God's grace and power to heal

[PETER]

Hi my name is Peter, and I have recently come to The Lord by way of a true miracle and encounter with a Messenger of God. I am 57 years old, and for 40 of those years I danced with the devil, lived a shameful live of sin, drugs, booze and tobacco, and a lifetime of physical and mental problems, and I was diagnosed with advanced arthritis three years ago, along with other medical problems. I was born with a broken spine and lived a life of pain, all my life up until Nov 8 2007. To be a little brief, I was scheduled for spinal surgery on that date, and for 6 years up to that date I walked with the aid of a cane, could only walk short distances, I slept in a chair all that time, and took both medical and illegal drugs to help cope with the pain and bouts of depression. I had been drinking and doing drugs since the mid 60's, I started smoking tobacco when I was 13. This is my problem in short.

My wife started me in my belief in God about 2 years ago, she was always a good person, I'll never know what she saw in me. For a week up to my surgery we prayed for a good surgery, but the prognosis was poor, I had to have several fractures in my spine fused, broken bone removed and steel rods and screws inserted. I was told I would be in hospital for up to four weeks, possibly more, I would require heavy pain medication, a lot of physiotherapy and maybe never work again. So I prayed, and asked God to cure me or take me, I really wanted to die, at that time I didn't realize where I would end up if he took me.

While under the knife, I had a visit frrom an Angel of The Lord, he told me that I had to "Go Back", at the time I didn't know what He meant, but he said that God would cure my body and my mind, but I had to work on my soul and spirit, but He would point the way for me, and send me help. The surgery was to be 1 1/2 to two hours long, it went into 7 hours, my heart stopped twice, simply I died. When I woke up in recovery the surgeons, nurses etc looked very worried, but I had never fely better in my life, I felt that a great burden was lifted, and I immediately knew why. I was told that they had many complications, that my legs may not move, but they did, no problem, all Praise and Thanks to God!!! I was pain free in 4 days, and although they said I would have to learn to walk again, on the 4th day I got out of bed and walked up to the nursing station, the head nurse looked up from her desk, and in total awe said "I don't believe this!" Then everyone stood up and clapped.

was out of hospital in eight days, off all medications in 14 days, including illegal drugs, in fact I never touched those drugs, tobacco or booze from Nov 6th onward. After 40 years of that abuse I walked away from it without any withdrawal symptoms, I walked away from a lifetime of pain and depression drugs the same way. A follow up CAT Scan showed that my advanced arthritis was completely gone, I was back to work within three months, I walk without a cane, I'm pain free for the first time in all my life, All Thanks To Our Saviour Jesus and it get better still.

wondered why God had saved a rotten wretch like me, and Pastor Tim Hynes of The Lighthouse of Hope United Pentecostal Church came into my life. That was in December 2007. He started me on a bible study in my home, and I started to attend his church. Since then both my wife and I have been baptized in The Name of Jesus, filled with The Holy Ghost, spoke in tongues, and we have Jesus in our daily life now. I do all I can for my small but so wonderful Church because it is a part of God's work he sent me back to do. My life is so rich, full and wonderful, to be free of drugs, pain and depression makes me see life differently, and both my wife and i have given our live over to Jesus, we try to live a Holy life, and I give my testimony whenever and wherever I can. God is just so awesome and good, I wish I had found him before this.

Sorry to be so long winded, but it is a story my Pastor says I should tell the whole world. it's so good to find your web site too. I actually found it looking for Gospel and Hymn lyrics to paste into word documents for our new overhead projector at Church. God Bless this site, i hope my testimony helps someone struggling with life. It's also on DVD and can be mailed out to any Church. I'd love to mail one to everyone, but it gets expensive, and my life of sin has left me a bad way financially, but even that is getting better. Again God Bless you all.