A Testimony of God’s Amazing Grace

I was not sure if I wanted to add this story as part of my testimony in this book. After I heard from the Holy Spirit, who spoke to my heart, I knew God wanted the world to know, both believers and unbelievers—especially those who are struggling or have strayed—about His amazing grace.

I remember one day in my devil-worshipping days God brought to remembrance a couple that I knew who were also involved in the religion. They were married for many years. One day the husband fell in love with another woman at his workplace. This affair went on for a very long time. His wife, Maria, started to notice changes going on in her marriage by her husband’s behavior. Sometime later she started to follow her husband when he would leave the house. One day she confronted him while he was making a call from a pay phone on the street to the other woman. A big scandal took place in the family to the point that she was thinking of divorcing her husband. But she thought of a better idea. “Why let this woman keep my husband and I lose everything? Instead, I can hire John Ramirez to kill her through witchcraft and still keep my husband.”

Sometime later I got a phone call from Maria, crying and telling me everything that had happened between her and her husband, how he had been unfaithful, and that she would give me anything I wanted if I would cast a spell and kill this other woman through witchcraft. My response was to give me a few days and I would think about it. I went behind the scenes and called out the devil to ask permission to destroy the other woman, and his answer was yes. He would give me all the power I needed to accomplish her death, and he gave me a recipe from the pit of hell on how to get it done.

Days later Maria stopped by and asked me how much it would cost for me to kill this woman with witchcraft. I told her $10,000, but something strange happened as Maria was walking out of my apartment. She turned to me and said, “By the way, this woman is a Christian.” I stopped Maria in her tracks and said, “If that’s the case, it will be my pleasure to do it for free. I hate these fake church- going people, and I’m going to teach her the lesson of a lifetime.” Even though I worshipped the devil, I knew of God and His ways. But I also knew that He was my enemy. So I was determined to destroy this so-called Christian woman. The spell was cast. Because I also had a relationship with Maria’s husband, I waited and hoped that someday he would inform me that his mistress was on her deathbed. He did not have a clue that I had a mandate from the devil to take her out.

As months went by there was no news reported about her condition. So I started one night to call on the demons assigned to kill her, but there was no response. All I knew was that she was still going to church from time to time even though she was involved with a married man. One night while

at home, I heard the voice of the devil telling me that his mission of killing her had been aborted. I was so angry I kept asking why. “Why do we have to stop now?” I asked. “It’s just a matter of days and she will be dead. I don’t want to stop. Kill her. My reputation is on the line. She must die.” The devil, with a loud voice, said, “No! Her God said leave her alone.”

I was in awe of the whole thing. Even though she was committing adultery, through God’s amazing grace and the love of Jesus Christ, God had mercy on her. There was no devil in hell, in espiritismo, and in Palo Mayombe that could take her life because God had placed a hedge of protection around her. That was true love. Now that I am saved, I understand how incredible God’s love is, even for the backslider. There are many stories in the Old Testament such as the life of David, who committed adultery and murder, yet God had mercy on him. Or Moses, who committed murder, but God had mercy on him as well. In the New Testament we hear of a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. Though many wanted to stone her, again Jesus had mercy on her. There is no other love or grace in the universe bigger than the love of Jesus. “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Pila’s Testimony: I wanted to share this with all of you. I just reconnected with a brother in Christ, John, after many years. I first met him after he had gotten saved in 1999, when another sister in Christ and I went to meet him. We didn’t even know him but heard a little bit of his testimony and wanted to hear more for ourselves. So we met up with him at some pizza joint on the Upper East Side near where he lives. I have to say that I was completely riveted by his testimony of the life he left behind in Palo Mayombe, which is the deadliest, darkest side of the religion. He basically was serving Satan. However, he came to the Lord, which is a miracle in and of itself. To my knowledge, study, and experience, no one gets out of this life alive. It’s obvious that God’s hand was upon him.

I had the privilege of meeting John in his humble beginnings. I actually had the heart and desire to encourage him as I remember telling him that God was going to use him in a mighty way and that he would one day write a book. Well, I’m happy to report that his first book is now out. To God be ALL the glory! Hallelujah! Praise His holy name!

Lucy’s Testimony: My name is Lucy. I lived in Parkchester in the Bronx for eleven years. One summer day my daughter, Monique, and I decided to go for a walk. She was expecting her third child.

As we were walking down Metropolitan Avenue, a man dressed in white from head to toe walked by. We noticed he had a cross around his neck that was hanging upside down. My daughter said, “I’m crossing the street, I don’t want to walk by that evil man.” I was young in the Lord but I said, “In the name of Jesus, how could anyone have a cross hanging upside down?” Every hair on my body stood up. I immediately started to plead the blood of Jesus over myself and on this man dressed in white.

Throughout those years, as I waited for the bus, I would see this mysterious man dressed in white. Every time I saw him I would pray for him, praying that one day he would come out of darkness and into the light.

In September 2006, I moved to Orlando, Florida. It is here that I found a church where I started learning more and growing in my relationship with the Lord. One day, I met this mysterious man (John Ramirez) as he and his friend drove from New York looking for the pastor of the Orlando church. As I saw John, he did not have the evil look as he did in New York. He informed me that he was no longer serving the enemy but was serving the Lord wholeheartedly.

I was really excited for John. Seeing how the Lord could change his life in such an awesome way, I began to praise my Lord, thanking Him for the transformation of John’s body, mind, and spirit. I give God all the glory and praise.

Norma’s Testimony: My name is Norma, and this is how I came to know John Ramirez. Back in the early ‘90s, my sister in the Lord and I routinely met every week at a neighborhood diner on Parkchester Avenue in the Bronx. I used to see this young man, always dressed in white from head to toe, and I knew by his attire that he was Santero. His appearance impressed me. He was a tall, handsome young man with jet-black hair, olive skin, and dark eyes. He seemed to be intelligent. Yet he was involved in such an evil lifestyle. The first thing that came out of me was: “Lord, deliver him from this evil life!” There was an aching feeling in my heart for him, although I didn’t know him, but God did, and this was sufficient, for only He could put this burden or care in our hearts for a stranger, and the Word says we must pray for lost souls (2 Pet. 3:9). Every time I’d see him, when walking or standing at the bus stop, he would pass by me and I’d get chills and a kind of fear would take hold of me, but immediately I would plead the blood of Christ over me and against those evil spirits that had this young man bound.

One day as my friend and I were meeting at the diner, he (John) walked in, and right away I started praying and extended my hand in his direction. My friend got afraid and said to stop and that besides people were staring at me. My answer was: “I couldn’t care less about it, for this is more important. My concern is for the strongholds in his life to be broken and for him to see the light of Christ and have that encounter with Jesus.” As I prayed, all of a sudden he turned around looking in our direction as if someone or something got his attention. Quickly I put my hand down, but I finished my prayer. For a couple of years after that day, I didn’t see him. I thought he’d probably moved away. Nonetheless I prayed he would get saved and delivered.

Lo and behold, my daughter’s best friend had invited me to visit her church, and one Sunday I decided to go and asked my sister and a very dear friend to come with me. We went to the address and couldn’t find it, for there was only this old house and no sign or church name to identify it. We walked back and forth, and I walked a little behind them, when all of a sudden I heard someone asking what we were looking for and if he could help. My sister told him we were looking for the church, and he said: “You’re right here. Come, follow me.” But I froze and didn’t move. My God, this is the young man from Parkchester! The voodoo guy. This is a setup from Satan. This might be a Santeria place. They were calling me and I was scared, but they followed him inside. I walked behind in case I had to run. Then I saw Ellie, my daughter’s friend, and my senses came back to me.

As I came into the church and sat down, I told the person who invited me, “He used to be the witchcraft guy. Now he’s saved? There were several times that I prayed for him as he passed me by. It felt like hell had passed me by.” Ellie insisted that I tell him, but I said no, it is sufficient that the Lord knows, but she told him. John came and thanked me for my prayers and of course wanted to hear all the details.

I thank God for John’s salvation and deliverance!

Date: 2015-01-11; view: 739