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Testimony of Graham Ries

Submitted by the reporter on Sun, 10/18/2009 - 12:45

When Trevor asked for testimonies a few Sundays ago, I thought, “Yes, there are a few I could share” but then decided that any ONE testimony could NEVER tell all God has done for me so folks, please just allow me to say that if there is anyone who is prepared to stand up and fight for, bring glory and honour to, Jesus – it is I. Allow me to tell you that from my own personal experiences with Our Loving Father, Jesus Christ, (and there have been many) everything you hear from the pulpit of this wonder-filled and spirit driven church is 100% TRUE. 

The world of demons? True.
Angels? True.
Spiritual warfare going on in the realms around us? True.
God’s mercy, love and saving grace? TRUE!!!
That there is a whole lot more to life and living and dying? True!
 
I for one have experienced the raw evil, the utterly destructive power of satan. (Use of lower case ‘s’ deliberate. I will not give this entity the light of day, not the tiniest foothold.) I have unintentionally been at the hand of his demons, through simply being in the very wrong place at the very wrong time.
 
I have seen the immeasurable hatred, the uncontrolled evil on the faces of demoniacs (hatred not directed at me personally but at Jesus Christ who lives in me), one occasion of which gave me such a heck of a fright I fell right on my butt in the driveway of my house!
 
I have experienced the utter hypocrisy of the church as a whole, having literally been chased from Bible School for having had bad experiences in life.
 
I lost my life (metaphorically speaking), winding up very nearly on the streets of South Africa through Christian people taking me for every penny I had – my home, everything. I forgive them. They will have much explaining to do on that Grand and Wonderful day of Our Lord Jesus! But I’m not going to waste my time – the time Father has allotted to me – bearing pointless grudges against people who don’t even know I exist. But I can promise you that wasn’t the case three years ago. But that is a separate testimony.
 
Very recently I was involved with a Christian businessman right here in Port Elizabeth who saw absolutely nothing wrong in laying claim to intellectual property of mine, stuff I worked on for the last 10 years – in the name of ‘business’.  He and I are no longer working together, Praise God!
 
I have been pulled out of the way of certain death by an Angel – and have seen (in my spirit) the power and security provided by anointing oil…
 
I have, many times, felt the Holy Spirit, moving in a building or in a service. I have felt His Guiding, loving Presence in my flat, alone.
 
I have felt the spiritual weight of guilt and shame, like a physical weight that one might use on a scale being placed on my back and shoulders as a I negotiated with someone whether to go to church or not – pressing me down so hard that I had to call out “OK, OK! We’ll go to church!”
 
I have heard the audible voice of God on two separate occasions – 30 years apart - and it is a humbling experience but one that makes absolutely everything that spirit-filled and knowledgeable pastors and leaders tell you – absolutely unequivocally true.
 
The life I was born to live is only just now opening up. 50 years in preparation, I feel like I have only just been born and that I am being groomed to take up some incredible task, a task that has been waiting, just for me. It is an exciting feeling and one I hope to be able to share with and involve everyone in this wonderful church in…
 
I’d like to extend my heartfelt thank you to each and every member of the spirit-filled family of the Lighthouse, never in my life, any where and at any time ever, have I been made to feel so very welcome by everyone!
 
God Bless each and every one of you as we move forward together, under the anointed pastoring of Brother Trevor Anderson, in Christ Jesus, Our Wonderful Lord and Saviour!
Lt6Si99x