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Ryan's Story

Ryan was caught up with drugs and in trouble with the police, until an encounter with Jesus transformed everything.

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Personal evangelism | 3:33

Ryan's Story

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Ryan was caught up with drugs and in trouble with the police, until an encounter with Jesus transformed everything.

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00:00

Every week I said I was gonna go

00:02

and I just remember Jesus was drawing me.

00:06

But at this point I didn't know that it was Him, now I do.

00:10

Hello, I am Ryan and this is my story.

00:15

I first encountered Jesus

00:18

in a home in Coleraine

00:21

with my now wife, Sarah.

00:25

But it was completely at a random moment, it was just

00:30

out of my normal routine of what I was involved in.

00:34

But I suppose He just captured my attention for a moment.

00:39

And I remember getting sent this

00:41

Billy Graham, The Cross, video

00:43

and I went on YouTube

00:45

and I seen that it was 29 minutes long.

00:47

I was like pfft

00:48

I don't think I can watch 29 minutes worth of stuff.

00:51

But anyway I clicked play and I was captured

00:55

and I remember he was just very direct

00:58

about Jesus changing your life.

01:00

I almost got this fear and I cried and cried and cried

01:03

and just wept on my bed.

01:06

And then I text Scott and I just said,

01:09

"Listen, like, if you're ever setting up

01:12

one of these meetings, like, I'm gonna come."

01:15

And for about seven weeks I didn't go

01:17

but every week I was saying I was gonna go

01:19

and I just remember Jesus was drawing me.

01:22

But at this point I didn't know that it was Him, now I do.

01:27

He's made all the difference in my life.

01:28

The impact that He's done through my family,

01:32

even just from one encounter,

01:36

actually how just the story that I carry

01:40

travels through the community

01:42

and He's transformed my drug addiction.

01:46

The money that I had, I gave it up for Him.

01:49

So the impact that you know...

01:51

And my wife as well, I'm a loving person.

01:55

I love people, I'm a people person.

01:58

I'm not selling them drugs anymore.

02:00

So when I'm with my brother or when I'm with my friends

02:04

I'm always bringing the Kingdom there.

02:07

And even though it might not be like,

02:09

'Jesus at the Door', miracle question, 'Alpha'

02:12

but it's just loving them and knowing that-

02:15

letting them know I am a Christian.

02:17

I did Alpha with a police officer and I remember,

02:21

I remember like going, "I know this guy."

02:24

And then I can see him looking at me funny

02:26

and I was like, "How do I know you?"

02:28

And he was like, "I'm a policeman."

02:32

And then he was like, "I know you, Ryan."

02:34

And so we became friends,

02:35

like he runs the Alpha with me now.

02:40

But the first time we prayed for the Holy Spirit to come,

02:44

I laid hands and prayed on him, prayed for him

02:47

and he encountered Jesus for the first time.

02:50

And that for me was like a massive step for me.

02:54

Police was my enemy, police were the,

02:58

you know, the camera was following me all the time

03:01

and I was getting really, really into bother with them

03:05

and to have a policeman be in partnership with me

03:08

through Jesus and 'Alpha', that was amazing for me.

03:13

I mean, we've seen salvations.

03:14

We've seen loads of people give their life

03:16

to Jesus through 'Alpha' but it's the wee stories like that

03:19

and the friendships that build that really mean a lot to me.

May 2018
From
Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland
Topics
Personal evangelism
Courses exploring Christianity
Online evangelism

This story was produced by the Evangelical Alliance with the support of