Testimony October 25, 2009: Released from gambling and cocaine

(Audio: Spanish, English) ->Original

SUMMARY: Mustafa shares his testimony of struggling with sin and addiction, eventually turning to God and accepting Jesus as his savior. He went through a program and was restored to the joy of his salvation. He recommits to picking up his cross and following God.

Mustafa: Hello. Hey everyone. My name is Mustafa and I'm 30 years old. Interpreter: My name is Mustafa, I am 30 years old Mustafa: At a very young age, like, you can tell, Mustafa is a Muslim name . Interpreter: As you can see, the name Mustafa is a Muslim name. Mustafa: When my father was bringing me up he didn't, he wasn't teaching me in the Muslim way. He wasn't forcing me to be a Muslim. He was teaching me. He wanted me to choose which way I wanted to go. Interpreter: My dad raised me not forcing me to be Muslim but teaching me in this religion. Mustafa: At a very young age I started dealing with sin. Interpreter: So at a very young age I began to deal with the issue of what sin is Mustafa: and because I didn't know about the word of God Interpreter: And without knowing the word of God Mustafa: I went the wrong way for a long time

Interpreter: I was on the wrong path for a long time Mustafa: I dropped out of school at a very young age Interpreter: I left school very young Mustafa: And I came from Africa to the United States Interpreter: I came from Africa to the United States Mustafa: America, yeah! “Because the enemy says, John 10:10, he comes to kill, steal and destroy” Interpreter: But as the Word says in John 10: “The enemy has not come except to steal, kill and destroy” Mustafa: He already had a control over my mind Interpreter: He already had control over my mind Mustafa: So, my life, I was seeking for things that weren't real Interpreter: So in my life, I was looking for illusory things, things that they weren't real. Mustafa: And he lived in me. Performer: And the enemy dwelt within me Mustafa: So, I kept following at first I get addicted to gambling < b>Interpreter: At first I got addicted to gambling, the game Mustafa: I didn't like the fact that I was gambling because at the end of the month I had the plan, I had the bugdget I had to meet but I wasn't able to meet that budget Interpreter: It got to the point that I lost my money. During the month he could not pay my bills at the end of the month Mustafa: I remembered I wanted to commit suicide Interpreter: It got to the point that I I wanted to end my life Mustafa: Because I've lived the lie and after following the lie I find myself on a place that I thought it was going to give me fulfillment < b>Interpreter: I believed the lie and thought I was going to find something good in it Mustafa: It was just a lie. I wasn't a man. I was told I was one but I wasn't a man. I was weak. Everything that rose within me, every desire, everything that rose between me, I would follow Interpreter: I was a man but I didn't feel like a man, I felt weak, like a slave to every impulse I had Mustafa: And it's right. I became a slave to weaknesses. And I would follow after relationship. Then the last thing that brought me so desperate was crack cocaine Interpreter: And I got to the point of taking crack cocaine Mustafa: I found myself in the street of Candemn, New Jersey Interpreter: And I got to the streets of Candemn, New Jersey Mustafa: Very bad city

Interpreter: Not a very good city Mustafa: I was so desperate then that I called to God in the park one day. After I called, God made the way for me to get into a program in Connecticut called Turning Point Christian… Interpreter: I reached a point of desperation on the street, I cried out to God and God It opened doors for me to get into a program in Connecticut called Turning Point. Thank God. Mustafa: Hallelujah! After I got into the program, two weeks after I was in the program somebody read Roman 7 Interpreter: And after two weeks in the program, someone read Romans 7 to me p> Mustafa: I got so excited like: “This is me, this is me. This is my life. I've been going through this struggle and he is talking about all my life,” and my eyes got open Interpreter: It is a text that talks about Paul's struggle saying that “I struggle With sin, I do what I don't want to do and who is going to free me from that body of death? And I felt “That is my life, I know this man, I am living the reality of this text” Mustafa: Amen. After that happened I learned about Jesus, I learned about what Jesus died on the Cross for us and what he has provided for me. Then I accepted Jesus to coming into my life, to become my savior Interpreter: And then I learned that Jesus is the savior, that He came to die on the Cross for us, and I I accepted him into my heart as my Savior Mustafa: Amen. Thank you Jesus! Interpreter: Thank you, Jesus! Mustafa: The Bible says we have to be transformed, to renew our mind

Interpreter: But the Bible says we have to be transformed by the renewing of the mind Mustafa: So for a couple of –that was in 2006- years I became to serve the Lord and God was leading me in the right way Interpreter: In 2006 this started and I began to serve God and God was guiding me on the right path

Mustafa: But I came to a crossroad Interpreter: But I came to a crossroads Mustafa: Jesus says: “If anyone wants to be my disciple you have to pick up your cross you got to deny yourself and follow me daily Interpreter: Jesus says, “If anyone wants to come after me, you have to take up your cross and deny yourself every day” Mustafa: And I didn't want to pick up my cross Interpreter : I didn't feel like taking that cross, I didn't feel like it to do it Mustafa: So I got back to my old ways Performer: So I got back to my old ways Mustafa: But God is good and the blood of Jesus, the Grace of God again in my life. In June of this year, God opened the door for me to come to Boston Teen Challenge Interpreter: But God is good and the blood of Jesus sought me and so in June of this year a door was opened for me to enter this Boston Teen Challenge program Mustafa: Since I've been to Teen Challenge, God has forgiven me and he has restored onto me the joy of my Salvation Interpreter: God has forgiven me, He has restored me to the joy of my Salvation Mustafa: Now, I've committed to pick up my cross and to follow God Interpreter: Now yes, now I promise to take up my cross and follow Jesus every day Mustafa: Thank you . God bless you! Interpreter: Thank you!