Nikita Koloff(RUSSIAN NIGHTMARE)

A TALE OF THE RING AND REDEMPTION CHAPTER 33 THE CONVERSATION: THERE IS A GOD AND I KNOW HIM PERSONALY THROUGH MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. I HAVE WITNESSED THE HAND OF GOD MOVE IN MIGHTY WAYS BUT NONE MORE SO THAN WHAT HE HAS DONE IN MY LIFE. I was raised Lutheran and I would go to church with my mother on those usual church holidays when I couldn't find a way out of it. As I grew up and became focused on other goals, and moved to the suburbs, church kept moving down my list of focus's until it was entirely erased. AS FOR BACK AS MY CHILDHOOD TAKES ME I BELIEVED IN GOD. I DONT BELIEVE THAT I EVER REBELLED AGAINST HIM I JUST DIDNT GIVE HIM MUCH THOUGHT. That was until I left the ring and had a family. I BELIEVE THAT FAITH AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS JUST THAT; A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AND AN INDIVIDUAL. HE TOUCHES ONE HEART AT A TIME IN, HIS TIME My decision to become a Christian was far from what Paul experienced on the road to Damascus. It was a process that ended up changing my life as well as my family. And it started out as you might guess in the gym. Mark Bebee and his wife Barbara were members of our gym. As we were becoming acquainted we learned that Mark was the pastor of our local Lutheran church and like any pastor he kept inviting us to come to church. It was amazing how many excuses we would come up with week after week until we had run out of excuses and agreed to go with them the following Sunday. I always thought ministers and churches were more interested in your money than your soul so as we began to come to church I wasn't expecting much. I say we were surprised by the service. They were not only topical and current but they also stuck to our thoughts as we found ourselves discussing the service as we drove home and sometimes throughout the week. As time went on we kept going to church. I began to realize that my thoughts towards Christians had been somewhat screwed up. Dick and Charlotte Elston were also friends who we met through business and went to the First Assembly of God church of Concord. Dick was extremely knowledgeable in theology and Bible history so Vic(my wife) and I asked them over for coffee so he can give us his thoughts on the sermons. We talked for what seemed like a short time but it was actually hours. As we talked I kept questioning him on different things and anything that popped into my head. WITH EACH QUESTION HIS KIND AND THOUGHTFUL ANSWERS SEEMED TO REACH INTO MY HEART. As the conversation deepened he said, "I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHAT IM GOING TO TELL YOU WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT IMFORMATION YOULL EVER HEAR IN YOUR LIFE. THE STORY HE TOLD ME WAS ABOUT THE LIFE OF JESUS ABOUT HOW GOD SENT HIS SON TO THE EARTH TO SAVE MANKIND AND TO DIE A HORRIFYING DEATH IN MY PLACE. I HAD HEARD THE STORY BEFORE BUT HE EXPLAINED IT IN A WAY I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE. HE FINISHED BY SAYING A PRAYER FOR US AND THEN THEY HEADED HOME. WHEN VIC AND I WENT TO BED DICKS STORY WAS STILL RUNNING THROUGH MY MIND. We then decided we would start going to Dicks church. One Sunday we were running late. When we got to the church it was so full the only seats we could find was in the balcony. At this particular service there was no message by the pastor. Instead he lead the congregation in praise and worship. He lead us in prayer for each other churches and our nation. AS HE PRAYED I BEGAN TO FEEL AS IF SOMEONE WAS WHISPERING IN A SINGULAR NOTE ONE I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE. AS THE SERVICE WENT ON SOMETHING INSIDE ME WAS BEATING. IT WAS AS IF SOMEONE WAS POUNDING ON THE DOOR. WITH MY EYES CLOSED AND MY FACE BURIED IN MY HANDS, I FELT A BATTLE BETWEEN MY HEAD AND MY HEART THAT WOULD RIVAL ANY PHYSICAL BATTLE I HAD WITH MY OPPONENT IN THE RING. Towards the end of the service the pastor gave an altar call. HE SAID IF ANYONE GOD HAD SPOKEN TO DURING THE SERVICE WANTED TO GIVE THEIR LIVES TO JESUS AND MAKE A NEW START TO COME DOWN TO THE ALTAR. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 READS: "THEREFORE IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST HE IS NEW CREATION THE OLD HAS PASSED AWAY AND THE NEW HAS BEEN BORN." AND THATS EXACTLY HOW I FELT INSIDE. THERE IS NO WAY I COULD COMPLETELY EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPEND TO ME THAT DAY BUT I DO KNOW THERE IS A PEACE THAT PASSESS ALL UNDERSTANDING AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I DIDNT FEEL SO EMPTY INSIDE. I STILL FIND IT A BIT BIZARRE THAT FOR MANY YEARS I WRESTLED INFRONT OF HUNDREDS AND THEOUSANDS OF FANS AND NEVER GAVE ANYTHING TO ANY MAN I FACED, BUT ON A SUNDAY MORNING IN A CHURCH THAT PROBABLY HAS NEVER BEEN HEARD OF I SURRENDERED FOR THE FIRST TIME TO SOMEONE I COULDNT SEE. AND NOTHING HAS BEEN THE SAME SINCE. At the end of the service as were leaving an elderly man approached us and asked if he could have a word with me. I agreed and he began to tell me a story that began five years ago. He told me even though he had never been a wrestling fan he knew who I was. One Saturday he had been changing the channels when he came upon a wrestling program with me being interviewed. AS HE HAD HEARD ME SCREAMING HE HAD WONDERED WHY I WAS SO ANGRY. He went on to tell me God was speaking to his heart to pray for me and my salvation because he had a call to ministry on my life and ever since then he had prayed for me. I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about but I could tell he was speaking from the bottom of his heart. He then told me that for some time he had been ill and wasn't able to come to church. That particular sunday he had hesitated about coming but felt lead by the Holy spirit. He didn't know I was there until he saw me walk down from the balcony. HE TOLD ME HE COULDNT BELIEVE HIS EYES. OUT OF ALL THE CHURCHES IN THE WORLD GOD SENT HIM TO THIS SEVICE SO HE COULD WITNESS ME, NIKITA KOLOFF, SURRENDERING TO THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. HE BEGAN TO CRY AS HE SPOKE. HE SAID HE WOULD CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ME AND THE PLAN GOD HAD FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. THEN HE SHOOK MY HAND AND LEFT. FROM THAT MORNING ON MY LIFE CHANGED. IT CHANGED AS IF SOMEONE HAD TURNED A LIGHT ON IN A DARKENED ROOM. IT WAS THAT QUICK. IT TOOK DECADES FOR ME TO GET TO A POINT WHERE I WAS READY FOR MY LIFE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT PATH-A ROAD AND LIFE I NEVER INTENDED. PROVERBS 16:8 SAYS "IN HIS HEART A MAN PLANS HIS COURSE BUT THE LORD GUIDES HIS STEPS." My steps were directed to the cross of a Jewish teacher who never went more than 100 miles from where he was born; a man whose words and teachings have transformed all of human history; not with the force of weaponry but a powerful one THE FORCE OF THE HEART AND THE LOVE AND SACRIFICE OF GODS OWN SON. IT WAS AS IF THAT SUNDAY MORNING IN THE FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH GOD HAD LOOKED AT ME WITH EYES THAT REACHED INTO MY HEART SHONE A LIGHT ON ALL I HAD DONE AND DELIVERED MY LIFE FROM A SEA OF MADNESS. WHEN FACED WITH A CHOICE I CHOSE A NEW LIFE THAT WOULD PROVE EVEN MORE CHALLENGING THAN MY OLD LIFE. BUT IT WAS ONE I WOULD NOT HAVE TO TRAVEL ALONE.