A 17-year-old met Jesus in prison during the darkest moment of his life. He was imprisoned after participating in a huge fight.
Steve Hopper
Steve just wanted to have the time of his life and went to a party. However, instead of having fun, something horrible happened that changed his life forever.
“But at this party, a huge fight broke out. I engaged in the fight. Three days later, the sheriff down in Florida showed up at my parents’ home with a warrant of arrest. One of the teens I had hit during the fight had slipped into a coma,” Steve said.
He had been in jail for three months, wondering if the boy he hit was going to live or die. And waiting to see if he’d be charged with murder or attempted murder. After those three months, thankfully, the boy lived. It was “the best news” he had heard in his life.
Despite the good news, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
17-Year-Old Met Jesus in Prison
In prison, gang violence is rampant. There were riots were happening daily, and he watched as people were stabbed and beaten to death. Many times, he had to fight for his life.
“One particular night, the weight of the world just came crashing in on me all at once. I felt every emotion you could imagine. Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, regret, and fear. It was one year of my ten-year sentence, and I didn’t know how I was going to survive.”
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But when the 17-year-old met Jesus, everything changed.
Steve remembered what his grandfather taught him. “Son, just promise me one thing. If you’re ever at your darkest moment, and your back’s against the wall and you don’t feel like you have any way out, just promise me you’ll drop to your knees immediately and cry out for Jesus.”
17-Year-Old Met Jesus in Prison After Calling His Name
Steve took his grandfather’s advice. He laid his face on a cold, hard, dirty concrete prison floor and cried like never before in his life.
“When I called out His name, in an instant, everything changed. The feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and fear, they just all subsided in that moment. And I had this overwhelming feeling of peace. And the communication with Him started immediately. There was no burning bush, and there was no angel Gabriel. The communication started within, and He told me, “You’re going to be here for a while. But when you’re done, you’re going to do great things,”” Steve testified.
When asked what he’d like to say to people who feel disqualified from having a relationship with God, Steve answered, “I would say that He loves us. Every day He looks at us and loves us more than we could ever imagine. And that He’s going to take the pain if we let Him. He’ll take the pain, He’ll take the hurt, He’ll take our bad experiences, and He will use them for good. He will use them to impact people’s lives. Our stories, all of our stories, are just part of a much bigger story. Which is His story.”
Steve Hopper, Redeemed by God
He made a choice that fundamentally altered the course of his life after serving seven of a ten-year term in Florida State Prison beginning at the age of 17. Steve has shared his story thousands of high school students, multimillion dollar corporations, churches, and groups. He is the author of From Prison to Purpose. His amazing journey of discovering his purpose has left a lasting impression on thousands of people.
Header image: Steve Hopper [100huntley]. YouTube, 14 October 2021, https://youtu.be/NdJNX2Ov0FE
