Day 2 WOC Treasures In Prison

Continued from Day 1 WOC Story of Champion


Day two was just as amazing as day 1. In the group of volunteers there were two other women who I had done time with in one of the jails, rehabs, or prisons. I can never really remember where but immediately there this excitement and bond. We were there together serving on one accord to give these girls hope that what God had done for us He would also do for them.

We were at Broward Correction Institution. This prison is very special to me because this where I started my prison sentence more than eleven years ago. To be able to go and share my testimony with these women is a dream come true to me. Every time I go back to BCI prison I am reminded of a prophecy that I read once while I was incarcerated. That prophecy changed my life and confirmed my purpose. Instead of sharing the details of the day I would like to share the prophecy because I see it coming to pass.

Treasures in Prison Cells

It was late and I was tired, wanting to go to sleep, but God wanted to talk; it was about midnight, but it dawned on me that God does not sleep. His question made me restless. "Bill, where on earth does man keep his most priceless treasures and valuables?" I said, "Lord, usually these treasures like gold, silver, diamonds, and precious jewels are kept locked up somewhere out of sight, usually with guards and security to keep them under lock and key. God spoke, "Like man my most valuable treasures on earth are also locked up." Then I saw Jesus standing in front of seemingly thousands of prisons and jails and He said, "These have been destroyed by the enemy, but these souls have the greatest potential to be used and to bring forth glory to my name. Tell my people I am going this hour to the prisons to activate the gifts and callings that lie dormant in these lives that were given before the foundation of the earth. From out of these walls will come forth a spiritual army that will have power to literally kick down the gates of hell and overcome satanic powers that are holding My people bound in My own house. Tell My People that great treasure is behind these walls in these forgotten vessels. My people must come forth and touch these lives, for a mighty anointing will be unleashed upon them for future victory in My kingdom. They must be restored." Then I saw Jesus step up to the prison doors with a key. One key fit every lock and the gates began to open. I heard and saw great explosions that sounded like dynamite going off behind the walls. It sounded like all-out spiritual warfare. Jesus turned and said, "Tell My people to go in and pick up the spoil and rescue them." Jesus began walking in and touching the inmates who were thronging Him. Many being touched instantly began to have a golden glow come over them. God spoke to me and said, "There's the gold!" Others had a sliver glow around them and He said, "There's the silver!" Like slow motion they began to grow into what appeared to be giant knights, armored warriors. They had on the entire armor of God and every piece was solid and pure gold! Even golden shields! When I saw the golden shields I heard God say to these warriors, "Now go and take what Satan has taught you and use it against him. Go and pull down strongholds coming against My church." These spiritual giants then started stepping over prisons walls with no one to resist them, they went immediately to the very front line of the battle with the enemy. I saw them walk right past the Church. The big-name ministers, known for their power with God, were surpassed by the giant warriors, like David going after Goliath! They crossed the enemy's lines and started delivering many of God's people from the clutches of Satan while demons trembled and fled out of the sight at their presence. No one, not even the church, seemed to know who these spiritual giants were or where they came from. All you could see was the armor, the golden armor of God, from head to foot, and the shields of gold were there, the shields were restored to God's house and there was great victory and rejoicing. I also saw silver, precious treasures and vessels being brought in. Beneath the gold and silver were people, the outcasts, the poor and the despised. These were the treasures that were missing from God's house. Then the Lord said, "If my people want to know where they are needed tell them they are needed in the streets, the hospitals, the missions, the prisons and jails." When they come they will find Me and the next move of My Spirit and they will be judged according to My Word in Matthew 25:42. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I need clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not come to visit me."

By Bill Yount

A Story of A Champion

Let me introduce you to my brother in law and brother in the Lord. He is living proof that our God is still in the business of doing miracles. After a 15 year drug addiction he has been delivered by God and is now completely sold out to Jesus. He is a JESUS FREAK!! I asked him to share his story and his experience from this weekend. I give you Mike Colon.. A story of a champion.

My name is Mike Colon and I am 30 years of age. This weekend I was blessed to have an opportunity to go into the prisons with the Bill Glass Prison Ministry WOC. Before I explain the awesome experience I had I figured I should give my testimony so you can understand just how big our God is.

My early childhood was pretty normal, grew up in a family with parents, an older brother, and a younger brother. We had a typical American Puerto Rican family. We lived in a nice home, had family vacations and grew up very close to our extended family. I was always a model student, played lots of sports and was actively involved in music in school. When I was going into the 8th grade we moved from New Jersey to Hollywood, FL and the transition really started my downward spiral. Within just a couple months of moving to Florida I was hanging with the wrong crowd, skipping school and started smoking marijuana. It was in my freshman year of high school when I just started living for the flesh.

My days started and ended with drugs, I was always late to class, grades fell and the things that were once important in my life didn’t matter anymore. It’s to no surprise that soon enough marijuana was not enough. My school was in a very “upper-class” neighborhood but that just meant drugs were easier to find. I started doing a lot of LSD and cocaine. By the time I was a junior I had gotten arrested several times and had gotten one of my girlfriends pregnant. I dropped out of high school in my senior year with 2 children and started selling drugs. I was seeking every possible fleshy way of filling the void that was empty this whole time.

From this point on in my life I was a “functioning” drug addict… I always had good jobs and even got my GED and was in college for pre-med/nursing. It wasn’t until recently that I realized even though I denied God as a young adult (I even went as far as considering myself agnostic) God always protected me. I continued on this path of destruction, always justifying my actions because I had a job and a family. In the years to follow I dropped out of college and continued living crazy. In that time I met my wife… about 8 years ago.

Our lifestyles were identical. We partied and did drugs routinely; I was a terrible boyfriend and a bad father. We had 2 beautiful daughters that I never appreciated until recently. And before I realized it I found myself deeply addicted to oxycontin and other pain killers.

In early December 2007, my older brother and his wife basically did an intervention on me and I went to a detox facility. Before entering the detox center, I was given a book called “Lose That Man and Let Him Go” by Bishop TD Jakes. This was the beginning of the end of my previous life. On my detox bed I prayed to God and asked him to help me change my life and I promised that if He did this I would dedicate my life to the Gospel.

Well, here I am! I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior on December 19, 2007 at Calvary Chapel Ft.Lauderdale and have never looked back. The addictions, the strongholds and the person I had been were instantly and miraculously gone. Our God, the Ultimate Redeemer, changed what many thought was the unchangeable… ME.

Since being born again, I’ve married my loving wife. God’s miracles didn’t just stop at me; they also impacted my wife… The change God has done in her life is just a whole other story. I’ve redeemed my relationship with my kids and I have dedicated my life to the Gospel. I am now actively involved in my Church and various ministries including the prison ministry event this past weekend.

I have to start by saying this weekend was AWESOME. I kinda expected to have a blessed weekend doing Kingdom work but never expected to be this fulfilled. This was my very first prison ministry event and I was really concerned that I wasn’t going to be ready. After praying over and over, God comforted me and explained that I didn’t need to be “prepared” I just needed to trust God and He would do the rest. Talk about a “conduit”. I truly felt God’s presence in the prison and I knew the words I spoke were the words of our heavenly Father. This experience was confirmation to me that God has a bigger plan for me and I could almost relate to the joy the Apostles must have felt leading people to know Jesus.

There were several incredible experiences I had this weekend doing Gods work but my best experience was at Dade Correctional Facility. After the guest speaker concluded his testimony he asked the inmates to take a look around to see the volunteers who were there to help talk to them about God. I noticed an inmate acting very “hardcore” just a couple feet in front of me (I mean what can we expect of these guys, they are in prison). But when he began looking around we caught eyes and to my surprise, standing in front of me was one of my best friends from middle and high school. When we caught eyes, immediately the “hardcore” image disappeared and in front of me was a very lost, broken individual, screaming for help. At this point I knew why God sent me to that particular prison, we talked for a little while and he proceeded to tell me he needed to change and he knew by my very presence that Jesus was the way. He pretty much said, “If God can change you, I know he can change me.” My heart screamed “THANK YOU JESUS!” and I was privileged to lead my once very carnal best friend to the love of our Almighty Savior, Jesus! Seeing my old friend and leading him to the Lord was incredible and took the cake!

This weekend helped me realize that we are all ministers in the Body of Christ and we are called to spread the Good News. I was able to lead a total of 16-18 once lost men to Christ this weekend and I am confident God will help them change. One of the guest speakers said this weekend we “increased the enrollment in Heaven and decreased the enrollment in hell.” The Bible says angels in heaven rejoice when just one sinner repents. Could you imagine the party in heaven this weekend… Hallelujah and thank you Jesus for this ministry. It has changed me!

Day 1 WOC Pt2 First Public Confession

Continued from Day 1 WOC "By The Word of Their Testimony

After lunch it’s back to the same pods we go so that we can fellowship with the girls. During our lunch break I was asked to be a platform speaker for the second half of the day. I was to go from pod to pod sharing my story. I have done these events quite a few times and I have been asked before to be a platform speaker, but this time was different I did not know why at the time. The Holy Spirit had been telling me to prepare my heart to speak since that morning so I was not surprised when I was asked to share. I asked our Lord to give me the Words that He would have me speak.

I went into the first pod and began to share my story in front of close to 100 women. I told them how I had been raised by both my father and mother until I was eleven years old when they separated. It was all down hill for me then. I became even more rebellious and started running away from home. I went to live with my dad because I was closer to him at the time. My mother was very strict with me and we just always seemed to bump heads. I explained that I realize today that she was just trying to protect me.

Full of stubbornness and rebellion I thought I knew everything and I wanted to be so grown. I had run away twice to New York before the age of 14. My family had formed a gang and pretty much joined forces with another big gang in our county. They were one of these largest gangs in Broward County in the early 90’s. Most of my family only helped feed the terrible demons that possessed my life.

I began doing drugs, fighting, having sex, stealing, clubbing, hanging out all night and disappearing for days at a time. I had been arrested a couple of times and did a little time in juvenile detention. Then I was sixteen when my mother died in a tragic car accident. This pushed me over the edge. Now I was full of rage and hurt. The one emotion that I had the most that ate at my heart was regret. I regretted not being able to be the daughter that my mother deserved. I just wanted to know that she loved me. What I shared next surprised me…

I continued on to tell them that perhaps I had been angry with my mother because when I was small child I told her of how I had been molested by a family member that was staying in our home. When I told her what occurred she addressed the individual along with their parent, but they did not believe me. I remember being slapped in the face and being called a liar. I was wounded forever. This was not the first or the last time that this would occur, not by the same family member. Others too had their way with me.

I stood for a moment before the women in disbelief but in freedom. I told them that this was the first time that I shared publicly that I had been molested. I gave glory to God who has healed me and explained that it is by His Spirit that I am able to forgive and share that story with them. Although I do not forget what has happened I remember with forgiveness. When I looked around and saw the tears and the shock in their faces I immediately knew that many of these women had also been molested or raped. My friend read me a statistic from the Us Department of Justice’s site that said more than 50% of the women in jail said they had been physically or sexually abused in the past. How awful. L

I finished sharing and went on to the next dorm to tell my story of deliverance. That day approximately 200 women heard how our Lord delivered me from darkness and brought me into the light. When I was done sharing I felt like the little girl that hides inside me was no longer full of shame and guilt. She was full of love and freedom in Christ Jesus. She has learned to allow our Lord to take what the enemy meant to destroy her and use it for His glory.

After leaving the prisons we went to a banquet that was hosted by a local church for all of the volunteers. We had dinner, fellowship, and shared our experiences in the jails and prisons. There was singing, laughing, and prayer. It was an awesome end to a glorious day.

Enclosing I would like to say that if you have been molested or raped you do not have to be ashamed or feel guilty. You were the victim but you do not have to remain the victim. You can become the victor through Christ Jesus. He can heal you if you will choose to forgive your offender. It took me many years to even face this situation, to even talk about it. It was just a couple of months ago that I told my husband, whom I have been with for ten years, that I was molested as a child.

Our God was patient with me and knew when I would be ready to face this. One of my mother’s in the Lord shared her story with me of how her father had for years sexually abused her. She spoke with such freedom and without shame. To hear and see how our Lord had delivered and healed her made me want to face my past too. It is because of her story and His Word that fills my very being that I can address this subject today.

His Word has brought healing to my soul. His Word is freedom to those that have been held captive by strongholds, addictions, anger, and unforgiveness. Allow the Holy Spirit to heal you and to help you forgive so that you can be free too.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the suffering and afflicted. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, to announce liberty to captives and to open the eyes to the blind.” Isaiah 61:1

Day 1 WOC "By The Word of Their Testimony"

Continued from Weekend of Champions

“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Revelation 12:11

Day one of our Weekend of Champions began on Friday morning. My husband, a brother in the Lord/partner in ministry, and I were assigned to TGK Jail in Miami. They went off to minister to the men and I went with the women.

The platform speaker in our dorm shared how she was a former prostitute who had been in and out of jail and prison. She shared how her heart had been full of hurt and pain for many years. The love of her life was crack cocaine. Many of the girls in the dorm could relate to her story and intently listened. She told of how the Lord delivered her from her addiction and of the wonderful works that He is presently doing in her life. She had an amazing story. Once she was done sharing it she asked the ladies if they were tired of being a mess and who wanted to have the same freedom that God had given her. They raised their hands and each volunteer found a group of girls. We began reaping a harvest for the Kingdom of Heaven.

In my group there were six women. We started going over the booklet together and asking the questions on the front. Their answers varied. We went over the scriptures and discussed them. Some of them had been reading the Word and this was just the confirmation and reassurance they needed. Then there were a couple whose faces seemed unsure. They seemed to almost be sizing me up. Not in a bad way, with a look that kind let me know that they needed more proof that this was true. I knew it was time to share my testimony.

I explained to them that God has a wonderful plan for their life and that jail does not have to be the end of them, but the beginning of a new life in Christ Jesus. I shared that I knew from personal experience that our Lord often times allows us to be in situation where all we have left to do is cry out to Him. We have wanted our own way and have followed our own evil hearts for so long. Ending up addicted to drugs, committing a crime, and landing a jail or prison sentence is proof of how following our selfish and evil desires leads to destruction. I assured them that I knew the pain and loneliness they feel. I know that they feel like failures, scared, and unsure of their future. I know because I too wore those same uniforms and slept on those hard bunks. They were surprised when I confessed that I too had been in jail and sentenced to prison.

I encouraged them and told them that our God is no respecter of persons and that what He has done for me, He will also do for them. Our God heard my cry and picked me up out of a mess. He has set my feet on the Rock. Now many will hear of the glorious things he did for me, and stand in awe before the Lord, and put their trust in Him. That’s exactly what these ladies did. They put their trust in Jesus Christ. I had the privilege of leading them to our Savior. To God be the glory! Praise Jesus! (Psalm 40:1-3)

All of us have our own story. Maybe you have not been to jail or prison but you ARE also an EX-OFFENDER, because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Someone needs to hear your story of deliverance. Don’t allow the enemy or the religious church people to make you feel ashamed of your past. Allow our Lord to heal you and use your past to glorify Him. It is by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony that we defeat the enemy and win souls for the Kingdom of Heaven. (Romans 3:23, Revelations 12:11)

Part 2 of Day 1 to be continued…

Weekend Of Champions

Thank you for your prayers last Thursday. I woke up at three am with a terrible stomach virus. In fact two of my children were also attacked by the same virus. It did not surprise me though because almost every time we plan to go and volunteer to do a WOC (Weekend of Champions) in the prison ‘something’ tries to stop us. Thank God by that evening I was feeling much better and was able to attend the training class and participate in the weekend events along with my husband, brother-in-law, and partner in ministry. After this weekend it became so clear to me why the enemy tried to keep me from going. I will tell you more later, but for now you may be wondering what is Weekend of Champions?

WOC is a prison evangelistic event coordinated by Bill Glass Prison Ministry where several believers come together to share the Good News in the jails and prisons for the weekend. These events are different from the much needed bibles studies and Sunday services held normally in these facilities. WOC is unique because the ministry brings in professional athletes, ex-offenders, military men, singers, comedians, a professional tight rope walker, and others who entertain theses men and women while sharing their story of deliverance through Jesus Christ. By the time the platform speakers are done sharing their stories most of the men and women’s hearts are softened and they are eager to hear more of what they can do to have that same freedom that the speakers found.

Now the baton is passed to the volunteers to lead these men and women through the Word of God straight to the cross to receive salvation. Each volunteer is given several small booklets that help smoothly lead someone to the Lord. We give the booklets out to those seeking salvation and we walk through the booklet with them. It is a simple and effective tool to help bring someone to the Lord.

The front of the booklet asks “What do you think?” real big. Then it has 5 questions underneath.

1) Do you have a spiritual belief?
2) Is there a heaven or hell?
3) Where will you go when you die?
4) Will God let you into His heaven? Why?
5) Would you like to know if what you believe is true or not?

Well of course by now they have had a chance to listen to each others responses and want to know if they are right, because at this point we have not answered whether what they believe is true or false. Now we show them what God’s Word says.

The booklet asks that they read these verses out loud and to then ask themselves “What do they mean to me?”

1) “For God (The Father) loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus), so that everyone who believes in Him (Jesus) will not perish but have ETERNAL LIFE.” John 3:16
2) “For all have SINNED and fall short of the Glory of God.” Romans 3:23
3) “…the wages (consequences) of Sin is Death, but the Gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:23
4) If we CONFESS our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to Forgive us our sins and CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
5) (Jesus said) “I am the WAY, and the Truth, and the LIFE; no one comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME.” John 14:6
6) (Jesus said) “I stand at the door and knock. If ANYONE hears my voice and opens the door, I WILL COME IN TO HIM.” Revelation 3:20
7) “….if you CONFESS with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead. YOU WILL BE SAVED.” Romans 10:9

Now the Word of God has shown them they are sinners in need of forgiveness that can only be found through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the time where we get to pray with them to receive the gift of salvation. Once we pray we explain to them what that the Word of God says about what they have just done; that they have eternal life and are saved from hell, their sins have been forgiven, the Lord has begun and will complete a wonderful work in their lives, and they are now a part of the ‘Family of God’.

We also encourage them to build a strong relationship with Christ by praying every day, reading the Word and trusting God to speak to them through His Word, to fellowship with other believers, and be a witness to others.

I can not truly describe the joy I feel when I know that God has used me to help bring a soul into His kingdom. I am humbled and honored all at the same time. My heart rejoices and I can imagine the angels rejoicing in heaven too.

We are ALL called to share this Good News with others. If you have never personally led someone to the Lord I encourage you to ask our Lord to show an opportunity to do so. This is our purpose and our destiny, to win souls for the kingdom. Decide to day to be a champion for God!

More to come on this past weekend events..