Testimonies
We have ministered to thousands of people over a quarter century. With one day a week being devoted to in-depth ministry appointments with individuals (along with everything else we have to do) we just do not have time to keep up with posting testimonies to this website. Here are some from over the years which may give you a feel for how effective TCU is by the grace of God.
(Some exciting testimonies of God's healing in India can be found on the TCU in the Nations page.)
SOME OF THE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE SHARED WITH US:
(The most recently received written testimony will always be posted at the top of the page. The testimonies then work backward chronologically, with the oldest being at the bottom of the page. Testimonies are listed according to when they are received, not according to the dates of ministry. We have generally opted to change names and remove some specific details in order to protect the person's privacy or the privacy or identities of families or communities involved. We take strict confidentiality very seriously.) The majority of people we minister freedom to do not send in written testimonies, so what you will see below is only the proverbial "tip of the iceberg" in terms of how many people are set free as this ministry cooperates with the Lord, our Savior/Healer.
NOTE: DEMON POSSESSION?
This is a topic we must address here in a limited fashion so there are no misunderstandings when you read these testimonies. Let us now state emphatically that true followers of Jesus cannot be "possessed" by demons! The idea of "demon possession" is rooted in an unfortunate mistranslation into English hundreds of years ago of what the original Greek of the New Testament actually says. The Greek says a person "has a demon" or is "demonized." "Possession" speaks of ownership. Christians belong to Jesus himself, who purchased us with his own blood at the Cross and transferred us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (see 1 Peter 1:18-21, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and Colossians 1:9-14). There is a huge difference between being possessed and possessing. If I am "possessed" by a demon the demon has me (owns me, controls me). This is a very different situation from me having a demon (a demon present in my life harassing and influencing me through lies, fear, the manipulation of emotional wounds, etc.)! Most Christians have been taught that we cannot be "possessed" by a demon (absolutely true!), but by that they have understood we cannot "have" a demon (absolutely untrue!). This misunderstanding has cost the Church dearly. Unfortunately, because of a faulty paradigm, many well-meaning Christian leaders have left their people vulnerable to the Enemy's attacks through inaccurate (albeit well intentioned) teaching on this subject. (As time allows we hope to address this in more detail elsewhere on this site in the future.) This has left the members of the Body of Christ wide open to attack by the Enemy of our souls, like clueless mechanical ducks in a shooting gallery. Then we wonder why we are not experiencing abundant life and freedom in Christ! Satan and his forces attack the followers of Jesus viciously precisely because we are the greatest threat to their dark kingdom and they want to cripple us. The last thing Satan wants is a healthy Church, unchained from what has bound us and walking in power and authority! The followers of Christ should not obsess about demons, nor should we fear them; but we also should not be ignorant of their devices so as to be taken advantage of by them (see 2 Corinthians 2:11). While demons cannot own Christians, they can be present in their lives and take advantage (for many different reasons) of things which give them a foothold or opportunity in the life of the person to harass that person and to lie to that person in order to keep unhealthy patterns in place (see Ephesians 4:26-27 for a remarkably simple and straightforward example). When we minister healing to people in Jesus' name we often encounter demonic opposition to that person getting completely free. This should hardly be surprising. We believe this is just what the first followers of Jesus encountered when Jesus sent them out to preach the gospel and to heal (see Luke 10:1-24). When this happens we calmly deal with it using the power and authority Christ has given us to help people to freedom (see Luke 9:1-2).
The following testimony is the text of a card received from a woman who wrote to thank us following ministry with her husband. This woman had contacted us based upon the recommendation of a friend. Her family was being victimized by the Enemy in many ways. While acknowledging that she also needs healing and deliverance, this woman had the wisdom to recognized that it was vitally important that her husband, who carries a special mantle of spiritual authority from the Lord to protect his family, have help in getting out from under the wiles of Satan first. Her husband had so much demonic chatter in his mind to distract him that his wife needed, with his agreement, to reach out to us for him. A simple but effective strategy of Satan and his demonic helpers is to create so much "chatter" in our thoughts that we have difficulty focusing and can be rendered so confused that we become almost incapable of acting decisively. We hear from many that their minds are constantly filled with chatter. Following ministry one of the most common comments we get is that the person's mind has gotten very quiet and he or she can now think clearly. The stakes are high in this spiritual warfare; so high that this woman felt we had saved her husband's life.
Dear Pastor James Bethany:
I cannot begin to thank you enough for being obedient to the Holy Spirit and allowing God to work through you to deliver my husband. He is a new man! His faith is strong and he’s praying [for] our family. We’ve been rejoicing ever since! [Husband's] life has been transformed! Thank you so much in being a willing vessel in saving my husband’s life!
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It is a mistake to assume that only people who are really in trouble need healing and deliverance. One of Satan's most effective strategies is to go after spiritual leaders in an attempt to somehow compromise or weaken their ministries. Remember the Temptation in the Wilderness our Lord faced immediately after the spiritual high of his baptism? The following testimony is from an anointed man of God who has an effective speaking ministry for the Lord. Ministry is not easy and Satan is relentless in his attempts to wear down those who minister in the name of Jesus. This man heard about our ministry and came in simply because he wanted to be as effective as possible for the Lord. This was not a situation where he was aware of anything obvious which needed to be dealt with. He just wanted to be set free from anything which might be weighing him down or hindering his ministry. Read his testimony and see if you think he was excited by what the Lord did for him (and awakened to the potential within the Body of Christ if the people of God can just get unchained)!
Greetings,
On the [specific date] 2013 I was birthed into my divine position and purpose in the Kingdom of God. I am thankful that I was able to surrender all to the Holy Spirit and be led into true healing and deliverance by Jim and his awesome Assistant. I want to encourage not only the parishioners but those in leadership that are ready to really open up to the will of God for their lives to experience this deep core healing and restoration that only God will anoint and appoint His divine vessels to carry out in the Body of Christ. I can't wait to get the word out to my friends and family...I AM FREE!!!
[In a second email this man said:]
I will also get the word out that this is a valid source for the Kingdom of Heaven in order to get our Body of Christ functioning under the true power of God.
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The love of God is truly amazing. It is difficult for us to comprehend the depth of a love that would cause Him to leave the glory of heaven so that he could take on the weakness of human flesh and then refuse to compromise the integrity of His identification with us even when it came to suffering and dying on a cross as if He were only a vile criminal being executed by a powerful political state. At the heart of the gospel is this amazing love of God that considers no sacrifice too great in an attempt to save us and make us whole. One of the most incredible truths we at TCU have come to know is that the Holy Spirit does not hide from us, forcing us to somehow learn His language so that we can hear His voice. No, He wants us to hear Him and know Him! So, he does not wait for us to learn some esoteric and rarified "heavenly code" in order to know what He is saying to us; rather, He speaks our language. The Holy Spirit will often speak to us in images and symbols which have meaning for us, even if those symbols may not mean anything to a different individual. When He is speaking to you He is not speaking to someone else, after all, so it only makes sense He goes out of His way to speak in a way which will communicate with you. It is a common mistake for some to teach that certain symbols always mean this or that (and always will, for all people). This kind of prophesying "by the numbers" not only disrespects God's marvelous creativity; it also negates his incredible love for individuals and his intimate knowledge of each one of us. Most people seem to think they cannot hear God's voice, but the real problem is that they do not trust what they are hearing from Him already because they assume He could never love them enough to speak their language. In the following testimony you will hear how God spoke to this woman using symbols she understood. Does God really deign to speak to His children through old Beatles' songs? (What, was Gabriel on vacation?) Read what God did for this woman and then decide. Note also the power of deliverance and the difference it makes in the very real and practical spiritual battles which can be fought in the grocery aisles. These kinds of victories are often the most important of all and the most telling in real life change and freedom.
Hi Pastor Bethany!
I just wanted to touch base with you since we had our meeting a few weeks ago. I can honestly say my mind has definitely been relieved from all the 'chatter' I had been listening to for so long. I thought it interesting that during the session when you started 'cutting the seals', a very intense, definite image of a black bird appeared in my mind's eye, flying off. Again, after more seals were cut, more black bird images. I had a class to attend the next morning. On my way, I saw the very image of that first black bird - a black bird flying from a tree in the exact image I saw in my mind the day before, in our meeting. As if that weren't enough, immediately the song "Blackbird" by the Beatles started playing in my head - loudly. I haven't heard that song in quite a while, but the lyrics were quite striking that morning:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly
Blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night
(I tend to get messages in song form, sometimes images)
I know things aren't completely resolved for me, but I wanted to let you know also that since our meeting, I've not had any alcohol (or ice cream, for that matter!). But more importantly, I've not had the desire to have any. I don't even think about it. I've even been down the grocery store isles without fighting a losing battle to make those purchases. Please understand, this is amazing to me - I used to smoke cigarettes and quit cold turkey, so I know what fighting an addiction can be like. This was different, to say the least. Thank you for what you do - what you've done and what you will be doing for those who are battling the enemy and for the healing process you practice. May the Lord's blessings be with you all of your days as you bless others with your gifts.
Sincerely,
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We almost always minister in teams of at least two people. We are especially careful to have a woman prayer minister present as part of the team whenever we have a woman come in to receive ministry. Ministering in teams not only is prudent in terms of protecting prayer ministers against possible false accusations, it is also wise in terms of maximizing effectiveness during ministry. People are gifted in different ways, and often insights come out in a team setting that would almost certainly be missed if only one minister was involved. Every person is different and healing is a process. The following testimony expresses very well the kinds of foundational changes many people who go through personal ministry experience. Given the sensational and inaccurate treatment Hollywood typically has given to demons, it is not surprising that people tend to think that getting the demons out is the sole goal of deliverance ministry and that once the demons are out, the person will no longer have any difficulties. In reality, this gives demons too much credit. The real damage demons do is in the structure of lies they build within the person. These lies are what are so powerful because the person has lived according to them, usually for a very long time. If the lies have been present since birth (or even before birth—we can be lied to even in the womb) or since early childhood, they are particularly powerful because the individual has built a whole life upon these foundational understandings (the better word may be “misunderstandings”) concerning who he is, who God is, etc. Please note also the incredibly cruel things imperfect and hurting people can say to curse another human being. There is great truth in the observation that “hurt people hurt people.” You can be assured the lying spirits who were harassing this woman had a field day with what one of her foster mothers told her when she was a child. Getting the demons out of the way is certainly necessary, and can make a truly miraculous difference in how the person functions. The demons are there to reinforce and keep the structure of lies in place. It can be extremely difficult for people to be able to understand and receive truth as long as the demonic interference is present. With that said, it must be clearly understood that simply removing the demons will not be enough to pull down the structure of lies which is, often very powerfully, guiding the person’s behavior. In the following testimony the dramatic difference exposing the demonic liars and evicting them makes is clearly evident. This person was able to do things, following the removal of the lying spirits, she had found herself unable to do before; and that is what has made the difference in her life. You will also note in her testimony the resistance she faced prior to coming in. It is very common for demons to start to act up to try to prevent someone from following through with an appointment. The agents of darkness know they are going to be in trouble if the person comes in for ministry and they would really like to prevent the appointment from taking place! Rather than being discouraged by the demonic opposition, people should be encouraged by it. It is a clear indication they are on the path to freedom. The Enemy understands this.
Hello Pastor Jim and [woman prayer minister],
I apologize for not emailing you sooner. I have agonized over what to tell you, how much to share, what to share and don't really know where to start so I will just start.
One thing that sticks out in my mind is the overwhelming urge I had to run out of there before we started. I was being compelled to GO! I've never felt anything like that. Considering what was about to happen it's understandable.
To learn during our session that I have been tormented by spirits since I was a little girl has been a relief. That sounds bizarre when I see the words written here, but I am relieved to know that I'm not crazy or worthless, or stupid or an idiot or unlovable or, as one of my foster mothers told me, devil's spawn and demon seed ... it's all been lies. And then to learn that it didn't start with me—that it's generational. Whoa! It's been a lot to take in.
The best thing that has happened is that I have completely forgiven my father. I have no bitterness, resentment, anger or unforgiveness towards him. It's been the most amazing change - I actually have compassion for him and have been able to consider what he must have gone through (no matter how flat you make a pancake it has two sides). I have wanted this for so long and have prayed and prayed but it never felt real - I was just white knuckling, trying to force myself to mean it. What an incredible feeling of peace. I haven't spoken to him in a long time due to circumstances beyond my control, but I'm praying that the Lord will put it on his heart to call me. It would be a miracle but I've seen too much to discount the possibility.
Even the enabling relationship I have had with my son has shifted - my anxiety is gone (now that's a miracle). I still have the urge to do it sometimes but I don't panic and cry and beg my husband to send him money. I haven't wanted to disobey God and do it even though I knew He was telling me not to - I don't have to be that person anymore - I'm NOT that person.
I'm sleeping better, feeling better, feeling lighter in my spirit. And literally lighter - I've even lost a couple pounds.
Something has changed or become unblocked since coming to see you. I can hear the Lord's voice more clearly and I feel a much deeper connection to Him. I want to obey Him - another miracle!
I can't say that all the harassment has stopped, but I'm beginning to recognize it more quickly and can choose not to let it build momentum. I can still go off into the ditch, and may even wallow there a bit, but I don't get stuck.
I am beyond grateful to you both for our time together. Thank you so much for this new found freedom. There is much more work to do, but this has given me fresh start.
It is my prayer for you both that the Lord will protect you and your families and that He will continue to grow your ministry. You and God are changing lives.
Love and Blessings,
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The devil is a vicious and relentless liar. He especially delights in twisting our perception of the true God and His love and grace extended to us. One of his most effective wiles is to plant suspicion in our hearts about the nature of God by implying either that God approved of terrible things done to us or that He just did not care that we were hurt. We find that people who were innocent victims of abuse (sexual or otherwise) as children are often convinced it is somehow their fault. The devil beats them up over and over again with shame and guilt as he tells them they are unworthy of the love of God or that they deserve to suffer. After years of ministering deliverance to people one becomes aware the “veil” between the seen (what we have been conditioned to think of as “reality”) and the unseen (the spiritual realm or second heaven) is exceedingly thin. We catch glimpses of this in the Bible in accounts like that of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:17 where Elisha asked God to open the eyes of the other man so that he could see the angelic host surrounding and protecting them. Holy angels (ministering spirits loyal to the true God) and what Dr. Charles Kraft calls “dark angels” (fallen spirits in rebellion against God) are constantly operating all around us but we usually do not perceive their presence. It is our unawareness of their presence and our ignorance concerning what they can do, even in the lives of those who love Jesus, that enables demons to so successfully harass the followers of Christ. Sometimes God, in His wisdom, allows us glimpses into the usually unseen realm, as he does this woman whose story is shared below. (Some identifying details have been removed and names have been changed.)
Dear Pastor Jim,
I sincerely apologize for my tardiness in writing to thank you for our session back in August [2012]. It was a powerful, life-altering experience…. I apologize I am just now getting back to you. It is very important for me to share with you the impact of that afternoon. I believe the Lord may have wanted me to wait so that I can relate where He has me today.
Demonic voices have taunted me since I was six. They made me believe things that weren’t real. They made me do and say things that I knew were wrong. At my weakest moments, they had me convinced that the Lord had forsaken me. The ongoing sexual abuse by my grandfather gave a foothold to some generational demons that my Native American ancestor apparently gave permission to enter my head. For years they attacked my self-esteem, encouraged my sexual promiscuity, and thwarted my attempts at getting closer to the Lord.
I gave my life to the Lord at a Methodist revival when I was only five. I knelt at the altar when the retired pastor had an altar call. I felt His Holy Spirit enter my body. I have never doubted that that Jesus loves me, in spite of what happened shortly after that. My grandfather raped me on my sixth birthday. I did not tell anyone of this until I told my husband when I was pregnant with my first son. I kept having nightmares that revealed many of the buried memories I had successfully suppressed over the years. He suggested I go to counseling but his lack of concern or willingness to talk about it reinforced my instinct to hide this shameful secret. After my divorce and numerous counselors, I was still hearing these voices putting me down and telling me no one would ever love me. Still, I believed that Jesus loved me but they would give me 101 reasons to prove He had turned His back on me. I was tormented and at a very low point in my life.
One evening I was at a meeting at church and I started to sweat profusely. I felt light-headed and my jaw ached. It felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I went home, took a shower, but when I realized the pain wasn’t going away, I drove myself to the hospital. The doctor sent me to [a city with larger hospitals] fearing I was going to have a heart attack. They did a heart catheterization and found a 90% blockage in three of my arteries. I had a triple-bypass. I died on the operating table. Yes, I saw the white light and I told the Lord I was not ready to go. I had my boys to raise and too much left to do-- I was sure of it. He agreed and sent me back. Ever since then, I have been searching for my purpose in His Kingdom. Surprisingly, that “near death” experience seemed to increase the demon taunting. It also increased my awareness to another realm. All my life I have seen angels but the frequency of their appearances has increased exponentially after my heart surgery.
I had pretty much resigned myself to a life alone when I unexpectedly met a man I had known forever, yet I just met him. I have no doubt the Lord brought us together at this moment in our lives. John [not actual name] is the man I’ve dreamed of, prayed for, and wanted all of my life. John has [a very serious disease]. This didn’t deter me from falling in love with him nor did my heart condition deter him from falling in love with me. Not long after we were together, John became aware of my battle with the voices in my head. I thought I had worked most of my issues out through counseling and prayer but he strongly disagreed. My nightmares were increasing and I would have episodes where I was “somewhere else”. He encouraged me to seek out pastoral counseling at my church. Our Prayer Pastor, [Pastoral Counselor], listened and was non-judgmental. She assured me that I wasn’t crazy and that the voices I was hearing were demons trying to make me doubt the Lord and weaken my faith. One thing they always used was that Jesus let my grandfather rape and abuse me—that I wanted it, I deserved it. [Pastoral Counselor] told me to ask Jesus where he was during that time so I did. That night I had a beautiful dream that was so much more than a dream:
July 1, 2012 The Safe Place
I am walking on a white sandy beach on a beautiful, sunny day. The sky is blue and the ocean is azure and clear. In front of me is a little girl with ringlets walking hand in hand with Jesus. He’s clothed in light but I can see His form. The little girl stoops to pick up a conch shell and He tells her everything about the animal that once inhabited its shell. (Specifically, I remember He mentioned the operculum and how it protected the soft-bodied animal inside.) She asked questions about the sand, the crab on the shore, and the birds soaring above. He patiently answered, but more than that, He taught her about all she saw, heard, smelled, and touched. He fed her thirst for knowledge. She looked so joyful and happy. Pssttt! They saw a whale blow right off the beach. It was so close I could smell the fishy odor from the spray.
Jesus asked her, “Why do they do that?”
“They need to breathe,” she said.
“As do you. Breathe,” He instructed. She closed her eyes and took in a long, deep breath realizing that she had been holding her breath for a very long time.
The sun sparkled on the water. I felt His love for the little girl. He knew I was following them and He turned to look at me. It looked like he was holding out His other hand to me. I woke up at that moment.
I shared this dream with [Pastoral Counselor]. Now I knew where Jesus was when I was being abused. He was with me all along. He took me to a safe place and was with me the entire time. He was not only with me but he was my teacher. Jesus taught me about the Earth and all the creatures in it. He taught me about the grains of sands on the beach and the birds in the sky. He taught me about the clouds and the ocean. He taught me to love whales, I’ve always loved whales. I learned to be a teacher from the Master Teacher. I am so blessed. This revelation had a profound impact on my relationship with the Lord but the demons still taunted me. I told John about my dream which was very healing to me but he was certain there was something that I still needed to resolve.
That’s when [Pastoral Counselor] suggested that a session with you at The Church Unchained may release the bonds the demons had on me. We prayed about it and it felt like the Lord was leading me there. I’m not sure what I expected but both you and your prayer partner put me at ease immediately. You set the ground rules and I knew that the Lord was in charge of the session. For me, it was almost as if I were disassociated from myself. I remember some things and some things are a blur. You determined that the “head” demon had been granted permission by one of my Native American ancestors to be there. There were at least two, maybe more. You commanded them to leave in the name of Jesus Christ and they left. Jim, they left! No more do I hear those negative voices. I am a different person than I was before my session with you. Thank you and praise God!
So now I’m more certain than ever that the Lord sent me back to make a difference in His Kingdom. My fiancé’s [disease has worsened]. None of this seems fair. We both have waited all our lives to find each other and now, we are facing a battle that we will inevitably lose…. For a couple of weeks he has been struggling [with whether to aggressively pursue treatment]. One Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago he told me that he felt so alone he wasn’t even sure God cared anymore. I tried to reassure him but he was feeling very, very fatigued because of the disease. As I was coming up from the basement, John had his back to me in the kitchen. I saw blinding white light in front of him. The being was a couple of feet taller than John. I saw wings. John felt something touch his hair and held his hand to his face. He spun around and saw the shock on my face and tears in my eyes. “Tell me what you saw, Tammy [not actual name]. Something just touched me.” I told him that an angel had touched him and he wept. I told him that God wanted him to know that he wasn’t alone. Something very similar happened this morning. John was so weary and down this morning. He had stepped into the shower. I didn’t want to leave him alone. I was praying, “Lord, please don’t let him feel alone.” That’s when I saw the same figure standing in front of John’s computer and then the angel left as soon as it had appeared. I’m not crazy. I’m not delusional. All of this is happening for a reason—I’m still not sure what the Lord has in mind.
Jim, I thank the Lord every single day for you and for you allowing yourself to be the Lord’s instrument against Satan. I thank you and [Pastoral Counselor] for taking your valuable time to spend it with me and help loosen the demons’ hold on me. Showing me that Jesus didn’t abandon me during the abuse but instead, actually nurtured me was a blessing that was both freeing and empowering. I’m not sure why I am seeing angels but it is reassuring and I share with those they are with. God Bless you and your calling! Love, [Name withheld]
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Often the problems we run into are simply the result of the lies of the Enemy having become deeply entrenched. One of the most effective things we do is to expose these lies for what they are by exposing the liars themselves. We also expose the content of the lies for just what they are: lies! That sounds simple enough, but the effect is profound. This two-pronged approach is very powerful. Often people who are otherwise very healthy are being held back from reaching their full potential because of the weight of the lies they carry. This can be true of people of all ages, as evidenced by the note below written by parents of a young man. The Enemy seems to love to strike when people are young, in order to steal just as much of the potential they carry for the Kingdom of God as he can. It is a joy to be able to minister to young people and to be able to remove significant hindrances while they still have so much of their lives before them.
Dear Pastor Bethany,
Words alone cannot express our gratitude to you for letting God use you to deliver our son [name withheld] from his "enemies." When I picked him up from his session with you, I could immediately see that deliverance had taken place by the smile on his face. Please continue to pray for him. God is truly using you to liberate people through this deliverance ministry He has given you. We pray that he will increase your territory, prosper your ministry, and that He will supply all of your needs and desires. We would like to sow a small seed into your ministry, as we know it will be sown into fertile ground. We pray it will increase a hundred-fold! God bless you.
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We often encounter people who have been targeted by the Enemy for attacks of a certain and specific nature. It is as if these people have a big red "bulls eye" drawn on their foreheads (spiritually speaking) so that no matter where they go in life they are clearly recognized in the demonic realm as prime targets for a specific type of abuse. The minions of the Enemy of our souls then influences people who have been wounded themselves to further hurt these people in the same way they have been hurt before. The testimony below is from a man who has endured a lot of abuse in his life, starting at a tender age. The internal emotional and spiritual struggle translated into debilitating physical and psychological symptoms.
Hey Pastor, My struggle Dealing with the spirits of Anxiety, and Panic attack disorder have almost COMPLETELY went away.... Of course I do have some thoughts about it because It went on for so long but I can finally get through my day without that extremely painful muscle tension! Aside from the Release of those spirits, your session has freed me of a Lot...! Your ministry taught me how to fight spiritually with a direct word and authority over my enemies... Through the Love of God, You showed me a way of escape when I feel like my mind is over crowded with thoughts! I want to thank you and The very attentive soft spirited Woman that sat in on the session.. I forgot her name but I know she was also VERY helpful and the both of you are a blessing from God! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH!! AWESOME MINISTRY*****
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The following testimony is from a woman who was finding herself facing a great deal of anxiety when she would get up to speak in front of people in the course of her work. While fear of public speaking is certainly a common thing, she recognized this as unnatural and debilitating and she asked for help. Many times it never occurs to us to ask the Lord for help with something. Other times we are reluctant to ask the Lord for help with things we think we should just be able to deal with ourselves. The Lord truly does care about us and we will often find a great release once we avail ourselves of his help.
I attended several of Pastor Jim's sermons on demonic interference in the Fall of 2011; how people can be held captive and held back from being set free to be the person God wants them to be...using their spiritual gifts and to serve Him in love. All of the sermons were very educational and interesting as I have been struggling with a particular fear and anxiety. One sermon in particular really struck home with me; when Pastor Jim said during a sermon, "Why are you fearful of speaking in front of an audience?!"
For over 13 years I have taught (spoke) in front of audiences; however, since the spring of 2010 through the year 2011, speaking in front of audiences has become a struggle for me. When I'm about to speak in front of an audience, I feel a sense of overwhelming panic and anxiousness. In all my years of teaching, I never had any panic attacks or anxiety...but now, I never know whether these irrational emotions are going to take over. I prayed about this every night before bed; also read scripture addressing anxiety every morning. I coped with the fear and continue with my life until one day Pastor Jim said I didn't have to fight this battle alone.
There are two points I need to make before I go forward: 1. Years ago I took the 'test' to identify my spiritual gifts...my top three are leading, teaching, and helping and 2. It seemed that the closer I developed a relationship with God (recently baptized and continuing my growth) the more I was presented challenges. My fear, anxiety, and panic attacks spread to other areas: being around people whether I was in a store, in a meeting, in a doctor's office, driving in traffic, on a plane, or even celebrating a holiday with my family. I definitely felt captive. It was the strangest...frustrating feeling.
With God holding my hand and my husband by my side, I have kept the strength to complete these public speaking events. Unfortunately, every time, I felt the same...panic and anxiety. When I heard Pastor Jim's sermon, I felt God was speaking directly to me that day, and so, I made an appointment for healing with Pastor Jim and two of his associates.
I participated in one healing session and the way to explain how I felt afterwards was as though I felt 'cleansed'...focused. It was very exhausting emotionally and an experience unlike no other. The good news is that I have been feeling MUCH better since the session! To be honest, there are times when I seem to slip back into the irrational thinking and feel a bit of panic for a brief minute, but then I remember who is protecting me, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and I am blessed to be surrounded by angels. Since the healing session, I am able to snap out of the irrational feelings and focus on my mission. I guess the main difference that I've felt since the healing session is that I am able to 'come out' of that irrational thinking quicker and the next thing I feel is a sense of strength and encouragement. I have also been able to focus on happier things...my family!
Although I may not feel the calling to be a part of the prayer healing team, I do feel that there have been people in my life that have been placed specifically for me to share what I know about the healing sessions and how to become free again. I think it's important to understand that our battles with demonic interference are real and there will always be a struggle between light and dark. The key is to understand that while demons can strongly interfere in the lives of followers of Christ, they cannot 'possess' (fully control) us! God is good...all the time!
Thanks, Pastor Jim!
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The following is a follow-up to a second time of ministry with an individual whose first testimony was posted earlier. In order for you to be able to appreciate some things she says in her testimony it is necessary for me to give some explanation ahead of time. Healing is often a process, experienced one layer at time. While this individual gained tremendous freedom as a result of the first session, she came under tremendous spiritual attack following that session. The Enemy does not like it when we gain freedom and he often comes against us in a very vicious way in order to attempt to stop our progress. In this case, after her first session, this individual needed to reconnect with a severely dysfunctional family (in which she had been sexually abused as a child) because of her mother’s illness and death. Immediately after her mother’s death the Enemy began to torment this woman by making her think her mother’s spirit was still around and very much present in her life. An agent of Satan actually pretended to be her mother by taking the mother’s name for himself! This was a lie, but an effective one, given the history of this painful and strained relationship. It should be explained that we are able to challenge evil spirits in the arena of a person’s mind and the person “hears” the demonic response as a thought in his or her mind (the Enemy is already able to lie to you in the area of your mind, so this does not give the Enemy any power or authority over you). As we confront a spirit in this way this puts pressure on the spirit and weakens him as he must acknowledge and respond to the authority we have in Christ. It also often helps us to gain insights which accelerate the healing process. I must hasten to add that we do not just listen to evil spirits (and yes, we understand they are liars and cannot be trusted—but with the help of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, we can always uncover the truth)! Another thing I need to explain is that we asked the Lord to send holy angels to destroy the Enemy’s “files” he was using against this woman. (The devil often attempts to beat us up with things the Lord has already forgiven.) The last thing needing some explanation is the comment about a giraffe! This was a beautiful thing, but it does need to be explained or you will not understand it. During our prayer time with this woman the Holy Spirit returned her to some memories he wanted to bring healing in. (The Lord does not change history, but he does heal memories by removing the pain from them. Often the pain we experience concerning memories is our struggle with where the Lord was while we were being hurt. The Enemy lies to us about the nature of God and tries to convince us that God does not care about us, is unconcerned about us being hurt, or even thinks we deserved to be hurt! During our prayer times the Lord will often return people to a memory he wants to heal and allow them to see what he was doing during that time; revealing that he did not abandon them, did not approve of what was happening, often protected them from being hurt worse, and often wept over what was being done.) During our ministry session the Lord took this woman back to a memory as a young girl when she was being sexually abused by a family member. He revealed to her that he helped her to survive the abuse by taking her (in her mind) by the hand as she was being abused and leading her away from the ugliness to a safe, special place where the two of them could enjoy being together. He showed her a big house with a wonderful garden full of beautiful flowers. He would take her to this garden. It was an absolutely gorgeous place full of sunshine. There was even a pet giraffe there he had given her (she always loved giraffes)! In discussing this incredibly healing revelation after the prayer time, I playfully “complained” about how Jesus had never given me a pet giraffe! This woman said that she had always known that she had somehow gone to a special place in order to survive the abuse, but she had never before known just where she went. The Lord was gracious enough to show her during this ministry session. Perhaps now, given these explanations, you will be truly blessed by the goodness of the Lord as you read this woman’s testimony and hear how the Lord is opening doors for her to minister His love to others.
Pastor Jim, I can’t thank you enough for seeing me again a few weeks ago. It’s been almost 2 weeks, and the change is continuous. The demonic presence who took on the name of my deceased mother is gone and I am free from feeling “her” constant presence, her constant lies, and her constant control issues over my life. To that end, I know that I have the authority in Christ to keep this route constant. That was one thing that God kept reminding me with my visit to you as well as the weeks to since. No longer do I feel the urge to “die”, but I long for life. Life in Christ has been my major desire since beginning to see [pastoral counselor almost five years ago], and it has only increased. Being set free from the remaining demonic forces that were in my life has set me a new in the calling to help those sexually abused. It is amazing the doors that are opening for this ministry God has laid out for me. I want you to know, the most profound thing that you did during this meeting that you didn’t do in the one in July. You asked the demon if there were files on me that they have access to so that they have ammunition to afflict and taunt me. When the demon responded yes, you demanded that they be burned and never used against me again. On the drive back to PA, I remember praying to God and thanking Him for that revelation to you. I truly know that no more demonic forces can oppress me from my past ever again. Thank you for performing that task of burning the files. I know that I may not have any family of origin because I continue to speak the truth, but I am honored to have my new family, you, [pastoral counselor] and [prayer team member]. My family in Christ! I can never thank you enough! You are an answer to prayer in so many ways. The voices are gone, the smile has not left my face, and I feel fresh and lighter. The dark circles that once lined my eyes are gone! Praise God, I see myself in the mirror, a beautiful creation, not some ugly person that is not worthy of God’s love. Instead I see someone who is blessed beyond measure because God chose me, heck, Jesus even gave me a Giraffe!!!! What a beautiful memory! Thank you!!!!! May God continue to bless this ministry! When you arrive in heaven God will say to you “Well done my good and faithful servant”, and maybe you will get your Giraffe too!! Bless you Jim!
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The following is a wonderful testimony of the tremendous healing which comes from being able to fully experience the love of Jesus. The Enemy does not want you to know you are loved, so he uses every weapon in his arsenal of lies to keep you from discovering the truth! This testimony also highlights how The Church Unchained: LukeNine1&2 Ministries is here to walk alongside local churches and ministries, not replace them. We are grateful for the loving and effective ministry of the pastoral counselor who has played (and continues to play) such an important role in this individual's healing process. When people live some distance from us, as this person does, we only have a short opportunity to help. It is vitally important for churches to understand how to help people to healing, wholeness and freedom! Not mentioned in the testimony is the healing of a hearing impairment which also took place during the ministry appointment. Praise God!
Dear Jim,
It has been almost two years ago since I met [pastoral counselor] and she began counseling with me. I came to her with broken pieces in my life that I was hesitant to deal with. I was a prisoner of my past! I shared with her the many vile scenes from my childhood. After being raped and abused, I lived each day under a dark cloud of despair. I couldn't feel Jesus' presence and worst of all, I didn't think that he loved me. I struggled as [pastoral counselor] helped me work with painful issues and buried memories that seemed to feed the depression that I battled. I felt hopeless and horribly ashamed. Darkness greeted me every morning that I opened my eyes and stared me down at night when I tried to sleep. I couldn't understand how our God could have allowed all those horrible things to happen to a little girl. [Pastoral counselor] prayed with me, cried with me, and took my hands and led me past my fears and doubts to the refuge of Jesus' forgiving and loving arms. She is an amazing vessel of God's love! As I talked with [pastoral counselor], she helped me through those painful memories and raging emotions and I began to see a glimmer of light. It is all wrappped in chosen forgiveness. I began to see that had I never been wounded so badly, I would never have been able to forgive so freely, and in doing so, I discovered a depth of healing and freedom that only the greatest of pain can produce. God uses the most horrendous circumstances for our good. I was at the verge of honestly thanking God for all that he has accomplished in me through the sin of the people who raped and abused me when the demons came. I was so confused and afraid. The demons told me many lies and wanted me to believe that everything that [pastoral counselor] said wasn't true!! Once again, I began to struggle with depression; believing that I was unworthy of God's love. There were times that the demons almost convinced me I had no purpose here on earth and that suicide would help others find peace. They told me that someone that I dearly loved would be harmed if I didn't obey them. That someone that I loved was [pastoral counselor]. I knew in my heart that I would rather die myself than for her to be harmed. Secretly, I was plotting my suicide. I thought that there wasn't anything that I couldn't share with [pastoral counselor], but I couldn't share this. Voices of accusation screamed in my head: "I am no good, unworthy to be called a child of God." These thoughts sent me over the edge as if it was my fault, like I did something wrong. I know Satan wanted me miserable and hurting. I WAS!! [Pastoral counselor] realized that I was encountering demons and encouraged me to come and see you. I am so grateful for all the prayers and help from you and your prayer team. Thank you all for helping me to experience the freedom that Jesus wanted for me. I believe much of my stress is the result of a constant and innate quest to love and be loved. The problems come because I have looked in the wrong places for love. After my meeting with you, I came away with the greatest gift anyone could ever ask for. I was given the gift of knowing that Jesus loves ME! I will always need Jesus' direction and guidance in my life. I really want to do what he created me to do. My prayer is that now I will be able to walk in obedience and faith and that I will have the strength to take those steps. Blessing to you, [pastoral counselor], and [prayer team member] for making all of this happen!
Blessings,
Worthy of Love(How wonderful is that?)
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The following was received from a woman who was suffering from many things and has seen remarkable improvement in the weeks following prayer ministry.
Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your prayer times with me. Thank you for all your generosity of time and care. I came to you in whole-body physical and emotional pain, horrible anxiety, depression, anger, very underweight, with chronic fatigue, insomnia, nightmares, painful thoughts, chronic migraines, some speech stuttering, unproductive, distracted mentally, and a very invasive surgery scheduled to remove organs as a desperate attempt to find healing. I was also on several prescribed medications to help me cope but they would only help for an hour or less and then back to no sleep all night and/or tormenting thoughts would return after a short time. I spent years following the medical doctors advice (and much money) and never improving but getting extremely discouraged where life seemed pointless! The prayers and advice from other church pastors was also very unhelpful and that too discouraged me in my walk with God. However, God had another plan and He provided your prayer ministry and church knowledge, understanding, and compassion that brought much healing. I am also grateful for Pastor Jim's excellent biblical sermons that have been a wonderful blessing of biblical teaching in many areas.
As a result of your prayers I immediately experienced a quiet in my mind I had not had as long as I can remember. I could finally think or hear my own thoughts. I could take the other thoughts captive more easily. I learned to think and say words of blessing and not negativity regardless of my feelings. The chronic migraines have diminished to mild headaches. The nightmares stopped and I gained more and more sleep each night until I slept all night. I awoke without all-over body pain. In the past showering was all I could hope to manage for the day. My chronic fatigue gradually went away in a month, my appetite soon returned and I returned to a very healthy weight. I can stand and walk all day as opposed to before when I would want to collapse on the floor or couch as I couldn't stand the pain and fatigue. This is a real breakthrough!!! I believe I am alive today because of coming to see you, and your prayer time. As you know, the former medications that did not help were discontinued and I chose not to have surgery (with a doctor’s permission) that would have taken a year to recover from. I don't think I was in any shape to recover from major surgery and I don't know if I would have actually survived it. I barely survived before seeing you and I wasn't sure how much longer I could go on emotionally and physically. However, now I am regaining productivity every day and returning to life. Many years ago I was extremely active, outgoing, studious, hardworking—a very responsible and caring person. I hope to return to the life and God's good deeds He has planned in advance for me to do. Glory to God in the highest and thankfulness to you for doing His will here on earth by administering His grace, knowledge and healing.
Thank you also for praying with my spouse. Immediately after prayer, pain in the feet was gone; when it had been severely chronic for several years and has remained very reduced. We look forward to further prayer to continue the healing process in our bodies, emotions, mind and will. As well as increasing our biblical knowledge in our walk with God.
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The following was received from a woman who had determinedly sought healing through the ministry of her local church for a number of years, without success. Unfortunately, her experience is not rare. We at The Church Unchained: LukeNine1&2 Ministries love the Church and we believe most church leaders are compassionate individuals who want the best for their people. No doubt that is true of this individual's church. The reality is that church leaders often simply do not know how to minister healing and freedom in the power and authority of Jesus because they were never discipled in these areas. We believe the Lord Jesus wants to see this change dramatically in the Body of Christ! Every church should be a place where people can become whole and experience the reality of the abundant life Jesus makes possible! This is why we are passionate, not only about ministering healing to individuals, but also about discipling and equipping other ministries and churches to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Pastor Jim,
Just wanted to send a big thank you for taking the time to help me out in areas of emotional healing where no one else has been able to! This much needed healing has been a long time coming. I truly believe that God wanted me healed, emotionally, from a marriage gone wrong through mental abuse. So for the past seven years, at my church alone, I met with a Christian Counselor, had met with my pastor who prayed over me a few times and attended a group called Celebrate Recovery which is for people with hurts, habits and hang-ups. Sadly, none of those worked for me but I still felt God telling me, 'not to give up.' Shortly afterwards, I was invited to attend a bible study where I found out that the leader was a member of your church, Richland Baptist. She shared with me that you were speaking on Emotional Healing during Sunday services and I knew right away that I needed to listen to those messages. As I listened, I learned quite a few things that I had never heard taught before in church and I knew I needed to speak to you to clarify some of the points you had spoken on. After a 2 hour conversation on the phone, I agreed to make an appointment with you to receive healing/deliverance from all the hurts that have happened in my life. One appointment led to another and after 2 sessions I can honestly say "I am free" from all the emotional pain of the past 24 years of a hurting marriage. It is really amazing how my outlook on life has changed! I'm no longer filled with despair but now I have hope and a future. It has been 2 months since my last session and the fear, stress, anxiety, insecurity, pain, low self-esteem, etc. hasn't returned at all. The 'voice' of discouragement is gone for good and I am a changed person. Now I feel God is restoring all that was stolen from me, namely the fruits of the Spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness and self-control...in abundance! I am now able to pray for my husband that God will move in his life to receive the emotional healing he so desperately needs from his hurts as a youth.
Thank you for being obedient to God (many years ago) leading you to minister healing and deliverance to many of His children. Someday I would like to hear the story of how you first got involved in this ministry. You go where few pastors want to go and I'm praying that they will not be timid in the area of healing/deliverance.
In appreciation of what you have done for me, I would like to bless you and Richland Baptist Church by donating [a financial gift] towards the ministry of The Church Unchained. May you reach many more of God's children that are needing healing/deliverance in their lives!....It has been a long and winding road that led me to you and Richland Baptist Church but I am set free from the chains that have bound me.
Sincerely,
Healed
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The following letter bears testimony to the power of emotional wounds received as children. It also is a good example of how we often see physical healing come after other kinds of healing are experienced first. In addition, it is a reminder that because God respects the free will of human beings often innocent people are hurt by others. While God allows this, it grieves him. Emotional wounds are often very deep and they are not logical, especially those we receive as very young children. Children often think they are somehow guilty or to blame for situations which are, in reality, not their fault. In this situation we encountered some deeply seated lies from the kingdom of darkness which traced back to an emotional wound this woman received as a child. She had often been undeservedly physically punished by her mother. When her mother was angry with others she would take it out on this child even though the child was always trying to please her mother. This was, of course, blatantly unfair, and the child was hurt and angry over this. The child accepted Jesus as Lord. Subsequent to accepting Jesus as her friend and protector, the child was unfairly punished again. While she loved Jesus, this young child did not understand why he did not protect her from a beating when she was innocent. The Enemy lied to her about love, about her worth, and about God. She grew up unable to fully trust the love of others (including Jesus) for her, and not surprisingly, she struggled with her own sense of worth. During the course of the ministry, the Holy Spirit took this woman back in her memory to the time of the emotional wounding as a child. She was able to see the Lord Jesus with her as she reentered that memory. Then she was able to see that as Jesus watched her being unfairly beaten he was holding her and he was crying. The little girl inside this grown woman, seeing this under the leading of the Holy Spirit, at first thought Jesus was crying because she was somehow guilty of displeasing him. Read the rest in her own words...
Hello and Good Morning,
I first of all want to say thank you for yesterday. I wanted you to know that I woke up this morning for the first time in over a year without pain! Praise God. As I was writing in my journal about what I went through yesterday, I was crying tears of joy! I'm free in so many ways. I can still see myself reaching up and wiping the tears from Jesus face, tears I thought I put there, only to find out He was crying them for me. I do not ever want to forget this picture it is so precious to me, he didn't leave me as I thought. O I wish I could share how I feel right now, but there are no words. God certainly put me in the right church knowing all along this would happened. Isn't he great?? Thank you again so much for listening to the Lord and doing this kind of work for Him and others you are a true a blessing. O on a last note remember [name of prayer team member] mentioning my foot, no pain there anymore either nor my knee. WOW!!!
Blessings
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The following was received from a person who was having severe panic attacks, primarily associated with driving a car, which had debilitated her to the point she could no longer drive to work. This was impacting her life and the life of her family in a major way (which apparently was what the Enemy intended). We are constantly learning in this ministry, and this person's situation presented us with an interesting twist. We encountered an ancestral demon who was present because of a dedication by a member of the family generations ago. It is common to encounter generational spirits (evil spirits who are harassing a family because of some opening made available to them in earlier generations). Normally we (the members of the ministering team) are able to take authority in the name of Jesus to cancel the generational demon's "right" to the family. In this situation, however, we were not able to do so! Demons are very legalistic. They know how the spiritual laws of the true God work and if they can find a "loophole" in God's law to take advantage of, they will. This is why we cannot afford to be ignorant of God's ways, nor can we be ignorant of the ways of our Enemy. This woman had moved from a tribal culture on another continent to the United States. Since an ancestor (acting as a representative of this family) had somehow allowed an evil spirit access to this family through a dedication, it was necessary for another representative of this same family to renounce the ancestral dedication. As soon as we discovered this (revealed by the demon himself under pressure, by the way) the woman was able to very quickly renounce the ancestral dedication, the spirit lost his "legal right" to the family, and the woman gained her freedom!
Hello Pastor Jim,
How are you doing? Sorry it has taken me such a long time to get in touch. I must confess that a lot has happened to me since I last meet you and your team. My life has change tremondously. First I feel a heavy burden have been lifted off my shoulders, also I don't feel stressed like before. Again I feel very confident behind the wheel when driving around, though I must confess that I only drive about 4 miles in a day, but I believe that my confident is increasing everyday as I sit behind the wheels. This alone tells me that the devil is defeated and that God is doing something new in my life. Please continue to update your website because I rely on that for my bible studies. Have a very blessed New Year. Hope to see you soon with my family for worship.
Thank you
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This is a recent note of thanks celebrating freedom from the negative thoughts the Enemy bombards us with concerning ourselves. We find that many people have no memory of ever having a "quiet" mind. For as long as they can remember there has been a constant and distracting "chatter" of thoughts (usually negative) going on in their thinking. Since this is "normal" for them, many are amazed when healing comes, the Enemy is dealt with, and true peace is experienced.
Hi Friends,
Thank you all for the prayers and blessings yesterday! I did not have nightmares last night, praise God! Just wanted to share the good news. Appetite is still strong and mind pretty quiet. I also thank you for showing me all the negative self talk. I am working on it and I hadn't even realized how common it is. I expect positive improvements in my life and health! Many thanks!!!
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Below is another letter from the pastor of Kijawa Baptist Church in Kenya sharing more testimonies of healing as a result of our team praying with people there (scroll down to the bottom of the page see to see his previous letter):
Dear Pastor Jim
Greetings in Jesus name. Sorry for taking long before writing back to you. I was away for 13 days on a mission trip to Kisumu about 300kms from Kijawa. It was a blessing to see brothers and sisters give their lives to Christ. Kijawa church is doing well and they told me yesterday to send to you their greetings and best wishes. We had a good worship service last Sunday.
Pastor there are testimonies that I have to share with you and your church concerning those whom you prayed with during your stay with us. One is a woman Easter Ogendi who had suffered pain in the left side of her stomach and had spent a lot of money in various hospitals all in vain. In fact after you prayed with her, she went back healed but at first she didn’t believe it and thought it was a short relief, “she said” on 25th / 9/ 2011, she gave her testimony and thanked God.
You also prayed with a woman and her young daughter who were both H.I.V positive and was very weak with a very low CD4. After three weeks she went to her doctor and when diagnosed, her CD4 had risen and was now very strong. The doctor wondered how fast my CD4 had risen, “she retorted” she thanked God and requested that we continue to pray with her. Our church was blessed with these testimonies and thanked God.
I must also thank you for encouraging us to keep praying with these needy people. We will continuously pray for the lady on crutches that the will of God be done.
The Mini proclaimers have been very useful to us especially after the Sunday worship service, we do have listening groups and we call them here “clubs” I realized that for most people, it is easy to listen than to read. I do pray God will provide even other two in English language for some of our youths.
The expansion campaign of your church is one of our prayer items every Sunday that the faithful God will take you through. All glory will go back to God. We, as a church are very happy that you’re praying for my continued training at Kenya Baptist Theological College. God bless you and your efforts.
Kindly pass my best wishes to your family and church at large.
With lots of Christ’s love.
Moses Korwa.
Pastor, Kijawa Baptist church. [All names and details are actual.]
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The following is a portion of an email we just received from someone who had returned to us for a follow-up ministry session. While many people gain complete freedom after one session, it is not unusual to see the healing process continue over two sessions and we always welcome those who wish to return. We are all in process. We minister in small teams (usually two or three people) and this email (as is true of all the emails we receive) was sent to thank the team. The subject heading of this email was simply, "FREEDOM!"
Hi Jim,
Less than 24 hours ago I was sitting in your office once again. I did hope that the first time would have been the last (not saying of course I would not want to see you again). After this visit yesterday I do feel I am now TOTALLY FREE! . . . .
Thank You for your help and for the freedom you (along with GOD) have shown me that I can have. After 40+ years I am now Free. Free to feel GOD’S presence and his Love!
Thank you and [team member] for the wonderful work you do!
In GODS Love
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The following was sent from a woman who came to us from out-of-state at the recommendation of a pastor friend. In her case she had been sexually abused many times by her grandfather and had to deal with a culture within her family which wanted to cover this up. Her courage in recently confronting the grandfather and exposing the abuse to the legal authorities (after she went through ministry with us) has cost her her family, but she knows she needs to move forward into freedom. She has also been through a great deal of stress and personal loss and pain in other ways recently. God is calling her to minister to others in the love of Christ and she is being obedient to the call. We have edited her letter significantly to leave out many specific details even though she gave us full permission to use it all. She is glad she no longer needs to hide anything!
Dear Jim,
Forgive me for not updating you or contacting you since our time together in July. As you could probably understand life has been somewhat turned upside down, inside out, and is being remade.
There has been major process in life since our meeting. I no longer hear things and am in the process of breaking away from the unhealthy and dark side of my family of origin . . . . I know that I don’t have to go back to a place where people don’t respect me, [manipulate] me and where the darkness is so thick that no one can see it. I have prayed and prayed and have such peace about it.
On [date] I called the local authorities in [location] on my grandfather for molesting me, the police took him in for questioning and during that time he admitted to sexual abuse to me “many times”, they have a written and signed confession. That day I was called every name in they could think of. . . . I am losing an entire family here, but I know that God is going to give me what I need. My heart aches for me and for them, as I know they can’t see why. I don’t understand any of it, except that God is here with me and He is there with them. In the middle of it, we all have something to learn, to lose, and to grow in our faith in Christ. I choose to be obedient.
In that obedience, God has shown me that I am to go into prisons and bring the Word of healing and salvation to those in jail. I sent out 90 letters to various prisons and jails . . . . I was asked today to take over Celebrate Recovery and within the year we hope to be in the prisons with this ministry. It is amazing the doors God is opening and I never, EVER saw this as the speaking ministry He was molding me for.
All in all, I am doing well. There are some hard days behind me, some hard days to come but in all of it I see Jesus. I am healing from all ugly places that need healing and I can see clearly. I can’t thank you enough for all your work to rid me of the demons that had control of me. I feel like I see the world, my old life, and my new life in a whole new way. I am no longer blind to the things I once couldn’t see.
THANK YOU for your obedience to God.
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The following was sent recently from a pastoral counselor who had been ministering in prayer for some time with her friend who needed healing and deliverance. The woman receiving prayer had already received a great deal of healing through the pastoral counselor's loving ministry, but during a prayer session one day a demon manifested powerfully and began to "mouth off" in an attempt to intimidate both the woman and the pastor (this was completely unexpected by the counselor). The demon declared the woman belonged to him and that he would never let her go. This was a pre-emptive strike to bully the woman and to discourage her from pursuing freedom any further. Along with the mouthing off were physical sensations of being choked as the woman's neck was literally pinned against the back of the chair on which she was sitting (as if a chain around her neck was being pulled back tight against the chair). Simultaneous with this, the woman "saw" in her mind a ball and chain. She also had been experiencing pain in her body. The pastoral counselor was able to command the demon to stop choking the woman but was unable to free the woman from the presence of the demon in her life. They set up an appointment and traveled some hours to come to us. After receiving inner healing and deliverance the woman was set free and many lies from the kingdom of darkness were exposed. The demons present were sent to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ and then I asked the woman how she felt. She sat there, not saying anything for a long time, with a stunned expression. When I asked her again, she replied, "I don't know. I have never felt this way before." This woman literally did not know what freedom felt like! It was a totally new experience for her. I want to make it clear there is no doubt she belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ and that she loves him (and has for many years). The enemy had been able to lie to her for so long, beating her down, using deep emotional wounds received in childhood, that she had never been able to simply relax in the love of Christ and to fully accept it. Her mind had been constantly full of "chatter" as the enemy had lied to her (a common experience for many Christians).
Hi Jim-
Just wanted to thank You again for being a willing vessel of God’s love and freeing power. Mary [This is not her real name, even though the woman gave us permission to share her story and even to use her name because she wants to help others to freedom.] is doing very well. We had a wonderful drive home, celebrating most of the way. She remained pain free! I have just texted her, and she said “I have never been better, still no voices or sounds in my head. I’ve been enjoying the quiet.” She said she woke up this am at 5:30 with a little pain, and she demanded it to go, and it did, and she’s had no pain since!!!!!!!!!!! She hasn’t slept through the night in a long, long time. She always gets up that early too.
So, I am just so thrilled for her! . . . . I do have several other people who also need ministry-maybe I could just make a standing appt every 2 to 3 weeks? :-)
Thanks again!
Blessings upon blessings to you!
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The following is an email sent to us after a mission trip to Kenya in August 2011. A team from our church returned to Kenya to dedicate a new, completed church building we had helped to start construction on in 2008. This building was constructed in Kijawa, a small rural village in western Kenya, near Homa Bay (Lake Victoria). While there, our team had the opportunity to teach on healing and to pray for several individuals.
Greetings Pastor Jim.I am blessed to hear from you that your journey back to the United States was safe. Glory to God. We had a problem with the cybers in our town (Low network) and this is why it has taken time before corresponding to you. Sorry for the earthquake 50 miles away from your church. We believe God is in total control. It’s been a sad moment in Kenya as we lost about 120 lives and hundreds of wounded by fire as a result of Petrol pipe that bursted in Nairobi our capital City yesterday 12/09/2011. For the last two Sundays, we have had about four testimonies whom we prayed for during your stay in Kijawa.One had her marriage restored and another three were healed of their diseases. We have also received about five new members and we are still expecting others. It’s great Joy to our church. The young lady with scratches [crutches] is doing well and stronger and is our church member. She is still going on with her primary education (Class five). Pst. Our training at seminary is a total of 18 semesters that takes 3 years for sandwich, and 1 year for regular. I had gone for one year, (six semesters) and I have 12 semesters left at Kenya Theological College that I must complete to graduate. Receive greetings from my wife Mercy& Kijawa Baptist Church family. Pass our greetings to brethren at Richland Baptist Church. Hoping to hear from you soon. Stay blessed Pastor Moses Korwa [All names and details are actual.]