James O'Brien

I praise God for this mighty salvation. Twenty-eight years ago, I walked into an Apostolic Faith camp meeting and felt the Spirit of God. I had never heard a testimony, and had never heard a Gospel song, but I met the Spirit of God that day—and I knew it!

Before I left that meeting, a man stepped up to me and asked, “Brother, are you a sinner or a Christian?” I squared myself, but he just said, “Do you have habits and appetites?” I said, “Yes, I have.” He said, “Let us cast those demons out of you.” I said, “If you can, then do it.” He said, “Kneel down here,” so I knelt down at the bench and they prayed until the tobacco appetite was gone. I haven’t wanted it from that day to this. That was two weeks before I received salvation.

The moment God had me under conviction, things began to change. I used to go home to my farm and family every two weeks. After the Apostolic Faith people prayed for me, I went home. My boy saw me coming down the road without my pipe—something he had never seen before. He came running to meet me and then ran into the house and told everyone before I could get there. My wife said, “You need to keep going to that place.”

I knew they had something real, but I didn’t think it was for me. I thought I had drifted too far for God to ever reach my case, so I went back into sin. I was in a saloon over on the east side of the river for the third night in a row when a man said, “Have a drink?” I said, “Not tonight.” Then he said, “Have a smoke?” I said, “Not tonight.” He asked, “Will you play cards?” I said, “Not tonight.” As I was sitting there, I saw two hands stretched out before me, one holding a dark glass, and one holding a clear glass. I heard a Voice say, “Which one will you take—everlasting death or everlasting life? I chose everlasting life! I left that saloon and have never wanted to go in one again.

I went out to where the Apostolic Faith people were still holding camp meeting. They prayed for me, and God saved me. Peace flowed like a river through my soul. The moment I was saved, there was a change in my life—the old life passed away and all things became new. The men at the workbench in the mechanic shop saw it the next morning. The old emery wheels, the sparks that flew, and all else were praising God. When I returned to my farm, I went justified by faith. As I headed home along the railroad tracks, it seemed as if I was walking on air.

There is power in the Blood of Jesus to set free, and whom the Son sets free, is free indeed. I was a man who stammered and stuttered all my life—forty-three years. I would chew my cheeks until they bled to get a word out. My wife used to have to answer questions for me in my own home. This was not a habit I picked up; I was born with it, and my grandparents stuttered before me. But when God saved me, the Blood of Jesus broke every chain and fetter that had me bound. I was set free from stuttering. I have a son who is thirty-one years old. When he started to talk, he was bound the same as I was. He would lie on the floor and cry and kick and scream because he couldn’t talk. The same God who broke the chains that bound me, broke the chains that bound him. The Word of God says that in the last days the stammering tongue shall speak plainly (Isaiah 32:4). My son and I stand as living witnesses to this.

The Word of God also says there is power in the Gospel of Christ unto salvation to everyone that believeth (Romans 1:16). I am thankful I can testify to that as well, having had peace, joy, and victory for many years now.