Epilepsy - When I was doing my A levels I had my first epileptic turn. It was called petit mal, so not a full blown seizure but scary never the less. When I was stressed it would happen more frequently and I had convinced myself that it was a helpful thing for me. It was like the release of a steam kettle when the pressure and heat became too great. One afternoon while I was walking God asked me why I had never asked for prayer for the epilepsy. I explained that I had certainly listened out in church or at conferences for words of knowledge about epilepsy but I realised that I had never proactively sought healing. There was a prayer meeting that I was supposed to go to in Dartford that evening so I committed to go and get prayed for. As soon as I stood to be prayed for and said that I wanted the epilepsy to go and fell on the floor and started for wretch. My friend laid her hands on me and prayed for freedom and healing. After a few minutes everything went still. I felt a tiny tear flow from one eye over the bridge of my nose and I knew the epilepsy had gone. Praise God!
Depression - Not long after becoming a Christian, my son was behaving really badly one day. We had to go for a dog walk and he wanted to bring his ride on tractor. A long story made brief, as I was disciplining my son two ladies came over and told me that I wasn't fit to be a mother. They told me I was a disgrace and my frightened son (terrified by these women) and I cut our walk short and headed home in shock. A dark depression loomed over me and I just couldn't shift it. It felt heavy and I felt hopeless. One day I forced myself to go for a run and as I was nearing home I heard God say, 'If you cannot get over this then you are not going to be able to withstand the journey I have in store for you'. I knew that I wanted to be free of this depression and be able to stand with Jesus against anything that came at me. Immediately, the dark cloud lifted. I started to cry with joy and punch the air like a maniac. I was free.
Superstition - As a teenager I became more and more superstitious. I wouldn't walk under ladders, put new shoes on the table, I said good morning to every magpie. I believed that these things could influence my destiny. I thought I got a 2:1 in my degree because I found a four leaf clover. Things escalated where I was obsessed with star signs and I moved on to tarot cards. When I encountered Jesus everything changed. Infact, He told me to go around my house and get rid of every tarot book, star sign book, dream interpretation book - anything linked to superstition or the occult. As I tipped everything I could find into my wheelie bin, I heard a huge cheer from heaven. I haven't looked back since. Jesus has set me free and he and he alone controls my destiny.
Anxiety - Christopher - When I joined Medway Vineyard I was stricken with anxiety, which I had been suffering with for about 4 years, in which time you could count the amount of times I left my house on one hand. After putting my faith in God and getting prayer to over come the anxiety God removed it from me. Shortly after I was set free by God's grace I was sitting at Andy and Sharon's home during small group and everybody had encountered dreams and messages from God during prayer to say that I was ready for work life again, I was terrified by this prospect but decided to put my trust in God again. Three weeks later after a fantastic interview without any anxiety experienced, I landed a job that I am still in to this day, and it truly feels like a God given gift to me. I've learnt that it truly is amazing the freedom that can be achieved through the gift of prayer
Stories to come:
More depression -
Sin -
The Occult -
Prejudice -
