Month: March 2024

“So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

John 11:44 (NAB)

These were the first words of Jesus after Lazarus rose from the dead and walked out of his tomb. When the Lord transforms us from death to life, He not only gives us new life in Him, but He unties all that ever once bound us.

I was once bound, not physically to grave clothes, but to a powerful demonic grip over me. I was bound spiritually, to an obsessive pattern of thinking, both day and night. Every area of fortune telling was my constant obsession for about three straight years of my teenage life. If Jesus had not stepped in and unbound me, it probably would have affected my mind, at some point.

Demonic oppression is real, and there were some forces that had a powerful hold over me. Yet, I know now, that all during those years, the Holy Spirit and heavenly forces of angels were working overtime to keep me from going off the deep end. I am convinced that those same heavenly forces are also working on every person’s behalf.

In my senior year of high school, a work study program was available, which prepped students for a future career of their interest. Being interested in the advertising arts at the time, I had the opportunity to work in a major department store in downtown Chicago. I rode public transportation after school each day to that department store and then took an elevator to the top floor, where the advertising department was. 

Working with artists and copywriters every day after school was a dream job for me at the time. I learned the stages of preparing the ads for publication, but my main duty was to model the clothing that was being advertised in the weekly ads. The artists would sketch me as I posed in each outfit that was selected for that day. It was an easy job, just putting on clothes and posing while the artists made their sketches for the newspaper.

The Art Director, who was over the entire department, was a witch, and I do mean a real witch, a practicing member of a witches’ coven. Since we both shared a zeal for the occult and fortune telling, we got along very well. 

Many people who I worked with at that department store, knew about my involvement with fortune telling, card reading, palm reading and astrology. I remember many of them asking me to read their palms, and before long, one after another was coming to me for their palm reading. I was doing it for the love of fortune telling, not even to make any money from it.

One thing I had never done was to attend a seance, and the Art Director once invited me to one that was taking place in her home that same evening. I had every intention of going, but various circumstances during the day, kept getting in the way of my plan, and I never could make it to that seance. In looking back, I attribute all the day’s hindrances to my guardian angel’s protection, for which I am thankful.

There were two women who worked in that advertising department, who were very different from all the rest, and had no interest in fortune telling. Ruth, one of the artists, had a very peaceful, gentle spirit about her, and I remember that she was very active in her church. The other woman was an art manager, whose name I don’t remember, but she had a very cheerful demeanor and a genuinely kind aura about her. I have no doubt that those two ladies were Christians and probably were praying for me and the Art Director, at the time. 

In those days, although I never told anyone, I was having frequent nightmares and constantly felt a strange presence following me everywhere. I know now that I was experiencing demonic oppression. In one nightmare, I dreamed of running to catch a train and once I jumped on board, I realized I was in a coffin, connected to a train of coffins all moving toward some unknown destination. All the oppression and dreams just gave me a greater hunger for true peace.

I randomly heard about a book about Bible prophecies and the end times, so I went to the occult book store to buy it. When I learned that the book was not sold there, I gave up and headed home. While waiting for a bus, I looked in the window of a small storefront selling magazines and snacks. To my surprise, I saw that exact book in the window, so I walked in and bought it. There was a strange flow of events that day, with much evidence that an invisible spiritual battle was actively being fought for my soul. 

After going home that same day, while reading the book, I was alone in my house. My cats began racing through the house frantically, as if something was startling them. I was repeatedly interrupted by their odd behavior, as well as sounds I heard in other parts of the house, even though I was the only one home at the time.

I kept reading until I finally came to a page in the book inviting me to pray a prayer asking Jesus to forgive my sins. For the first time I was actually conscious of my own sinfulness, with a heightened awareness that Jesus died for me on the cross. I wanted to pray, and be free of all oppression in my life. 

When I bowed my head and prayed to Jesus, I immediately felt a sensation of warm oil slowly pouring over my head. I had a peace that I had never known before and was completely changed in that moment. I knew I was forgiven and delivered, never having another nightmare or any further desire for involvement in the occult. I threw out every book I owned on the subject. 

As Jesus walked into my life, I walked out of my tomb, and then He said, “Untie her and let her go!” Not only did I find a resurrected new life in Christ, but I was also delivered from the powers that once had me bound.

My obsession for fortune telling was replaced with an obsessive love for Him and His word. On that day, I felt like Lazarus, walking out of a tomb, unbound from my grave clothes.

I  know now that whatever binds anyone can be loosed in Jesus’ name. Nothing has more power than the words and presence of Jesus. When He speaks, He unleashes divine power and His presence comes into the lives of all who call upon Him. 

Jesus did it all with His words. He woke up dead people saying “Come forth!” He cast out demons, saying, “Be quiet-come out!” He healed the sick saying, “Be it done according to your faith.” 

His words have divine authority, and today, He is still breaking the strongholds of demonic bondage, illness, and addictions, setting people free. He is still saying about each of us who believe in Him, “Untie them and let them go!”

I’ve  come to learn that demons tremble at His words, which is why I love Him and His words so much. As His words fill our minds and His Spirit transforms our hearts, the power of His truth will keep us set free. 

Lord, we praise you for the way you work the flow of events in our lives to reach every person by unleashing your resurrection power in us, that sets us free and raises us to new life in Christ. Amen

“Call upon me in the day of trouble;
 I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Psalm 50:15 (RSV)

 A man in my church, named Tom, often shares his amazing testimony of divine healing. While this is not the typical meditation, and some of the readers already know his story, it reminds us that God is still doing miracles today. I pray it encourages everyone to trust Him for their own miracle. 

Keep an open mind as you read, because the true details of this story are literally “out of this world”. 

Tom’s story began with a tumor in his brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves between the neck and shoulder. During surgery to remove the tumor, some important nerves were severed and Tom became paralyzed in his left arm, living with horrible pain for over eight months. His pain was excruciating despite using pain medication, and he could never sleep well, and even the muscles of his shoulder and back were weakening.

He received physical therapy at four different hospitals, but was given little or no hope. He also had an experimental surgery in an attempt to repair the nerves, without success. Being a man of prayer, he prayed asking God to at least give him some comfort, while expecting to live the rest of his life with pain and paralysis. 

One day he opened his Bible to the Psalms. As he was reading Psalm 50, a light kept shining over verse 15. He wondered how a light could shine on one verse alone, so he moved the Bible around, at various angles, but that verse remained highlighted by a mysterious light. It was as if God’s own highlighter was getting Tom’s attention. The words in verse 15, 

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you,” are not just for Tom, but are God’s invitation to every believer. 

That Sunday, he was talking to a friend at church about his health problem. The man told him about a charismatic Priest, who lived in Brooklyn and had the gift of healing. His name was Fr. Dennis Kelleher, and Tom found out that he was coming to Chicago that week to conduct a healing service at a local church. 

Tom and his family went to that church service and as all the sick people were called to the front of the church, the priest prayed for each person, one at a time, laying his hands on them. 

When he prayed for Tom, he fell to the floor for 8-10 minutes, under the power of the Holy Spirit. Tom said it felt like electricity was going through his body, yet with an incredible sense of peace. 

When he stood back up, he no longer had pain in his neck or shoulder, but his arm was still paralyzed. That night he had the best sleep in years, without any pain. 

A week later, while he was sleeping, he was awakened by a male voice, who told him that he was sent to heal him. Although he saw no one, he felt someone touch the area where the tumor used to be, with the severed nerves. The voice then told him to get up and move his arm. He got out of bed and was able to move his arm to full capacity. 

Tom’s total healing happened over a week’s time. His pain was healed when the priest prayed for him, and a week later the paralysis was healed by an invisible angelic being. Severed nerves were supernaturally regenerated and he had full use of his arm since that day. Afterward, he returned to see all his doctors and therapists. 

His physical therapist, who had known him from many therapy sessions, took one look at the full use of his arm and wept. His doctors admitted that they’ve never seen anything like it and had no other explanation.

What I love about this miracle is how it began with the word of God, in a highlighted scripture verse. God speaks to us through His word. 

I also love that God sent an angel, who touched Tom’s brachial plexus and regenerated those severed nerves. God knows our bodies because He made us, and when conventional medicine can do nothing more for us, why not look to God for healing?

Miracles happen in the sacred moments when heaven comes to earth in some way. It happened when a supernatural light highlighted a Bible verse, or when a heavenly spirit was sent to physically touch a human’s body. This all happened thirty years ago, and that priest has since passed away, but to this day, God is still receiving all the glory and praise through everything that took place. 

Lord, we thank you that by sharing stories like this, we bring glory to you and encourage others to keep hoping and trusting in you for the miracles in their lives as well. Amen

“Dogs surround me; a pack of evildoers closes in on me.

They have pierced my hands and my feet.”

Psalm 22:17 (NAB)

This Psalm describes the details of crucifixion at least 500 years before it was even thought of. God was dropping hints to us through all the centuries that He had a plan for our redemption. Isaiah also predicted this type of death, in 700 BC. as did Zechariah, in 500 B.C. Here’s what they wrote:

“But he was pierced for our sins,

crushed for our iniquity.

He bore the punishment that makes us whole,

by his wounds we were healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

“They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

Zechariah 12:10

These scriptures are prophetic, yet heart wrenching, since we know that they accurately describe Jesus as being the one who was pierced.

The book of Revelation tells us that the blood of the Lamb is how all believers will conquer evil in the end, “They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)

The blood flowed from His pierced hands and feet, and from His thorn pierced brow. It flowed down the hill of Calvary and is still flowing to all people everywhere. God’s timeless atonement is for everyone, all races and all faith backgrounds. 

Moses wrote that there can be no atonement for sin without shedding blood. I often wondered how that message got lost over the centuries.

When I was in my twenties, I once met a friendly young orthodox Jewish woman, sitting next to me on a Chicago subway train. We talked about her faith and I learned about her many customs and religious practices. 

Then I asked her how sin is atoned for, according to her faith. She said through fasting and prayer. I asked her about Moses’ words in the Torah that say, 

“The life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves, it is the blood that makes atonement.” (Leviticus 17:11)

She acknowledged the truth of the scripture, but went on to say that fasting and prayer is an acceptable way of atonement – nowadays. 

The method of blood atonement doesn’t evolve or change over the centuries. Blood is needed, and God gave us the final provision through the blood of His beloved son. 

Before Jesus died, He said “It is finished.” He meant more than to say He was breathing His last breath. He was saying that He completed the final blood atonement for all people. He fulfilled the Mosaic requirements of the law, once and forever. 

As we journey towards Easter, before celebrating the resurrection, it’s good to meditate on the wounds of Jesus. We remember the three nails and the crown of thorns that pierced His hands, feet and brow. 

His crucifixion changed the eternal destiny of the entire world, and yet it was only the beginning. There is an ever present power in the blood of Jesus, that today, still silences demons, heals bodies, washes away sin, renews our minds and grants us peace. The piercing of Jesus gave us the blood which is ever present and still flowing. 

Lord, thank you for your mercy and the plan of salvation, made long ago, whereby we are cleansed, healed and conquer all forever, because of the blood flowing from the wounds of your pierced body. Amen

“And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.”

Joel 2:28 (RSV)

Jesus died for all people, and therefore desires all people to know Him. In nations where Islam is dominant, it is forbidden to become Christian. Christians may live discreetly among Muslims, but there are very few opportunities for open evangelism.

Statistics have shown that 25% of Muslims who do convert to Christianity, do so because of a dream or a vision they had, where Jesus or Isa, appeared to them, inviting them to follow Him. These converts have shared their stories with both Protestant and Catholic circles. When God is doing something marvelous, it crosses all denominations. How do such marvelous dreams and visions occur?

There is a “man in white” who has visited some Muslim men or women, either in a vision or in their dreams. He identifies Himself using the titles we know from scripture, but Muslims do not have access to bibles, and most know very little about Jesus or our scriptures. The man in white evangelizes them by Himself, appearing to them, engulfed in a bright white light wearing a pure white garment. 

The prophet Joel wrote that these dream and vision phenomena would one day occur, and Peter quoted Joel’s prophetic words in his sermon in the book of Acts. It may sound hard to believe, but there are too many documented testimonies, that all share a common image of the man in white, inviting them to follow Him. These Muslim men and women converted to Christianity after the dream or vision of the man in white. I am going to share only a few of their encounters.

A Persian migrant who arrived at a refugee center from Iran, had a vision, while he was staying there. He saw a man surrounded by a bright light, dressed in white, extend his hand to him and say “Follow me.” The Persian man asked, “Who are you?” The man in white answered, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.”

The man from Iran never read a Bible and never heard of the title Alpha and Omega. He learned later from a Christian clergyman that it was a title of Jesus. 

An Indonesian young Muslim woman was praying and promising to follow God in any way He shows her. She suddenly saw a man shining in bright white light, dressed in white, who walked up to her and said, “Follow Me.” She somehow knew instantly that it was Jesus. 

Another Muslim woman dreamed that a shepherd was walking around an empty tomb with a staff in his hand. Then he turned and walked directly towards her, holding a loaf of bread in His hands, which He broke and offered to her, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body.” She never heard this scripture and knew nothing about Jesus or phrases related to communion. When she woke up from her vivid dream, she contacted the only Christian she knew, who gladly showed her where Jesus said those very words in scripture.

There are many more individuals like a Nigerian man, who had repeated dreams of figures in black trying to kill him, until a man in a bright white light approached him and the darkness left. The man in white took his hand and walked him safely home. In the seventh dream like this, the man in white told him he was Isa.(the Arabic name for Jesus)

Muslims believe in the prophet Isa, but He told the young man that He was the way, the truth and life, and his Lord and Savior. 

He quickly told his father the dream, but his father was enraged. He gathered all the Muslim family members together, who decided to poison him, for being an infidel to the Muslim faith. The young man, was always respectful and submissive to his father’s will, yet completely trusted in Jesus. He took the poison they handed him, prayed to Jesus in front of all of them, and then drank it. He slept through the night but woke up alive and unharmed. 

Jesus did many more awesome things for this same young man, who went to live with the few Christians he knew. One day, as his father was dying in a hospital, he sent for his son. When he arrived, his father asked his son’s forgiveness, and confessed his cruel treatment toward him, but he forgave his father a long time ago. Then he prayed with his father who had a change of heart and believed in Jesus, but passed away afterward. 

Christians, who are underground missionaries, last year reported that more than 200 Muslim men in Gaza have converted to Christianity after reportedly seeing Isa (Jesus) in their dreams. 

God knows best, how to spread the good news of His beloved son, in certain cultures and nations that ban Jesus from entering. 

The man in white touched the heart of Muslims through a dream or a vision. He doesn’t need the permission of any government. He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and last. If Jesus calls us to follow Him, He will take care of us, every step of the journey. 

Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He builds His church in many different ways. He uses us to show His love to the world, by doing things that Jesus would do. He also uses books, podcasts, movies, TV and radio to spread His truth to the world. Then there are the fortunate ones who get to meet Jesus in a dream or a vision.

Lord, thank you for the amazing ways that you reach out to people of other faiths these days, by appearing to them as a man in white. They are blessed to see you, but we believe even when we don’t see you. Amen