Otis: He will remember this day forever!

One of the men I talked with today was Otis, a thin, soft-spoken man in his sixties. At first, we just talk in generalities–the beautiful day we were having, how hot the summer had been–and then I asked Otis, “How are you doing?” to which he replied, “I’m doing okay.”

His answer was less than convincing and I asked him, “Are you trusting Christ with the things you face from day to day?” And he said, “Yeah . . . there’s nobody else we can trust.”

I said, “Where do you life, Otis?” He answered, “I live here on the street.” And it was then that he broke into tears. “I’m from Rocky Mount. I could go home–they said I could come home–but I have this drug problem.” Otis went on to tell me of a twenty-year cocaine addiction that has cost him everything. He has struggled with it day after day, undergone treatments, participated in programs, but he hasn’t been able to break free.

I said to him, “Otis, you’re never going to be able to overcome the power of this addiction by yourself. We all have sin and bondage in our lives and apart from the power of God we will never be free. It’s not just a matter of asking God to help us be strong enough to overcome; we have to allow him to come into our lives and take complete control. Then, it’s not us but it’s Christ living and overcoming in us.”

Otis was listening to every word. “He has been wanting to do this for you since the day the addiction started. In fact, he has wanted to be the Lord of your life since before you were born. He picked you out when you were still inside your mother. He loved you and had a great purpose for your life, and it’s not to late for him to do that.

Otis was still crying as he said, “I’ve always wanted to help other people. I wish I could be a drug counselor and help other people get off drugs.” And I said, “You can, Otis! God can do such a wonderful thing in your life that you can help many people be free. There is a greater purpose in God for your life than you can possibly imagine.”

I was so conscious of God’s power right there on the street. By this time, I was crying with Otis. I began to pray, to rebuke the devil’s power, and to call the healing, delivering power of Christ into this man’s life. He agreed with me in prayer and promised me that he was going to call home and tell his family what had happened, then he was going to go home and serve the Lord.

Simple as that? Of course not. Satan doesn’t give up that easily. I promised Otis that I would pray for him and ask my friends to do the same. I gave him my cell phone number and he promised to call me. I will follow up with him to help him make connections with people who can encourage and strengthen him in his faith.

As we left, Otis said, "I'm going to remember this day--September 12--I'm going to remember this day forever as the day my life was changed." I believe he will! Put Otis on your prayer list.