I’m sharing this post on behalf of my friend Pastor Michael Cummins.
On tonight’s Revelation TV program, Voice In The Wilderness, at midnight, London Time, Michael will continue teaching a little more about the 12 most common strongmen.
In his 20 years experience of deliverance ministry, the Lord has taught Michael some things he will share tonight.
VITW program. revelationtv.com
As always, there will also be opportunity for you to send in emails just before midnight, or during the show which Michael will read out live and pray over. Or, you can also phone the live program and he will pray for you on the show.
Please click this link to Revelation TV to watch Michael’s live show tonight, Thursday at midnight until 2am Friday, London Time.
You can also watch on SKY TV : Channel 581, FREESAT : Channel 692 and ROKU BOX in the USA : on Revelation TV.
Next Thursday at midnight, he will continue teaching a little more about the 12 most common strongmen and the one he will teach on and pray about is the spirit of control. If you have been affected by control, in any of it’s many forms, perhaps this would be useful to watch and pray along with Michael.
I’m delighted to share my dear friend Tina Storey’s audio and written testimony.
We have known each other since about 2009, having met online. (There’s a link to her brief testimony on the EX New Agers’ Directory page too!)
In it, she warns of the dangers of all types of divination.
She also shares her love for Jesus and all that He means to her and has done in her life.
Tina very kindly sent me her expanded written testimony too. You can read it below the audio.
The Tarot Cards – My Future by Tina Storey
Like many non-Christian families, visiting Spiritualists and Fortune Tellers was our form of Spirituality. We simply didn’t know any better and nobody taught us otherwise. From being a teenager my mother and I visited Mediums, Psychics, Crystal Ball and Tarot Card readers.
We went to people’s houses for ‘sittings’ to attempt to contact the dead and receive messages. We began to attend audiences where one of our favorite Mediums would be performing.
Mum wasn’t as enthralled as I was, and on hearing several Mediums say to me – ‘You can do what I am doing, one day you’ll be on a platform just like this’ – it encourages you to develop your ‘gift’. Unlike my mum, I became more deeply involved in these practices.
A Tarot Card pack
What I was most attracted to was the Tarot Cards, I loved the pretty pictures and wanted to learn more about what they meant. I was more than eager to go out and buy a pack, along with some instruction books. Then I began to seek out classes where I could learn properly.
I was taught to ‘feel’ the deck which I was attracted to, and meditate upon them.
With the group sitting silently in a circle, gazing at the scattered cards on the floor, we were taught to ‘tune into’ a card of our choice and share with everyone what the card was saying to us. I bought different decks of cards to work with. I loved them.
I quickly learned how to read them, and started reading for family and friends, they all thought I was good at it, and came back for more. I even began to keep a record of their readings on my computer, so that I could print it out for them for them to look back on when predicted events happened in their lives.
People loved it. To me, this was just a hobby, nothing I took too seriously, something which I, my friends and family could enjoy. At no time did I question where the information came from; I simply thought it was I who was able to interpret the different combinations of cards in different layouts I used for readings.
So I began to go to development circles. We were taught to concentrate on ‘tuning into oneself’ by sitting in silence whilst the lights were dimmed and focusing on our breathing and being calm. This can lead to an altered state of consciousness, in this state people were able to receive visions, information and predictions, and we were encouraged to share with the group what we received.
The leading Medium would then make spirit contact and deliver messages to individuals. We were given exercises to do to develop our abilities, one of them being partnering someone and sitting in silence opposite each other to see if we could pick up any vibrations or information regarding that person.
I became enthralled, and went out and bought heaps of different books on self development, meditations, chakra reading, channeling, etc. I studied them earnestly, eager to develop.
We began to have ‘sittings’ at our house and invited our favourite Medium, we would also invite several friends or family members to participate in the group. And we would tape record our sittings in order to look back on them as predicted events unfolded. We were hooked!
I also began visiting local Spiritualist meetings where Clairvoyance is carried out, receiving messages from what we believed to be dead relatives, or having private one to one sittings.
I became involved in Holistic and Complementary Therapies, and went to classes to learn how to practice Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Thai Foot Massage, Reiki Healing, Ear Candling and others. I also briefly joined classes to learn Yoga and Tai Chi. Opening up several Holistic Therapy rooms within salons and at a local hotel, I had no idea that Holistic Therapies were of a spirituality in opposition to Christianity. . .
God is love.
And yet at around this time, I remember going to stay at a friend’s flat for several nights. One night as I was drifting off to sleep, I became aware of the most beautiful, pure, perfect love which wiped away all my fears, worries, anxieties and negativities. It felt totally natural to ‘dwell’ with this love, I felt that all negative feelings were totally from myself, and were absolutely not necessary whatsoever.
I remember feeling that someone was there in this love with their arms stretched out wide but slightly forwards, as if to be offering to hug me, but I couldn’t see a face. I didn’t hear anything, but ‘felt’ the words, “But you’re welcome”, but as if to be asking a question like, what’s holding you back? . . . The next morning I told my friend, she was convinced her flat was haunted and didn’t want me to go home! I assumed it must be my late uncle who had recently passed away.
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But what I was particularly attracted to were the Tarot Cards, and very much took to developing this ‘gift’ and wanted to know all there was to know about them. So this was the line of the Occult which I most focused upon.
Although there were some happenings which were quite bizarre, I thought it was fine as no harm came to me whatsoever. Even though I’d read warnings in Occult books about receiving a bad spirit, I still didn’t think it was dangerous, as the advice was just to simply ask the spirit to leave, and for a better one to take its place. Everyone who took part in such activities seemed to come to no harm at all, so we continued . . .
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Accepting Jesus
In 2006 I was invited on an Alpha course to learn about Christianity. I reluctantly attended, thinking I’m only going for the free cake and coffee! I even sat near the door so that I could ‘escape’, no way were these ‘religious nuts’ getting me going to church!! After all, what could these people know about anything spiritual? – They’d never been to a Séance! . . .
But very soon, the Bible quotes spoke to me. The first one which really stood out was Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life” – (John 14:6) – Something struck a chord, and I knew that there was truth in this saying. I even commented to my friend that this is true! My friend looked at me as if I’d gone crazy.
I started to look forward to our weekly sessions, and couldn’t wait to hear more Bible quotes and learn about Jesus. I began to realize that these people were ‘normal’, and very loving. They still welcomed me even though I’d not felt very friendly towards them when I first arrived. These Christians seemed full of love and seemed to have a cheerfulness about them, which I started to want.
I didn’t want to the course to finish, so I attended another one and went through it all again! It was even better the second time around! I then began to attend a Methodist church. However, I still had my Tarot Cards, still thinking there was no harm in them whatsoever.
It was when I decided to become a member of the church, my friend advised me to get rid of them, telling me if I call myself a Christian and want to give my life to Jesus, I shouldn’t be dabbling with those things.
I eventually agreed, and decided to get rid of my Tarot Cards, and decided to give 100% to the God who had already shown me that he IS pure love. I hadn’t read the Tarot Cards for other people for a few years, but was aware I still had them at the back of a cupboard. As far as I was concerned I was no longer into the Occult as I had stopped going to classes, circles, visiting Mediums, etc. I only occasionally got the cards out just to read for myself now and then. I also still had all the Occult books I’d bought . . .
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Danger of the Tarot Cards
It was after getting rid of the cards that there were several strange happenings, one of such things was that I began to feel the presence of a spirit, which kept visiting me for the next three months. I realized the cards had actually connected me with ‘something’, as I started to feel a presence which kept coming to me, very often, almost weekly. It came at any time, out shopping, at work, sitting on a bus, when I was fully awake.
I guess it was because I had finally broken the connection, and it was trying to keep it. I got used to it being around, I wasn’t frightened at all. I couldn’t determine who it was, just a definite energy, in physical terms I guess I could describe it as being aware of a small area of ‘fog’. Although it is impossible to physically describe the non physical.
There was even a time when it came whilst I was reading my Bible at home, at this point I still didn’t realize it was evil, and I actually welcomed it, wondering who it was, as it wasn’t giving me any identity. My welcome made it become more vibrant. I could feel an increase in its vibration.
It sometimes came to me whilst I was at work. I told the cook about it, and she was convinced I must have a guardian angel watching over me because it wasn’t anything frightening. One time I was in a client’s room (I worked in a care home) and while she was chatting to me I felt it’s presence to be in the direction of the corridor. I didn’t tell the old dear as I didn’t want to frighten her.
At first its presence made me feel calm and I became familiar with its vibration. As the weeks went by, it became stronger, and in its presence I could feel it’s energy blending more with mine, my body felt quite heavy, I begun to feel incredibly nauseous when it was around and my mind felt ‘spaced out’.
To describe this spirit as an area of fog, you would think of it as something separate from yourself. But because it came on an energetic level, it affected my own energy, and therefore affected how I felt. I realized too that these spirits can change the way in which they come to you, sometimes it felt to be an ‘energy’ at a distance and I was able to point at where it was ‘standing’, sometimes I felt it directly blending with me, at other times it was my mind which seemed to be emphasized.
The final time was the strongest, in August. It was Holy Communion at the Church. I was in the kitchen filling up the thimbles for the Communion. I felt its presence very strongly, even though the place was busy, people talking to me, distractions, I knew ‘something’ was there and nobody else seemed aware of it. It seemed to strongly touch my mind, the very point at which I think was strongly emphasized. As I walked to the front of the church to place the Communion thimbles at the table, there was the familiar feeling of it blending with me.
I sat down, and this was more than being calm – I could hardly move out of the chair – my body was so very heavy. My mind was extremely ‘spacey’. Someone came to ask me to serve cups of tea after the service, I immediately answered “I’d love to”. (Normally I would have hesitated as I am quite a shy person). But when I answered it felt like it wasn’t quite me controlling my voice, the words just came, although I was aware that it still sounded like me.
As the service began and everyone started to sing, I felt the presence beginning to fade. I was also then able to stand and sing, and the presence quickly faded away. I realized afterwards this was the beginnings of something wanting to take possession of my faculties. This was the beginnings of something evil forcing me into trance against my will.
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Over the next few weeks, I became frightened and very upset, not knowing when it was going to come back, obviously wondering how I could get rid of it. I rang my church Minister and made an appointment to see him, needing help and not knowing what to do.
But days later I cancelled the appointment as I realized that it had decided to leave me alone, and it has never been back – thank goodness! Never having heard of Deliverance, at the time I concluded it was because I was in the presence of Jesus in that Holy Communion Service and it fled. What more proof do we need of Jesus saving us!!
Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them” – (Mathew 18:20). There was a whole congregation there singing to him! There was definitely something in the church that day which got rid of this spirit. That is absolutely AMAZING! Spirits flee in his presence! AMAZING!
Acts 16:16-18 –
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
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It was shortly after that time that God placed a lady on my path via an internet social website. Laura Maxwell is an Ex Spiritualist. We shared each other’s stories and I discovered she had found the Lord Jesus several years prior to our meeting. We have become good friends and she has been a constant support to me. It was this lady who taught me much about the Deliverance Ministry. I learned how VITAL it was that I get rid of everything I had which tied me to the Occult . . .
I remember walking to work in the mornings and taking my Occult books with me to throw them away in a waste bin at the top of the street, I eventually got rid of them all. I repeated the Lord’s Prayer under my breath all the way to work, for many days afterwards.
The Church of England employs at least one Exorcist in every Diocese in the country. I renounced my involvement with the Occult with the Deliverance Minister/Exorcist in my area. Kneeling before the cross, my head was anointed with oil. People laid hands on me and prayed as I read aloud my renouncement. To say sorry to Jesus was very special, and I’m so glad I did this.
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‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out Spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God’ . . . Leviticus 19:31
People who are into any form of Occult practices and think it is safe are usually nice, well-meaning people. They genuinely believe they have a gift but don’t know they are deceived victims of Satan. You think you are fine, that there’s nothing to worry about . . . until you try to turn away from it. Then Satan’s demons will show their true colors, start to harass you and want to keep a hold on your soul. These spirits are demonic, and want to destroy your life.
I realized what was beginning to happen to me, and how much worse it could have been. If this spirit had been around any longer, I dare say our house would have become haunted, and heaven knows what it would have made me do.
I am not just one person who has had bad experiences, it is the truth for everyone. I have since read other people’s testimonies who were previously involved in Occult practices, they all discovered the spirits they were connected to were evil, not our dead relatives at all, and were saved by Jesus Christ.
‘And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve’. . . 2 Corinthians 11:14 – 15
Anyone who becomes involved in Occult practices WILL connect themselves to evil entities. You called them up! You’ve called Satan! He will come. I learned how spirit entities have the ability to reveal or conceal themselves, to whoever they choose, wherever they choose, whatever you’re doing, whoever you’re with, at whatever time they choose. It is dangerous!
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Jesus is everything I’d been looking for.
I knew Christianity was what I’d been looking for all my life. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life”, this struck a chord with me instantly, how fantastic!
Knowing Jesus is far more fulfilling than the false spirituality of the Occult.
Satan can only provide a limited satisfaction, he does not love you, and is only out to destroy. Jesus brings love. He loves you and wants to transform your lives, he improves your relationships, he gives you strength to deal with your struggles in life, he changes the way you see things, he wants a relationship with you and you begin to see his blessings as you become aware of him working in your life.
I am now attend a local church. I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever of the existence of God and totally accept our Lord Jesus Christ as our only hope and deliverer from demonic spirits.
Tina
God has proved to me he exists, that he is more powerful than evil and that evil spirits flee from him.
During church services I have felt that same pure, perfect love that I felt in my friend’s flat that night, I now know it is my Lord Jesus Christ – who loved me even whilst I was worshipping Satan.
God is an absolutely pure, powerful, beautiful love with a deep, deep compassion which totally wipes out all worries, fears and anxieties.
I want nothing but God in every part of my life, to devote my life to God, I live every second of every day for him, and always will.
God is the protector of our souls.
Praising him here glorifies him in the heavenly realms.
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.
Recommended Books:
I Talked With Spirits – Victor Ernest.
Escaping The Cauldron – Kristine McGuire.
A Spiritual Quest – Laura Maxwell.
From Darkness to Light – Jeff Harshbarger.
Taken From The Night – S.A. Tower.
The Occult and You – Roger Ellis.
You can also see Tina’s testimony on our friend Gaz’s blog, under it, you can read comments from readers and Tina’s replies. This may help with any questions you may have. See below link.
The following testimony is of a very special lady and dear friend of mine. If you have read my semi-autobiographical book A Spiritual Quest, (click here for sample chapters), you may be familiar with one of the most significant and key characters in it, named ‘Faith’.
Her real name is of-course Freda and she has been my beloved friend since just before my conversion from Spiritualism to Christianity, way back in 1996. As you’ll know from my book, Freda is a unique lady & someone who has truly meant the world to me. I thank God for her. The Lord has gave her a very special gift of faith that is so utterly infectious.
Freda has been my spiritual mother, since my conversion. She is someone who has prayed for me, even during the night watches. Someone who never gave up on me, during my ill health/wilderness years in the desert … and haven’t we all passed through some of those?! Someone, I’ve admired and someone who has never failed to inspire me. Someone who has encouraged me, through thick and thin.
Freda was there for me on the very night of my conversion in Stirling and later, at my water baptism in Cumbernauld. She was there for me when my mother killed herself. She even stayed over night at my home, the day of my Mum’s funeral. She held my hand, when fear and grief engulfed me. And she showed me the love of Jesus. And she prayed for me.
She was also there for me when my dad died, and when any of our relatives were ill or in hospital, Freda and I prayed together for them. She prayed for me before my tv and radio interviews. In fact, the very first church I spoke in was her’s! And the first radio station, Revival Radio, I visited to be interviewed, the host was a member of her church.
My first tv interview, with Revelation TV, near London, she travelled with me and sat in the studio praying! It was her first and only time in London, very exciting for her, as she hadn’t really went that far from her hometown village.
If you are a Facebook friend of mine, you’ll have viewed my 2009 (private photos) on Facebook, including photos of us together when I did my very first TV interview with the late beloved Doug Harris, back in March 2009. Freda had kindly traveled with me to the London studio and back home to Scotland.
For almost 30 years, I’ve spent hours listening to Freda, as she has told me amazing and miraculous accounts of what she has saw our lovely Lord Jesus do. Before YouTube and Facebook were even existent, I used to say to her, ‘That’s amazing! That should be written in a book!’ Perhaps one day, all of her testimonies shall indeed be recorded in a book.
But in the mean time, it is, such a great honour and with much love in my heart, that I now feature this dear woman’s faith story below. I find it interesting that she signed her testimony with ‘big hugs.’ If you remember my book, in it, I wrote how she was a special lady whose hugs are unique, anointed and carry the love of God with them!
I love you Freda. I thank you and I honour you. I praise God, for allowing me to meet you and that our faith journeys brought us together. I look forward to spending eternity with you, praising our wonderful Saviour and watching the butterflies.
Freda loves butterflies! Aren’t they a powerful symbol of transformation and freedom!
The Testimony Of Freda Quinn.
Luke 12:31 “Seek first the Kingdom of God … ”
These words were written on posters which were on the walls of the factory in a small town in Scotland where I was employed. The owner had opened a Bible study at lunchtime and I decided to attend as I was having marriage problems at that time and thought that this would help.
The meeting started with a reading from Matt. 12. In verse 49 it spoke of Jesus having brothers and sisters. I was so upset at this revelation that I stood up and said “Don’t you know that Mary is the Blessed Virgin and as such she could not have any more children?”
The man who was leading the meeting, was from a church in a nearby town and he kindly gave me a Bible and suggested I should read it for myself. I thanked him but decided that I would ask Sister Ann (not her real name), from the local Convent what her views were regarding this. She advised me to read from Genesis to Revelation and not be afraid to read The Word of God.
I did not realise at the time that this would take me two years. During the course of these two years my marriage was healed and I continued to attend daily Mass, trying to be a dutiful daughter to my mother, a good wife and a loving mum to my four children.
Although I enjoyed reading the Bible I really didn’t understand fully what it meant and looked upon it as a good story book. At my husbands request I put the Bible aside for a time. Soon after this I realised that I had lost the desire to pray with rosary beads as I had done since childhood and decided to bin them.
Shortly after this a man, who was the caretaker of a local Parish Church, was digging in the grounds and lo and behold what did he dig up?? YES, ROSARY BEADS!!!!! He kindly gave these to one of my daughters to pass on to me. Well, the only way I can express what I felt is FEAR with a capital F. I was afraid I was offending God by getting rid of them. What was God trying to tell me? I decided that as I didn’t need them I would bin them also, taking the risk of offending God.
As time passed, I felt that there was something missing in my life and I was aware of a heaviness and of being in a dark place. It was as if I had a battle going on in my mind and I didn’t know how to cope with it. One lovely June day the sun was shining and I decided to leave the “dark place” and go for a walk up the glen. As I passed the houses on the way, a woman that I knew from the playgroup called to me to ask where I was going and decided that she would come with me.
While waiting for her I noticed that she had a Bible sitting on her table. When I asked her about this she told me that she was a charismatic Catholic, a term I had never heard before and when I asked her what that meant she suggested that she would get some charismatic friends of hers to come along and they would explain more about it while having fellowship up the glen.
During our time together they sang nice choruses and spoke about JESUS which seemed wonderful to me and they invited me to attend a meeting with them in a nearby town that week. I accepted their invitation gratefully. As we were preparing to make our way home one of the ladies said that she felt led to tell me that demons must flee at the name of Jesus and although I did not fully understand why she had said this to me, I believed it.
I was soon to realise exactly why I had been given this word because that very night I was awakened in bed and saw what looked like a giant frog-like creature covering the whole of my bedroom wall. I jumped up and called out “Satan, you go in the name of Jesus and I will never be frightened of you again”. This was especially meaningful to me as I had endured nightmares since the age of six, as a result of being sexually abused by my step-grandfather on a regular basis.
After attending a few of the charismatic meetings I still did not feel fulfilled. When I mentioned this to the ladies they suggested that I should attend confession with a charismatic Priest in Glasgow. A few of us went but as there were so many waiting we had to come home without having been seen.
Later that week, I was invited to a meeting in the home of a married couple who were members of a local Pentecostal Church. I was introduced to another Pentecostal woman and later in the evening was led to the Lord by two of them. I knew that I had repented and asked Jesus into my heart but apart from that I felt no different … until I went home! That night I lifted the Bible and it suddenly came alive to me. How had this happened? I had spent two years reading “this book” and never understood that God speaks to you through “His Word”. Praise God. Soon afterwards I was baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in another language, which was unknown to me, but recognised by another woman in the group.
A few nights later I awoke and sat up in my bed. Suddenly the whole window wall seemed to disappear. I was afraid and instinctively closed my eyes and lifted my hands, which then felt heavy – as if they were carrying something. A voice softly said “Open your eyes”. When I opened them I saw before me a huge wooden Cross … EMPTY!!!
The next morning I went to Mass and I looked up at the Crucifix. I was perplexed as the vision I had the night before clearly showed an empty Cross. My Jesus was no longer on the cross and His suffering was finished! He is alive and seated in Heaven with His Father!
Immediately Isa. 52:14 was brought to mind. This passage describes how His face was so disfigured He seemed hardly human, and from His appearance one would scarcely know He was a man. With my mind I could not equate the picture portrayed in this scripture of the immense pain and suffering that Jesus endured, so that the world would have a Saviour, with the perfect image portrayed on the Crucifix on the wall before me. I didn’t want to look at it anymore as it made me feel very sad and I wondered “God, where do I go from here?”
Shortly after this, friends came to visit from England and expressed a wish to visit the Grotto in another nearby town. My husband and I took them there and, as we stood admiring the statue of Mary, I looked down and noticed there was a broken pipe carrying fresh spring water. I felt thirsty so I took a drink. We prayed a little before taking then on to visit some other friends and then going home ourselves.
On entering our home I heard a still small voice whispering “Open My Word” so I went into my bedroom, lifted my Bible which fell open at Jer. 2:13. I proceeded to read this passage and was shocked at what I saw there!! It said, “For My People have done two evil things: they have abandoned Me – The Fountain of Living Water and the have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.” I was shocked to read this but The Lord continued to lead me through the following scriptures :
Jer. 2:20 says, “On every hill and under every green tree you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.”
Jer. 2:27 says, “To an idol chiselled from a block of stone they say “You are my mother”.
Jer. 3:2 says, “Look at the shrines on every hilltop. Is there any place you have not defiled?”
Jer. 3:23 says, “Our worship of idols on the hills and our religious orgies on the mountains are a delusion. Only in the Lord our God will Israel ever find salvation.”
Jer.7:18 says, “Watch how the children gather wood and the fathers build sacrificial fires, see how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven and they pour liquid offerings to their other idol gods. Am I the one they are hurting? Most of all they hurt themselves to their shame.”
After years of venerating Mary as the Queen of Heaven I now realised that Mary, the mother of Jesus, would certainly not want to be identified with The Queen of Heaven, as described in the Bible.
Further to the above revelation, I got in touch with one of the charismatic group of ladies already mentioned and was asked to meet with them in one of their houses. I tried to explain my feelings about what had happened hoping that they could help me to understand these differences in doctrine but instead I was told to stick to the New Testament and not to worry about the Old Testament books as I would only get mixed up.
I was then taken upstairs to a room which had a very large statue of Mary housed in a glass dome and was asked “What would you do with this? My quick reply was “I would throw it away; after all it’s only chalk!!” I was speedily removed and found myself back in the living room. No reference was ever made to this conversation again. However, I knew that they cared about me and were concerned that I was going the wrong way. This led to them giving me a Sacred Heart picture and other religious artefacts and telling me that I should pray to the Saints. After the ladies left I did my usual thing and paid a visit to the bin (one of many visits).
As time passed and I read more of the Bible I realised that I wanted water baptism but knew that this would not be possible if I was still a member of the Catholic Church. In order to do the right thing I made an appointment with my parish Priest to discuss this. Unfortunately he could not understand my desire to learn more and grow in my new-found faith in Jesus. This left me with no alternative but to take my name off the Church roll.
Even after I had done this I still had a fear of judgement coming upon me because I was not receiving The Host which is a very big part of the tradition of the Catholic Church. I had been told by one of my charismatic friends that I needed to take the Sacrament of the Eucharist every day so one evening during a quiet time with the Lord, I told Him that I was worried about missing communion, not realising that other churches have communion too.
Shortly after this, I had a vision that as I was lifting my hands in prayer, I felt a wafer, (the Host) in my fingers. I took this as a sign from God that I should be receiving the Sacrament of the Eucharist. As I opened my mouth to receive it, The Word that came to mind was, “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (Matthew 15:17) I knew at that moment that God was telling me that it was not what I put into my body that transforms me but the work of the Holy Spirit that makes me more like Jesus and accepted by God the Father. Praise God!! I WAS FREE AT LAST!!!
Freda, when we went to Revelation TV, March 2009.
For some time after this I visited various Churches both in and out of the area and met many lovely godly people and for this I will be eternally grateful. During my search I have been known to be a bit extreme in my worship, and for this I make no apology. This freedom comes from the joy of being able to praise my God without the shackles of religion.
Many thanks for those of you who have moved from my Facebook page, to this blog.
It helps me to make the transition more easily.
I’ve been reducing Facebook for months and directing folks here instead. I’m about to make the swap over complete.
Thanks very much for your kind understanding and support.
God bless you, Laura Maxwell.
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P.S. I read the following articles today, and thought it may encourage you too. I’m sure there are many of you, who like myself, feel we are in a transition period, probably in more ways than one …
A small extract from Get Ready to Move (1) By UCB, 24 Jan 2014.
‘…Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give…’ Joshua 1:2
Are you standing today at the crossroads of change, contemplating a new season or assignment, and feeling anxious about it?
God said to Joshua: ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then … get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give [you] … I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates … to the Great Sea on the west.
No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them’ (vv. 2-6 NIV).
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Get Ready to Move (2) By UCB, 25 Jan 2014.
‘I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised…’ Joshua 1:3
Can you imagine how Joshua felt stepping into Moses’ shoes? He needed assurance, so God told him:
1) ‘I will give you every place where you set your foot.’ In other words, just step out in faith and claim it.
It’s yours, if you’re willing to walk towards it and take possession. Would it be easy? Would they get there overnight? No, but their confidence came from the words, ‘as I promised’.
The song goes: ‘Standing on the promises that cannot fail; when the howling winds of doubt and fear assail. Standing on the living Word I shall prevail; standing on the promises of God.’
2) ‘No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life’ (v. 5 NIV).
Will you face criticism? Yes. Will you come under attack? Yes.
There were 31 kings, seven nations, and giants the size of telephone poles waiting for them in the Promised Land. But every battle you fight is just an opportunity for God to show Himself strong on your behalf.
3) ‘As I was with Moses, so I will be with you’ (v. 5 NIV).
If you’re anxious about the future, recall God’s faithfulness to you in the past.
Isaiah 40:31
At the end of his life Joshua wrote: ‘Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled…’ (Joshua 23:14 NIV).
And the God who came through for Joshua, will come through for you.
The above testimonies are amazing true stories of ordinary people like you! Also, they give glory to God for everything He has done in their lives and what He rescued them from.
Psalm 96:3 (NLT) ‘Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things He does.’
In a world saturated with sad news reports, it’s so exciting and encouraging to share these amazing true accounts of what God is doing in our countries and homes today!
There are plenty of excellent EX Medium, EX Spiritualist and EX Psychic testimonies on here now. But I feel there’s a bit of a gap and perhaps the list could be added to by testimonies from those of you who once practised things such as Astrology, Paganism, Energy Healing, Reiki, Yoga, Wicca or Witchcraft. Or perhaps you were once a LightWorker?
I’ve noticed there are now 998 people who follow this blog, so I’m guessing there’s perhaps at least a few of you (or a few hundred!) who could possibly fit into one of the above categories.
If not, maybe you have a friend who would be willing to share their testimony with us?
Please don’t be shy. If you’d like to send me your testimonies, I can look through them and select some to be displayed on this blog.
Remember, if you prefer that I leave your name out of it, that’s ok. I realise some people prefer to remain anonymous. Maybe you have never shared before. Maybe it’s now time to do it! Please do pray and seek the Lord about this.
To submit testimonies to me for consideration of being added to this blog, you can contact me. Either by sending a message in the comment box below and I will reply to you privately, or to my email laura.maxwell@protonmail.com But if you are already a follower of my YouTube channel, or Facebook, you can ofcourse send it that way.
Let’s help to encourage others with our testimonies, especially those who are perhaps still walking in New Age lifestyles.
Let’s encourage them with the hope, peace and love they can find in Jesus, as they accept Him as their Saviour.
I pray these testimonies will do just that and also that they bring God much glory.
A Dutch translator kindly offered to translate my testimony from English for the Dutch reading people of the Netherlands. There are a lot of New Age Centres there, where New Age and Spiritualism have been very popular, since the 1960’s.
Sonja Owart wrote, ‘This is Laura’s testimony translated into Dutch as I have promised to write for her and it was a honor to do so. I am positive that her testimony will reach many people in the Netherlands.’
This is ‘The About’ section of my blog translated to Dutch:
Over
Wat is het doel van deze site?
We hopen om te kunnen bijdragen aan de reis van diegene die bezig zijn met een geestelijke zoektocht.
Misschien ben jij wel aan het experimenteren met new-age of andere occulte activiteiten en vind je het leuk om te horen over anderen die het ook hebben geprobeerd en waar het uiteindelijk voor ons naartoe heeft geleid?
Sinds 1996, heb ik mijn eigen ervaringen gedeeld met anderen. Vanaf 2008, heb ik het voorrecht gehad om regelmatig via satelliet tv en radioprogramma’s, uitzendingen in Europa en Amerika te delen en te vertellen.
Deze tv shows waren ook gevraagd om uitgezonden te worden op verschillende christelijke en seculiere tv kanalen in Azië, India, Rusland, Pakistan, Oekraïne, Australië en Nieuw Zeeland.
Mijn verhaal heeft in verschillende magazines gestaan maar ook op websites en blogs.
Het was een eer toen ex-satanist Jeff Harshbarger mij vroeg om een hoofdstuk te schrijven voor het boek ”Dancing with the Devil’, gepubliceerd in Amerika door Charisma House, 2012.
Jeff was te gast bij verschillende christelijke tv zenders en radio programma’s in Amerika en verder!
Het is ook een eer geweest om een gastspreker te zijn in kerken, op markten en conferenties door geheel Engeland en ook bij radio programma’s over de gehele wereld. In een uitzending vertel ik mijn getuigenis of geef ik onderwijs over de new-age, het occulte, maar ook over Halloween.
Je kunt de dramatische gebeurtenissen die in mijn verhaal voorkomen hieronder lezen of de tv interviews bekijken die meer details weergeven als je op de youtube link klikt.
Ook kun je hier lezen en luisteren naar gelijk gestemden, echte levensverhalen van anderen inclusief vrienden van mij die je kan vinden onder ”Ex Occultist Directory section” en via de ”Suggested links” knop. Zo ook op mijn youtube kanaal waar je een verscheidenheid aan video’s kunt vinden van verhalen die te maken hebben met je geestelijke zoektocht.
Heel erg bedankt voor het bezoeken van mijn site vandaag! We hopen dat je er iets aan hebt gehad en dat je terug zult komen. God Zegene je!
Voor vragen, email dan alsjeblieft mijn persoonlijke assistent op laura.maxwell@protonmail.com
Of kijk op mijn Facebook pagina: A Spiritual Quest of op mijn Youtube kanaal:
This is the beginning of my testimony translated to Dutch :
Laura Maxwell’s verhaal
”Wat spiritisme nu voor me betekend”
Bovennatuurlijke fenomenen interesseerden me al vanaf mijn kindertijd. Bepaalde spirituele ervaringen die ik had wekte mijn interesse nog meer. Mijn moeder had ook dit soort ervaringen maar zij begon pas later op een serieuze manier ermee bezig te gaan. Tegen de tijd dat ik naar de middelbare school ging, begon zij er verder mee te experimenteren. Toen zij op een dag de honden aan het uitlaten was in het park sprak een medium haar aan, hij vertelde mijn moeder dat hij een potentiële medium in haar zag en nodigde haar uit om naar de spiritualisten kerk te gaan in Glasgow, liggende in Schotland,de plek waar we woonden.
Al snel werd mam helemaal bezeten door het bovennatuurlijke. Als nieuw lid van de spiritualisten kerk ging ze naar de zondagsdiensten, doordeweekse waarzeggerij ontwikkelingsgroepen en yoga lessen. Ze deelde alles wat ze leerde met mij en ook ik werd erdoor gefascineerd. Het verlangen van haar hart was om een training te volgen tot medium. Anderen moedigden haar aan, door haar te vragen voor de ”Open Cirkel”, om te leren hoe ze moest mediteren en channelen van ”de geesten van de overledenen”. Mam wilde graag het helderziendheidschap, helderhorendheid en heldervoelendheid leren van andere mediums.
Elke keer als mam een privé-sessie boekte voor een lezing over haar leven, met een bewoner of bezoeker die medium was, kocht ze de opname ervan en gingen we er later op de dag naar luisteren. Ik verwonderde me erover dat een opname van een half uur zoveel communicatie van geesten kon bevatten. Gedetailleerde minuten uit ons leven werden doorgestuurd. Precieze namen, plaatsen en datums werden vaak doorgegeven. Het was ons duidelijk dat deze mediums geen charlatans waren die zomaar per toeval een naam noemden. Ze beschreven accuraat de fysieke kenmerken, persoonlijkheden en herhaalden zelfs bepaalde zinnen van zogenaamde dode familieleden alsof zij werkelijk met hen praatte.
Ook ik werd lid van de spiritualisten kerk in Glasgow. Mam en ik verslonden de mystieke boeken over yoga, het openen van je chakra’s, kristal genezing, rëincarnatie en alternatieve therapieën toen we naar de new age centers en festivals gingen. We absorbeerden zoveel mogelijk informatie als we konden zodat we hulp bij onze spirituele verlichting hadden. Met onze passie voor het milieu,sociale gerechtigheid en internationale vrede, deden we graag mee aan het genezen van mensen en dieren door fysiek contact of op een afstand.
We lazen ook boeken over positief denken. Een van onze favorieten was ”De kracht van positief denken” geschreven door Norman Vincent Peale een vrijmetselaar met de drieëndertigste graad,die ook geloofde in helderziendheid. Hij claimde dat hij zijn overleden vader zag tijdens bijeenkomsten.
Uiteindelijk gingen we naar de Transfiguratie sessies (het fysieke mediumschap). Mam ontwikkelde zich op het gebied van automatisch schrijven. Mediums voorspelden dat ik een auteur zou worden van de spirituele geesten en de kunsten. Ik experimenteerde met Kirlianfotografie, oftewel coronale ontladingsfotografie, ik gebruikte een infrarode film en fotografeerde dan beelden van ectoplasma die zich vormden.
In de tien jaren die daarna volgden, hoorden we vaak over mediums dat zij niet langer de geesten onder controle konden houden, ook niet wanneer zij tot hen of door hen heen spraken. Veel mediums hadden een zenuwinzinking. Sommigen vielen mensen aan en vertelden dat hun gids hen ertoe had gedwongen, anderen werden opgenomen in een psychiatrische instelling. We hoorden verhalen van klopgeestactiviteiten in de huizen van mediums. Eerst accepteerden we de uitleg dat ondeugende en vervelende geesten soms doorkwamen want dat was het risico van het vak. Maar toen het bij ons gebeurde, werd het erg moeilijk om te tolereren en bijna onmogelijk om nog normaal te functioneren.
Onze geliefde vrienden,de andere helderzienden en mediums probeerden ons huis te reinigen maar faalden. De geesten spraken de hele tijd tegen mam, hielden haar wakker, vielen haar fysiek aan, kloven hard binnenin de kasten, sloegen deuren dicht, etcetera.
Een van de gebeurtenissen was dat ze haar dwongen om in een trance te gaan, tegen haar wil in, terwijl ze eten aan het frituren was. Toen de trance was gestopt en ze zichzelf weer was had de keuken vlam gevat. Ik kwam thuis nadat de brandweer het vuur had geblust net voordat het naar de andere kamers was verspreid. We realiseerden ons dat mam, de honden en de katten bijna waren omgekomen. Op een middag voelde mam’s bejaarde tante, die ook de spiritualisten kerk had bezocht, dat onzichtbare handen haar beetpakten en van de trap gooide. Haar pols was gebroken. Op een andere dag terwijl we winkels naderden, zag ik tot mijn schrik dat mam van de grond werd getild, gekatapulteerd vanaf de stoep en terecht kwam op de motorkap van een voorbij rijdende auto. Dit gebeurde meer dan een keer.
We besloten om uit het spiritisme te stappen en vertelden onze gidsen en geleidegeesten te vertrekken. We waren gechoqueerd toen ze ons begonnen uit te lachen en te beledigen. Ze begonnen ons fysiek te pijnigen. Perplex stonden we, ze hadden ons jaren vriendelijk behandelt en leiding gegeven. Het werd ons hierdoor duidelijk dat ze ons hadden misleid, ze deden alsof ze behulpvaardig waren, terwijl ze in het echt de gehele tijd slecht waren!
De grootste schok kwam toen onze zogenaamde dode familieleden zich tegen ons keerden. Ze bespotten en sloegen ons. De geesten waarschuwden ons dat we het occulte niet konden verlaten en terwijl we dat niet beseften, controle hadden gegeven vanaf de eerste dag dat we ze uitnodigden om een plaats te nemen in ons leven. Het werd voor mam en mij duidelijk dat er iets niet klopte aan spiritisme als zelfs de mediums die onze ”geestelijke vrienden” bij ons hadden gebracht, niet hadden onderscheiden wat hun daadwerkelijke identiteit was.
Susan een christen die ik had ontmoet in een college over psychologie op de universiteit nodigde me uit voor haar pinkstergemeente en legde me uit dat anderen die hiermee bezig waren geweest dezelfde ervaringen hadden gehad maar vrij werden gezet nadat zij de bijbelse Jezus (en niet de new age jezus) als hun Redder hadden geaccepteerd. Ik herriep en brak met mijn betrokkenheid bij spiritisme en werd christen.
Tijdens mijn tweede jaar op de universiteit, ging de gezondheid van Mam erg achteruit en haar ”gidsen” bedreigden haar door te zeggen dat ze haar wilden gebruiken om mensen te doden. Mam’s dokter kon de verklaring van (klop)geesten niet accepteren en diagnosticeerde haar met schizofrenie. Ze werd opgenomen in een psychiatrische instelling wat een grote schok was voor zowel haar als mijzelf.
Ook al gaf mijn moeder haar hart aan Jezus een paar maanden daarna, de pinkstergemeente waarvan ik lid was geworden had geen enkele ervaring op dat moment met het helpen van mensen zoals mam. Op dat moment hadden ze geen bevrijdingspastoraat. Ik was zelf een baby christen en kende ook niemand die in Jezus naam demonen kon uitdrijven bij haar. Na maanden van hevige verdovingen ontsloegen de psychiaters mam maar toen ze terug naar huis ging leed ze opnieuw onder de treiterijen en pesterijen van de geesten. Helaas pleegde mijn moeder zelfmoord.
Het is echter niet raar voor iemand om dit te doen. De afgelopen zeventien jaar heb ik over de hele wereld gehoord van mensen die betrokken waren bij de new-age en occultisme,dat zij in psychiatrische instellingen hebben gezeten of zelfmoord hebben gepleegd. Daarom vind ik het cruciaal om te benadrukken dat christenen de bevrijdingsbediening omarmen, om zo God Zijn instrumenten te zijn en vrijheid te brengen aan mensen die zo lijden onder de verdrukking van demonen in Jezus Zijn Naam. In de jaren die volgden als christen zijnde ben ik zeer blij dat Jezus mij heeft gebruikt om mensen en huizen vrij te zetten van klopgeesten en demonische verdrukking. ”Groter is Hij (Jezus) dan hij (satan) die in de wereld is.”
Later was er een pastor met meer ervaring op het gebied van bevrijding, gebed en demonen uitwerpen die samen met een co- pastor het huis van mijn moeder reinigde van geesten. Ze gingen weg en kwamen nooit meer terug. Ik verkocht mam haar huis zonder twijfel of zorg dat de volgende bezitters zouden worden getergd door hen.
De Pinkstergemeente liet geen religie of dode tradities zien. Deze kerk was levend, liefdevol en plezierig. Leden worden getraind om onder leiding van de Heilige Geest te profeteren over de toekomst, lichamen worden genezen, tekenen en wonderen vinden plaats. Eigenlijk zag ik in die paar jaar meer mensen genezen in pinkstergemeentes dan dat ik had gezien in de tien jaar dat ik in de spiritualisten kerk had gezeten.
Toen ik christen werd had ik, nog voordat ik in de bijbel had gelezen over Deuteronomium 18 waarin de bijbelse consequenties worden uitgelegd over het beoefenen van occultisme, instinctief door wat er was gebeurd. Alle puzzelstukjes vielen op zijn plek. Toen mijn zogenaamde dode familieleden en gidsen mam en mij begonnen aan te vallen, gaf dit aan dat dit boze geesten waren en ons hadden misleid ze hadden gedaan alsof zij onze geliefde familie waren! Het was volkomen logisch toen christenen gingen uitleggen dat je als dode niet terug kunt komen omdat als je sterft je naar de hemel gaat of naar de hel.
Boze geesten zijn ”gevallen engelen”. Ze bestaan al eeuwenlang en bevatten op waarzeggerij gebaseerde kennis van onze familieleden of historische figuren uit de generaties voor ons, dus niet van of door God. Ze kunnen makkelijk hun ware slechte aard vermommen en doen alsof ze een overleden familielid,een geleidegeest of iedere beroemdheid zijn die ooit heeft geleefd. De bijbel spreekt over de entiteiten die werken door heksen,mediums en andere occulte betrekkingen die familiare geesten heten. Zij zijn helderziend en familiair met voorouders en hoe zij eruit zagen en wat zij spraken. Dus deze entiteiten kunnen iemand perfect nadoen. Het Hebreeuwse woord voor familiaire geesten betekend: ”demon” oftewel een boze geest.
Dit werd bevestigd terwijl ik 2 Korinthe 11 tot 14 las: ”En geen wonder, want de satan zelf doet zich voor als een engel van het licht. Het is dus niets bijzonders als ook zijn dienaars zich voordoen als dienaars van gerechtigheid. Hun einde zal zijn naar hun werken.”
Voordat ik het occultisme verliet was ik me niet bewust dat 1 Johannes 4 vers 1 tot en met 3 adviseerd:
Geliefden, geloof niet elke geest, maar beproef de geesten of zij uit God zijn; want er zijn veel valse profeten in de wereld uitgegaan. Hieraan leert u de Geest van God kennen: elke geest die belijdt dat Jezus Christus in het vlees gekomen is, is uit God; en elke geest die niet belijdt dat Jezus Christus in het vlees gekomen is, is niet uit God; maar dat is de geest van de antichrist, waarvan u gehoord hebt dat hij komt, en die nu al in de wereld is.
(Zie mijn notitie met aanwijzingen over ” Hoe onderscheid je de geesten” in het menu bovenin.)
Als een spiritualist geloofde ik dat Jezus een kosmische kracht of energie was en deel uitmaakte van het universele bewustzijn of ”een grote genezer.” Sinds mijn bekering in 1994 heb ik zowel verschillende mensen gesproken zoals waarzeggers, zigeuners, mediums, heksen en zelfs satanisten, ook heb ik boeken gelezen over hen die net zoals ik, hadden ontdekt dat de ware aard van de entiteiten die zichzelf ”dode familieleden of gidsen” noemden, in werkelijkheid anders waren. Deze mensen kwamen ook vrij van demonische aanvallen nadat zij Jezus en Zijn bevrijding in hun leven hadden ontvangen.
Twee succesvolle Glasgowse mediums, Sadie Bryce en Geordie Aitken werden ook christen. Sadie ging naar dezelfde spiritualisten kerk als ik. Ze sprak over haar occulte verleden in BBC programma’s en op audiotape, terwijl Paul Watson een gedetailleerd boek schreef over Geordie’s leven. Sadie, Geordie en ik hebben elkaar als christenen verscheidene malen geschreven, we kwamen tot de ontdekking dat we allemaal waren misleid door overtuigende geesten op dezelfde doortrapte manier.
Jezus genas me van vele angsten, fobieën en fysieke problemen. Hij heeft me vreugde gegeven en een vrede waarvan ik niet eens wist dat het bestond! Zijn voelbare Aanwezigheid van pure liefde is nog reeëler dan wat ik heb ervaren in het spiritualisme.
Nadat ik mijn levensverhaal heb gedeeld in kerken, satelliettelevisie en radio, ben ik zeer blij, verheugd en gezegend om getuigenissen te horen van mensen over de hele wereld die ook uit de occulte wereld zijn gehaald, door de transformerende Liefde van Jezus.
Ik hoor nog steeds verhalen van een groter groeiende groep mensen die wegtrekken uit bijeenkomsten van spiritualisten, tarotkaarten feesten, yoga en meditatie.
My book, ‘A Spiritual Quest’
Recent heb ik een boek geschreven over de getuigende gebeurtenissen uit mijn leven die ook details bevatten uit het leven van mijn moeder, onze vrienden en mijn ervaringen met de occulte wereld.
Het bevat ook de wonderlijke ontmoetingen met Jezus en engelen, die geheel anders zijn dan die uit het occultisme.
Omdat ik het boek zelf heb gepubliceerd is het alleen via mij te koop en niet via Amazon en andere online aanbieders.
Als je een exemplaar wilt bestellen van ” A Spirtual Quest”, contacteer dan mijn persoonlijke assistent. Het e-mailadres is: laura.maxwell@protonmail.com
Invitation to pray for me and for those who view my videos or attend my meetings :
Als jij je geleid voelt om voor Laura te bidden of voor het publiek waar zij tegen spreekt dan word dit zeer gewaardeerd. Hartelijk bedankt!
Disclaimer :
Laura Maxwell is de grondlegger van ministrie ‘A Spiritual Quest’. Haar ministrie word overzien door een aantal mensen die haar advies en raad geven inclusief haar pastor. Zij zijn gerespecteerde en ervaren christelijke leiders van ministries uit de UK en Amerika.
If you’d like to hire Sonja to translate from English to Dutch for you, either your testimony, or other articles or books, please email her on sunshinepublishings@gmail.com or see her Facebook page Sunshine Publishings
I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sonja for translating. And I pray with her, that many people in the Netherlands will read it and come to Jesus.
To see other translations of Laura’s work, please go to this link.
Here is the Testimony of an EX Witch, never shared in public before. I was very honoured and delighted when Heather sent her testimony to me for this blog.
Heather Everett studied older religions and also Druidism, Shamanism, Wicca and divination. Please read her incredible testimony below. It is beautifully written and very moving.
‘I went in search of God and found Goddess’.
This was the answer I used to offer when people asked me how I had gotten involved with witchcraft. It was true, but it wasn’t the end of the story.
The Goddess Tarot pack that Heather used.
I grew up attending church every time the doors were open. When I was 18, I got married and we continued attending church every time there was a service. My husband joined the Air Force and we ended up in Panama City, Florida. We attended a few churches there, but never found one we could both agree on. He wanted to simply quit going to church and I wanted a church that looked like what I saw in the Bible. Soon after our second child was born, we stopped attending church.
A year earlier, when our first child was only a few months old, I had found a parenting website that included a forum. I became quite involved there and became friends with an incredible group of women. A multitude of religions and belief systems were represented on this forum and I quickly learned that much of what I had been told when I was growing up was untrue. I had grown up hearing that witches sacrifice babies. I watched as several witches in this group talked about their pregnancies, their births, their infants, toddlers, and beyond and realized there was no way what I had been told was true. These women loved their children with an incredible, selfless love; much the same as my own for my child. They offered encouragement, support, advice and opinions that were vital to a new mother and these things were not forgotten when I stopped attending church and stepped back to examine the path my life was on and figure out what path I wanted it to be on.
When I stopped attending church, I did not turn my back on Christianity immediately. I never really did. I was frustrated with much of what I saw in churches, many of the same things I remain frustrated with today. I was told to seek God, that if I sought Him with my whole heart I would find Him. That was my intention. I went in search of God. But, I decided early on that I had to allow room for belief systems other than Christianity. I knew so many women who were the sort of woman I wanted to be. They were strong of character, at peace with themselves and the world around them, they knew what they wanted from life and they worked to achieve it.
The moon in phases
At first, all I did was read about different belief systems and religions. I studied what they believed and why. A friend sent me a link to a few sites that discussed Christian witchcraft and Christian Wicca. I recognized the contradictions between Christianity witchcraft and Wicca immediately. I could not blend Christianity with either path because I knew Christianity and the Bible spoke strongly against witchcraft. However, Wicca intrigued me and I began searching for more information. From there, I discovered witchcraft and began to study. Wicca is a modern religion, whereas I studied older religions and belief systems, many of which Wicca has also drawn from.
While a year and a day is a common length of time to study before initiating into witchcraft, I studied for over two years. I needed to be certain that I was willing to commit myself completely to that path. I was not looking for something I could read about or participate in part time. I was looking for something to completely devote myself to. I was not certain until after my third child was born. When he was born, I hemorrhaged badly. After I had been stabilized, I realized I could very easily have left three children aged three and under without a mother. The experience did change me in a very real and deep way. I also had another experience while I was hemorrhaging. Some people claim to see a light when they experience a life threatening situation. I did not. I was enveloped in absolute darkness. In that darkness was the sense of all the knowledge about everything and a deep peace. Every time I would regain consciousness, I could remember small bits of information for a few moments. As I recovered and spent time snuggling with my precious new baby, I had plenty of time to consider that experience. I became convinced that the knowledge and the depth of peace that I had experienced in that absolute darkness was only to be found in devoting myself to the study and practice of magick.
Eleven days later, on October 31st, I initiated as a solitary witch. I drew from a variety of religions and spiritual paths and developed an eclectic practice that was my own. I studied Wicca in order to find out more about the paths that were drawn from in the development of that path. I studied the paths that Wicca draws from. I studied Shamanism and drummed and visited medicine wheels with a Shaman for a time. I drew from Druidism. I became quite good at reading Tarot and dabbled in runes and other forms of divination as well. I focused heavily on the use of plants and other natural materials in magick. Eventually, I found a book that discussed green witchcraft and finally had a label that worked when I was pressed to define myself and my practice. Most of the time, I tried to simply say I was a witch. When pressed, I would call myself a solitary eclectic witch. When pressed further, I could finally call myself a green witch or a kitchen witch.
The book Heather used.
Three years after I initiated, I had a six year old, a five year old, a three year old, an almost two month old and a marriage that had disintegrated. Within two months, our divorce was final and my ex-husband had left the state leaving me alone with post-partum depression, four very young children, no education and no employment history to attempt to rebuild my life. I poured myself into witchcraft with even more devotion than I had previously. It became truly everything to me.
Several years later, I was new in town and interested in meeting people. I was happy with my life. Things were beginning to look up. I had just started working on my undergraduate degree. I was perfectly content with my spirituality and the path I was on. I jokingly told a friend that I would attend a church to meet people and find friends for my children if I could find one that would accommodate my beliefs. She told me to find the most open minded church and visit it, and then sent me a link to a church in my town. On a whim, and because I deeply respected her, I went to the next service.
I don’t remember what songs were sung during worship. I don’t remember what the sermon was about. I do remember the overwhelming presence of God when I first walked in the doors. I hesitate to make much of experience. It is generally subjective rather than objective and as such there is great room for experiences to lead to strange places. But this experience, however it can be defined or explained, was pivotal in my life.
When I opened the door to enter the church, a sensation washed over me much like stepping under a waterfall. It started at the top of my head and swept down to my feet and literally took my breath away. There was a depth and richness to it that I couldn’t explain. It was unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. I spent the entire service struggling to make sense of it. I kept repeating over and over, “God, you don’t want me. I’m a witch. I’m a witch, remember? You can’t want me.” I left the church that day still struggling to make sense of what had happened.
Driven by a desire to understand what I had experienced, I attended church every time there was a service. My children had never been to church before and did not know how to behave in service. I spent a lot of time in the room behind the sanctuary with them, listening to the sermon through the doors. In a lot of ways, that was probably a good thing for me. I was able to hear and wrestle with the things I was hearing without being around any other people. It was essentially me and God for months.
I didn’t find the answers I was looking for at that church. About seven months after I started attending, some things happened that revealed it was not a healthy place to be and I never went back. I was left, however, with questions about what I had experienced when I first walked into the church and a curiosity about God that hadn’t been there before. There had also been a multitude of supernatural experiences that had left me uncertain about witchcraft and practicing magick. I had believed witchcraft to be a positive thing, something that benefited me and served to better me. I believed it was something I controlled. I cast, I summoned spirits, I connected with the supernatural at my whim and I manipulated energy to my benefit. I was beginning to realize it was possible not all was as I thought.
Over the next several years, I would go months without attending church and then attend for a time. Sometimes I would attend consistently, other times I would attend quite sporadically. The questions about God; who He is, what He wanted, why He showed up that day when I walked into the church and most of all, how I should respond to these things were always on my mind. It was a very difficult time for me. Everything I believed was being brought into question. My entire life was unsettled and I felt completely off balance. Magick was no longer a source of great comfort and security for me. All of the ritual I had incorporated in my life had taken on an edge. I was uncertain what was really real and what was really true.
As I attended various churches, I would sometimes go to the pastor and try to find answers to the questions I had. Sadly, the conversations rarely went well. I remember one pastor telling me I just had to have faith. When I told him I didn’t, his voice raised until he was almost yelling at me as he said “Then you’re in a lot of trouble!” I already knew that. I wanted to know how to change it. Over and over, I was told that God loves me. Love was a very difficult concept for me. I didn’t love the deities I worked with in witchcraft. I didn’t love the god or goddess. I respected them, revered them, expected certain things from them and offered things to them. Love was not part of witchcraft or magick. I could not grasp a deity, a God, who operates strictly out of love.
I was convinced there was no way God could love me. I had sat through enough church services to know that “God hates…!” me. So many things I was could follow that, and did in the services I sat in. I was everything He could never love, or so I thought. It took a long time for God to convince me otherwise. A friend once told me, “God loves you and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I knew if God loved me, there was nothing I could do about it. But I remained unconvinced that God did love me. The words stayed in my mind, though. Gradually, gently, over time, God worked on this. One day, I was sitting in a church service during the singing and the words of the song caught my attention. I stopped singing and just stared at the screen. I read the words through that song, and the next, and the one after that. Every song was about the love of God. As I stood there reading the words, I started thinking, “Maybe God really does love me.” It was then that I told God I would make Him the Lord of my life. “God, I’ll make you Lord, but I don’t know how. I’ll make you Lord of my life if you show me how to do that.”
He has shown me how to do that. He has also delivered me from the bondage I was in. I thought the spirits I summoned were good, or at least neutral. They were not. Appearances can be deceiving and in this case, I was deeply deceived. He continues to show me how deeply He loves me. Every day, I find myself in awe of the opportunity I have to serve God, to love Him and live for Him. He is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I am grateful that He pursued me when I didn’t even know I was lacking anything in my life.
I have chosen to leave out much of the darker side of this journey. I do want to make a note about spiritual warfare here at the end. Spiritual warfare is very real. There really is a battle for the lives and souls of people. The intensity of the battle can be absolutely overwhelming. I am grateful for those people who prayed for me, for those who held onto me when I couldn’t hold onto anything, and most of all to God for being bigger than anything and everything. The details of the battle matter only where they can offer encouragement to someone else. The final word belongs to God. He pursued me, He wooed me. When I responded to Him, He saved me completely and absolutely. He has since transformed me and continues to do so. I was happy with my life, content and satisfied with who I was and how I lived when I encountered God that day. But He had so much more for me. He still has so much more. I am grateful for the opportunity to find out what else He wants to do in my life.’
“The WordPress Stats prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog YourSpiritualQuest!
Here’s a few excerpts:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 11,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
The busiest day of the year was October 31st with 316 views. The most popular post that day was EX Satanist Jerry Blase on The 9 Satanic Statements.
These are the posts that got the most views in 2013. You can see all of the year’s most-viewed posts in your Site Stats.
1. Test The Spirits & Angels – All that glitters is not gold! March 2013
2. Spirits impersonate the LIVING & not JUST apparent ‘dead’ people or animals! November 2012
3. Deliverance Service,13th-14th Oct, London. September 2012
4. EX Satanist Jerry Blase on The 9 Satanic Statements. October 2013
5. EX Medium’s FREE online book, by John Cramphorn. April 2013
Some of your most popular posts were written before 2013. Your writing has staying power! Consider writing about those topics again.
Where did your readers come from? 98 countries in all! Most visitors came from The United States. The United Kingdom & Canada were not far behind.
Thanks for flying with WordPress.com in 2013. We look forward to serving you again in 2014! Happy New Year!”
I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for reading this blog and for your questions and comments throughout the year.
It was a great surprise to see there are almost 1,000 followers who have subscribed to this blog so far! It’s with a deep gratitude to the Lord, that I ponder on all He has done, His love & goodness to us all.
Also, a special thank you must be extended to those of you who provided guest articles and to those who allowed me permission to copy extracts from their articles or websites.
Your help is very much appreciated. This blog would not be the same without your input. May God bless you!
I realise many of you love Christmas, some of you dislike it, and for various reasons some even hate it. Either way, I hope you had a lovely time with your family and friends celebrating Jesus and the love and goodness of our great God.
I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for reading this blog and for your questions and comments throughout the year.
It was a great surprise to see there are almost 1,000 followers who have subscribed to this blog so far! It’s with a deep gratitude to the Lord, that I ponder on all He has done, His love & goodness to us all.
Also, a special thank you must be extended to those of you who provided guest articles and to those who allowed me permission to copy extracts from their articles or websites.
Your help is very much appreciated. This blog would not be the same without your input.
Numbers 6:24-26
‘The Lord bless you, and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.’
May you draw ever closer to our Father this coming year and may you know His presence and blessings in your life.
I was approached in April 2013 and asked to contribute an article in two new school books for the whole of Australia and also New Zealand.
I was very honoured and delighted to help spread the word about the love and grace of the Lord Jesus.
War Of The Spirit World
The new Australian school books, ‘War of the Spirit World’ – Student Handbook and also the Teacher’s Manual, by Leanne Hill. (For years 8–10). Published by Youth Works Australia.
Praise God, children and teachers in secular schools across Australia and NZ, are now reading these, learning more about Jesus and also my warnings of the occult!
Each lesson tackles a different aspect of end times and spiritual activity in our everyday world, directing students to the ultimate victory of Christ on the cross, and in the Christian life.
You can also read a sample, including Laura’s contribution on the last page:
“For more than 80 years Youthworks Media have provided churches & schools with resources to support, nurture & encourage children & youth. Reflecting our unique Australian culture, everyday language & lifestyle, our products ensure your program is fun & relevant to Australian and New Zealand kids, youth & families.”
Please pray the Holy Spirit uses these books to speak to the children and teachers all across Australia and New Zealand. Glory to God! Many thanks.
(As with all of the articles and chapters that I submit for books or magazines, I do so voluntarily and receive no payment or royalties).
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LAURA MAXWELL’S DISCLAIMER.
Laura Maxwell does not necessarily agree with all the information or conclusions presented by guest articles, in their TV or radio interviews, or in their interviews with Laura herself.
Many thanks for taking time to read and share the above post. For similar posts or details on Laura Maxwell, please see below.
Laura does not receive payment for writing in books and magazines, or appearing on TV, radio, or at events. All of her work is of a voluntary nature. Often she is gifted a free copy of the publication or DVD.
Our Spiritual Quest 