Article: Breaking the Chains of Bondage | Smeeta Merlin, India
With great fury, he screamed at him violently, “Leave this place right now or else my knife will chop you into pieces.” He slapped that lean person. But he didn’t move. Instead, compassion filled his eyes……
“Even without any weapon in his hand, the city of New York shuddered when they heard his name. Even the police headed back when they saw a glimpse of me. When I walked on the streets, all the doors were shut and any man would run away and hide from me. But I was astounded to see a man walking with a ‘black book’ in his hands without any weapons faced me with guts. Even after I yelled at him he was quiet and he said, “Even if you cut me into a thousand pieces, each of them will open its mouth to say ‘Jesus Loves You’. You cannot kill that love. That love is Jesus. Then he prayed for me and went.”, recollects the NY gangster.
Are you wondering who this terrible gangster is? Yes it’s Nicky Cruz.
Nicky Cruz was born on December 6th, 1938. His parents had 18 children. His parents belonged to a family of Satanic believers. With the help of evil spirits they practiced black magic and witchcraft. When Nicky was 3 years old, they hit him violently which affected his mind too. Hatred and resentment took control over him and his heart turned like a gritty stone. His mother used to call him “Son of Satan.” From childhood he used to grow up without knowing the meaning of the word love. His childhood friends were hatred, bitterness, seclusion, and desolation. When Nicky was 15 years old, he joined hands with a harmful anti-social gang. His amazing anti-gun skills made him gang leader of a mob called Mau-Maus.
In 1958, when Nicky was 18, he gave room to all bad habits like drugs, alcoholism, adultery, murders, and robbery. Police department used to shiver at the mention of this name: Nicky Cruz. He had been to jail several times on account for murders and robberies. Nicky was sent to many psychologists yet no medications could cure him and no counseling could transform him.
At this time, a skinny pastor David Wilkerson came from a small village to meet Nicky. At his first meeting, he slapped Pastor David yet after two weeks the pastor arranged a meeting for Nicky’s gang and sent a bus for them. The pastor asked Nicky’s team to collect the offering. Nicky was filled with wonder and felt happy because he thought he could run away with the offering at the end but a sudden flicker flashed his mind. He said, “Pastor has trusted us.” This stopped his running legs. Immediately he felt the conviction in his heart for all the acts of murder, robbery, and adultery. When Nicky heard the words, “Jesus loves you, and he will forgive all the sins you have done”, he was deeply moved. When an altar call was given, his pride stopped him. How can ‘I’, the gang leader of Mau-Maus, go to the front? But his best friend took him to the front. The love of Jesus broke Nicky’s cruel heart which was filled with hatred, emptiness, and bitterness into pieces. Nickly Cruz surrendered his life to Jesus. The next day, he and his gang went to the police station and handed over all the weapons which shook the police force.
After his transformation Nicky joined theological studies. Isn’t it amazing how the gangster Nicky Cruz was transformed to Pastor Nicky Cruz?
The word of God says in John 8:36,“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” There is no bondage that our Lord Jesus cannot break.
Pastor Nicky Cruz dedicated his life to thousands of youth who were in anti-social groups, as he was once and to bring them back to the Lord, saving them from the clutches of Hell.
Dear friends, may reading this help to dedicate our life once again to our Lord and bring the youths who are in bondages to sin back to the Saviour. Let’s ask God to use us like Nicky Cruz for the establishment and building of His Kingdom.
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