d better learn. I reached out to John, my teacher and mentor, and asked him to school me to be a follower of Jesus. John has faithfully poured into my life, answering my questions and showing me the blueprint for living according to God’s Word. I had seen the Bible as nothing more than a bunch of rules, but John explained that God’s commandments are His way of keeping us safe. (See Psalm 119.) I’d been taught that real men didn’t cry, but over the next few months, as God took me back to my past and mended my broken heart, I found myself an emotional mess. I can tell you though, if I hadn’t let out those feelings, I would never have found healing. I began telling people about God’s love Left: John Humphreys (left) extended God’s love and grace to JC. Through John, JC learned to trust God and others. every chance I got. The first time I shared my story, the gang members I spoke to gave their hearts to Jesus. They said, “Man, JC, we can see it’s real. We want what you got!” Today, I’m a gangster for Jesus. But I’ve got to keep it real: All those years of abuse and trauma and running the streets have taken a toll on my mind. Every day, I have to learn how to think new thoughts and to speak and react in new ways. (See Romans 6:12–13, 12:2; Ephesians 4:22–32.) I’m overwhelmed by God’s goodness, especially by how He is restoring the relationships I destroyed. My whole life, I’ve been a thug on the streets; now, I am a man of morals. Even I can hardly believe it. God’s Spirit gives me the self-control and strength I need to not give in to my sinful, sexual, and prideful urges. God, who is rich in mercy, has helped me forgive those who’ve hurt me, and He is helping me become the father and husband my loved ones deserve. God is stopping the cycle of abuse and trauma in my family with me. As I continue to yield to the leading of His Spirit, I am no longer controlled by my emotions. Today, I’m happy and smiling. Instead of trying to kill the people around me, I hug them. Instead of tearing them down, I encourage them. The old JC is dead, and a new JC has been born. All because of Christ. If God did this for me, a former career criminal and convict, He can do it for anybody. Even you. You might feel like there’s no hope for change in your life, but I’m here to tell you, there is hope in Jesus. Jesus loves you. Isaiah 61:1 says that He was sent “to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed” (NLT). He can take you from feeling lost to finding strength. But you can’t be free to experience a new life until your heart is healed, and only God can heal a person’s heart. It’s through the power of the Holy Spirit that you are able to leave that sin alone and walk free. (See Romans 6:4; Philippians 2:13.) My whole life, I thought Christians were weak and only used their faith in Jesus as a crutch. I was wrong. There’s nothing more courageous than surrendering your life to Christ. In Him, I’m strong and have the power to overcome anything. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I’m determined now, with Jesus as my guide, to learn from my past and become a better, stronger person. God can give you a brand-new start too. With His help, you can experience a changed life and circumstance. It’s not always easy, but if you commit to the journey, you’ll find the peace you’re looking for. Romans 10:11 says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be disgraced” (NLT). Open your heart to Him today. Let Him restore your life. What do you have to lose? JULIO (JC) ALMANZA is on a journey of learning and growing, experiencing mental, emotional, and physical healing along the way. He shares Jesus at every opportunity he has and is committed to helping others find the peace and joy that transformed his life. 24 Issue 04 / 2023 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM
TRANSFORMED LIVES The Prison of Bitterness BY SHERIDAN CORREA WE CAN’T TRAVEL THROUGH LIFE without experiencing hurt and disappointment. The simple truth is that people let us down—and we let them down too. Those hurts and disappointments can lead to bitterness that will consume us if we let it. How do you know if you’re a prisoner of bitterness? Consider these questions. Do little things irritate you? Do you blame others for your trials and troubles? Do you feel emotionally flat, quickly become fatigued, or lose interest in life? Are you easily frustrated and get defensive? Are you negative and critical of others? Do you justify your bad attitude by placing the blame on them? Do you withhold communication and withdraw from others? Do you envy someone else’s life? Do you replay scenarios in your head and reopen old wounds? Are you plotting revenge? If you answered yes to anything above, a poisonous root of bitterness may be growing in your heart. I suggest you deal with it now before it chokes the life out of you. Bitterness is a trick Satan uses to imprison us. He wants us to perish in the poison of bitterness and take others down with us. That’s why Hebrews 12:15 warns us to “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you” (NLT). I experienced many disappointments as a child, and bitterness took root in my heart. Those letdowns hurt and made me angry. Over time, unresolved anger fed the bitter root. It grew and enslaved me. In the prison of bitterness, I blamed others for my circumstances. I lost everything precious—my mind, children, health, and freedom. When I finally realized the problem was my bitter heart, I found freedom with God’s help and the truth of His Word. Here are some keys to coming out of a prison of bitterness: Forgive the offender and the offense. The world wants us to be bitter, but Jesus calls us to be better (Romans 12:2). That’s why He instructs us to forgive one another as many times as it takes (Matthew 18:22). While He was hanging on the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NLT). Jesus understands our pain. He was hurt, abused, unjustly judged, and crucified. Yet He forgave those who hurt Him and modeled the way to a life of freedom with His dying breath. Forgiving the offenders and letting go of the offense is difficult. But it’s the only way to keep bitterness from poisoning our relationships with God and others. We like to keep an account of the wrongs that are done to us. Specifically naming the offense releases it to God and clears the cache. And that prevents bitterness from building up and taking root. Repent of sinful, unholy reactions. According to Ephesians 4:31, bitterness is an evil, sinful behavior in the eyes of God. Therefore, we must repent and ask God’s forgiveness for harboring offense in our hearts. Sin keeps us from experiencing God’s best, and sin spreads to corrupt the hearts of others. Look for a community of believers that can hold you accountable. Hebrews 12:15 instructs us to “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” It’s hard to do that alone. God’s plan for you does not involve your being imprisoned by bitterness. You, as His child, have a higher calling. Don’t let Satan outwit you (2 Corinthians 2:10–11). The enemy wants you to believe that you are a victim and that you deserve to get even with those who offend you. But bitterness leads to darkness and death, and God has called you out of the darkness (1 Peter 2:9). Bitterness comes when we fail to forgive those who’ve hurt us. Therefore, forgiveness is the cure for a poisoned and bitter heart (Ephesians 4:32). A transformed mind and life must include forgiving others, past, present, and future. Is there someone you need to forgive? Tell the Lord and receive His forgiveness for harboring bitterness in your heart. Then, ask Him to help you release both the offender and the offense. He will help you. God never calls us to His higher purposes without equipping us to step forward in faith and live in His will (Hebrews 13:20–21). SHERIDAN CORREA is a biblical counselor who is trained in trauma-informed care. She’s a wife, mother of two teenage boys, singer, and avid runner who has been radically changed by Jesus. She joined the Victorious Living family in 2022 as the digital content manager. VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM Issue 04 / 2023 25
Page 1 and 2: REAL PEOPLE | REAL STORIES | REAL H
Page 3 and 4: ISSUE 4, OCTOBER 2023 “Surely it
Page 5 and 6: ISSUE 4, OCTOBER 2023 CONTENTS PHOT
Page 7 and 8: Through the stories of Victorious L
Page 9 and 10: STEPPING FORWARD ONE IN A WORLD OF
Page 11 and 12: the city would visit my neighborhoo
Page 13 and 14: TRANSFORMED LIVES You Have a Family
Page 15 and 16: TRANSFORMED LIVES word “orphan”
Page 17 and 18: PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE BYRD FAMILY
Page 19 and 20: STEPPING FORWARD Be the One to Tell
Page 21 and 22: My first position was as a mule, tr
Page 23: PHOTO BY ARIZONA PORTRAITS cessful
Page 27 and 28: PHOTO COURTESY OF STEF CABANISS But
Page 29 and 30: STEPPING FORWARD Look for the Bless
Page 31 and 32: PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL FAY I had no
Page 33 and 34: WANT TO KNOW JESUS? “Come to me,

Issue 4 | 2023

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?