What makes one a Warrior? What is a Warrior? Is he one of courage? Or maybe one of valour? Or maybe a multitude of such things. Wasn't the Lord Jesus a Warrior? Didn't that same Jesus heal the sick and defend the poor? Jesus came to set us free from the chains of bondage that from the dawn of man have kept us bound. Sin entered the world through one man and therefore death entered through sin. It was that sin that Jesus died on the cross for, the ultimate act of love from God. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3 v.16). So if the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). There are a lot of things that make up a "Warrior of Righteousness." - Love, Honour, Valour, Courage, Faith, Compassion, Hope, Patience, Humility, but the most important of all is having one thing in your heart, that is Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, we must be like a beacon of light to the blind. It is up to us as sons of light to reach out to the poor and needy, to defend the weak and protect the innocent. The world is crying out for answers, and in the end there can be only one answer, and that is Christ Jesus, Who sets the prisoners free. To proclaim liberty to the (physical and spiritual) captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound. (Isaiah 61 v.1). Remember the prisoners as if chained with them, those who are mistreated, since you yourselves are in the body also (Hebrews 13 v.3).

Our society is full of people who need help and who also need to hear the word of God. It is up to us to reach out to the people who need Jesus the most - the homeless and the poor, but not forgetting those who are strong, no matter who you are and who they are. It is the work of Jesus that must be done and we are His army and His Warriors of Righteousness. So stand up, stand up for Jesus and reach out your hand. Don't sit back and do nothing, because it's our actions and deeds that make us men. Stagnant water through time loses its purity and freezes in cold weather, iron rusts with disuse and inaction saps the vigour of the mind. Carry your cross as Jesus did, and fight for what is right, the saving of many souls!
 

Klong Prem Prison D.5, 33/2 Ngam Wong Wan Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.

I'm from Shan State in Burma and come from a Buddhist family. My village is very far from any township. 99% of the people in my village are farmers with no education - we all in the village face poverty as we have no advice service for those who face problems in agriculture. We are also fighting with the Burmese Government for our independence for some time. As you know, teenagers in other countries play games, learn computers, enjoy meeting their friends, but all I did was under intimidation from those in authority by government soldiers. So I felt hatred towards them and that is why I decided to leave the village. I went to Thailand in search of a better job to lead me into a better future. Unfortunately I met the wrong type of friend who handed me a bag to carry without letting me know what was in it. When police arrested me they found drugs in the bag. I told them I didn't know about the drugs, but they wouldn't believe me. I was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Since that time I have lost contact with my family, as there is no telephone or post office in my home area. This has been difficult for me to deal with. I have been in prison for 6 years now. At first I found my life to be in total despair and darkness. I found my life to be meaningless - that is why I felt many times of committing suicide. Three years after my incarceration I first heard the Good News about the true God and His salvation from a Christian brother who had a good knowledge of the Bible. He encouraged me to go to church and he also taught me the truth until I got set free from the darkness. After his teaching and going to church every day, it opened the eyes of my heart and helped me to see the picture of the true God, and His love at the cross of Calvary. Since that time I stopped worshipping idols, I surrendered all to Jesus and started to worship Him with my complete heart because I realised I belonged to Him. When I was in the outside world there was no hope at all in my life, but since I found Jesus I found a hope and a real purpose and colour of life. I have lost my friends and family and everything I ever had, but I'm happy today because of what I have gained here - my salvation, which is very precious, worth more than anything else in the world. So thanks be to God for His wonderful love and gift. Praise the Lord, He has changed my life and outlook. Once I thought I was lost, but now I'm found, so I like to sing "Amazing Grace" to bless Him! Your brother in Christ - Ike.
 

Since Martin Tuson started the Set Free Prison Ministry, he has received almost one thousand confirmation slips from inmates accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Below is a letter received recently, highlighting how inmates' testimonies are helping to build God's kingdom! We give God all the glory!

From Prison Fellowship Zambia - Rev Gideon Ng'andwe

Enclosed are the 2 inmates' testimonies that were written after reading through the Set Free magazines in the prisons. The two prisoners belong to Chondwe Prison Farm in Ndola.

Mr Charles Chanda, P.O. Box 72197 Chondwe Prison Farm Ndola, Zambia. Greetings to you first of all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and Saviour. I hope and trust you are just doing fine. I'm doing okay, despite some friction I'm having from fellow inmates. The main point of writing this letter to you is, the very first time I turned over the pages of Set Free Prison Ministries and read it, I was touched. It was difficult to take in how much the article pinpointed my life style. Before I go any further let me tell you of my past life. Both of my parents died a long time ago - this happened when I was about eleven years old. Having no-one to look up to for assistance may be why I was confused and followed the path I took. It was February 2003 when I got involved in a certain gang. I was hanging with some minor gangs before this, but this was the most feared gang I ever attached myself to. This gang comprised of four boys, me being the ringleader. One day we conspired to go and cut the main power lines so as to sell them in the hope of making a lot of money. Unfortunately our plan was shattered. On the way to sell them we were arrested and put in custody for almost 3 months. After a court session we were taken to a remand prison, where we spent one and a half years. On the last day to court, papers of our case were read out, we were charged for an espionage crime and told to go to jail and serve twenty years. The down side of it all was that I was sent to jail alone, my fellow convicts were released as their rich relatives got them released through bribes. The up side of it was that the judge reduced my sentence to twelve years suspended. This means I serve eight years. I am expected to get discharged on the 27th of June 2008. This sentence I'm serving has made me realise the significance in living up to God's living standards. I need advice on how to get more committed and grounded in His word (Lord Jesus). And may the Lord bless you wherever you are. Yours faithfully Mr Charles Chanda.

First I want to introduce myself to you. My name is Jonathan Bwalya. I was born in 1968, and I am 36 years old. I am serving 5 years jail term starting from 2005 and will be released in 2008. My Testimony is what happened to me when I was young. My father died when I was 14 years old. I suffered many problems and I left my mother behind. From my early teens I got involved in organised crime and lived the life of a gangster. During this time I continuously stole until I got caught committing the offences that led me to jail in 2005 - I was sentenced to five years in jail. When I came to prison I found God. Through someone preaching, and the word of God, I realised I was a sinner on my way to hell forever. Thanks to the Set Free Ministries "Suicide or God." May God bless your Set Free Prison Ministries Bangor which led me to God. It was not just a feeling, it was a decision from my heart to follow God, Jesus Christ came into my life, I was born again (see John 3 v.3) I was baptised in water soon after by full immersion. (Jeremiah 29 v.11) For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. God is my judge and whatever happens may it be His will. I know He has a plan for me, and every day I am a step closer to fulfilling it until our Lord Jesus comes again. If you want to send me more information write to - Jonathan Bwalya, Chondwe Prison Farm P.O. Box 72197 Ndola Zambia.

I grew up on the streets of the Shankhill Road, in the heart of the troubles in Northern Ireland. I never really knew God then, so it never bothered me. My father died in 1971 when I was six, and a year or so later my mother met a new man, and it wasn't too long before he had moved into our house with my mum, my sister and me. It wasn't too long before my mother got her first of many beatings from this man, and it would take another fourteen years or so before she would eventually throw him out. I always said if I ever saw him again I would kill him It was 1984 when I joined the army. Most of my friends were joining the paramilitaries. But I joined the British army when I was nineteen. I came home April 1985 to get married to the girl I had been going out with for a year or so. Her sister, a member of the Whitewell Church on the Whitewell Road, asked us both to go to the Sunday evening service. Just to be nice, we went. During the pastor's appeal I found myself lifting my arm into the air. I didn't really know why I looked around. My new wife was crying, her sister was crying. What was all the fuss about? I thought. We said a few prayers ands went home. My sister-in-law explained to me what had happened - wow, I must be a Christian then. The next week we travelled to Germany where I was posted, and thought nothing more of my experience in church.

My wife and I split up about a year later. She moved to Scotland with our son Aaron. That hit me hard. I was almost an alcoholic after my wife left, but somehow I came through, Little did I know "He" was watching over me. Eventually I found a woman whom I fell in love with. The only problem was she was married with two kids: She was prepared to run away with me, so that's what she did. I got her my mum's' address in Belfast, and about two months later I joined her. Her two kids have grown up now and I'm happy to say we are married with a daughter of our own. They came and stayed with us and we would go to their homes and stay with them. Everything is forgotten and forgiven, and we all get on the best. When we first got back in March 1989 we moved into a one-bedroom flat - no washing machine, fridge, cooker or bed, but we had each other. We eventually got sorted out with jobs and started to get things sorted. We moved house - Esther was expecting our first child in 1990, but it wasn't to be, as we lost the child.

I started drinking again and hanging about with my mates who were now high up in the paramilitaries or in jail. It wasn't too long before I joined a loyalist band - it was great: I was back where I belonged. I don't know how I stayed out of the paramilitaries, but by the grace of God I did. He was watching over me once again - "little did I know". I joined the T.A. in March 1997. You join the T.A. for the cheap drink and the bounty at the end of the year, not to go to war. But that's what happened in February, 2003. I got my papers for Iraq. Three weeks later I'm on the plane, flying to Kuwait with 32 other blokes from my unit. I didn't know it at the time, but this was going to change my life. It was a Saturday morning when we arrived, and we were transported to a spot in the middle of the desert. I sat on my bag and looked around me. I asked myself what I was doing there. I should be waking up beside my wife this morning. Please God, get me home, I said. And He was going to - and for a good reason. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months.

One night just before we crossed into Iraq, there was a sandstorm. Storms in the desert last for hours. Me and a mate had been living in a hole in the ground, and we just got into our shelter when the storm hit around 17:00 - it lasted thirteen hours. My friend and myself almost died as we were almost buried alive. That night during the storm I prayed to God to get us both out alive. I promised God that I would go to church when I got home. We survived the night and we survived the war but little did I know the Lord was about to bring me to my knees. We arrived back in Belfast in June 2003. - bands TV cameras and hundreds of people were waiting to greet us. It was great to be home with my family again. I had a month's leave before starting back to work. I also had a lot of money in the bank. Next day I went down to the pub to see my mates. It was great to be back, back to normal - but what is normal?. What about my promise to God? I was home safe and sound, plenty of money, it was party time for Geordie and his mates. I had party after party. I was drunk every day and night for a month, and my money dwindled away. What about my promise - what promise? I started back to work on 7th July, 2003. After work I was still going out and getting drunk. Esther would meet up with me and we both would get wasted.

It was November, Remembrance Sunday 2003. We had been drinking in the Territorial Army Camp all day. I decided to go and meet our friends in our local Bar. I decided to drive instead of getting a taxi. My daughter was with us in the car that day. Esther got in the front and Melissa my daughter got in the back. It was a wet Sunday night; I rounded a bend travelling at 40 m.p.h. I never saw the car in front stop. Melissa did, and she shouted to daddy, but it way too late. I ran into the back of it. Esther and I would have been killed but for the air bags and God's grace. Melissa had bruising to her neck. The two cars were write-offs. The other driver, by God's lovely grace, was okay. The police arrived. I was breathalysed and arrested. Promise - what promise?

It took a year to come to court. I was banned from driving for twelve months and fined £350. This didn't stop me driving. I got myself another car and a Duplicate License and started to drive again. It was the 13th December 2004 when I was arrested again. My court date was mid January 2005. My cousin Paul had been admitted to hospital in early December and died just after Christmas. The funeral service was to be held at his mother's home. During the service I felt a strange presence in the house. I opened my eyes but couldn't see anything. It was so strange, and I wondered if anyone else felt it. I now know it was the Holy Spirit. The funeral. came and went, and I thought nothing more of it. A few days later I was in the pub again. Esther joined me. She told me that someone else at the funeral had also felt something that day. Suddenly I remembered the promise I made in Iraq. I put down the pint I was holding. I turned to my mate and shook his hand, telling him that I was off. He asked me where I was going. I told him I was going to give my heart to the Lord. I was saved the next day in Whitewell Metro Tabernacle Church in Belfast. My court case was coming up soon. It didn't feel right now, being a Christian and being in court. I prepared myself for a month's jail term, but the Lord walked into court with me that day and He walked out with me, Praise His lovely name! I was baptised in March 2005, and the same night my wife gave her heart to Jesus. My daughter and stepdaughter are also saved.

My life has changed so much - I have recently got my driving license back - I am back on the road driving. The man who beat my mum, (I said I would kill him, and haven't seen him in over twenty years), moved in three doors from my house. I speak to him, and he knows I'm a Christian. I have forgiven him, for the Lord has taken the hate away. It has been a long journey - I almost lost my wife and daughter - but it was His will that we are here: I finally kept my promise. He let me fall, then lifted me up!

P.S. The. great evangelist Nicky Cruz once said, "It's not a sacrifice to serve the Lord, it's an honour!"

Note from the Editor: My first Bible was given to me as a gift from my loving wife, eleven years ago. I wrote on the back cover the definition I heard for "GRACE" - "God's Loving Mercy towards Mankind"

If you want to accept Christ into your own life then pray this following prayer. God Bless.

If you have prayed this prayer and have accepted Christ into your heart and life, please let us know, so we can pray for you and help you in your new life in Christ.