“When Jesus Christ comes into a life
that life changes. If there’s no change, there’s no Jesus. I’m sorry, it’s all
about fruit and it’s all about change.”
— Peter Pollock
The Holy Spirit challenged Peter
Pollock, the former South African Test cricketer in the 1960s, on
the night he was converted and born again from above, “You’re
in the process of trying to gain the whole world – something you’ll never, ever
do! But tragically, you’re in the process of losing your soul.”
He had been watching a television debate
involving evangelists and atheists. Peter was on the side of the atheists.
God had broken into Peter’s soul, and it
was through something of Jesus he had recognised in Reinhard Bonnke (the
evangelist) that he had recognised earlier in his wife, who had more recently,
herself, been born again from above.
Peter was then told by the Holy Spirit that
the real things of life weren’t all his many achievements – the esteem he had
gained from fame and fortune – but it was his family; his wife and four
children. They were the important ones.
Suddenly it occurred to him how far he had
fallen short. Suddenly the waste of a life not lived for Jesus came to bear
over him. But then the Holy Spirit reassured him that the years that the locust
had eaten (Joel 2:25) would be repaid – he would have a second chance to
restore those family relationships. They weren’t abusive; just they weren’t
what they could become.
Notwithstanding what had occurred, Peter
spent the next few hours debating against
Christ at a small fellowship where his wife attended, just down the road from
their home. He was still resisting. But as they left that home he was given a
piece of paper that had the believer’s prayer on it – and on arriving home, he prayed
that prayer deep down in his garden in secret. There were no flashes of
brilliant white light or anything, but there were real tears – tears of
repentance – and Peter had not sobbed for so many years.
Peter had had the eyes of his heart opened
and he had given his life to the Lord, all in six hours.
***
Change is something that occurs to people
when they are inhabited by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not about
trying hard to keep up appearances – nothing like that at all. It is about
being real. The more real a Christian is, the more glory of God there is
working in and through them to transform them, day by day, into more of the
likeness of Christ.
Here is a piece of advice Peter Pollock was
given, having confessed he had given his life to the Lord – the best advice he
ever received:
If you’re worried about your sin or about
sinning, don’t worry... you just keep your eyes on Jesus Christ.
It all works out.
© 2014 S. J. Wickham.
The full testimony of Peter Pollock is
recorded here,
courtesy of Kerang Baptist Church,
Victoria, Australia.
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