My team and I had the unique opportunity to speak at a prison today. I was very intimidated when I first arrived but most of my fear fled as the inmates gathered before us in the prison yard and gave us their full attention and respect. They seemed to truly care about the message we were presenting. I was one of three speakers who presented the gospel to the prisoners. I spoke on John 3:16-18 and explained how God’s love for us is passionate and that He sent His Son to die for our sins and release us from guilt and shame as He forgives us and washes us clean. I talked about how I believe that when Jesus was on the cross He experienced the full extent of all the sins in the entire world, all the pain and consequences of our actions and the feelings of unworthiness that come as a result. This means that He understands what we are going through and meets us where we are at. He offers to redeem our stories and make them beautiful. I don’t think I have ever before cared so much about the people I was preaching to. My heart broke for these inmates and I desperately wanted them to understand what I was saying and to be set free from the sins holding them captive. Tyler concluded with another short message and then asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus as Savior. 11 prisoners came forward and stepped into eternal life as they prayed with Tyler. It was an incredible moment and I felt the spirit of God in our midst as we sang the Revelation Song and prayed over these men and women. I blinked back tears at the sight of inmates whose hands were clasped in prayer and others sitting Indian style before us clapping, singing, and saying “amena!” I am so thankful that God allows me to play a small part in special moments like these. Amena!
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” -Isaiah 61:1
