Free From Bondage by John Beehner

Ricky Roberts was born to faithful parents whose hearts were broken when they discovered that their special child was mentally retarded.  But because of the deepness of their faith, they knew God would heal him… because nothing is impossible for God.  Their prayers and crying out to the Lord were constant, and they had many indicators the Lord was listening and that He was testing their faith and trust in Him. They were encouraged by Evangelists and prayers continued as hundreds prayed for Ricky’s healing.

By the time he was 16, his church school was ready to give up on him because the other kids had been picking on him so much and he could only read at a third grade level.  The school felt they had exhausted their ability to help him. But at the same time, they knew that two different evangelistic pastors had prayed over him, and the Lord had told them both (at different times) that God was getting ready to heal him. 

Miraculously, it happened on the day they predicted.  Today he is a Pastor, has earned three Phd’s, and speaks four languages.  He studies from a collection of two hundred Bibles and books acquired from the first century church and followers in four languages.

For the last 15 years, he has led True Light Ministry which is a local church that holds Sunday and Thursday night “healing services” where people from all over Jacksonville are seeking his anointed prayers and prophetic insights.

I recently asked two young college boys why they like his Sunday and Thursday teachings.  They both agreed…”He’s raw, blunt and real in his teaching.  He does as he says he’s called to do… he goes back to the way it was done in the early days of the first churches, during the first 300 years.  No fancy buildings, no big choir or big push for money.  He’s not afraid to lose members because he is sharing the truth, about both good and evil.  He’s profound and true. He’s an inspiration. “

In God, Freedom in Christ means being all we are called to be... to be innovators, risk takers, through the leading of the Holy Spirit.  He wants “doers of the word, not just hearers.”  The bondage Ricky experienced must have been God’s way to make him different.  He missed the normal issues a young man faces growing up until he was 16, that might have limited his approach to serving others.  The Lord was doing His “deep seeding” in him until He broke the bondage over him for True Freedom in Christ that could impact every person he prays for in his healing services.