So, what happened to Emily?

When I was about 5 years old I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Since then, my journey with the Lord has had peaks and valleys--not on His part, but in my own doing. Seasons of richness seeking Him and truly living for His glory and seasons where I was distracted, lost eternal focus, and lived only to serve myself. But God has been SO FAITHFUL & MERCIFUL, even when I was far away--He protected me, guided me, and drew me back to Himself.

So at this point, some of you might be saying "Whoa! I‘m not sure I even knew Emily had faith in Jesus—I knew she appeared moral and kind, and might have even assumed she was a Christian—but ‘JESUS’—this may be the first time I’ve heard her say His name.“ If that is what just went through your head—I want to sincerely humble myself before God and man and say I AM SORRY and I REPENT!

I had lost sight of what Jesus meant when He said DIE to YOURSELF—pick up your cross and follow ME (Galatians 2:20)!

For years, I let:

comfortability

indifference

apathy

lukewarm-ness

selfishness

keep me silent for Jesus because I feared MAN more than I feared GOD ALMIGHTY. I believed the LIE FROM SATAN HIMSELF that my only obligation as a Christian is to lead a life that reflects Christ so that others will see HIM through my actions.

Friends, a half truth is still a LIE.

Morality will not get you into the Kingdom of Heaven—transformational faith that causes you to live a life fully surrendered & obedient to Jesus Christ is the you ONLY way to access God the Father. Yes, we are saved by GRACE alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), but Faith without works was never true transformational faith, it was always dead (James 2:14-26). Even Satan and his demons believe in God and that the Savior is Jesus—but he belongs to kingdom of darkness because the knowledge of God was not enough for him to surrender his life to the Lordship of Jesus.

Yes, Jesus wants us to live a life worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1) (some see this as morality/good works)—but above all, we are called to model our lives after the ministry and life of Jesus Himself (1 John 2:6, 1 Cor. 11:1, Eph. 5:1-2, Galations 3:27). All throughout His time on earth Jesus healed the sick, delivered people from bondage/demonic oppression, and declared—“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near (Matthew 4:17)”! He commanded us to preach the Gospel, make disciples, and teach them to obey all of His commands (Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭). Jesus also said that we will do the same works and even greater works than He did on earth (John 14:12)—fully empowered and taught by the Holy Spirit within us (1 John 2:27, Luke 12:12, Mark 13:11, John 14:26, John 16:7, 12-14, Acts 1:8).

I say all this to lay the Biblical foundation for the the story I am about to share. In a single moment, the POWER of God working through me (a little, broken vessel), marked me and I will never be the same.

SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO EMILY?

In March 2022, I traveled down to Belize to see my sister and her family who are missionaries there. My purpose of the trip was just to spend quality family time—ministry and outreach was NOT on my mind at all. In fact, I thought of this as a “vacation week”. In addition, I had NEVER been on a mission trip so I had zero context for precisely what they do everyday or that I would be thrown into ministry while I was there.

So one night, we loaded up several cars and began picking kids up from all over this village. We gathered in an open-air church building and my brother-in-Law and sister began leading a Bible study. My sister (Courtney) talked about what our walk with Christ often looks like and how we have to depend on the voice of God to lead us through whatever we face. She asked these young girls if they felt like they had ever heard God’s voice before—she went around asking them directly and several of them said NO. She challenged them to pray and ask God to speak and reveal Himself throughout their week.

After Courtney finished speaking—she divided the girls up into groups for prayer. She sent me with 4 girls on my own. This was NOT AT ALL what I had anticipated doing—I fully assumed I would be that awkward American spectator—not actively participating in ministering to their hearts.

I told them that I wanted to go around one-by-one to pray instead of praying all at once—this was really just to help me with names! One girl, a young teen, wanted to wait until last for prayer.

When it came time to pray for her, she told me that she needed prayer for her mind and thoughts. I asked several questions to gain more specifics. She opened up and told me she had frequent thoughts of unworthiness, self-hatred, self-bitterness, and unforgiveness. She recognized these were not her thoughts. Then she told me that when Courtney had asked her if she heard God’s voice, SHE FELT SOMEONE SMACK THE BACK OF HER HEAD AND PUSH HER FACE DOWN. After she said this, while she was talking to me—her EYES ROLLED ALL AROUND IN HER HEAD and she was NOT able to make eye contact with me. When I asked if she ever had thoughts of hurting herself—she said YES.

I began talking to her about how, even as believers in Christ, we can allow things into our life that open the door legally, in the spiritual realm, for demonic oppression. I explained how this could be through generational sin, past abuse, or sin/compromise in our own life. I discussed how things like witchcraft, unbelief, anger, unforgiveness, sexual sin, and any unrepented sin can cause open doors for the Accuser (Satan) and his demons to oppress and torment us. I told her about my past history with unbelief and how I use to feel like God would never heal me from anxiety and that it would be something I dealt with for the rest of my life (But God delivered me!!— *I will share that story soon!!*). I told her that the Bible says if we confess with our mouth and repent of those things, Jesus will heal us (James 5:16).

I asked her if she wanted to be free, she hesitated and then she told me SHE FELT LIKE SHE COULDN’T BREATH AND LIKE SOMEONE WAS CHOKING HER. I asked her again if she wanted to be free and she said YES.

I began to pray for her and the moment I placed my hand on her head she began coughing repeatedly. I continued to pray—rebuking the spirit of death, anxiety, and depression over her life and commanding it to leave in the name of Jesus— her whole body began to relax and I felt a calmness resting on her. I asked the Holy Spirit to come and fill her. Then, she stood up from her chair, still coughing—and went to the door to spit outside. I told her that I believe Jesus just healed her and set her free. She began smiling so big and said she felt like a huge weight had dropped, like it had been lifted off of her shoulders!! Jesus set her FREE!!

Guys, this encounter wrecked me in the most beautiful way. I left that moment so hungry for more of Jesus. To witness God’s power in that way—that single moment marked me with the Fear of the Lord! I was overcome with a profound reverence for the power and holiness of God that I had never understood before. My desires completely shifted—it was like God revealed that the Gospel I had believed my whole life, for myself, really did have the power to heal and deliver! I had seen demons cast out of people through ministries on the internet/social media…I had heard stories about it happening in other countries and during historical revival periods…and I had certainly read about it in the Bible with all the accounts of Jesus and his disciples delivering people...BUT I had NEVER seen it in-person and had NEVER seen God work through me in that way—to allow others to encounter His power and authority!

I have had many experiences with the Holy Spirit and I’ve witnessed God’s power—but it was always something done FOR me (often via the intercession of other people), not THROUGH me!

After this moment in Belize—God reminded me of my walk with Him throughout high school and how I so often prayed and hungered to see deliverance and healing in my lifetime. I believe this was a seed of longing that he planted long ago—by His grace. I craved to bear witness to His Glory & Power in this life. God had laid the foundation in my mind, soul, and spirit at a young age so that when this girl began manifesting demons on my "vacation”—I would know exactly what He was calling me to do, without fear, and with the authority we have through Jesus Christ.

So to say it again—THIS MOMENT WRECKED ME. I came home from this trip and the “EMILY” I once knew—has not been the same. I‘ve completely ”lost myself” (what Jesus calls dying to self) to the hunger and humility of seeking the Lord—but in that, I have found complete FULLNESS of Life in Christ Jesus! He is the only ONE who can truly satisfy the longings in our soul. I will choose a life of obedience to the God of this Universe over my own reputation, comfortability, and will—because the blood of Jesus truly has the power to save!

SO, WHAT HAPPENED TO EMILY?—I‘ll tell you! “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬