Inspiring Story: A Personal Testimony
Today, I feel inspired to write about something that happened to me about a year ago. I mentioned once before that I sometimes like to visit Christian messageboards. My objective has always been to encourage people and to give them hope. Whenever I would find someone who needed prayer, my heart would just go out to them; I wanted to share the love of Christ with them, and a wave of compassion would come over me. At the time that this story that I am about to share with you took place, I was visiting the messageboard quite frequently. I was really seeing God's blessing as I continued to seek His direction in order to know what to say to people.
One day, I came across a person who was looking for evidence of God's existence; she was as skeptical as some of the atheists that I had seen on the boards. As I read on, I realized that there was more to the story than met the eye. This person had been having very vivid, terrible dreams. In these dreams, Satan was tormenting her and hurting her. When she would awake, she would find wounds on her body -- that was how real these demonic dreams were to her! She was desperately asking for help from all those reading.
Thank goodness it was a Christian messagboard! Although some people thought she was crazy, I and a few others did not; in fact, some of us were encouraging her to cry out to Jesus for deliverance. She explained that as much as she wanted to scream -- to say anything -- when she would open her mouth, nothing would come out! I immediately began to pray for her, along with another Christian there. I particularly had it on my heart to pray for her whenever I would go to sleep at night, because I knew that whenever this woman would sleep, that was when the demons would attack her. I always thought that depending on her time-zone, she might be sleeping then, too. Thank God, He can breach time zones! I was also praying for her salvation, that God would open her eyes to the truth.
One day, I logged in to the messageboard to find that she had finally been able to break through the demonic attacks by the power of Jesus' name! She explained that the night before, she had commanded the demons to leave her alone in Jesus' name. This happened three times. Each time, she said that the pain would intensify, and Satan would try to tell her that God no longer loved her for all the bad things that she had done in her life. Yet she persisted, and after the third time, the demons left. She awoke to no pain in her body and to complete peace. She said, "I thank every one of you for helping me.... You turned this hard-hearted skeptic into a true believer. Everyone, I am saved. I have never felt better in my entire life."
The line that stuck out to me was, "I am SAVED." I literally wanted to cry and dance around the room at the same time! To think that my prayers (in part) caused this woman to be set free and to become a child of God! I did end up writing a follow-up response, and here is what she said in reply: "...If it wasn’t for people like you on these boards, I doubt I would have had to courage to do what I did...." I know that it wasn't JUST me who prayed for her, but I was thrilled to be a part of something so wonderful!
I was reminded of a Scripture, and I also shared it with this woman: "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!" ~ James 2:19
The devil did not want this woman to be free; he knew that the moment that she cried out to God, He would deliver her. Once she commanded the demons to leave, nothing could stand in the way of Jesus Christ and His power! Thank God that we have dominion over Satan! Satan is afraid of God; when God comes on the scene, he has to run! "Submit to God, resist the devil, and he WILL flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." ~ James 4:7-8
I am living proof that prayer works, people! It's so easy to think that God doesn't hear us when we cry out to Him, that He is so far away. But God is no respector of persons; if He did it for me out of His great love, He will do it for you, too! If you feel like God is not listening, persistency is the answer. The Bible says, "The Lord WILL hear when I call to Him" (Psalm 4:3). He ALWAYS hears us, but sometimes, we let doubt creep in and we keep praying the same things over and over again without even bothering to thank the Lord that it is taken care of. God says to cast ALL of our cares upon Him for He cares for us. If the care is in His hands, it is taken care of, right? So thank Him that it is done! Are you praying for the salvation of a loved one? Let this story be an encouragement to keep trusting in the Lord. He WILL give you the desires of your heart, He WILL bring it to pass.
"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." ~ Romans 10:1-2
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." ~ 2 Peter 3:9
"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." ~ Luke 15:7
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