Rocky Wagner- Testify

Hello, this is Will Hardy with Man Talk Radio.

We are all about breaking down the walls of race and denomination. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just a few minutes. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening to the Truth Podcast Network. Welcome back to another episode of It's Time to Man Up. Welcome back to another edition of the Man Up show with The Devil's Nightmare. We are building God's kingdom and storming the gates of hell, and it's such a joy to have this man in the studio with me today. I would say he needs no introduction, but I'm going to give him an introduction nevertheless. Rocky Wagner, dear friend of mine many, many, many years, and Rocky, welcome to the Man Up show. I'm glad to be here, Takeda, I'm excited. Well, and you know, the tagline is It's Time to Man Up, and you personify that tagline, Rocky, and what I mean by that is you have such a phenomenal story. I had to bring you back in the studio to share some of not only your story, but other stories that you've experienced, and starting with something that's not typical, and that is you came to the faith at age 62, am I right?

Yes, sir. Age 62, which is not typical. I mean, you know, we've heard the stories of the older somebody gets, the more hardened their heart maybe gets, the more jaded people will get, and so it's hard, and as an evangelist, I've witnessed that firsthand, you know. I ministered not long ago on Sunday night revival service. I had this little 13, 14 year old girl, Rocky, that came up after service, and they said she has something she wants to tell you, and it was obvious she had been crying, and she said, I gave my heart to Jesus tonight because of your preaching, and you know, I was like Tagapi the glory, right?

It's the Holy Spirit, and it's the Lord drawing and wooing her in, but she was noticeably touched. Her heart was touched, and she's 13, 14 years old, so you're 62 years old, and give our listeners just a quick synopsis of what brought you to that point of age 62, because we may have others out there, 50, 60, 70, that have yet to surrender their life to Jesus. What brought you to that point of decision? Nikita, I go back to when I gave my testimony at church.

My mom, she's 90 years old today. When I got saved, you know, she prayed for all of us, over five of us children, but she prayed, she constantly prayed for us from the time we were born, and it's almost like dedicating a child at church when they're young. The Lord had his hand on me from the get-go. I just straddled the fence all the years I've been in and out of church several different times, and I just, you know, grew up there in Kannapolis, and we, you know, just friends, and we had places that we'd go and hang out and things like that, but I always knew that. My dad told me one time, he said, Rocky, if you do something wrong, you'll know you're doing it before you do it. You just know in your heart what's right and what's wrong, and I just straddled the fence for a long time, Nikita. I've been in church, like I said, in and out, and there were several times when I had a chance to go to the altar, and I just turned my back on Jesus, and I just didn't live right for the longest time, and finally it went in when everything in my world was crumbling.

I just heard a voice or the Holy Spirit or the Lord was dealing me or ever how you want to say it, but that particular day on 7-23 of 17, the Lord said, Rocky, if you don't come to me today, I'm done with you, and at that point, I'd had enough of the life that I was living and playing games with the Lord, and when I accepted Christ that day, and when that Holy Spirit, you know, I tell people all the time, I said it was like an error or something going through your heart. I knew it right then. There was no doubt about it. I knew exactly what happened. I knew I'd gotten saved, and from that time on, my whole life been different.

I can't hardly believe I was the same way at one time. Well, we're going to talk about that, and would you bring up an interesting illustration because, you know, I've known you for quite a few years prior to that decision at age 62, and I would say, and we'd have conversations, you and I, we might be traveling for business or just in the truck together or doing some things, you know, over the years, would you have, if somebody had asked you prior to 62, and I know you said you straddled the fence, you've been in and out of church, would you have said, if somebody had said to you prior to that decision at age 62, so, Rocky, are you a Christian? What would your answer have been? I probably would have said something like, yeah, I believe in Jesus, or something to that effect, but if somebody would have point blank asked me if I was saved, I probably would have told them no. Right, right, because what I want the listeners to understand out there is, you know, there's people that straddle the fence. There's people that are in and out of church.

Yes, well, it's like this right here. When we were doing, when I first met you, and I was hanging around with some of your friends, Marty Cox comes to mind, he's a good friend of mine, matter of fact, him and my sons in business together now. Nice guy, great family, but I was hanging around with you guys, and I was pretending to be somebody I wasn't. I would leave these meetings or these places we'd go, and then I'd be back to the same old, you know, things that I always did.

And when I say I was straddling the fence, I was straddling the fence because I was playing games. And I knew in my heart that maybe I'd go to church, and then when I got out of church, I acted different, Monday through Saturday, but not going to church, and I'd be, you know, a church guy or whatever. Super spiritual. Yeah, and then through the week, but I had no, did bear no fruits, didn't, you know, just said what I wanted to say, did what I wanted to do, and there was no change.

There was no heart change. I got a feeling, Rocky, and I think as others are listening to this story that perhaps there may be some conviction coming upon some listeners and or others who can identify with what you're saying. A couple words used the word pretend, and the word that popped in my mind, as you were saying, I go into church on Sunday, and the word facade, you said playing the game, and I'm guessing, I'm guessing there's others out there that either have done the same thing, Rocky, or even right now are doing that very thing. I'm reminded, quick story, reminded of my uncle. My father shared with me one time.

I had never met my uncle. He grew up in Nebraska, and him and his brother grew up in church, and his brother, my uncle, worked on a golf course in high school, and to your point, he actually turned his back on Christianity because of the hypocrisy and the double standard of seeing the deacons and elders act the way they acted on Sunday morning or in church on Sunday, but how they acted out on the golf course during the week or even on the weekend, right? And he said, if that's Christianity, I want nothing to do with it. But when you have that arrow, that Holy Spirit pierce your heart like you experienced, everything changes like you said, doesn't it?

It absolutely does. I told some folks just the other day, we were talking, and I said, you might not have liked me, you know, five, ten years ago. I call it BC, Before Christ, but yeah. And some of my buddies at church, I'm telling them stories about, you know, the way I used to be, and they just can't believe it. They said, it's hard for me to believe that you're telling me that you used to be a certain way, but I was. But when you get saved, if you truly get saved, and what I mean by that, if you truly get saved, you won't want to do and act and do the things that you used to do, and when you go out on your daily walk, you just absolutely, the Holy Spirit won't allow you to be that person, and you don't want to be that person.

It's different. When God's leading and you're being obedient to Him, you don't want to be that person you used to be. You can't be that person you used to be. The Holy Spirit's got a hold of your heart, and you don't desire those things. I'm not saying that we're not human.

We are. We make mistakes, but I don't have the desires that I used to have in my heart, and if I do say something, or if I do act a certain way, the Holy Spirit chastises me so fast that I have to make it right, and I'll give you a prime example. I came in the house a couple weeks ago, and I didn't say anything bad, or I didn't do anything that wasn't above board, but my wife asked me something, and just the tone of voice that I spoke back to her, as I walked away and walked into my bedroom, the Holy Spirit said, you don't raise your voice like that, and it wasn't like I did anything crazy. I walked back in there. I said, Shelly, I'm sorry that I talk like that or in that tone of voice.

She said, Rocky, I know you've had a busy day, and I have too, and we're good. So when you do something, you shouldn't ought to do. The Holy Spirit zaps you pretty quick, and you have to get it straight right then. Well, that's a great word of advice for those listening out there. I think biblically, it's keep a short account, right?

Yes. And even the scripture comes to mind is don't let the sun go down on your anger, and especially if you're married and have an opportunity to talk to your if you're married and have an argument or disagreement or whatever you want to call it with your spouse. As you said, just take care of business right away, because that makes a difference. It makes a big difference.

Bonds the two of you together. And I'm sure Shelly had to really appreciate you humbling yourself, because that's a point of humility. Let's face it, men have egos, believe it or not, and are pretty full of pride.

Well, at least I am. And so that's quite a humbling thing to go back and ask for forgiveness and or apologize, right? But when you do, man, what happens to the relationship just draws that much closer, right? Exactly. It does. It really does. You just have an inner peace that, okay, I did what you told me to do, Lord, and you were right and I was wrong. And then you go on about your day, but it just makes a better relationship with your wife. It just makes you want to do better. Your children, your co-workers, anyone and everyone around you, right? Nikita Koloff here.

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Voted number one by you in the reader's choice awards. Doug, Chad, Benny, Pee Wee, and the team at Clemens carpet look forward to seeing and serving you soon. This is Nikita Koloff and I want to thank Clemens carpet for supporting my new show, man up Saturday afternoon at 12 30 on the truth network. Nikita I was in Pittsburgh a while back. My son Daniel married a girl from Pittsburgh. They've got a we got an another grand baby just recently. Daniel and Joni they um had a little girl Juno and Juno Grace Wagner but when was in Pittsburgh we had a get together for Daniel and Joni her his wife's family's from Pittsburgh and as me and Daniel were talking got over to the side I I felt honored because Joni's dad had asked me to pray for the mill neighbors there were quite a few people there there's probably a hundred or so people at this function and it just he asked me because I had had conversations with him about the Lord and he had watched me and and talked with me and watched you know the way I was I acted in different things so when he asked me to pray um I I was honored by that but later on when me and my son Daniel had a little bit of time just by ourselves he said daddy I'm so proud of you he said since you got saved it's just been a blessing and I and I thought wow you know and he said all of us he's talking about all of the boys he said we've all realized and recognized what man you have become since you've gotten saved in it and I was so thankful that I had made a difference in my son's life right and and hopefully in in other folks as I walk daily with Christ that I can make a difference just by my actions and the you know the way I talk the way the things that I say in the way the way I carry myself right and you bring up a valid point that people are always watching especially if you're a professed believer Christ follower let's say Christian um people are watching and which which leads me into uh one reason I want to have you and come back and be on the show again too rock is and I'm I hope your ears are burning because I'm talking about you often especially when I preach in like at the revival recently and other places I go I bring you up as an example and what I mean by that is uh you have shared with me that essentially every morning now you you wake up and you're like lord bring somebody across my path that I can share my story with or you know or or be an example and give us am I right you pray that virtually every morning just about if not every morning almost every morning right Nikita I get up every morning and pretty much and the first thing I do is I thank the lord for giving me another day I thank him for my family and my children and my grandchildren and I say lord I just want to be obedient to you put somebody in my in in my path today that I can witness to and tell you about tell them about Jesus and almost every single day at the most opportune time somebody will drift my way and I get to witness to them and and and and it's always in a little quiet place where it's not busy it's crazy because I just and it's it's just random people that I know some of them that I don't know right and I just get I'll just say Jesus one of the things that I'll say is something like anybody told you today Jesus look and then you you basically start a a conversation with them and then then and I said you got a minute sure I said well let me tell you my story let me tell you what happened to me on 7 23 of 17 when I got saved and when I tell that story it touches her heart and it's not me bragging on me it's I'm giving the lord the credit for everything I mean if somebody had told me you know five six years ago you know you was gonna act like this or be like this or even you know about the salvation part of I I don't either just you know I said well y'all you know maybe dismissed it or something yeah yeah like uh-huh yeah sure right but um as I go out in my doing business with my apparel company I get to see a lot of different folks and so my mission is I just let the lord handle it I found out pretty quick um to just get out of the way and let god handle things be obedient and he puts those people in my path every day and so I get a chance to witness to him and tell him my story well and I know you've told me it's been in warehouses it's been so many different places I think it's great that you open up a conversation with anybody told you today that Jesus loves you and here's what's great about your story too rocky you're not a pastor you're not an evangelist and gone to seminary and you mentioned your apparel rw sportswear incorporated right yeah and that your apparel company and so you're out there just just in the marketplace conducting business praying a prayer saying god bring someone across my path that I can share my story and have you let me ask you this so in that is there a short story of of how not only did you share your story but it brought conviction upon somebody but you saw them then surrender their life to Jesus Nikita this is the craziest thing I was in Salisbury at a flea market and as I was leaving the flea market there was a man on the side of the road and he's holding up a sign work for food or I you know I can't remember exactly what he had on his little sign but he was standing there and when I actually came out of the flea market um it was later on so there was a lot a lot of folks had gone so the guy was just kind of standing there and so I I pulled over and he walked up my car and I said tell me your story and he was telling me how he was had gotten addicted to drugs and things like that and I said well I got a question for you I said do you know Jesus he said well yeah I know a little bit about Jesus I said but have you ever asked Jesus into your heart have you ever asked him to come into your heart and save you and he said no I said would you like to do that and he said yes and so I gave him the plan of salvation we talked about I said just just just say lord I'm a sinner come into my heart I realize that you you died you rose on the third day and come into my heart Jesus if you do that I promise you I'll live for you the rest of my life and the the guy that started crying sobbing and he professed you know to be saved at that point right and and so we just had a we just had a time right there and so it doesn't matter if it's a a professional business person or just a homeless person right you could there's there's there's people out there that and and sometimes I get frustrated because I'll maybe pass somebody else I should have stopped I should have stopped the witness to that person because you don't never know sometimes even though you know like me and you've been in a restaurant before and you would say something like that and you would say something to the waitress about you know could we pray for what can I pray for you yeah and and it's amazing what the reaction you get sometime yeah so always keep that in mind if you have a if the lord's leading you to witness to somebody go do it well and and you mentioned the word obedient a couple different times in our conversation and that's part of one of the keys is is just be obedient and if you delay that obedience delayed obedience is really called disobedience so so you know just just obey right away just go and talk to that person that's a phenomenal story and and one more short story um you know as you have had encounters with others out in the marketplace well yeah I've had I've had encounters with lots of folks um even my you know folks in my own family um which is the hardest by the way oh family it's really tough my brother Bobby I love him so much he's just um he's he's a he's just a he's a really nice guy and he uh he's he uh he's a hard worker and we uh we've had several cons conversations about Jesus and he works a lot and he's kind of mirror me you know coming up and he he works a lot he wants to provide for his family he wants to be the the best that he can be and I I'm telling him all the time slow down a little bit right slow down a little bit remember where all this is coming from right right that type thing um it's powerful uh and and you I'm reminded a quick story I'm reminded of uh one of the recent man camps that that you know Lex Luger and I facilitate this this camp called man camp we had a guy there Shane and and he opened up his heart one day and he said I'm 45 years old I'm selfish I'm self-centered I'm an only child and he goes through all these things and he goes I've been in church my whole life been in church my whole life VBS vacation bible school youth camps youth camps youth camps youth camps right been around his whole life and and he goes but he concludes by saying but I don't know Jesus and so I just paused and holy spirit let me say well Shane do you want to know him he goes absolutely and and so I had him pray and here's the thing you talked about having that homeless man pray I want all those out there listening and understand there's no perfect prayer there's no cookie cutter prayer there's no perfect prayer there's no prayer in the bible but the key is and rock you might attest to this the key is just this praying from the sincerity of your heart because God man looks at the outward appearance God looks at the heart and he sees the sincerity of your heart and man when you pray that prayer and ask for forgiveness and confess and in some cases you know repent God sees that and and the transformation like happened in your life takes place what happened in this young girl who prayed that recently the homeless man who began to sob and cry and so one more comment so one last comment so and I'm thinking about this right a praying mama you had a praying mama who had to be nothing but thrilled to see her son rocky surrender his life to Jesus any any final thought I just want to tell folks out there if you've got a loved one you got somebody that you care about and they're lost just keep praying for them don't quit praying my mom prayed for me literally till I was 62 years old and she still prayed for me wow but I mean and she never quit so God finally went on his terms not our terms I was I was able to meet the Lord at 62 and when my mom came to church that day and I gave my testimony a few weeks later I was so thankful and she was so proud I'm sure me to stand there and tell people about Jesus that was the most one of the highlights of my whole life the the fact that she was still living and she saw that her prayer got answered right an answered prayer so hey you're listening out there did you hear what he did you hear what rocky oh man rocky you're you're man you're gripping my heart with your story a praying mama 62 years see some of you might give up after 62 days and go oh I'm not gonna pray for that person anymore or 62 months but a praying mama for 62 years that led to this man's transformation sold out for Jesus listen I'm around him now I was around him bc I'm around him now he's a motivate he motivates me he's an inspiration to me as I hear him share his stories and and know that every day and listen again you don't have to be an evangelist like me you don't have to be a pastor you don't have all you have to do is have a heart heart for Jesus love Jesus and a love God well and then a heart for other people and and maybe you pray that prayer that rocky praise every morning lord bring somebody across my path rocky thanks for for coming in and uh hey real quick what's your website for your sportswear rw sports with a s on it w-e-a-r-s at yahoo.com check out his his sports apparel he's got an amazing business and blesses a lot of people and so I can't thank you enough for for coming in rocking again and sharing more of your stories and man we could have 10 of these shows with all the all the people that you've been a witness to thank you thank you so listen dial in tune in again to it's time to man up with Nikita Koloff and and if you have yet to surrender your life to Jesus today listen there is no promise of tomorrow there's no promise of today surrender your life today God bless you. 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