Nissim Saa'd
My name is Nissim Saa'd and I was born in 1967. I am an Arab believer in Yeshua who lives in Galilee. I received the Lord as my personal savior in August 1997 and I was immediately baptized by water in the Jordan river.
My life as a teenager was terrible. I grew up to be an alcoholic. My whole life was centered around drinking alcohol, For over 15 years, I was a slave of the bottle. I lived in total despair, with no goal or direction in life. I remember many times, as I would wake up at midnight and pass by on my way to the bathroom, I would find my mother sitting at her bed and asking Yeshua to touch my life and deliver me from this satanic bondage which was in a form of an alcohol bottle. I tried several times to commit suicide, but the prayers of my mother prevented the enemy from taking my life.
The Lord had to bring me to a place of total desperation before I agreed to enroll in a Teen Challenge rehabilitation program in the city of Haifa. When I arrived to "The House of Victory," I was half dead. My body was shaking like that of a 90 years old man; I was not able to hold a spoon or a fork in my hand. The staff had to feed me during the first days of my stay there, as I went through a dramatic withdrawal. But the grace of our God was sufficient enough to set me free from my years of bondage.
I spent a whole year at this Christian rehabilitation program, growing and maturing in intimacy with Yeshua through the help of a staff member called Pastor Joseph, who had a special burden to see me standing firm in my new faith in Yeshua.
As I was released from the program armed with my new faith, I joined a local Arab congregation in Haifa and began to minister with the worship team in praise and worship every Sunday and Tuesday night. For two years I was faithful not to miss a meeting. I felt a deep commitment to serve Yeshua, who saved my life from the pit.
However, The enemy managed to trap me again as a result of a disappointing relationship with one of the team singers. I had fallen in love with her and wanted to marry her, but this was a one way love story. In my despair, I went back to my old habit of drinking. This time I felt heavy conviction as I opened each bottle. I didn't want to do it, but I felt like I couldn't help it. My life was full of ups and downs.
On May 5th 2001 I got married to my present wife, Nili. She grew up in a believing Arab family and lived all her life as a devoted believer in Yeshua. The fact that she agreed to marry me despite my wavering condition was a miracle in itself. It was again God's grace in action.
For over two years, as I was still in my apostasy, I was mistreating and abusing her, especially when I got drunk. Several times she had to leave our home and return to her parents until things calmed down with me.
But my mom, Pastor Joseph, and other faithful brothers and sisters were fasting and interceding for me. God's grace prevailed again in my life, at my lowest point of desperation, as Pastor Joseph invited me to join a special retreat near Jerusalem which was being conducted by Brother Moran Rosenblit, the director of "Hope for Israel". I felt a deep urgency to join the retreat. Over the course of the retreat, conviction and true repentance took place in my life. The Lord was speaking directly to me through the word that was brought forth during those wonderful three days by Brother Moran and Pastor Joseph.
At one point during the retreat, Yeshua revealed to me that he wanted me to love my wife and appreciate her as his special gift to me. Tears ran down my face. I could hardly wait to return to Haifa so that I could kiss her feet and ask her forgiveness. This time my repentance was more genuine and sincere, as I understood that this could be my last opportunity to step into the Lord's destiny and his good plan for my life.
The Lord had restored our marriage as I responded to his merciful call during that retreat. The joy was indescribable when I returned as I home and hugged my wife, kissed her, and asked her forgiveness. Since that day, she has become my best friend. The Lord has been good to us. He gave me a total victory as I defeated the habit of drinking.
At the present time, we are members at "The Lebanese Congregation" with Pastor Joseph Haddad. He and his wife are our spiritual mentors. They spend time with us on a weekly basis. They disciple us as loving, spiritual parents, taking us side by side with them in personal training through their different weekly ministries.
Three months ago, we experienced a major miracle in our lives. We were amazed to find out that Nili, my wife was pregnant. This is nothing else but God's goodness: We had tried to bring forth children since the first day of our marriage, but to no avail. The doctors prescribed different medical treatments, and they always failed. We were told that our efforts to bring a child to this world would always be in vain.
The Bible says in Psalm 127:3 that "children are an inheritance from the Lord." As I genuinely reconciled with my wife, he blessed us by opening her womb and granting us our first child. I believe as our child comes forth and as I hold him in my arms, he will always be a reminder of God's mercy to me and will stimulate me to obey him by going and telling others who are in bondage to drugs and alcohol that Yeshua is the only savior and deliverer.
The Lord is good. I owe him everything. I want to serve him all the days of my life, He is worthy. Praise be to his name!
Nissim Saa'd
Shefaraa'm - Galilee
I S R A E L
