FORGIVEN…SET FREE…TRIUMPHANT…HOW GLORIOUS!

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4

I was 10 years old when I realized I was a sinner, and my only hope of heaven was through the atonement of Christ. The Holy Spirit revealed to me my need, but also, the ONE who could meet that need … Jesus Christ. I was born into the family of God when I put my faith in Him as my personal Savior, dying on the Cross for my sin. “I sought the Lord … and He heard me … and delivered me from all my fears.”

At Wheaton College the Holy Spirit moved upon the students and faculty during our chapel service in mighty power. God convicted me of my self-centered carnal life. I stood up and asked His forgiveness for my sin, unfaithfulness, and selfish life. There was repentance, then deliverance, then glorious triumph! Such a “presence of God and the work of the Holy Spirit” I had never experienced before. My Life Was Changed Forever! “I sought the Lord … and He heard me … and delivered me from all my fears.”

I faced the “Hell of Battle” during W.W. II, when I was critically wounded by German artillery. Shrapnel almost blew off both of my forearms and my right leg, and a piece of shrapnel hit in the back of my neck, missing my spine by a quarter of an inch. But, HE WAS THERE! It was 11:30 at night when they pulled me from my muddy foxhole. I was laid across the hood of a Jeep, as shells continued to explode all around us. On the way to the first aid tent, God gave me “a song in the night”… and I started singing “Only Trust Him, He will save you, He will save you now.” I didn’t believe I would live to get there. I was going to sing my way right into the presence of the Lord. “I sought the Lord … and He heard me … and delivered me from all my fears.”
Evacuated to England, the ward Surgeon examined my right arm. Later he informed me they would have to amputate my right arm. BUT GOD had other plans. I prayed, if it was His will, that He would save my right arm. When I returned from surgery the next day … my right arm was back in traction. Through a series of numerous operations … plastic surgery, skin grafts, bone grafts, and other procedures, they rebuilt my arm from what was left. “I sought the Lord … and He heard me … and delivered me from all my fears.”

After two and a half years of hospitalization, I was discharged. But, I realized I had a psychological problem. In civilian life, I was embarrassed by my disfigured arms, and decided never to wear short sleeve shirts again. My birthday arrived, and guess what my wife gave me … two short sleeve shirts! I prayed, and told the Lord how distraught I was. He said, “Are you ashamed of what I did for you? Had it not been for Me, you wouldn’t even be alive, much less, still have your arms and leg.” Immediately, I asked forgiveness for being so self-conscious and self-centered.

My attitude changed, my perspective changed, my whole life changed! No longer embarrassed by disfigured and strange shaped arms … I raise them up today rejoicing … as “Trophies of His Grace!”

“I sought the Lord ... and He heard me … and delivered from all my fears.”

Forgiven … Set Free … Triumphant … How Glorious !



From: Literature International Ministry - Ed Powell