He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30
This true story comes from Sam Alasia Adrea from the Solomon Islands and Fiji. He desires to share his story to show that it is the Lord who convicts us of wrongdoing and that He has power to deliver us. For we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, but Jesus is faithful to forgive and set us free.
My story is based on the true miracle power I saw with my naked eyes during Easter night, the third day when Christ resurrected. On that last night of Easter in 2017, I was staying at my big brother’s home in Suva, Fiji. The property consisted of a house with a separate garage beside it and a fence surrounding both.
My brother was going out to visit a friend and, as he left, he told me to lock the fence gate behind him and give the key to my sister-in-law. The fence gate was big and black, about seven metres directly in front of the garage. After my brother had gone, I did exactly as instructed: I locked the padlock on the gate and went into the house.
‘Here’s the key,’ I said to my sister-in-law.
She looked over and responded, ‘Yeah, just put it to where we usually put it.’
The usual spot was an aluminium hook near the T.V. I hung it there and, then, desiring to be alone, I left the house and went back inside the garage. It must have been about 9 or 10 p.m. I sat down in the quietness of the garage and from where I sat, I could still see outdoors. The garage light shone into the night’s darkness, illuminating the gate and the driveway. I would be able to see any person who walked outside the gate, past the driveway and towards the main road.
My mind told me to stay alert and keep watch. Just in case. If anyone did pass by, I could reach for my phone or light a cigarette. These actions would be my bluff. I didn’t want anyone to catch me in the act of what I was about to do. Especially my brother.
I sat there and started to sniff glue. This was my secret pleasure, a habit which had begun several years earlier when I was in high school. Every time I sniffed glue, my body would relax, and I’d feel strong, active and refreshed. My emotions would calm with such a sweet, nice sensation. But afterwards, regret always consumed me. It left me feeling heavy and unclean and constantly searching for more.
In 2017, I was attending the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) school and, although I knew God, sniffing glue remained a weakness of mine. It was a temptation I felt powerless to overcome.
I started to sniff the glue that Easter night and, every time I inhaled, a thought came into my mind: ‘You’re now sniffing glue in the presence of God.’ Conviction burdened my heart but, for about ten or fifteen minutes, I continued to inhale.
The same thought came again. And again. ‘You’re now sniffing glue in the presence of God.’ I tried to ignore the recurring thought, but the conviction pressed hard within. Here I was, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and I was giving into temptation and sniffing glue. I knew it was wrong. But how could I stop?
His conviction stayed heavy inside and I began to feel shy, knowing his presence surrounded me and that he watched everything I did. I prayed and asked God for forgiveness.
Next door, the neighbour’s dog started to bark and bark. I discerned something was going on. Had my brother returned? My heart pounded inside my chest. As I sat inside the garage facing the big black gate, something rushed past my eyes. It certainly wasn’t my brother. It was too fast. In fact, it was too fast to be any human being. As I watched, a dark angry figure raced toward the locked gate. And without any sound, the gate flew open wide! The dark figure vanished. I stared in amazement at the wide-open gate as the padlock swung back and forth.
I raced to find my brother and pastor to tell them what had happened.
Afterwards, I knew something had changed. The resurrected Christ had delivered me. All the desire was gone, and I suddenly stopped sniffing glue.
And I have never sniffed glue ever again. Since that Easter night in 2017, I have never fallen back into that addiction - even when I have been in the company of other youths while they have sniffed glue. The desire is completely gone.
I’m now hungry for purity. And as I seek him, God keeps showing me the scripture, John 3:30 - He must become greater; I must become less. It appears in my dreams at night and in visions as I pray. This has become my prayer.
My brother was going out to visit a friend and, as he left, he told me to lock the fence gate behind him and give the key to my sister-in-law. The fence gate was big and black, about seven metres directly in front of the garage. After my brother had gone, I did exactly as instructed: I locked the padlock on the gate and went into the house.
‘Here’s the key,’ I said to my sister-in-law.
She looked over and responded, ‘Yeah, just put it to where we usually put it.’
The usual spot was an aluminium hook near the T.V. I hung it there and, then, desiring to be alone, I left the house and went back inside the garage. It must have been about 9 or 10 p.m. I sat down in the quietness of the garage and from where I sat, I could still see outdoors. The garage light shone into the night’s darkness, illuminating the gate and the driveway. I would be able to see any person who walked outside the gate, past the driveway and towards the main road.
My mind told me to stay alert and keep watch. Just in case. If anyone did pass by, I could reach for my phone or light a cigarette. These actions would be my bluff. I didn’t want anyone to catch me in the act of what I was about to do. Especially my brother.
I sat there and started to sniff glue. This was my secret pleasure, a habit which had begun several years earlier when I was in high school. Every time I sniffed glue, my body would relax, and I’d feel strong, active and refreshed. My emotions would calm with such a sweet, nice sensation. But afterwards, regret always consumed me. It left me feeling heavy and unclean and constantly searching for more.
In 2017, I was attending the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) school and, although I knew God, sniffing glue remained a weakness of mine. It was a temptation I felt powerless to overcome.
I started to sniff the glue that Easter night and, every time I inhaled, a thought came into my mind: ‘You’re now sniffing glue in the presence of God.’ Conviction burdened my heart but, for about ten or fifteen minutes, I continued to inhale.
The same thought came again. And again. ‘You’re now sniffing glue in the presence of God.’ I tried to ignore the recurring thought, but the conviction pressed hard within. Here I was, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and I was giving into temptation and sniffing glue. I knew it was wrong. But how could I stop?
His conviction stayed heavy inside and I began to feel shy, knowing his presence surrounded me and that he watched everything I did. I prayed and asked God for forgiveness.
Next door, the neighbour’s dog started to bark and bark. I discerned something was going on. Had my brother returned? My heart pounded inside my chest. As I sat inside the garage facing the big black gate, something rushed past my eyes. It certainly wasn’t my brother. It was too fast. In fact, it was too fast to be any human being. As I watched, a dark angry figure raced toward the locked gate. And without any sound, the gate flew open wide! The dark figure vanished. I stared in amazement at the wide-open gate as the padlock swung back and forth.
I raced to find my brother and pastor to tell them what had happened.
Afterwards, I knew something had changed. The resurrected Christ had delivered me. All the desire was gone, and I suddenly stopped sniffing glue.
And I have never sniffed glue ever again. Since that Easter night in 2017, I have never fallen back into that addiction - even when I have been in the company of other youths while they have sniffed glue. The desire is completely gone.
I’m now hungry for purity. And as I seek him, God keeps showing me the scripture, John 3:30 - He must become greater; I must become less. It appears in my dreams at night and in visions as I pray. This has become my prayer.
Sam Alasia Adrea (Fiji)
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