Testimony – Arielle
For those of you who don’t know me. My name is Arielle and this is my testimony.
In the past something very sad happened to my family. And I couldn’t see how we would ever recover. I blamed the Lord, Jesus Christ, in particular. I took His name in vain, and swore at Him breaking the commandment many times over.
I had been a Christian until this happened. But I couldn’t understand how God could allow something like this. So, I decided to just live my life here in this world and that I would go to the grave when I died. I didn’t want to be a Christian anymore nor did I want to go to Heaven.
After a while, whether it was months or years I cannot say, but a group of Christians invited me to the local Pastor’s home for a meeting & prayer. It was close by so I decided to go and I walked there. I enjoyed the time spent there and the fellowship so I continued to attend. Then, at some point I noticed that I’d stopped taking God’s name in vain and blaming Him for everything.
As I became more interested in our small group something strange began to happen. I started having what I thought were stress dreams or nightmares. I was working, studying full time and bringing up two children on my own, so it could have been stress related. One night I was sound asleep but I woke up, terrified. Looking around the room my eyes adjusted to the dark and then I saw a huge, dark shadow of a man standing beside my bed. I jumped out of bed screaming and running from the room. Once I calmed down a bit I decided it was probably a stress dream or a nightmare.
However, I continued to have “stress dreams” and they were becoming more frequent, two or three times a week. Then one night I woke up absolutely terrified and I sensed a presence was in the room. I automatically said, “who are you?”. Then this hideously evil looking spirit in a rasping voice answered my question in another language which I couldn’t understand. I screamed and ran out of my room. Once in the hallway I realized these weren’t stress dreams at all. I was being harassed by spirits and demons, or the shadow people as they’re sometimes referred to.
I began to pray to God for the Holy Spirit…I read the Bible. I needed the whole armour of God. Especially the helmet of salvation. But I wasn’t sure how to put the armour of God on. By this stage I had accepted God the Father, but I was reluctant to accept Jesus Christ. And the visits from the shadow people continued. The local pastor came over with friends from my small group. They all prayed and the Pastor anointed the house & me. But the night shadows kept coming. I decided to cast the demons out of my house by commanding in the name of Jesus Christ that they leave. But it didn’t work. So I decided to sleep with the Bible open on my chest. Surely the word of God would make them go. But no. This continued on for 18 months or more and I reached a level of despair that is indescribable. Is this how my life is going to be from now on?
However, I persevered and kept reading the Bible and Christain literature given to me. Then one night I awoke and decided to go straight to my knees and pray. I prayed desperately & earnestly for the Holy Spirit. I was in a dry and thirsty land. When I finished praying I got up and sat on the end of my bed when suddenly (it was as if the back of my brain flipped forward) and there in front of me was a huge Sanctuary and I could see Jesus Christ walking towards me. He was all white like white lightning. His hair, face, hands and feet were white like lightning…and his robe was pure white with a golden sash around His waist. I seemed to be standing at an open doorway looking in and I noticed that as He walked towards me He appeared to be looking around as if searching for something. The vision ended there and I slept soundly the rest of the night.
Then one morning while sitting in bed I decided to read through the new SDA lesson pamphlet. It was entitled Discipleship. And when I turned to page 43 something like a River flowed through me. It was Peace like a River from the top of my head, down through my body it seemed to flow out like a River. I decided I needed to read what was on page 43. It was about the Woman at the Well. I opened my Bible and read John chapter 4 and at verse 26 where Jesus says, “I am He who speaks to you” it was at that moment I knew Jesus is who He says He is. He is Jesus Christ who lived and died on Calvary’s cross & He’s alive forever more. I totally accepted Jesus in that moment and I know He is our Creator. After that no more night shadows as Perfect love cast out all fear.
Thanks for reading my testimony.
God Bless You.