The 1,345- Pound Man

“Whenever, Christian, you have achieved a victory over your lusts – whenever after hard struggling, you have laid a temptation dead at your feet – you have in that hour a foretaste of the joy that awaits you when the Lord shall soon tread Satan under your feet, and you shall find yourself more than a conqueror through Him who has loved you.” – C.H. Spurgeon

In August 2013, by order of King Abdullah, Khalid bin Mohsen Shaari was hospitalized in Saudi Arabia. Why did the Saudi king issue such an order? Simply because Shaari’s out of control weight had ballooned to 1,345 pounds, making him the heaviest person in the world.

As you can imagine, Shaari was almost completely bedridden and couldn’t even move his feet, let alone stand on them. In fact, he had to use a mechanized pulley system to transfer himself into an oversized wheelchair that was custom-built for him.

Thanks to his 21-person medical team at the King Fahd Medical City in Riyadh, Shaari – who had to be forklifted from his home where he hadn’t left his bed in more than three years – started making immediate progress. He lost 330 pounds in the first three months and by February 2014, he had shed more than half of his body weight, losing over 700 pounds.

In November 2017, the Al Arabiya news service reported that Shaari was down to 150 pounds. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, his 1,195-pound weight loss is the most in recorded history.

My friend, if a Muslim man can claim victory over a lifetime of morbid obesity, just imagine what you can accomplish through the power of the Holy Spirit. And when – not if – you do, the earthly celebrations and the heavenly rewards will be equally enormous.

All it takes is a mustard seed of faith (see Matthew 17:20)… and often, a support team of fellow believers. In the meantime, try meditating on the following verses.

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” Luke 1:37 (NKJV)

“The LORD answered Moses, ‘Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not My word will come to pass.’” Numbers 11:23 (BSB)

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” John 14:16 (KJV)

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37 (KJV)

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21 (NKJV)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President