Lost Ninety Pounds, Completed Marathon

I have been listening to Joseph Prince’s teachings twice daily for the past five years. Thanks to his teachings about my righteousness in God through Christ Jesus, I have been motivated to lose weight. In just three years, I have lost ninety pounds from my original weight of three hundred pounds, and I now live a healthier lifestyle!

It all started in 2011 during the Kentucky Derby Festival. This is an annual event held in Louisville where I live and as part of the festival, many runners participate in the kickoff race called the Triple Crown Marathons. As they had to run past my office, I made a huge arch of balloons and stood on the front steps to shout and cheer them on.

On race day, as they were passing through, I was eating a substantial portion of food and cheering them on at the same time. All of a sudden, I felt sick to my stomach and could not finish my food. This was the thought I had then: “What are you doing to your body? All these people woke up early to do something good for themselves by exercising, and what are you doing?”

I knew that the thought was a conviction from the Holy Spirit, not condemnation, as I have learned through Joseph Prince that my heavenly Father does not condemn me. I cried out to my Father for help, as I knew that I could not overcome this unhealthy lifestyle by my own strength.

Meanwhile, I continued to let Joseph Prince’s teachings feed me daily. I began to get really angry about some areas of my life that I knew I had allowed the enemy to enter. I soon began claiming who I was in Christ, and that Christ is my heavenly Boaz, my shield and buckler, and my high tower. I also received a vision that Jesus was holding me tight and using His hand to keep the enemy far from me.

Since then, the Lord has been teaching me how to exercise and how to discipline myself when it comes to eating. He would guide me lovingly, saying, “You can’t have that [particular food] right now, but you will have it one day, just not yet.” This was a huge help to me! He also taught me how to deny my flesh when I craved to eat a particular food.

I started to have control over my flesh so that it no longer controlled me. I stopped eating processed, man-made foods and I started eating healthier foods that the Father made for me. Once, I was at a store and as I reached out for a green pepper, I heard Him say, “I made that one just for you.” I was so touched!

The following year, in 2012, after losing forty pounds, I stood at my office watching the runners at the marathon again. I heard in my spirit, “You could be running in this marathon next year!” I wanted to dismiss that thought, but I realized that I had started to enjoy walking. Then, in November 2013, I realized that I would be able to do these marathons. Finally, in April 2014, at ninety pounds lighter, I completed all three racetracks at the Triple Crown Marathons, and I was able to run the entire five-kilometer racetrack without walking at all.

This story has become very inspiring to many of the locals, as the local television stations contacted me to share my testimony. Many of them have come up to me to hear my testimony. To God be the glory!

Thank you, Joseph Prince, for teaching me that when I believe right, I will live right. I have fallen in love with Christ and this love has kept me motivated to represent my Kinsman Redeemer in an excellent way. By confessing, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ,” His unmerited favor has made me who I am today, and it has nothing to do with what I can do on my own.

I still have fifty pounds to go and I have no doubt these pounds will go. My Father has turned my situation around and now I can help others who are facing the same challenge!