World famous actor Sylvester Stallone says believing in Jesus and listening to His Word has released him from the pressures of the world.
The 72-year-old was raised from a staunch Christian family, but stopped going to church as his acting career progressed. Thankfully, he later rediscovered his childhood faith.
Speaking to CBN News recently, the American filmmaker, screenwriter and film director revealed that Jesus should be the inspiration for anyone.
Although he looks tough on screen, Sylvester’s personal life fell apart as he ventured further into the film industry at a tender age. He said that after 12 years of a downward spiral, “finally I realized it had to stop. I had to get back to basics and take things out of my own hands and put them in God’s hands.”
Sylvester told the Dove Foundation, a not-for-profit organization committed to wholesome family entertainment that if one can look to God, he/she can overcome their past and be reborn.
“I was taught the faith and went as far as I could with it until one day I got out into the so-called real world. I was presented with temptation and I lost my way and made a lot of bad choices. I felt the character of Rocky sort of did that too. He just didn’t have the right guidance. And then he was given an opportunity in the movie—like he was being chosen. Jesus was over him and he was going to be the fella that would live through the example of Christ. He’s very forgiving—there’s no bitterness in him. He always turns the other cheek. It’s like his whole life was about service. And I said, ‘Man, if I could take my story, my feelings, and put it into the body of a boxer—because no one cares about an actor so much—the boxing is symbolism of the constant fight, and the example of Christ,’ I thought, ‘this would be really interesting’ and that’s exactly what happened. It was like an unexpected gift, really.” Sylvester said.
According to the movie star, without the church it’s like having a boat without the rudder.
“You think you can do it on your own and this may sound pedestrian or trite but I’ll equate it to this: all my life I’ve been involved with exercise but no matter how much—and I know a great deal about the body—you need help. You need a trainer. You need to go to a gym and you need to have the expertise and the guidance of someone else. You cannot train yourself. I feel the same way about Christianity and what the church is. The church is the gym of the soul. And the priests, the reverends, the ministers and the pastors– they are the trainers—they are the ones that guide you over that difficult time and take you to that place that you don’t think you can go, but with their help you can go. By the way, everyone in the church is on the same page in the sense of spirit and unity and oneness and you don’t get that alone. A lot of people say, ‘Oh, I can do it on my own. I have a one-on-one relationship with God,’ well it’s not quite the same.” he said.
“Some people maybe try to justify their laziness. You take out what you put in and the more I go to church and the more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus, and to listening to his word and have him guide my hand I feel the pressure’s off me now. I really do. If you put in the time you will reap the benefits,” he added.
“All of us have something to give inside… Give it—don’t just horde it to yourself. You have a lot of love to give and a lot of service you can give to other people. And the last is, you should overcome your past with some help. If you look to God, you can overcome your past and be reborn and that’s what Rocky is, he’s reborn.” he said.
