Christians: What was your conversion experience like?

Question

Mine seems like it is pretty unusual, but I know that God has methods of bringing His sheep to Him in a myriad of beautiful ways. I'd love to hear what the circumstances and experiences of your conversion experience!

I'd especially like to hear from adult converts, like myself. I mean *no* offense to those of you who were saved as children-- that is a *very* blessed thing to have, in a manner of speaking, never *not* known the Lord, and I'd like to hear your stories, too. :)

These stories are so cool that I have to add one of my own. I have a friend who was at what she considered to be a rather unremarkable church service (she is a believer, but y'all know what I mean). She had brought a friend, who, upon hearing the Gospel, got so excited that he stood up and said to the others in the church, "Oh my gosh! Did you guys just hear that? Don't you want that?! I want that!!!!"

Isn't that cool? It's amazing how when our eyes are opened we can see what a treasure He is beyond all compare and what amazing things He has offered to do for us! Doesn't that just make you want to stand up and say, "I want that!"

Answer 1

April 16, 2006 (Resurrection Sunday)

There were two altar calls that night - one was for those who wanted to be saved, the other was for those who wanted to be on fire for the Lord again. I think I went to both, but I especially remember one.

My mother thought that I was saved, but I wasn't (and I knew it!). In fact, while the altar call for salvation was being given out, the pastor said something like this:

"There are two people who need to come forward tonight. One is an adult; the other is in the youth ministry."

The latter was ME! Looking back at this, I know that the Holy Spirit was leading me to give my life to Him. I came forward to the altar and prayed. Meanwhile, a girl from a group in Texas prayed for me.

Then the Holy Spirit just let His Presence be known, and I was "slain". I pretty much lost control of my body and fell backward, feeling light. The people caught me and laid me on the floor.

I started crying out, "I LOVE YOU, GOD, I LOVE YOU!" The tears were just streaming down my face.
Seriously! Not only that, but it wasn't actually me who was doing that. It was, once again, the Lord - right now, I'm actually reminded of how the Holy Spirit calls out, "Abba, Father"...perhaps that had something to do with it. God was showing Himself.

That night, my mom, who didn't know I had been saved (she thought I had already been saved before) said something about this girl who had fallen and screamed - that was me, and she found out about that. She then told me that her friend actually saw the heavens open above me. Wow.

So there's my story - how God brought a lost sheep to Him.

God bless you for posting this question.
I've been reminded yet again of how merciful God is, not only saving me (when I didn't deserve it at all) but opening the very heavens as well.

I know that not many others have had such a radical experience, and I apologize if it seems that I'm bragging, but I'm not. There are times when I forget things, and I guess that one reason why God let this experience take place was to remind me of His greatness...and indeed, I am reminded of it.

Answer 2

I remember as a 10 year old child that one time I was looking into the night sky and had a strong need to know who and what God is. I was aware of His existence and truly believed that He saw everything I did. It wasn't until I became an adult that I began to question so many sorrowful things that were taking place on our earth. I felt my own sorrows but what about those who experienced suffering and hunger and who had much less than myself. I hadn't realized how many problems there were on a world wide scale until then.
I decided to open The Bible to find answers, and sure enough they were there. It opened my mind to see the reason why God allowed so many things to continue and what He will do to solve all mankind's problems. It was like a light in a dark place. I became aware of my own failures and my own sinfulness. It was as if I was lifted up in a spiritual way to see the seriousness of sinning and the awareness of overcoming my weaknesses. I knew it was impossible without help, so I asked Him to help me to do right. There have also been times when I have failed miserably. Throughout my life when I was undergoing trials which were hard to bear I had become reasurred that there was only one person who could get me through it all. One time I was near to death and so I prayed earnestly and begged God to comfort me and help me deal with the suffering I was going through. The feelings I've had are overwhelmingly incredible, and at one time it was as if I could almost touch God.
This was my conversion when I first began reading God's thoughts from His word the Holy Scriptures. I am fully convinced if I continue to depend on having faith in His ways and not mine, completely trust that He hears prayer and trust that no matter what I go through by doing my best to please Him, then He will never let me down.

Answer 3

I wanted that and I got it! PTL What a fun testimony to read, if all were that excitied about hearing the Truth! I had a women that I worked with talk about Jesus and it would give me goosebumps. I loved to hear her stories. One evening I went to her house for dinner and afterward we went to the living room. She was reading her Bible and all of the sudden I felt like I was melted butter (did not know at the time this was the Holy Spirit). I started to cry and she asked me if I wanted to pray which I did. I really did not know at the time what was happening and that I accepted Jesus. I felt no changes, but over time I started noticing that there was a difference. As much as I enjoyed that experience, I am glad that I have matured in Him and I know so much more. You need to share how your life was changed also.

Answer 4

I don't remember the time before I knew that Jesus loved me, but I wasn't converted until I began to receive answers to questions I didn't know that I had.

I grew up in a very dispensational setting. I believed in the 7 year tribulation period, the rapture, the millenial reign of Jesus on this earth. It all had a sense of being unreal. I knew that believing in Jesus is the most important thing in my life, and I would look around and be overwhelmed by people acting like "life goes on" without the knowledge of God.

When God started answering the questions that I didn't know I had I began to see the reason why people aren't aware of God, how there is a concerted effort on the part of men to corrupt the church and drain the spirit of life out of her, men crept in unawares.

Since then I have learned that if error is mixed in with the truth then the result is error, and that error creates a partial gospel which leads to a partial conversion. There is absolute truth in the world, Jesus Christ is the truth. When we know that the doctrine of truth is free from error and begin to learn the pure doctrine of Christ we are set free.

Answer 5

Growing up, my mom became a Christian when I was five, my dad was a hard core atheist, I began following in his footsteps. I believed just as I hear so many say on here, that Christians are weak, silly and need a crutch and escape from reality. When I was 18 I ran away with a boy that I was obsessed with. He was into some weird occultic stuff and I saw some pretty strange things. Most of which a lot of people would just think I was making up if I told them so I'm choosy who I share all the details with. But being faced with supernatural reality I began wondering about God. I came under strong conviction of the Holy Spirit because a lot of people were praying fervently for me at that time. I was at a crucial point in my life and my mom and my sister and some others were praying for me a lot. The Holy spirit was drawing me to the Bible and when I read it, it made sense to me, where it hadn't before. I reached a point where I called my sister and asked her,"If I come home, will you send me to a shrink?" Because I thought I was loosing my mind because I was really believing in God and I had always thought that people who believed in God were crazy. She said yes of course, but I didn't go home just yet and never went to a shrink. I did eventually get myself away from my boyfriend and go home. I kept reading the Bible and put my faith in Christ for salvation. My poor dad was so concerned about me because I was obsessed with reading the Bible (all versions at once and with a Concordance). He came in one day when I was sitting on the floor surrounded by Bibles and gave me a big hug and said " I'm glad you've found something that your so interested in, but please don't read so much of it, it will make you go crazy."My life was totally changed from that point on. At first it was strange, it was almost like I didn't know who I was when I looked in the mirror. When people say that there is a transformation of the heart, I know what they are talking about.It changed the way I thought about everything. I realized that I had believed so many lies and my whole world view changed almost overnight. I'm thankful that God didn't give up on me even though I had rebelled against Him and thought I was too smart and too cool to ever need a Savior to lean on. Boy was I wrong. If He hadn't cared enough to rescue me when He did I probably would be dead and in hell by now.
One last note... I got to see my dad saved and baptized 4 days before he died this May. Some said it would never happen but they didn't realize the depth of patience, grace and mercy that the Father has toward us. Seeing Him baptized was of the happiest occasions of my life! God bless!!

Answer 6

though i was raised catholic (in a good way), when I was an adult, I was led ASTRAY and made some bad choices, after living for years as a good person.
However, in the last 5 years, I have embarked on a SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. I believe that RELIGION is the practicing of a particular faith; and that SPIRITUALITY is something we have with us 24/7!!
I have read alot of the Bible and other spiritual books; and found myself closer to the God of My Understanding!
I am not perfect; and have character flaws. But, what I do differently today, is that I check my MOTIVES for what I am doing. Is it the RIGHT thing; or am I being guided by the DEVIL?
I know that God wants me to accept my Life as it is now; He forgives ME for my past trangressions; and I accept that I can allow Him to GUIDE me today!!

Answer 7

25 years old when I encountered Jesus. While in the moment of trying to figure out how to kill myself I stopped everything and said a simple prayer. I said " Jesus if you are real -help me." He showed up in power and all I felt was love, like waves, going through me. That was 17 years ago on Halloween night. That's right, I was born again on Halloween! Thanks for letting me share.

Answer 8

I was an Atheist when I was a Teenager. I came across an ex biker outlaw nicknamed Flame, when I was almost 20. He shared the gospel with me while I was waiting for a ride. I told him that I would pray about receiving Jesus as my Savior. I thought that this answer would satisfy him enough to leave me alone, but he did not. He continued to press in by saying that if I was right and said the salvation prayer, I only wasted a few minutes of my life. and if he was right, I would gain eternal life. I had a few minutes so the only logical choice I had was to repeat the Salvation Prayer with him. I felt so good after that. I no longer had a problem falling asleep and I did not have nightmares anymore. But the feeling did not last for long. I continued to live in sin, even though God proved to me that He was real, but I had no power over my sins. Over the next twenty years, nothing good ever lasted. I became a depressed alcoholic. I ended up divorced and homeless. All the women I dated were addicts, liars, and cheats. I went to a Pentecostal Church to find a woman to date and hoped that my life would change, but I had no luck. No one wanted me and I can't blame them. After a few months, I heard about the baptism of the Holy Ghost, so I did it because everyone there seemed happy and strong emotionally. When I received the baptism, the Pastor expected me to speak in tongues. I thought that he was crazy! He would not let me go until I did, so after 15 minutes, I made up a couple words. He told me that I got it and told me to make up some more words on the way home. I did and I felt pretty good. After three days, I called up the Pastor and told him that it did not work and that he had lied to me. He asked me if I prayed in tongues. I said no and that I did not believe in them. He told me that I had nothing to lose, so I got mad at him and forced myself later to pray in tongues and wow! God entered my body. I got scared at first. Then I picked up a Bible and it was as if I wrote it! It became alive! I then surrendered to the indwelling of God and then God gave a vision. He began to speak to me as we became one. He told me who I was going to marry. The next day, I woke up and all of my addictions were gone! No more cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, depression, codependancy. It was as if I never did them. I had no urges or desires. I was a new creature! Then the woman God told me that would be my wife, called me up and asked me if I wanted to date her. Three months later, we were happly married. That was almost 9 years ago. I will never forget the night that God filled me with His Holy Spirit.

Answer 9

I believe God allowed me to experience hell, it was a darkness that you could feel & I knew that I was going to be there forever. My most immportant thought was that I would never be able to call on God under any cercumtances. I started praying & asking God to give me another chance & He did. It was a very trametic experiance. that was 22yrs. ago. Thank you Jesus. Amen!!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

Sister, thank you so much for posting this question...I love to read the testimony of others and hear how Christ changed their lives. (I'd love to hear yours, too!) God bless you -