John Cotton’s Testimony in His Own Words
I grew up in a combination in a loving home and a violent home at the same time. My mother was a very loving woman, but my daddy was a very violent man. My dad would shoot up the house all the time. When we got in a car to drive and someone ran the light my dad would teach the person a lesson by running into them on purpose. We would fly through the windshield me and my brothers. Coming up I lived in that environment. If my dad wanted the lights turned off and you didn’t turn them off quicker enough he would shoot them out.
When I was younger at 1 yrs. old it came into my heart to serve the Lord, but what took place after that was all the violence. So that’s what got inbreeded in me and when I hit the street that’s what was there. I grew up in Beirut and many people didn’t know it. They didn’t know how violent I could be. I was in darkness, great darkness. Like most people I work for a while, but I had ambitions. I wanted money even though I had a job as a Drafter. I was drafting for 7 years, but that wasn’t enough for me and I wanted more.
What I did then I got into the streets. So I was living two lives. I had a suit and tie on in the daytime and in the trap houses at night. That’s what my life consisted of. It was very tumultuous living a double life at the same time, lost and chasing the things everybody is looking for. I was looking for peace, prestige, power and I was doing all of these things. Now when the violence came that remember it came into my heart at 11 to serve the Lord, but that got pushed all the way back somewhere. God was the one that put that there in the first place.
As I got in the streets a lot of violence major drugs and a lot of guys that’s into major drugs whether you are going to Columbia, or whether to Dominican, Mexico even to dealing with a lot of high level people who are in witchcraft. For you even to do business with them they kind of want you in the same cult. A lot of people don’t understand or know that, but I got involved even in that part in the place where demons was active in my life. A lot of people don’t want to talk about things like that, but it’s true. So I got into that even more violence, more evil, moving drugs from state to state, country to country.
Then I opened up a business because in my mind I was going to try for a while and get out of the game. I know somebody was going to be watching this, whether it was at night and some other times. You say I want to get in and I want to get out. So I got in and got out. I was six years clean before they came and knocked on my door. So it was time, it was 99 days for thief, but one day for justice. They come knocking at my door and said Mr. Cotton we here. So what happened was a lot of people I had dealt with before they were still trafficking in their lives and so it spilled over into his life.
So even when you get caught up in Federal system they don’t need no drugs, don’t need no money, they don’t even need much surveillance. All they need is somebody to say hey he did XYZ. A lot of people don’t understand in the streets is this that circumstantial evidence is weighed as physical natural evidence in the Federal Court of Law. I know you figure like I can go to the state and they can do this, but it’s not like that in the Feds, you got some issues with it. So no matter how much money you have or power you have you can get trapped up if they want you. So I ultimately ended up with a life sentence, but here’s where Christ comes in.
Remember it came into my heart at eleven to serve God, but it got pushed away with all the violence, drugs, witchcraft and all these things, but once God places something in your heart He’s intending to fulfill that purpose and plan in your life. There is nothing that the devil can try to actually disturb that. God allowed me to go into all these other dark places just to reveal His mercy, to reveal His love, His compassion. God always leave Him a witness.
Here it is now I go to trial. First I got out on bond. So I’m out on bond for 4 yrs. and 8 months and they didn’t really have anything. What they did was they had guys that continually writing the prosecutors saying I did this with him. I sold amounts of drugs with them. They want to get out of jail. At the end of day was when we whined up going to court. I had 108 witnesses and they all got up and pointed their finger at me and said there he is right there. But I thank God they pointed their finger at me because Christ was pointing His finger at me. They didn’t understand that. It was like Joseph. Joseph said you meant it for evil, but God turned it for the good to save much people alive. Not just my own person, but people in my house and everybody I’m going to run into.
Hear it is I go to trial it last almost a month. I get convicted and about four months after that they sentenced me to life in prison. That’s where it all begun. Something happened was fascinating when I got ready to go to court that day. In between me going to sentencing, in between that five or six months and going to sentencing is where I met Christ. Fascinating thing happened I never looked at picking up a bible. I grew up in a Catholic Church, but I didn’t know God. I knew religion. If somebody is going to be watching this tonight that knows religion, but don’t know Christ. But remember we are talking about Jesus is the key to reentry. It’s not just about it’s reentry into society; it’s reentry into His kingdom.
So what happens there is a Correctional Officer that says if anybody want a bible put your name on this list. So I put my name on the list and I didn’t know how I did that. I wasn’t thinking about anything. I just put it on there. So I started to read and even though there was so much noise in the jail, I didn’t hear anything. The only thing I heard was Him. As I read you know the Bible says the Word of God is alive and as I read it, it read me. As it was reading me, it was showing me where I was, it was showing me what I had done. It brought me under such great conviction. In my mind I sold drugs, did this to pregnant women, done this and that, but God showed me the destruction of my life.
You have guys with a mere stigma with a guy in jail if a person comes in as a pedophile, but God showed me something. God showed me something and said that’s your work on the streets in people’s lives and this is My work. There were a lot of guys in the jail when I was in the Louisiana and some of them was talking about what they had done to 14 and 15 yr old girls and all. One day I’m quiet just listening. So I turned around and said where were the parents because I’m quiet this whole time? They say well you know the mother she was turned out on crack, so she would sell her daughter, and the daddy he was in jail for crack. God said see that’s your work.
So when babies are in the house and their diaper full soiled, and no running water, and the lights are all out, and roaches everywhere, and they crying and their parents, foster homes and all the things that happens to them, all is trickled down economics. God said that’s your work. I fell under such conviction and said no way because I didn’t think I was that bad. Most of us don’t we say when we grinding, I’m out here trying to build something for my family. I got my Kingdom I want to build. My whole goal was to build something for them that I may leave to them and step back because remember I was out the game six yrs. clean. Anyway they came knocking at my door.
I ultimately, when I’m reading that book and the Holy Spirit asked me do you want to be saved and He showed it to me. I didn’t have a preacher when you come down a line the traditional way and that’s how I got saved. Right then and there filled me with His Spirit, filled me with Holy Ghost right then and there. Fascinating thing happened when I get ready to go to court and the judge is getting ready to sentence me. I’m standing in front of the judge I’m saying man I’m good because I got the Spirit of the living God. I said this guy is getting ready to hammer me. Everybody said you might get 30 years. I said this guy is getting ready to hammer me.
But at that moment something happened I felt hot oil being poured from the top of my head and it went all the way down to the soles of my feet. I know that God in the Spirit had an angel doing that. Listen at what happened it was so much power in what He had just done every ounce of fear had just left me and I almost laughed in the judge’s face, but the Spirit of God said Don’t you laugh! It was like this guy can’t do anything to me. I can’t understand it today. I can only describe to you the power. I’m fine, he sentenced me to life. He says I’m despicable, a menace to society, these laws was made for people like you and you will never see the light of day and out of my face and away with him.
So when I get back to the block because we had been doing bible studies over there because I’m saved now. The guys was waiting said Brother Cotton what did you get? I walked in and said praise God Brothers. The Brothers know that I said that a lot. I said praise God for the Lord blessed me today. The Brothers said what did He bless you with? I said He blessed me with a life sentence, praise God. They thought I was crazy. I know today it was the power of God that God placed in me to be able to say something like that.
After I got saved for the first time, remember I grew in religion. I grew up in a Catholic Church, but I didn’t know God. When I finally got saved I met Christ in jail. That’s where Christ came to meet me. I did not seek Him. I was not looking for Him, but He came looking for me. Many of us have to go into the wilderness experience for God to extract me from the world and all the distractions that He can show me myself, and then show me the way out, and say do you want it, and a man would be a fool to reject it.
Once I got saved and had a relationship with Him, then He began to teach me His Word. Then I started to realize I could pray and talk and walk with Him and ask Him things. He would reveal truths. He would show me the future. I would ask Him about my deliverance and then He told me He would do it. Like most of us do, we run right off with that information. I didn’t wait to get to say how God was going to do it and so man for the next 10 to 12yrs I’m filing in court.
Al my stuff was right. A lot of people don’t realize even though your stuff can be right that you can file something to the judge in the Federal system. You can argue AB and C. They will never address it. They will say EFG and you will say I didn’t even address that. This is the kind of three card molly they play in the court system. So I’m doing this and I’m going back and forth and each time God is showing me by revelation, it’s denied before I get it. I realized later at the time that it was God’s mercy saying to me, son I know what’s going on. This is what they are doing and I’m not delivering you that way.
I had a lawyer that was helping me and God showed me the lawyer. The lawyer had a arm and it was like rubber and then GOD reminded me of the scripture in Jeremiah 17:5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart is departeth from the Lord. So finally God tell me we were on lockdown one time, I’m fasting and praying with Him. I’m seeking His deliverance and then God tells me to put the paperwork down. Oh that was hard right there.
Anybody knows that once you stop filing and once the window is closed, that’s it. Anything changes and if it’s not retroactive is still over for you. Even though when they started doing all these new laws Brothers would come and say Brother Cotton there’s something in it for you. I said nothing in it for me Brother. The life sentence held me void from actually experiencing any of those changes where I could get any relief. So God told me to put it down and all my Christian Brothers started saying oh Brother Cotton you giving up, don’t do it faith without works is dead. I said Brothers you don’t understand I’m not giving up, God told me to put it down.
This is a revelation, God may tell you something even your Christian Brothers and Sisters might not understand and you have to follow Him. God’s plan was He was going to do it how He is going to do it. I sat down and wrote God a letter. I said you told me to put it down and I put it down and I’m in your hands. In essence once I don’t file in that window it’s over. Now my faith got to meet the road. I said now Lord you said do this. You either do this or I die in prison, that’s how serious it was.
So I surrendered to Him. I cried about it. Yeah old gangster Cotton cried about that, because the point I was crying about is at that time I felt like that was killing me right there. That killed me. I was a fighter. So the next thing I knew God moved me from that prison and moved me to another one. I said okay I’m just going to preach and teach the Word of God. Then God started giving me revelation on what to do.
Then God started giving me a vision of Obama signing the paperwork and I thought it was from the devil. He kept doing it and God pressed me on it. I said you know what You told me to put it down, and I’m not moving until You reveal to me that this You. So I went to a church service. One thing I want to say when you go to a church or Bible study ask God questions and expect God to answer. You don’t need to talk to the Pastor or the Preacher. God will use that Preacher or Pastor to speak to you, whoever you are. That’s why many of you are going to church, clapping your hands and listening to songs, but you are not asking God nothing. If you don’t ask God nothing, how you expect Him to answer you? Faith without works is dead.
So when I got ready to sit down in that pew I said well there’s your servant up there and I’m not going to move until You say something. Here is this Preacher that get up there who don’t believe in this type of revelation that God would do. He was a good Baptist guy and he says these words there was a man in prison and because he won’t believe God, he is going to stay in prison forever. Then he say open your bibles, let’s get to the message. His message was totally different from what he just said, but I told Him that day, I said I heard you and I filed.
When I filed, first I’m still going the wrong way. I filed with the Project and the Project wrote me back and said we can’t do anything for you. You the top guy! (What Project means is Clemency Project 2014.) Because President Obama was saying it was not for Kingpins. It was for low level drug offenders. I was having an argument with God about six months about that until I realized I’m in an argument with God. So turn around what I did was I finally listened to God. One of my preaching friends said oh Brother Cotton, I said no, no, no. He said give it into the hands of President Obama and I didn’t do that. I sent it to the Project. So I sent it straight to President Obama.
Four or five months later they called me and they say sit down. It was the last day when he is getting ready to walk out of office after he had did everybody else, he do me on the last day and he knocked me to thirty years. Before that God had told me when I asked Him how much time I would do. Another thing God will tell you, He will tell you how long it is. We got to know that we want answers to the questions God ask us. Because when I looked in the book of Jeremiah God told him after 70 years I will deliver you. So I said you tell people so I want to know. He told me 17 years.
So after the 30 years is there I got to pull 26 on 30. So I still have a problem my numbers still was not right. I said He told me 17 yrs. so I know You not finish. So I went on preaching and teaching. Brothers was saying Brother Cotton now the life sentence is gone now you can file for the two points, you can get the one to one, you can get the drug reduction, you can get the all drugs minus two, all those things belong to you file, file, file. But listen to me, the Bible says these are the sons of God who is lead by the Spirit. We talking about a reentry in Christ and when you enter into relationship with Him, the Bible says He will lead you and guide you into all truth Romans 8:14. He will show you things to come. You being lead by the Spirit and not by sight, so you go forward how you live that way go forward and if something is not right He will put a check in your spirit. When he put a check in your spirit don’t move.
So they were encouraging me and telling me well-meaning Brothers do it, do it, do it, but in Him, He wouldn’t let me. So they would ask me, and I’ll say I’m waiting on God. Anybody know me, I will tell them I’m waiting on God. Yeah I wait on Him. Did I want to be out of jail, yeah like yesterday, like ten years before, but I said I got to wait on God because I know anything I put my hands its best that brought me here. I also realized it was God’s grace that brought me to prison. As I asked about the 17 yrs., He will keep you during the same time. So I went back to preaching and teaching like He said and I never moved on that even though those well-meaning Brothers was telling me to do that.
Then in 2018 when President Trump does the First Step Act, I still don’t move at that time. I went in prayer and said Lord what is it and God said now it’s time. He said file and then I said Lord wait a minute, but I got that judge. Every time no, no, no, no, no, you a menace to society, you will never come out. I said Lord I got this judge he’s not going to hear me and the Lord gave me a scripture in Isaiah 40:25-26 that said To whom then will ye liken me, who can you compare me He said Lift up your eyes on high, look at all the stars and the moon and all the things I created, can you equal me with the judges of this world? They not even a drop in the bucket.
Then God gave me a vision of the same judge with a black hanky over his mouth which means he was not going to speak against me anymore. I said alright God and so I filed it. I said I believe this is for me. I hand wrote everything. I said that this belongs to me. So I’m writing you right now. I think this law is pertinent to my case and I’m asking for a lawyer. About a month nothing happens. Month and half nothing happens. Then I go to God and said Lord should I write again and the Lord said wait. I said let me wait then! Two weeks after that I get the letter from the court and this is what the letter read the judge that was on your case has been removed. This now is your new judge and this is your lawyer.
But then during that time the pandemic hit because remember I was getting ready to roll out right now when everything was going, but now things have to sit another couple of years. So it’s not until 2021 over on April 12th is when I got that back from that judge. Let me tell you what the judge did. That judge did everything to the letter of the law for which I had previously asked the other judge to do every time. Everything to the letter, it was amazing. It was completely amazing! All I was asking the other judge to do was do what this judge did. When I tell you that judge was honest. He laid it all out.
But this is something he said now very dangerous for those who go outside of God’s Will and His timing. He said if Mr. Cotton would have previously filed for those two points he would not be eligible in this court room today. Reentry from Jesus Christ’s perspective is never to move outside of Him. Get some counsel for your life and leave the rest to Him. Just obey Him and He will work it out.
Brother Cotton said he didn’t live his life in despair and nor should you. He trusted God. God allowed me to share this testimony to build Believers’ faith to trust Him and His Son for your life. God doesn’t leave us desolate no matter where we are. Brother Cotton was asked what he have planned in the future. He wanted to share if God haven’t called you to the pulpit, don’t touch it, but he said Woe is you if He calls you, and you don’t touch it. He said he can’t do anything else and he doesn’t want to do anything else.
He works as a Dispatcher, but that’s his job. His work and his purpose is the Kingdom of God. He does a Zoom Bible Study every Thursday night. God called him to be a Pastor. When we are busy about God’s business, God is busy about what concerns us. For many are called, but few are chosen. I hope you enjoyed this testimony. Please share it with others. God Bless you.
Written By: Kelli Parks
