As I think of that amazing day often, I ask myself, “Did this really happen to me?” With a pipe full of this awesome Acapulco gold, hallucinogenic marijuana, off I went for my five mile walk to work on a Saturday morning. Working as a design engineer, designing and patenting a product for the graphic arts industry. Strange because before coming here I was an Aerospace Engineering designing flight control systems for Boeing passenger aircraft.
A young man named Tim Nelson was working as my tech, building and making my design work. The Lord used Tim (a Christian man) to help get me on the right path. I did most of my design work at night (less interruptions) and Tim would leave me an irritating note explaining any errors I had and why his fix was superior and indeed it always was.
On this Saturday Tim talked to me about a close friend of his family who was delivered from demon possession. As he discussed how miserable this friend was it made me think of what was missing from my life. I discovered my confidence in Tim, who God used to set me up, for believing the ability of Jesus to deliver and give victory. I was addicted to alcohol and drugs. So, on Tuesday evening as I walked into my somewhat private restroom, someone put their arms around me and said “BILL, I LOVE YOU!” at that moment I felt a great and heavy sorrow in my heart. I dropped to my knees (the toilet as my altar) and said “I am so sorry!!!” I then felt this massive heavy burden lifted from me and I broke into tears, something that was very unusual for me. I went out and tried to tell Tim, who just looked at me in a funny way.
I went home and found a zip up Bible my grandmother had given to me years before. I went to church with Tim and his wife sang “Sheltered In The Arms Of God.” When the altar call was given I ran and knelt down and the Lord spoke to me saying “Bill, go home and get rid of your drugs and alcohol.” That is what I did, the Lord sanctified me and I have victoriously and enthusiastically served Him since May 17th 1972.
-Bill Stockham