Stories from our readers 

Hello everyone,

This is my testimony of God’s supreme power and salvation, which I would like to share with you.

At first we thought one of us was playing tricks on the others

I grew up in the countryside in a seemingly happy family. When I was 13 years old we moved into town and from then on my life went downhill. I made a new group of friends and together we tried out everything we wanted to do. In the beginning, we started with stealing Dad’s beer and getting drunk in the park, but soon we started doing séances (talking to spirits through an Ouija-board) at birthday parties. At first, we thought one of us was playing tricks on the others, only to finally realize that no one was; there really was a spiritual realm! During these times we started to smoke marijuana and hang out with boys who were much older than us.

This spiritual realm enticed me so I looked deeper into it, and watched demonic movies about people being possessed. I wanted to do séances’ by myself and I knew that all I had to do was to invite a spirit. Knowing that this was unsafe, I still went ahead and did it. From this time on I developed into a binge-drinker and “regular-smoker”, spending more time attending parties and drinking sessions than going to school. The group of friends I hung around with would always smoke marijuana at school. Naturally, my grades quickly dropped from A’s to D’s, and soon I was the teachers’ nightmare student. I became an outcast at school. By year 10 I wasn’t learning properly because of my wild ways. Changing schools did not help, and I failed at my new school, too. My family life was shocking. I was loved so much by my parents, but I abused them. At home my sister and I argued with each other and with our parents; by the age of 15 my younger sister had moved out, and I moved out when I was 16.

Having moved out, it didn’t take long and I started injecting too

I moved in with my boyfriend. At the time I didn’t realize that I was living in a house full of drug addicts, but within a few months I had tried taking amphetamines; I saw my friend injecting, and of course, having the attitude that I could do anything, I did too. I stayed awake for three days. Life seemed great, even though through sober eyes we were living in squalor.

At 17, I left town to go traveling around Australia. For three years I continued to take drugs, drink, meet strange men, and party. At this time my life really hit an all time low and it was during this period that I made a new friend whom I traveled with for some time. We took drugs and partied together. After a holiday, she came back and told me that she had been baptized as a Christian. I took no notice and continued in my own filthy ways.

I was really scared, but I didn’t know what of

In February 2007, I was working in Melbourne and spending my weekends clubbing and taking drugs. One morning we met some people who gave us free drugs. I didn’t want them but gave in to the temptation. We stayed up all night. By morning I had severe paranoia. This was common for me when I got high on “speed”, but never with such intensity. I told my friend that I was really scared, but I didn’t know what of. I went into the bathroom. Looking in the bathroom mirror I didn’t recognize myself. I told myself that I needed help, not knowing what was wrong, or who to get help from.

I left the house trying to escape and as I began to think back through recent events, I knew that I was demonically possessed.

After a while, I rang my friend who had recently become a Christian. I told her about these manifestations, not knowing if she would believe me or not.

My friend phoned for help and was able to speak with a Christian friend, who gave her advice. She the read scriptures from the Bible to me. MATTHEW 4:23-24 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.”

Possessed by now, I knew I needed help

At that point, I realized that if there is a devil, there has to be a God. I concluded that only Jesus could free me from this evil spirit, and I needed His help.

The next day, Monday, I wanted to go downtown and look for a church that could help me. My friend wanted to come with me to make sure I was safe, but I didn’t want her to see me like this. So I went alone, thinking that I could contain the spirit. To my horror, I couldn’t, and as I walked down the street I started growling and screaming. I tried to hide my face, but onlookers saw this young girl screaming loudly as she hurried down the street. I found a church which was locked, which made me howl even more. I found another, but that was closed too. I went to the little house beside the church and asked for the pastor. Each time I looked at the cross I screamed so loudly. I sat down with the man, told him my story, and tried to read the Bible. It was hard to concentrate and the spirit wasn’t giving up so easily.

Realising there was nothing they could do

I continued screaming and howling so loudly that people on the street could hear me. Two counselors walking past heard me and came to try and help. Realizing there was nothing they could do, they called nurses, who called an ambulance. There was no way I was going to the hospital! The police were also called, but I wouldn’t budge. I had grabbed hold of a fence and wouldn’t let go. I told them to ring my friend, and she came to the scene. Together we got into the ambulance and drove off with the sirens blaring. I knew what kind of help I needed and that I wasn’t going to get it from them.

I was taken to a psychiatric hospital and locked in a cell alone. Nurses and doctors looked at me through the window. It took 6 nurses to inject me with a sedative while I screamed in objection. I pleaded with them not to give me drugs and eventually I collapsed in exhaustion. For four days I was locked up in the hospital. My friend came and saw me every day. She told me the only way I would ever get out would be to pretend nothing was wrong. I was able to suppress the spirit for a while, and the doctor labeled me as suffering from a drug-induced psychosis, but I knew that I was possessed.

I was released from the hospital, and for another two months I held down a job and hoped the spirit would go away. I went to a Catholic church to get the spirit exorcised from me, but all they did was put oil on my head and say a prayer for me. I knew I was still possessed, and that the priest had got it wrong. One afternoon my friend and I had an argument which led her to leave work early, and I walked home a few hours later. I could feel this thing in my throat. I dropped my head back and screamed as I walked down the highway. I got home and threw myself down on the grass, screaming in pain. I knew that I had to get rid of this thing, so we packed up soon after I got home and left town. We drove right through the state, heading for Coffs Harbour, and made it within a few days.

The God’s light fills you, darkness has no more place

There I met some Christians who had helped my friend and they talked to me about the Word of God. I knew that only Jesus could save me, and I sincerely wanted Him to. I was prepared to give up my life for Him if He would set me free from this evil spirit. As they preached my head dropped back and I fell into another fit. After many scriptures and questions, I couldn’t bear the pain anymore and just wanted to be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as the Bible says in ACTS 2:38 “…Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” 

We headed for the beach where I was baptized by full immersion. I pictured myself being filled with light as I was prayed over and I received the Holy Spirit instantly while still in the water. I realized that I was no longer possessed by this evil spirit, but filled with the amazing Spirit of God. I was instantly set free from the bondage and pain. All I could do was smile and praise God for His gift of salvation.

I still thank Him and praise Him for His power over Satan which has set me free.

He completely forgave my sinful life

I have never had any withdrawal symptoms from drugs, and am now a new creature in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things is passed away; behold, all things have become new.”(2 CORINTHIANS 5:17). Since I have chosen to follow God, He has taught me how to live a clean life. He completely forgave my sinful life, which is why Jesus died. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (ROMANS 5:8)  

I have learned to trust God with all my heart, and know that through faith in Him I am saved.

Love in Christ,
Alica