Once Saved, Always Saved? 6h4719

ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED?

VICENTE RANGEL

Copyright © 2017 by Vicente Rangel. Editor and translator: Vicente Rangel

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017909535 ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-5065-2082-7 Softcover 978-1-5065-2081-0 eBook 978-1-5065-2080-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Rev. date: 16/06/2017

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CONTENTS

Words from the author

Preface

Chapter 1 Once saved, always saved?

Chapter 2 Wanderers in life

Chapter 3 My youth

Chapter 4 Our Wedding Day

Chapter 5 My surrender to Christ

Chapter 6 My backsliding from God for thirteen years

Chapter 7 The Consequences of my backsliding

Chapter 8 More suffering awaits me

Chapter 9 Possessed by the demon

Chapter 10 Grafted in Christ after being cut off

Chapter 11 A manifestation of the Holy Spirit

Chapter 12 Experiences in Healings and Liberations

Chapter 13 Leaving everything and responding to God’s calling

Chapter 14 Diabolic influence in a person’s subconscious

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife Oralia, for her great love and understanding and for tolerating me in all those years that I was lost in sin and pleasures of the world. For a long life of living together and for being an ideal help in my Ministry.

To my four children, Joel, Josué, Adrian Lee and Miguel, for the love and respect that they have for me, in spite of the life I lived. To my beloved daughter, Eva, for her great love and affection in caring for me and my wife.

And to my brother Silbiano, who never forgotten me, and never lost his faith in God that someday He would transform my life.

My prayer is that all my children would live for God and teach their children too, so that their children can also teach their children. In this manner, each Rangel’s generation will get to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior and be a faithful witness of Christ. So that through their testimonies, others would also believe in Him as it is illustrated in Psalm 78:5-8 “For he gave his laws to Israel, and commended our fathers to teach them to their children, so that they in turn could teach their children too. Thus, his laws will be ed down from generation to generation. In this manner each generation will be able to obey his laws and to set its hope anew on God and will not forget his glorious miracles. Thus, they do not need to be as their fathers were—stubborn, rebellious, unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”

GRATITUDE

My first and greatest gratitude is towards God, for he has given me a second opportunity by having comion on me.

I thank Jesus Christ, for being patient with me when I was lost and despite of rejecting him so many times, he endured it all because he loves me.

I thank the Holy Spirit, who comforted me, strengthened me and guided me during my journey in this life.

And last, I praise God for giving me the wisdom and knowledge for the translation of the book in English.

WORDS FROM THE AUTHOR

I would like to take advantage of this opportunity that the Lord has given me to share my testimony with my readers, which is based on my personal life in drugs at an early age. And when I had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ, back then I had a desire to become a missionary. But for thirteen years, I backslide again to the world of sins, having a firm conviction that there was no hope for me, yet God was merciful because he freed me from a life lost in sin and he grafted me again in Christ. He also restored my marriage that was on the verge of divorce, giving me the undeserved enjoyment to have a wife and family when I was about to lose them. Up to this date, 2017, me and my wife have been serving God for forty-six years. One of my greatest desire is that through this book, all can understand how spirits from hell are still on the loose to destroy the Christian and God’s church. The Bible says that one third of the angels were dethroned from heaven along with Satan. They became the demons that exist, and they are here on earth not for vacation but to steal, kill, and destroy.

PREFACE

Once saved, always saved? Many Christians believe that you cannot lose your salvation. Another notable group believes that there is a possibility that it can be lost. Within the evangelical’s this issue has caused a great controversy, although the most important thing is what the Bible, the Holy Word of God, says. But if both groups quote the same scriptures to prove the truth, who then should we believe? I explain with all clarity, citing scriptures that both groups , and I explain how through the years many have wrongly understood the Bible concerning this subject. This is not because of their ignorance, but because of their disbelief.

If a person have Biblical theological titles, people may actually believe everything they say without considering or investigating if it’s in accordance with what the Bible says. Acts 17:11, says: “But the people of Berea, were more open minded than those in Thessalonica, and gladly listened to the message. They search the scriptures day by day to check up on Paul and Silas’ statements to see if they were really so” That is why we should study God’s Word carefully to confirm if what we have been taught is true.

When I was pastoring a church in Mount Olive, NC, I had a bible study with a certain Pastor, who had a doctorate in Bible and a copy of the Bible in Hebrew, the same one that he would use to give us studies.

One day I asked him, “Brother, what does this scripture means?” and I showed him, Romans 11:18-22 where it says: “But you must be careful not to brag about being put in to replace the branches (Jews) that were broken off. that you are important only because you are now a part of God’s tree; you are just a branch, not a root. Well you must be saying those branches were broken off to make room for me so I must be real nice. Watch out! that those

branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn’t believe God, and you are there only because you do. Do not be proud; be humble and grateful–and careful. For if God, did not spare the branches he put in the first place, he won’t spare you either. Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is very hard on those who disobey, but very good to you if you continue to love and trust him. But if you don’t you too will be cut off. He answered me, “Brother, the fact is that God will cut us out on certain things!”

Derived from the previous comment, let’s take note of two things — # 1: it says: If you remain in that kindness, “It’s a condition” – # 2: says: Otherwise you will also be cut off. “It’s a warning to the person” The interpretation that he gave me was not because of ignorance but because of his disbelief, because he didn’t believe what it says in this age.

1 Peter 4:11—says: “Are you called to preach? Then preach as though God himself were speaking through you.” I was just a child when my father told me, “Son if your word is worthless, you’re not worth a penny!” And through the years I haven’t forgotten that phrase… so small, but at the same time so significant.

When I say something, I don’t try to prove it; my word is enough and much more when it is ed by the Word of God. Christ said in Matthew5:36-37 “Don’t even swear by my head for you can’t turn one hair white or black Say just a simple yes, I will’ or No I won’t’ Your word is enough.” The experiences I want to share with my readers are my personal life experiences, and they are ed by what the bible says. Therefore, I have proven to myself, by the experiences I live, God’s word confirmed it, when I was able to forgive the man I wanted to kill. God’s Word confirmed me, that it is possible to “Love our enemies” And what the Bibles says, confirms the experiences that I lived. Turning away from the Lord for thirteen years, confirms me that the person’s condition becomes worse. It may seem to you as repetitive, but this is totally the reality! “No one can give what he doesn’t have, or speak what he doesn’t know. I am trying to teach the Bible with clarity, in an understanding manner and with no

desire to create any confusion. I am not seeking for the praise of men or hoping to please men, but to please him who freed me from the power of darkness and transported me to the kingdom of his beloved Son. Galatians 1:10 Apostle Paul, says: “You can see that I am not trying to please you by sweet talk and flattery; no, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please men, I could not be Christ’s servant.” The Holy Spirit that’s in me inspires me to write fearfully, reverently, with humility and above all, with great gratitude, ing all the experiences I have had and how God in his infinitive mercy had pity on me, though I didn’t deserve it. For this reason and after many years of wanting to write this book, now I extract from the word of God this truth, related to the subject of Salvation. The truth that has been before our eyes all the time, but the devil had deceived many Christians into believing what is contrary to what the Word of God says. He makes them believe the concepts of men instead of believing the whole context of God’s word.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Hold tightly to the pattern of truth I taught you, especially concerning the faith and Love Christ Jesus offer you. Guard well the splendid, God- giving ability you received as a gift from the Holy Spirit who lives within you.” When someone teaches in ignorance, it’s not the same as when someone teaches by disbelief. When someone teaches in his ignorance but with a sincere heart, God doesn’t look at his error but at his sincerity and guides him to all truth. But when someone teaches wrong due to disbelief, he doubts God’s Word and He won’t honor that attitude.

In our journey through these pages, we will see how an evil spirit has been able to influence Christianity. This is a spirit of diabolic origin that begins in the Garden of Eden.

In Genesis 3:4-5, we can see how the devil made Eve believe what he wanted her to believe, (V-6). Eve convinced Adam to believe the way the Devil made her believe. This is diabolic influence, a spirit that has to do with what people believe. It is transmitted to the person’s subconscious and influence him to disbelieve the true meaning of God’s word; therefore, he will believe that the

salvation cannot be lost. Through this ideology, many Believers live in adultery, fornication, pornography, avarice, lies and all kind of sins believing that they cannot lose their salvation. In case this people have been cut off, there is still hope if they experience a sincere repentance, this is God’s Divine’s Grace. Romans 11:23 says, on the other hand that if the Jews leave their disbelief behind them and come back to God, He will graft them in to the tree again; He has the power to do it.

On several occasions, I have asked Pastors who are well studied in the Scriptures and they would tell me, “it means to say this…” and I would tell them “no! It doesn’t mean to say this; it means what it says there, and period.” The Bible doesn’t need the opinion of anyone, it speaks for itself and gives light through the Holy Spirit to those who honor his Word and believe with simplicity in their hearts. What John15: 3-6 says, is not too difficult to understand, but it is difficult for many to believe: “He has already tended (Clean) you by pruning you back for greater strength and usefulness by means of the commands I give you. Take care to live in me, and let me live in you, for a branch can’t produce fruit when severed (Separate) from the vine, neither can you be fruitful apart from me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches, whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit. For apart from me you can’t do a thing, if anyone separates from me he is throwing away like a useless branch, withers, and is gathered into a pile with all the others and burned’. To the same ones he tells (In another version it says), “You’re already clean, He tells them again in (V-6) If any one does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and dries; such branches are picked up, thrown in to the fire (Hell) and burned.” It is a warning that Jesus spoke to those who probably would be cut off.

The Bible speaks of conditions and warnings but most preachers don’t put emphasis over them, if there is a danger of losing the salvation, they just ignore those scriptures. The devil doesn’t want people to give importance to these conditions and warnings, and less to believe in them. Check these scriptures in the Daily living study Bible, or the Matthew Henry Bible commentary, they are contrary to what the Word of God really says. Then check what I teach in these verses and see who’s teaching the truth; I just try to teach with simplicity what the Bible says, because I believe in it. These conditions and warnings were

written to get our attention and we should not ignore them, because they come from God. A condition is a requirement for something to be accomplished, and a warning indicates danger.

I would like to say in a kindly way to those who believe that salvation cannot be lost, if God has made a change in your life and you have returned back to the world, but you have not come to repent of your sins, I beg you return to Christ before it is too late and don’t risk being cut off. “Once saved, always saved?” That is very true! There are a lot of Bible scriptures that can assure us of that. But we must take the whole context of the Bible, — Romans 11:22 says: “Provided you continue in his goodness (God’s Love), otherwise you also will be cut off.” Isn’t that what Jesus was saying? In John 15:4 I would also like to onish those that made a profession of faith but still live to the pleasures of the world, while going to church and believing they are saved. Repent in truth! God wishes to forgive you, it doesn’t matter how deep you have sink in sin. But don’t continue in that condition deceiving yourself. James 4:4 says: “You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies – the evil pleasures of this world – makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God.” And, Hebrews 10:38, says: “And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting him in everything, otherwise if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them.”

The experiences we’ve been living helped us to reflect where we at, either to change direction and turn our lives to God, or it could affect us for the worst, the rest of our lives. How sad it would be for someone to end up alone, regretting and asking himself, wondering what ever happened to my family? I say this because I almost lost it all.

I experience some hard blows in my life that left me with terrible scars. After being saved, I backslide to the world and I was even possessed by the demon, but the Grace of God extended toward me and freed me from the claws of the

devil and hell. How can I not be grateful to God? He gave me the privilege to see my children grow up to an adult age by my side.

CHAPTER 1 Once saved, always saved?

Where are God’s preachers that are preaching holiness? Hebrews12:14 says, “Try to stay out of all quarrels and seek to live a clean and Holy life, for one who is not Holy will not see the he Lord.” I very well when the preaching behind pulpits, the messages were juiced up with lemon, then seasoned with salt, and then anointed with oil, to heal the scars left by the sins of the flesh. How sad it is that there are preachers committing adultery and with the firm and vain conviction “that they do not lose their salvation” These men started well! Don’t judge them saying they were never saved. I was saved! But I departed from God for thirteen years, and I am completely sure that if I had died then, I would have been lost forever. No one can tell me differently, that one cannot lose his salvation because I experienced it myself in a very personal way.

The reason why so many persons that had an encounter with Jesus are practicing sin, is because they have been influenced in their mind by the evil spirit that makes them believe “Once saved, always saved.” They are being deceived and motivated to live a disorderly life, totally against to what a genuine Christian life is. They are completely blinded in their understanding of what the Bible says. Hebrews 3:12-14 “Beware then of your own hearts, dear brothers, lest you find that they, too, are evil and unbelieving and are leading you away from the living God.” Speak to each other about these every day while there is still time, so that none of you will become hardened against God, being blinded by the glamour of sin. For if we are faithful until the end, trusting God just as we did when we first became Christians, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Revelations3:11 also says, “Look, I am coming soon! Hold tightly to the little strength that you have—so that no one will take away your crown.” Being saved by grace means that we are saved without deserving it, that is all! It’s not a license to persist in sin. How many persons live separate from God after being saved, just, for the wrong concept, “Once saved always saved.” We cannot ignore the warnings and conditions that God says in His Word. When the people of Israel were wandering

through the desert, they were warned and conditioned. Due to their lack of attention they had to suffer profound consequences. “But it happened during the dispensation of the law many would argue, but now we live in the period of God’s Grace.” They may not be conscience about it, but this is what they are saying, “those that have been save don’t matter how much they sin they cannot lost their salvation” I like for everybody to understand that I’m not trying to prove one thing or another, my battle is with the devil! that is making Christians believe contrary of what the Bible teach.

I. Corinthians 10:1-12 says: “For we must never forget, dear brothers, what happened to our people in the wilderness long ago. God guided them by sending a cloud that moved along with them; and he brought them all safely through the waters of the red sea. This might be called their baptism—baptized both in the sea and cloud—as followers of Moses, — their commitment to him as their leader. And by a miracle God sent them food to eat and water to drink there in the desert; they drank the water that Christ gave them. He was there with them as a mighty Rock of spiritual refreshment, yet after all this most of them did not obey God, and he destroyed them in the wilderness. From this, lesson we are warned that we must not desire evil things as they did, either worship idols as they did. The scriptures tell us the people sat down to eat and drink and then got up to dance, in worship of the golden calf. Another lesson for us is what happened when some of them sinned with other men’s wives and 23,000 fell dead in one day. And don’t try the Lord’s patience—they did, and died from snake’s bites. And don’t murmur against God and his dealings with you, as some of them did, for that is why God send his angel to destroy them. All these things happened to them as examples—as object lessons to us—to warn us, against doing the same things; they were written down so that we could read about them and learn from them in these last days as the world nears its end. So be careful if you are thinking, “Oh I would never behave like that”—let this be a warning to you, for you too may fall into sin.

Shall we continue ignoring the warnings God made in his word because now we are “saved forever”? No one have dared before to bring to light the truth of God’s Word, that it is possible to lose the salvation, the truth which had been ignored for a long time, afraid of being rejected by men. John 10:27-28— Is a

scripture that assures us salvation and we cannot reject it because it is the truth of God. “My sheep recognizes my voice, and I know them, and they fellow me, I give them eternal life and they shall never parish, no one shall snatch them away from me.” How wonderful is to know that there is no power on earth that can snatch us out of his hand! Even though we should consider the whole context of the Word, we are in his hand by our own will, without being forced, and due to that, exists the possibility for the person to wander away. One must emphasize also, that here is a warning that arises and has not been taken into consideration — Hebrews, 2:1-3 says: “So we must listen very carefully to the truths we have heard, or we may drift away from them. For since the messages from angels have always proved true and people have always been punished for disobeying them, what makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation? announced by the Lord Jesus himself, and ed on to us by those who heard him speak.” A commentary in the Daily Living study Bible doesn’t make any emphasis on the previous age (V-3-A) “What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation?” Why is this? Well, the truth is that they don’t believe they can lose their salvation. Some believe that the Hebrew writer was the Apostle Paul, but whoever the author was, he was a saved person. Nevertheless, he says: “How will we escape? And again Hebrews 12:25 says, “See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking, for if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to, listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, how terrible our danger if we (Saved persons) refuse to listen to God who speaks to us from heaven.” Have you ever heard someone preach on these ages?

The problem lies in that God’s Word has not been given to us in the entire context, because they do not believe all that it says, but the time has come to face God’s truth. II.Timothy, 3:16 – Says: The whole Bible was giving to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives, it straightens us out and help us do what is right” God Word is Inspired from Genesis, 1:1 — to Revelation, 22:21 – Why then many don’t believe in all the scripture? We must take time to compare what the Bible says, and what the Bible commentaries say related to salvation. It could be that with all this Bible ages and explanations that I give, many will still disagree with me. And will keep on believing what men say than to believe what the Bible got to say. The reason why many churches find themselves stuck and without God’s manifestation that transforms the heart is that they have been

living a mediocre Christianity and God is not honored when people doubt his word. Isaiah 29:13 “And so the Lord says, “Since these people say they are mine but they do not obey me, and since their worship amounts to mere words learned by memory. Under the concept that salvation cannot be lost, many take “God’s Grace” as a permit to live anyway they want to. This concept separates them more and more from God, till they end up in hell. Nowadays, we have many that call themselves Christians, living in accordance with the world and his precepts and giving a testimony completely contrary to the will of God. Ephesians 4:17 says: “Let me say this, then, speaking for the Lord: Live no longer as the unsaved do, for they are blinded and confused.” Today, more than ever, the spirit of evil influence has taking more mental power over people. Our enemy is wise just like we see it in Genesis 3:1— “The serpent was the craftiest of all the creatures that the Lord had made. So, the serpent came to the woman. Really? He asks, none of the fruit in the garden? We can notice in this age that the function of the evil spirit was to transmit in Eve’s subconscious, and make her doubted what God had told her. How could Eve, believe Satan more than God? Likewise, many people believe the concepts of men rather than God’s Word. They also are influenced by the same spirit that started in the Garden of Eden, which continues nowadays with more vigor than ever.

During the course of my autobiography, I will give you information in more detail regarding this subject, since I personally saw this spirit from hell, act in the church that I used to Pastor in Mount Olive, NC. I deeply regret that back then I could not perceive it as such, but today I find myself very convicted to unmask Satan the way he had been deceiving people. You only need to observe what happens in many churches, the pastors more than anyone else should know what I am talking about. I have discovered all of this by studying carefully God’s word, along with the experiences that I have lived.

Over the years, there have been many that are not stable in their decision for Christ, they come in and out from church, and immediately get discouraged because they have not been really transformed by the Holy Spirit. These types of persons are living the first opportunity that God always offers so they can come to a sincere repentance. However, if in truth they have been transformed then they went back to the world, they will no longer be the same persons, “Their

condition would be worse” and they would not come in and out of the church, but if they again are restored they no longer will have a third chance. I lived many years dead in my delights and sins, and when I was transformed for the first time, by the power of God, that was my first opportunity, but when I backslide from God, I was not the same person. My condition was worst, like God’s word says. You see those that come and leave, easily enter and leave because nothing has happening. Maybe you could see an external change in them, but inwardly nothing had happened. When I backslide from the Lord, all that time that I was living in sin, God has given me a second chance, that is God’s patience. But having been restored there would be no third chance for me. Romans 11:22-23— talks about those who fall, but God has the power to graft them back into the good olive tree, (Vine) which represents Christ and that is what happened to me! “God grafted me back in Christ”. Now, Hebrews 6:4-6— talks about those who fall again, meaning they had fallen once. And here is what the scripture says: “There is no use trying to bring you back to the Lord again if you have once understood the good news and tasted for yourself the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, and know how good the Word of God is, and felt the mighty powers of the world to come, and then have turned against God. You cannot bring yourself to repent again if you have nailed the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to mocking and to public shame”. This is a very hard word, but it’s God’s word, are we going to reject it?

The Daily living study Bible says: “Those that persist in rejecting Christ are superficial Christians” The Matthew Henry, Commentary says: “The humble sinner that declares himself guilty and asks for mercy does not have any foundation to be in despair according to this age, whatever your conscience accuses you of, neither does it prove that anyone made as a new creature in Christ becomes definite as an apostate” The Bible itself says, contrary to both commentaries. “These were made participants of the Holy Spirit” They were saved! The Hebrews writer says, “How can we escape such a great salvation?” Hebrews: 2:3 gives us a warning of the danger that exists in neglecting our salvation. One way the evil spirit operates is by provoking “bad interpretations” of the Holy Scriptures, with the intention to blind and confuse the persons toward the truth. Meanwhile, it is of immense importance to pay attention on what the Bible commentators say concerning this subject, or whatever any other person may say, no matter if he has Titles of Biblical Universities on Greek and

Hebrew. These are people that supposedly should give a correct interpretation of what the Bible says, and not men interpretations. “Examine everything and keep what is of God and don’t believe what any commentator says, if it’s not what the Bible says. “Throw it out the window!” Galatians 1:11-12— The Apostle says: “Dear friends, I solemnly swear that the way to heaven which I preach is not based on some mere human whim or dream. For my message comes from no less a person than Jesus Christ himself, who told me what to say, no one else has thought me.”

If we study the Bible with sincerity and with the main purpose to know and do the will of God, He will give us understanding without necessity of being deceived by men that are influenced by a deceitful spirit that is not in accordance to the Bible. The evil’s influence is so powerful and uses false doctrine and bad interpretation, and people believe it. But you show them the Truth of God’s Word and they cannot believe it, that is how powerful the spirit of evil influence is. Be careful of this evil spirit that blinds a person to the truth, that is a spirit that has influenced Christianity, whether we accept it or not. Just see how much destruction it has done! And I am not referring to demonic possession, because Christians cannot be possessed if they have the Holy Spirit. I am referring to the manner that is transmitted mentally to the subconscious of a person, which is the devil’s first target, the mind.

Let me give you an example: Let’s say that someone tells you about a man, God is using in a tremendous way in healing. Would you believe him? How about if someone that you know well, tells you about a Pastor that has committed adultery, not knowing for sure if it is true. Would it be hard for you to believe him? “You see, it was hard for you to believe, about the man God was using in miracles. But it was easy for you to believe about the Pastor that committed adultery, which wasn’t true. Who do you think it is who influence you to believe the lie and not the truth?

Later, I will share with you experiences concerning my life without Christ, then when I surrender my life to Christ, and when when I backslide from God for

thirteen years, the time when I was possessed by the demon, and my restoration by getting a second chance. I was saved but during my fall there was a moment in my life that God cut me off. That was terrible! many people talk of what they have read or heard, but they cannot talk of what they have not experienced. “No one can give what he doesn’t have, or talk what he doesn’t know.”

CHAPTER 2 Wanderers in life

At a very early age, like every other family, it was so normal that my father would pull me out from school to work in the fields. That was the custom of the Latinos families, every dollar made would count, and therefore I had to work in a very hot or freezing weather. No one would complain because we knew we had to work, that was the normal life for us, “work hard as a family to make a living.” We work pulling cotton, plant onions, pick up potatoes, and a lot of other works in the fields.

Pastor Rangel, when he was just a child pulling cotton.

We were ten in our family, my parents and eight children, four girls and four boys. Due to life’s circumstances, we grew up as wanderers going from one place to another without having a stable place to live. My father was a hardworking man and he would contract people to work in the fields. My mother also was hard-working, she would do her part by helping my father in cooking, washing and ironing clothes and she made sure we had lunch to eat at noon. Because of this lifestyle, we had many deprivations: living sometimes in barns where only a tarp was used as a wall to divide the families, and many times with no access to electricity or running water.

In 1944, my father bought some land in Littlefield, Texas, where he built our first house. It was small and made of “adobe.” But while the house was being build, we were still forced to live in tents and sometimes using the bed of the truck with a tarp as a roof to sleep in.

Our life was very poor but in spite of this, we never experienced hunger. We didn’t have many things but we always had food and thanks to our parents, for their dedication and responsibility. My father had problems when he drinks alcohol, to the point that when he drank he would go crazy. I well when I used to see him in that condition and at that moment, I wished I had another father. Not another man as a father, but a transformed and sober father. Oh, he was very responsible in working hard and to see that we would always have food on the table, I don’t think my father was an alcoholic, he just couldn’t take it when he drinks. I when the field work was over, he would go to Lubbock, and buy in large amount the most essential for our food: like beans, flour, lard and rice. I think that the good Lordsaw my heart’s desire to have a new father who would not drink alcohol. I don’t how or when it happened but one day; my father dedicated his life to Christ and experienced a radical change in his life. He stopped his gambling habit in playing cards and getting drunk and he then started taking the youngest to the church. But despite

of the big changes that my father experienced, through the years my brothers and sisters started going astray. But regardless of this, my parents persevered in faith, glorifying the name of God and always in constant prayer for their children.

In my childhood with my father a hard-working and responsible man.

My brother Matilde, (his nickname “El Pato (the duck)”) and I were the worst “lost sheep” of the family. Both of us had great affection towards each other. I very well when I was going through some of the toughest moments of my life; his eyes reflected such sadness and worry for me as if asking himself, “I wonder what is wrong with my brother?” He really loved and care for me although, he himself was in the same or worse situation than I, with alcohol problems, a failed marriage and having to live with several women. He was never able to maintain a happy marriage, because of his bad habit with alcohol. Fortunato and Silbiano, my older brothers, also had unhealthy habits with drinking and gambling, but they were not as bad as Matilde and me. the good thing is that Silbiano and Fortunato gave their lives to the Lord. It is understandable that my mother’s suffering was not because of my father’s heavy drinking anymore, now it was because of her two strayed children. My heart aches now knowing that she had a life full of suffering. My older brothers and sisters were already serving the Lord, when our mother died. But my brother Matilde and I continued being slaves of drugs and alcohol. I believe that we were in fact the main reason of her great suffering. I know that because of my family’s prayers and by the grace of God, one day Matilde and I also surrendered our life to Christ. I was the first one then Matilde followed to serve the Lord. Matilde had to do it in a wheel chair, but that was not an obstacle for him to sing joyfully, dancing and worshiping God. I miss Matilde very much, for we shared all that love and a close relationship. God is good, even though we all went strayed at one time, God still heard my parent’s prayers and all the eight of us came to the Lord. And out of the eight children, I am the youngest and the only man alive, to this date 2017 my sisters, Elisa and Alicia are still alive too.

With my parents, brothers and sisters Above from left to right: Fortunato, Elisa and Silbiano Down from left to right: Matilde, Egpimenio - my Father, Vicente, Patricia - my Mother and Juana.

CHAPTER 3 My youth

Ecclesiastes 11:9 says, “Young man, it’s wonderful to be young, enjoy every minute of it! Do all you want to; take in everything, but realize that you must to God for everything you do.” During the fifties, The Rock and Roll was popular, the mambo, the boleros and the polka. It was a time of the happy generation years! Everyone was living happily and one could hear the music with different Conjuntos, (Tejanos groups) and orchestras. Along with some friends of mine, we formed a club and named it “The Green Door”, we named it after a new song, wherein the lyrics was really suitable for our club. Many guys and girls were curious and wanted to know what was going on behind the “Green Door”. We had rules like: anyone that would be permitted to go inside, had to have a scorpion tattoo on his hand and that he would smoke marijuana. We were “The Scorpions Group, smoking marijuana”, listening to Rock and Roll music and having a good time. As it is most normal at that age, life seemed for us to be “wonderful and happy” therefore; we spent our time by wasting it away, which was very wrong. If only we would have paused for a moment to know where all our actions were leading us, maybe we would have put a stopped to it! But in our ignorance and youthful immaturity, for us, time did not exist! It seems like it was ing too slow and very entertaining. We didn’t stop to think that someday we would get old.

What a sad reality, that through the years, we started to see the consequences of our “Vida Loca” (Crazy life). There were disastrous consequences for the majority who grew up in the “Barrio” (neighborhood). Some ended up trapped in the claws of alcohol and drugs. One was murdered, another, with whom I had a strong friendship, took his own life. He was the friend whose life I had saved on one occasion and his attacker almost cut my throat. Others ended up in prison, where three of them die there. Nowadays, many young kids live as if they would never get old. They don’t think that at the end, they would be able to God. I am referring precisely to my personal experience, since life smiled at me

at first… or at least I thought so. I didn’t value my youth and at a very early age of sixteen years old, I started to consume marijuana and I went full throttle to “enjoy” the pleasures of this world. I that when I was nineteen years old, I was very disappointed in life, so I asked myself, “why did we come to this world?” “Is that all there is to life?” In that short span of time, the joy that this world offers had ended. I was living without purpose; without loving or being loved. There was nothing that could fill the emptiness in my life. I wasted my life trying to fill my inner desires… going to dances, drinking alcohol, drugging myself, and going out with girls. Even so, none of these was satisfying, I felt like something was missing in my life. How ignorant I was of what was going to happen in the future, or how far would I sink down because of the consequences of my sins.

I am totally convinced that one of the purposes for which God created us was to love and to be loved; it is a need and a capacity of each human being. It is sad, for a couple living under the same roof where there is no love. God did His marvelous miracle with my wife and me, restoring our love and our marriage when we thought that everything was lost, and I know that He has the power to do it with any couple, who asks God for it. During that time of excesses and distractions, I lived without any illusion how far from knowing that a true love would come in to my life. I was about to meet a young, fourteen-year-old girl, almost fifteen, named Oralia. I was a crazy guy and she was a sweet, innocent girl who ignored everything about me. I was a very daring young guy and sure of myself and not too long after we met, I soon asked her father’s permission to take her out, without asking her opinion! I was proud, arrogant, and egotistical, but I didn’t show it. I knew how to present myself as a very nice guy, which I wasn’t. That was my way of doing, especially in front of girls, to attract them. I did the same with my girlfriend, Laly, the name I called her with affection. She never knew what kind of a young guy I was, until she married me. If we had known Christ during that time in our lives, our courtship would have been beautiful. But anyway, I felt very happy because life was smiling at me again. I had someone who I could love and be loved by! Love had come to my life when I needed it the most!

In my youth, 20 years old. I had already been consuming drugs for four years.

Due to my lack of responsibility, I tried to avoid marriage. I considered that we were too young for that. Even though I did not want to get married yet, I thought of future plans for us. I knew that she needed to finish her studies at her school, in Muleshoe, Texas. For my part, I did not know what I wanted and much less, had any interest in studying. All I think of was to have an enjoyable time, enjoying myself, and enjoying life and its delights. I knew I was in love with her and that someday I would have her by my side as my wife, but for the time being, I just wanted to enjoy myself. One day, I told my father that I was leaving home; I knew that sooner or later we would end up getting married. My father did not ask me why I wanted to leave, I guess he understood me and he gave me his consent to work somewhere else. I was accompanied by a friend and we soon left for the State of Colorado. When we arrived at our destination, we started to drink in a bar. And the following day, very early, we anxiously waited for the bar to open and to begin drinking again. After consuming a lot of alcohol, my friend told me: I bet you would back out to go to Uvalde? I said let’s go! So, we took off that same day to Uvalde, TX, ing through Littlefield at about 5:00 am. We didn’t even stop in Littlefield. We drove all the way to Uvalde and when we arrived there, we filled the car with gas, and we didn’t have much money left. The first two weeks was very hard, we didn’t have much to eat and we had brought my cousin from the State of Colorado, so the little money that we had, wasn’t enough for all the three of us. For two weeks, we ate one can of pork and beans a day and when we started working in the field we were embarrassed to ask our Boss for money. So, one can of pork and beans had to do till pay day, we were working with Migrants and at noon, they would invite us to eat because they knew we didn’t had any lunch. But again we were embarrassed, so we tell them: “Thank you but we are not hungry” but they knew better because they would leave some “Tacos” on purpose when they leave after eating. Oh, we had lunch, plain bread! Since we were working in the onions field, we would make “Onion sandwiches”. So for about two weeks, we ate one can of pork and beans a day and onion sandwiches. But as soon as we got our first pay check, we went to Piedras Negras, Mexico and continued drinking and having fun without a

worry. On our way to Uvalde, the car broke down and it was completely out of service. Now, our condition was worst than before, we didn’t have a car and no money. My cousin couldn’t take it anymore, so as soon as he could, he went back to Littlefield. After a while, my friend and I went with the field contractor we were working with, to work in Coyanosa, Texas. From there my friend and I separated. He decided to go to Pecos, Texas. I remained working in Coyanosa, with the migrants. I have been missing my girlfriend Laly, very much and I felt that I could not live without her anymore. I worked hard every day, including on Sundays, to save enough money to buy me a car and I said to myself, “so I could go home whenever I wanted to”. One day, my friend visited me where I was living and ask me: “When are we going back to Littlefield?” That was all I needed to hear, that encouraged me to go home. In a short time, we returned to Littlefield with a great desire to see my girlfriend and to be at home eating my mother’s food, which I , made me feel very happy just by the thought of it. When I got home, I was so excited to be with my girlfriend and I was not content to see her just once or two times every week. I was so much in love with her that I only wanted to be with her. So, I asked my father to ask for her hand to formalize our relationship and get married as soon as possible. But even though I was already committed and about to get married, my intentions did not include changing my life style “going out with my friends and going out with women”.

I continued with my old life and the only difference was that, when I got home, there was my wife who loved me and was waiting for me. The beautiful young girl, whom I loved and the one who stole my heart. If I could only turn back the clock, back in those times, I would have treated her as she deserved to be treated. Even now, I feel a deep love for her and would like to compensate for that lost time by treating her for what she really is… Still my sweet sixteen and God’s child.

Eight months after having met my girlfriend, Laly. This was the car that broke down when we were going back from Piedras Negras, Mex. to Uvalde, Texas.

CHAPTER 4 Our Wedding Day

As it was expected, a day before the wedding, some of my friends picked me up to have a night out with them, my last night of being single. And you could just imagine how I woke up the following day, sick in my stomach and with a terrible head ache, due to the big night that I had. But in a few more hours, I would be getting married with the girl I love, the most beautiful sweet sixteen girl that I have ever known.

I that before entering the Church, my brother and a friend asked me if I wanted to smoke a cigarette of Marijuana, to which I agreed with pleasure. So, when I was getting married I was under the influence of drug.

Our wedding day was on December 20, 1959. Though I was already 21, my lack of maturity was the reason for making one mistake after another. During Christmas of that same year, I went alone to the dance, and on New Year, the same thing happened. This behavior of mine soon started bringing me problems in my marriage. Yes, we had good times but I was getting worse as time went by, things were not getting any better.

Because of this the honey moon soon ended since I continued with my drug and in going out with my friends. But in about three years after our wedding, a very pleasant experience was about to happen.

Unaware of all the sufferings that I would go through. I was twenty-one and Oralia was sixteen.

CHAPTER 5 My surrender to Christ

It had been a 3 year of complicated marriage, when I started to feel that something strange is happening in my life, without doubt, I knew that it came from God. Since I had heard the Gospel since my childhood, I knew if I wanted a happy marriage we both needed to seek God. I am not going to say that I had a great desire to serve God, I had been in drugs for years. I just know that we started going to church and probably in my heart, I already knew that I was ready for a change in my life. The Lord was working powerfully in me, even though I had only heard of God’s love during my younger years but did not really experienced his love personally. I realized that our marriage needed God and it was then that I had a real personal encounter with Christ. I became a different person, feeling a great ion for the lost persons who live without Christ. God transformed me in a miraculous way that I had not experienced before, a life that was completely different of what I had been living.

Soon enough, I started doing God’s work and I became a Sunday school teacher for the young people. I started a Ministry with the manual laborers immigrant’s camp (Bracero Camp), I also promoted evangelism in the homes, since the church would just visit only when they had Revival services. I had a strong desire to speak to others about the word of God. I would stay up till midnight preparing myself; studying God’s word, and praying.

I that time of my life was so special… the time when I first fell in love with Christ and nothing could perturb my spirit. I didn’t even feel the desires of this sinful world and nothing can distract me at all for those that are not the things of God. I had so much enthusiasm and desire to serve the Lord and my only interest was in speaking with others about God and shares His love with people. And I would take the initiative to speak first about the Bible in a conversation, or in a visit that we would make at a house.

One of the pastor’s son was my companion in a house to house visit. One day, we had a visit to make and I went to pick him up but when I got to his house he was playing baseball on the other side of the street. I then asked myself why is this brother playing baseball instead of praying? I thought, “that was a waste of time.” I also that the church would invite me to see movies at a “drive-in theater.” It was a theater you could see in the open air from your car, this was in Amherst, Texas. Seven miles from Littlefield. I could see in them the anxiousness to be there after the service on Sunday nights. I would ask myself, “Why so much interest in the movies?” One of the movies days were on Saturday, and I wasn’t a bit interested in going, anyway my spirit would feel disturbed. As I said before, I was walking in my first love with Christ, even though at that time I did not understand it very well. I was new and innocent in so many ways and those attitudes from my brothers in Christ did not set well with me because my mind and heart were set only on the things of God and I only wished to be at home studying and preparing myself for Sunday School as best as possible. One time I invited my cousin who had already preach a few times, to go with me and visit the Bracero camp and he did not want to go with me. Later I invited one of the Pastor’s sons who would also preach, but also did not want to go. He asked me if I wasn’t afraid and I thought “Why did he ask me that?” because I didn’t see any reason to be afraid of. Such was my innocence and ignorance related to my new life but, even then, none of that would bother me. I would grieve for my friends who were lost and needed Christ.

It come to my mind one day this friend of mine stop by my house, we were talking on the front yard. He was drinking and offered me a drink knowing that I didn’t drink. I thanked him and told him that I did not want any. He then said, “If you don’t drink, I will break the bottle.” I told him, “Well, it’s yours and you can do whatever you want with it.” then he just broke it. Of all my friends that grew up with me in the barrio, I was the only one who turned my life over to Jesus Christ. There were times, out of desperation, I reached to a point where I would ask God, “Why only me, Lord? Why don’t you touch my friends’ heart also?” I felt a heavy weight on my chest and comion for them. There are many things that we can’t understand humanly, but I’m sure that one day when we come face to face with the Lord, He will declare all things to us.

As time , I started to feel a special call for missionary work and I did not care about the cost and the difficulties that I would have to face or how I was going to manage it financially. I simply had the desire to serve the Lord in that Ministry. I consulted my wife if she would like for us to become missionaries, and she told me that she would like for us to wait for some time until our children are old enough and then we can go. By that time, we already had two children, Joel and Josue. I did not have any experience regarding God’s Mission and I didn’t know that when God calls, we need to respond immediately in obedience and faith. I did not know that it was necessary to respond right then, so I said, “Okay, we’ll wait.”

During that time, I felt so fortunate: I was happy serving God, enjoying true love with my beautiful wife, I had two beautiful children and I was well of economically, “My father had given me two houses, so, what else could I ask for?” My continuous prayer to God was not to let me go back to the old life and sinful world, to where I did not have any desire to return. My only desire was to please God and someday to become missionaries, both me and my wife and serve him full time. How innocent I was of Satan’s trap for me, my wife and I were so happy unaware of what was about to happen.

Me and my father at age 24, when I first surrendered my life to Christ

CHAPTER 6 My backsliding from God for thirteen years

As we all know, our enemy (Satan) is not pleased when a Son of God is trying to consecrate himself to serve Him and while we were waiting to go on a missionary work, Satan was already working out his plans. One day, my cousin and a friend of mine came to my house with their malicious plan. They invited me to go to the drive-in movie and contrary to my habit, that day I agreed to accompany them because I was glad to see them, and knowing that they still seek my friendship. Once they started on the road, they took off to Lubbock Texas. When I realized that we weren’t going to the Drive In, I told them to take me back home, but they just ignored me. When we got to Lubbock, we arrived at the house of a friend whom we grew up together in Littlefield. So, I didn’t see anything wrong with that, after greeting each other they started to drink and played cards. Every now and then, they would invite me for a beer, which I rejected several times. But the devil didn’t give up easily; he would always look for ways to make us fall. And even though I didn’t have any desire to drink alcohol anymore, maybe I was not so strong to resist the temptation as I believed myself to be. And when I least expected it, I lost track of time, it was late at night and I don’t when or at what moment I drunk my first beer, then one after another and that night I ended up getting drunk.

I. Corinthians 10:12—Says, “So be careful. If you think, oh I will never behave like that—let this be a warning to you.” All it takes is just a little carelessness, by giving a foothold to the devil.

The next day it was Sunday and yes, I was obviously feeling guilty and miserable knowing that I have done something bad and that I don’t deserve forgiveness from God. After having fallen on his trap, he was speaking to my

subconscious and telling me: “Look what you were professing to be, and now look how low you have fallen, you are not worthy of God’s forgiveness.” and I believed him! I had failed my Lord Jesus Christ and tainted my testimony as a Christian and now nothing matters to me. I really believed that I was lost forever, how desperate it was for me to know that I didn’t had any hope at all. Therefore, I went back and sink in sin like I had never done before, “Just like the dog and the pig,” why not? to me, I was lost forever with no hope at all.

II. Peter 2:20-22 says, “And when a person escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Jesus Christ, and then gets tangled up with sin and becomes its slave again, he is worse off than he was before. It would be better if he had never known about Christ at all than to learn of him and then afterwards turn his back on the only commandments that were giving to him.” The bible says, “A dog comes back to what he has vomited, and a pig is washed only to come back and wallow in the mud again.” That is the way it is with those who turned again to their sin.

Nowadays, I look at people who live in all kind of sins and calmly attending church as if they had not done a thing bad, while I only had one episode of miserable drunkenness and I could not come before God, already feeling unworthy of his forgiveness. I did not know if the devil was starting to control my emotions and my thinking, but I said to myself: “I know I will suffer but I do not care because whatever comes to my life I deserve it, I deserve that and much more.” I was aware that there would be serious consequences but I did not know as to what extent, but since the first moment I resigned myself to accept them no matter what they may be.

I that one time some Church went to my house, and with a real bad attitude I told them: “You came too late. When I needed someone the most, you were not here.” So I just told them to leave my house, because not even the Pastor or a church member was worried enough to come and find out what had happened to me when they didn’t see me at the Church any more. So, I would say to myself: “Why listen to them anyway when there is no solution left

for me?” I felt a lot of anger and I was desperate in my spirit that I started getting real bitter and I stopped caring about anything. I started getting involved in all kind of sins, like never before.

Contrary to what everybody might think, I never blamed anyone about my fall and all the bad experiences I went through. I had neglected myself and I knew that I was to be blamed for everything. I never tried to justify myself. I have come too late to the conclusion that my cousin and my friend made a bet, — knowing them— they probably bet if I would drink that night or not, and the one who came out loosing was me. If they would have known the suffering that they would cause me and my family, they would have never done it.

As Christian, we should never permit our enemy the devil, to get in our subconscious and put all kind of lies there. that the mind is the devil’s fist target. “Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan your great enemy, he prowls around like a hungry roaring lion looking for some victim to tear apart” I. Peter,5:8.

CHAPTER 7 The Consequences of my backsliding

I was starting to live in a very real and personal way like what the Bible says. Each day my situation becomes worse. One day, in my desperation and trying to run away from my problem, I took my wife and two sons, Joel and Josue and I told my father:“I will leave all my things, you sell them or give them away or do whatever you want to. I’m going away and I will never come back to this town.” And to which my father answered me very calmly, “I’m going to keep them for you until you come back.” Now that made me even madder, and told him rebelliously, “I already told you that I’m not coming back to this filthy town.” In my ignorance, I wanted to escape from my problem, when in fact, I was the problem. I felt like I had a dagger pinned deep inside my soul. In a few days, we took off to Garden City, Kansas, there my wife worked very hard in the fields, having to endure the very hot temperatures. My wife had not worked since we got married, as for me, I continued being the same. Every weekend, I would drink beer with my brother in law, and sometimes I would go to the dance all by myself.

After some time working in Kansas, I decide to move to Sanford, Texas which is small town out of the highway that goes from Amarillo, Texas to Borger, Texas. I took my family there, and I started working at a Water Dam that they were building. Since it was my life style, every weekend I would go to Borger and drink in the bars, not caring what my wife and kids would do because in that small town there were no kinds of diversions. Time ed by and every day, I got more and more bitter with life and, hating the world, as if it would help to heal all the pain I feel deep within me. It was something that I couldn’t understand or explain, it seemed that by doing this, it would make me feel better.

We finally rent a little house in Borger, it would be farther from work but closer to the bars. Most of the time, I would be in the bars drinking alone, brooding over my problems and not wanting to talk to anyone. I was a loner who just wanted to be by myself, I felt that I was sinking; going deeper and deeper where the devil wanted me to be so he can destroy me. When I would get home from work, my son, Joel would come out running and jumping in my arms and for him seeing that his daddy came home already means a lot to him. Even though it hurts to it it, but for me, his hugs didn’t mean anything. The strong hate that I nurtured in my heart didn’t allow me to respond back to such a wonderful love coming from my son. The pain that I felt was so deep and profound and it seems like there was nothing that could heal my heart. There was a scream of desperation from the very deepest part of my soul that would say: “Please, someone help me! I need help!” But no one could hear it, I was so alone and hurting. There were times when I was sober and would meditate about my situation and would relate my life to King David’s experience when he committed adultery with Betsabet. Psalms 32:3-4–“There was a time when I wouldn’t it what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night your hand was heavy on me, my strength evaporated like water on a sunny day.” The joy and peace that I had experience before my fall, it had turned into bitterness, hate and desperation. My life was full of contradictions, I could not even understand myself. On the other hand, I somehow enjoyed making myself suffer and to make my wife suffer too. But at the same time, I also felt that I love her and my sons very much. But my false pride kept me from telling it to her and I didn’t see any future for our marriage. I had with me, a beautiful wife and two precious sons; nevertheless, a terrifying loneliness would still fill my spirit. The devil took advantage of my poor condition, filling my mind with thoughts that would say: “What sense there is to keep on living? It would be better to end my life and all the sufferings. In that way, my wife and my sons would have a better life without me, and I would not make them suffer anymore.”

I recall that my heart was so cold, that when my parents died I could not even shed a tear; I could not cry because of so much pain that I was going through and all that hate in my heart. How horrible it was not being able to love. I needed help so badly, but in my mind, I didn’t even think about God. What for? If there is no hope for me anymore! My life felt like I was walking in an alley where there was no way out, I felt like there was no cure for my soul. I was suffering

with so much pain just because I neglected my walk with Christ. I didn’t know how to deal with it, so it was easy for me to hide myself in to my own world of drugs and alcohol. I was alive, but dead inside!

CHAPTER 8 More suffering awaits me

After being some time away from Littlefield, Texas and having the same life lost in drugs and alcohol, I had to swallow my words and pride. I took my family and we returned to Littlefield, just like my father had told me. My life was worse than when I left my hometown. I felt completely destroyed, with my heart harder than ever before. I had sold one of my houses, and the other house that we had left when we moved to Garden City, Kansas, was a total disaster. The ceiling from the kitchen fell down, so I had to convert the living room into a kitchen. Therefore, all four of us ended up living uncomfortably with only one room and a kitchen. Soon, the other two children: Adrian Lee and Eva would become part of the family.

This is the lot where our house was built after we got married, the same one with the ceiling down when we returned to Littlefield. I don’t even want to think of all that happened after we came back, there were more bad times than the good times.

Even after the birth of our two other children, my suffering doesn’t seem to have an end and I could not take it anymore. Each day seems like I was falling in a bottomless pit, possessed by my bad habits in using drugs and going out with women. Finally, my wife could no longer take all the sufferings and humiliation that she had endured, and we ended up separating. During our separation, I felt that I still love her and my children, but something very strong was holding me back from expressing that love to her. I have always loved my wife but the devil wanted to destroy my marriage, my family and me. Shortly, I returned home, making so many promises with my wife like I was used to do all the time, but then the pride and hatred that were in me made me act like always, and I told her: “Not you or anyone is going to change me, I will change whenever I want to.” What I didn’t know was that I could not change myself, because Christ was the only one who could transform my life, but again something stronger than me kept me from abandoning that kind of life. Indeed, it was my slavery to drugs and alcohol, and the hate that was consuming me alive, that made me want to see blood running and I did not care whose blood would it be. With that pain engraved in my soul, it seemed to be a never ending suffering but little did I know what was awaiting me. A much worst suffering! Could there possibly be much worst suffering after all that I have been through?

One day, I decided to sell my house and look for a house to rent. From then on, we moved from one house to another, paying rent in different places. Thinking about it now, I don’t why we moved so many times. Well, we ended up living in a little house that was in the alley of Littlefield with just one room and a kitchen. All six of us lived in that little house, me, my wife and four children. The youngest was not born yet, and that little house is still standing there in that alley in Littlefield.

I never imagined that 35 years later, we would visit that same little house after I had retired as a pastor from Mount Olive, NC and moved to Midland, Texas. One day, I and my wife decided to go visit Muleshoe, Texas. This is the town where my wife grew up and where we met each other. We went to visit the dance hall where we used to go dancing when we were going out together but it was already torn down. From there, we went to see the house where my wife lived when I met her, what was left is just a vacant lot and lots of weeds. These places brought us wonderful memories.

Then we went to Littlefield, my home town which is 30 miles from Muleshoe. As we arrived into town, we ed by this street and my wife exclaimed, “Look at that little house over there by the ally that’s where we used to live”. So, I directed my car through the ally and stopped in front of the little house, with just one room and a kitchen. I asked my wife, “Where did we sleep?” She answered me and said, “In the floor.” I ask her again and said, “What did you do during those times when I would go out, did you watch TV? She answered me again, “We didn’t even have a TV and you didn’t even give me any money”. At that moment, I felt that I was the most miserable man, seeing how badly I treated my family and choosing my bad habits over them. With so much sadness and pain in my heart, I answered her and said, “How miserable I was! A few days had ed after that conversation and I couldn’t help but to feel guilty. I just could not forgive myself for being so irresponsible toward my family. So, I tell my wife how I was feeling and my sweet wife just answered me, “Forget about it, it’s all in the past now”.

The small house in the ally of Littlefield, where we lived with our four children.

After some time living in that little house, we went to live at “Quinto Patio”, that is how I call my barrio (the neighborhood where I grew up and spent most part of my childhood and youth). Coming to live again at “Quinto Patio,” brought me great memories from my childhood and adolescent life. This is the place of my roots and I had happy and unpleasant experiences here living with my parents, brothers and so many friends with whom I grew up with. During that time, our youngest son Miguel was born. But on that same place, another chapter of tremendous suffering and hate begun, my soul was possessed by the demon. All that I felt inside of me seemed so unbelievable! How would my life, my wife’s and children’s life would end? I didn’t know but one thing is for sure, if things continued the way they were, everything would not end well. With all the difficult times we went through, how I thank God who have given me the joy in keeping my beautiful wife with me and the happiness of seeing all my children grow up by my side to an adult age.

CHAPTER 9 Possessed by the demon

Luke 11:24-26 says, “When a demon is cast out of a man, it goes to the deserts, searching there for rest; but finding none, it returns to the person it left, and finds that it’s former home it’s all swept and clean. Then it goes and gets seven other demons more evil than itself, and they all enter the man, and so the poor fellow is seven times worse off than he was before”.

One day I was at my house when this man came, I had known him since I was still young, they used to call him, “El Diablo” (the Devil) I don’t know how he found out about where I live after so many years that have gone by. He asked me if I could take him to his brother in law’s house. I agreed to take him there and I very clear that we both were in our five senses (sober). We drove out of Littlefield, and took a dirt road and left the highway. After driving for quite a while, we came to a house that was isolated and looks like nobody lives there. Once we got out of the car, El Diablo, asked me to come in saying that he had beer and liquor inside. We got out of the car and entered the house; we settled ourselves in a table that was near the wall. It was a nice evening, very calm and it wasn’t dark yet, the climate was very pleasant, there was no wind blowing. El Diablo got two beers and set one in front of me and we started to drink, I really don’t what we talked about. We had not finished the first beer when suddenly, the screen door which was behind me swung open and shut again. In a very normal way, I asked him, “Is it haunted here, or what?” to which he answered, “Don’t pay attention to it, sometimes noises can be heard here.” We continued drinking and talking, we had not finished the beer and El Diablo started saying things that didn’t make sense at all. At that moment, I wasn’t looking at him but he was talking to me about how long he has live and he was telling me, “But this “Chavo” (guy) here helped me” and there was no one else in that room, it was just me and him. When I heard that, I raised my head to look at him and saw that his eyes were really red, it looks like there was a lot of electricity in them. At that moment, I realized that it was a demon transformed

through, El Diablo. I quickly took my eyes off his gaze and just look at his forehead, then he told me, “You are not able to see into my eyes”. I knew that he was trying to do something to me by looking in his eyes. Being uneasy of what had just happened; I got up and told him that I had to go. Quickly he got up too to get me another beer and said, “No, don’t go”. And I told myself, “I don’t know if he is the devil himself, and if he is, I don’t know what I’d do to him, but I will put a hole on him! well, I had with me my thirty-eight-caliber gun. He handed me the beer and I told him very calmly, “I really need to go”, and added “Por ay te guacho chavo (I’ll see you later man)”) and then I calmly went out not showing him any fear, which I did not had because I felt very confident since I had my gun. Up to this day, I never saw him again.

“Quinto Patio”, a place of many memories. This is where we were living when that man called “El diablo” went to see me.

Sometime later, I told this friend of mine who had been in the penitentiary about my experience with El Diablo. He told me that he had met him in the penitentiary when he was there at a certain time, and that everybody there said that this guy, El Diablo was possessed and had a pact with the devil. Analyzing my encounter with El Diablo, I believed that he was an agent sent by Satan himself. At that time, I wasn’t fully aware of it but somehow, I was possessed by bad spirits (Demons) because from then on I started to have a very strong ambition that I never have before. I was just living one day at a time, not even thinking of getting rich. But after the incident with “El Diablo”, I started to feel this extreme greed of getting rich and I said to myself, “I’m going to be somebody very important in this town and people will look up to me”. And then I started to make plans to open a cantina (Bar) in Littlefield. The devil after deceiving me and destroying my finances is now speaking to me and promising me great richness because he saw in me a person who was willing to do anything at all cost so he wanted to use me to destroy many lives. I was willing to do anything to have what I desired the most: drugs, money and women. My plans were big: to put up one bar in Littlefield, bring women from Juarez, Mexico to work for me, and then to start another bar in Juarez Mexico. I was going to do it because I had a strong conviction that the devil was going to help me. They were promising me thousands of dollars to which I was going to use to go big on everything. The thing is that I didn’t tell anybody about my plans, the only person I told was my friend from Juarez, who was going to me with women I was planning to bring to Texas. I also talked to him about running my place (Bar) in Juarez. It never crossed my mind that about twenty years later, the Lord would take me to Mexico City, to a big street where there was a lot of prostitutes. We just handed them a New Testament and would tell them, “Jesus loves you”, we weren’t permitted to talk to them.

And the Lord broke my heart that night, made me cry very bitterly and

reminding me that those were my plans, to bring women from Juarez who would work for me in prostitution. My heart grieved that night for those women who were forced to do something against their will and most of them were very young. That night, I thank God for not letting me achieved my pervasive plans. Because those were my plans before, to have an enjoyable time and a life of perversion, it was all I desired and I didn’t care what it would take. All I knew is that I would get what I want and it didn’t matter even at the cost of many marriages, what I did not know that mine was going to be the first one to be destroyed.

I one time when my mother told me with great sadness and pain in her eyes, “Chente (my nickname), I don’t want you and Laly to separate. We had never talked about separation, but she knew if I continue with my life style sooner or later, we would end up separating. Listening to my mother’s words and to see her suffering for my actions, hurt me way deep in my heart, but it was impossible for me to do something about it, there were demonic powers that overpowered me and no one could understand me. My condition became worse than before, that time I was being selfish just thinking about me, believing that was the only way to happiness, but how wrong I was to not realize that my life was already going down and nothing of what I did would bring me happiness. At this point, my hatred was so intense and deep and I was ready to do anything, even to kill if I had to. I wasn’t afraid of anything or anyone, because of that hate, I didn’t care if I would kill someone or someone would kill me, I would always say to myself, “Before they can take me down, I’ll first take two or three with me”. I would kill without mercy and with no regrets.

During the three years when I was possessed by evil spirits

The evil spirits in me would control me, they gave me mental powers. I would send mental messages, especially to women. At first I thought that I was doing it under the influence of the drug, but now I realize that it was the demon in me. I the time that I was in Lubbock at this drinking place, that time I started working with this girl’s mind and not much time had ed when the woman who run the place, went towards me and told me, “Chente, “La Cuata” (the twin) wants to go out with you. The devil manifest itself so real, making me feel so sure of having whatever I desire, but sooner or later, I would have to pay a high price for it, because he would claim my soul and at that time, I didn’t thought of that. My condition was so bad that for five days I went without eating, and sleep, just drugging myself and drinking. How could I endure so much of it? I realize now, it was the demon or demons that were controlling my life and wanted to destroy me. Many times, I would go to Lubbock looking for this guy to kill him. I was just looking for an opportunity to do it where there are no witnesses so I would not end up in the jail.

During all this time, I was very aware of what was happening in my life, that I was associating myself with the devil and I had an unmeasured ambition to have all that I wanted. The last three years before I came back to the Lord, were the worst years of my life. God didn’t cut me off from the moment that I fell because he is patient, but as to cutting me off, he did cut me off, I just don’t know as when he did it, but he did. He who hasn’t experience it will understand none of this. Romans 11:22 says: “Notice how God is both kind and severs, he is very hard on those who disobey, but very good to you if you continue to love and trust him. But if you don’t you too will be cut off”. The devil had a strong hold on me; I was totally controlled by the forces of darkness. My only pleasure was to drug myself every hour, day and night, without letting out of my sight my thirty-eight caliber gun. I trusted no one and I didn’t care for anyone, not even myself. I didn’t know how to deal with my life anymore; I didn’t care if I have to kill or if somebody would kill me, if it means ending my sufferings. Why keep on living? I kept asking this to myself because my torment seemed endless. After

all, it doesn’t make sense because I already knew that I can end up in any of this place: Jail, a mental institution, a beggar living in the streets, with no wife and family, or six feet under the ground. People could see that I was consumed with hate and they would become afraid of me, but they could not see that I was being possessed by the devil. Oh, how terrible it was not being able to love! I couldn’t even help myself. Suddenly, I would feel anxiety and desperation that I could not understand, and I thought, “I just wish that someone would provoke me so I would have an excuse to kill him.” But now, I thank God that he didn’t allow me to do such thing.

The devil had me where he wanted me to be, he was very determined to ruin me and then to build me up. I knew the direction that I was going to but my troubled heart didn’t feel any fear or remorse knowing that my destination was hell. But before the devil could claim my soul, I was determined to enjoy my life to the fullest, nothing good was happening to me so I was convinced that hell awaits me. I was lost and without hope believing with what the devil achieved to plant in my mind for thirteen years: “You are not worthy of God’s forgiveness”.

The worst time of my life: bad spirits, hate and perdition.

All these bitter experiences that the enemy made me go through at the beginning of my downfall, I would not wish it on anyone. On the contrary, I strongly advise that if anyone falls, don’t delay in repenting don’t risk being cut off, that is what the Bible says. He who has not hated like I did doesn’t know how beautiful it is to love, and love above all things in spite of the circumstances. I experienced what real love is in a very extraordinary manner, a love toward myself coming from God, and toward my wife, that love was so deep that it forgives all offenses and covers all sins that has been committed against you.

Jeremiah 29:12 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope”. Determined to continue with my objectives, one day I made a trip to Juarez, Mexico and I ed my friend. We talked about my plans and I asked him to manage the cantina (Bar) that would open in Juarez. Also, I had planned to deal with drugs and bring illegal persons to Texas. It would be a big start and no one would stop me from my plans in drug trafficking and bringing women and illegal persons in Texas. I’m sure that God’s Grace was already in action in my life because everything came out wrong, I couldn’t deal with drugs at the time because the Law was alert and vigilant and the men I was supposed to bring to Texas, they were caught crossing the Rio Grande (River) by the border Patrol. Now I am think, what if I would have brought with me the drug and illegal persons and get caught by the authorities? I could have end up in jail for many years. I would have lost for sure, my wife and family. The devil had plans to make me rich for his own purpose, but the good Lord had greater plans for me.

This song inspires me: “What would have happened if you had not reached me, where would I be if you had not forgiven me, I would have emptiness in my heart, I would be wandering without direction and purpose”. (Jesus Adrian Romero)

Because this is exactly the way I felt, a deep emptiness in my heart with no purpose in life, and no direction at all. If God did not reach out to me and forgive my sins I would have end up all alone without a family.

Another chapter of my life was coming, and even though it would be full of blessings, still my sufferings continued. However, =this time, it would be the cause of God’s love, his word and Jesus Christ.

CHAPTER 10 Grafted in Christ after being cut off

Fifteen days had ed since my trip to Juarez, My cousin and I were drinking a bottle of Mexican drink in the front yard of my house when Pastor Silbiano my brother, and the evangelist who was going to be in town preaching for a week stopped by my house. And even though we were drinking that didn’t stop them to invite us to the revival and to which I answered: “we’ll see, if I go”. That day, I decided to go, so I told my wife, “You get ready tonight because we are going to Church”. I don’t know what was on her mind at that moment, thinking that more or less I knew that she was planning to divorce me which I just ignored, so she may have thought that I was just playing a role so she wouldn’t divorce me and that I wasn’t being sincere about it.

My attitude about going to church didn’t seem very normal. What business would a person possessed by a demon have to attend a church? If deep inside me, I was very convinced that I was lost forever, without hope. Besides, I didn’t want anything to do with God. I didn’t know and I cannot even explain all of this, but that day, I went to the church for the first time, after thirteen years. However, I know now that it wasn’t just a coincidence or a sudden impulse, it was the Holy Spirit who motivated me to go. It was far from my mind what was going to happen that night, but God had prepared a surprise for me, and even for my wife, who was planning to divorce me.

When I entered the Church building that night, these three young guys called my attention. They had come with the evangelist, Mario Rios, professional exwrestler from Corpus Christi. They were the musical group singers for the revival that week; they sang songs with a message and would sing with such anointment and joy like I have not seen before. I a song that would

say: “Christ is the answer for you, Christ is the solution for you”, hearing those songs, God started to do something in me. At that moment, I forgot all about my problems and while I was concentrating on the songs, God showed me a vision and in a split of a second, God brought me to that cantina (Bar) that I was planning to put in Littlefield, and I saw myself with those women, with drugs, alcohol and money. He then brought me to another scene, where he showed me one of my own sons lying dead on my own place. Oh, how terrible it was to see my son in that state! There was no doubt in my mind that He was showing me what would happen if I keep on living the way I was. At that moment, God talked to me in my subconscious and asked me, “Vicente what are you going to do with the love I showed you at the Cross through my Son? This is your last chance! I didn’t know God’s voice but there was no doubt in my mind that it was God, talking to me. After thirteen years of hate and suffering, that night was very special to me because I felt God’s love for me. I could feel His embrace and love that my sick soul needed so much. For thirteen years, I didn’t feel any love or felt loved by someone, how beautiful it was to finally feel that I was being loved especially by Him whom I thought had no interest to do or know anything about me. That night, I told my wife, “We are going to church again tomorrow”. I was not going to make a step back, a ray of hope had shined over my soul and I knew God love me and He was giving me a second chance. No one can stay on his feet when he is touched by God’s love, his love is powerful to transform and bring us to repentance.

Romans 2:4 says: “Don’t you realize how patient he is being with you? Or don’t care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance”. The devil had kept me deceived and far from God for thirteen years, by telling me that I was not worthy of His forgiveness and it was true but God forgives us, not because we are worthy but because he loved us. He gives us an opportunity, but also give us the option to choose, since he doesn’t force anyone to come to a decision. The devil was offering me riches and all that I could achieve with it. But God offers me forgiveness, salvation through his Son Jesus Christ, and a new beginning in a relationship with him.

I one occasion in the past, after so many years of not praying, in my

anguish and desperation because of the problems tormenting me, I said, “Lord help me, I want to serve you”, but it was a lie, I didn’t want anything to do with him and he knew it. I was calling him because of my exterior problems and not for my inner problem, which was my sin. Therefore, as per me, “He didn’t listen” and my desperation was greater and the devil took advantage of it to tell me, “You see! God doesn’t want to know anything about you, you’re a lost cause”. That huge lie that the devil planted in me was the reason why I was separated from God for thirteen years. But that night I went to the altar, I was very sincere when I started to talk to him, there were no words spoken and no tears, I spoke to him straight from my heart: “Lord, I don’t want anything to do with you, I love the earthly things and there is where I want to live but I know that I am about to suffer eternal condemnation and I ask you to please help me”. Even though that was not a very pleasant prayer but it was very sincere. I was talking to him from the deepest of my soul, at that moment tears began to flow from my eyes. Those were tears of a genuine repentance and He knew that. I will never forget that moment when the Holy Spirit came in with my spirit again. “Glory be to His name!” God grafted me again in Christ.

Romans 11:23 says: “On the other hand, if the Jews leave their unbelief behind them and come back to God, God will graft them back into the tree (Christ) again”. After I was cut off, God grafted me again! “That is God’s Grace. Many talk about Grace but they don’t have the slightest idea what it means or how far it extends to save those, after being cut off. Who would dare to contradict what God’s Word says? If I experienced it myself in realty, no one can tell me different, again. “No one can give what he doesn’t have, or talk what he doesn’t know”.

I can understand this, my wife who wanted to divorce me, didn’t believe at first what the Lord had done in me. But it took her two weeks to convince herself that I wasn’t the same person, she also came to a decision to surrender her life to Christ, she made that decision in Lubbock, when Joel from the group Crystal River gave his testimony, up to this date, 2017 my wife and I have been serving our Lord Jesus Christ, for forty-six years.

CHAPTER 11 A manifestation of the Holy Spirit

It has been two and a half years of working in the ministry with the drug addicts, without getting any financial help from anyone and without working secular, so I started having problems to the ministry financially so I had to close it. It was painful but there was no other way. It was something that I could never understand but suddenly all the guys left and there it was just me all alone, so I was feeling down in all facet of my life. I had a lot of debts and no money. I felt so lonely and rejected by my Pastor and the Church that I had served for eleven years, rejected in the sense that when I needed them the most, they were not there like they had promised. As if that was not enough the enemy (devil) started to attack me with a spirit of defeat.

One day my wife and I were coming from Lubbock, Texas, where we had stopped and I shared God’s love with some drug addicts. On our way back to Littlefield, I told my wife with sadness and broken heart, “Who is going to take care of these men? They need daily help”. I felt helpless, I wanted to do something but I was hopeless. There was this lady friend of ours which was working at the court house, one day I stopped by to say hi. She and her husband both gave me some chairs when I was running the drug addict ministry. After greeting her and talked to her for a while, she said to me, “Lift up your head, you did what no other Pastor has done here, not even a Church. You lent a helping hand to those men from the streets, gave them a place to sleep, you fed them, dressed them and preach God’s Word to them, so don’t feel defeated.” How comforting were those words of encouragement that God gave me through my sister in Christ. It was then that one day, in the middle of all my problems, battles and afflictions, I found myself prostrated on the floor seeking God- in that mobile home that I had at the back of my house, with no strength at all. After spending a long time praying, I just laid there prostrated on the floor without words, then from the depth of my heart and without saying any words, I told

God, “Take away from me, whatever you want Lord. After all, everything that I have, you gave it to me”. In my desperation, I added, “But don’t take away from me your Holy Spirit, don’t take away from me your anointment! He knew I was sincere and that I was willing to lose everything “But not His Holy Spirit”. At that moment, I felt the presence of God came over me in a way that I had never experienced before, He gave me a command, “Vicente, don’t worry about anything, seek me in sanctity. I felt so much peace, with an assurance that God was going to meet all my needs. I got up and came out of there like in a trance, walk out to the alley feeling great inside of me and I just kept walking with that sensation in me. I ended up walking out of the town with that sense of peace, like I had never experienced before in that way. I kept ing the scripture in Philippians 4:6-7—that says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about anything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand, his peace will keep your thoughts and your heart quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus”. My mind could not understand what I was experienced in my spirit, how could it be? with all my problems I felt so much peace. Since then, in approximately three months I had a continuous flow of the Holy Spirit and something that I didn’t understand was: “I felt a physical pain in me, and on the other hand I felt an immense peace and tranquility, with a strong conviction that God would take me forward, above all things. It was the continuous flow of the Holy Spirit that convict me of sin in the minimum aspects of my life.

My eyes were so puffy and red from crying so much, feeling God’s presence in me, I felt the mixed emotions: On the other hand, I felt the physical pain deep inside me and at the same time I felt an immense peace and tranquility in my heart. After a while I understood very clear what was happening in my life, the physical pain was me, who didn’t want to lose my identity, and the peace that I was feeling, was the presence of God that was manifesting more, and more within me, making himself more real to me. “When God is purifying our heart, our spirit will afflict, and morn, (suffer) being convicted of sin.” Romans 7:15 says: “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—but what I hate”, well, it all end up, surrendering all of me to Jesus, and just trust in Him.

It is impossible for a small boat to stay peaceful in the middle of the ocean during a storm and without turning over, but it is possible to have God’s peace amidst the storms of our lives. When someone climbs God’s mountain and comes down to the valley, he would never be that same person. After I experienced the continuous presence of the Holy Spirit, I realized how much knowledge we lack to understand and live the abundant life which Jesus Christ talks about.

Before I served in the ministry with drug addicts full time, I used to work in transporting mobile homes and setting them up. I one time, when I took one to Ruidoso, New Mexico. There were these flowers, yellow and purple growing beside the road. These called my attention; they look so fresh and beautiful even in a very dry and hot temperature. The Lord then said to me: “Vicente, just like those beautiful flowers that bloom despite of the unfavorable climate, that’s how I wish your life to be in this evil world of so much perversion”. God assured me that it is possible to live Holy, abstaining ourselves from all contaminations of the flesh. He wishes to give us more than what we asked him for.

With these experiences that I am sharing with you, my dear readers, I don’t pretend to appear like I am the “enlightened one” or that “I know it all” and that “I have experienced it all”. Some may say, “Well, I don’t believe in this and that”, I can only say, “Don’t judge me. I’m just writing, just the way things happened in my life. I lived in flesh and spirit exactly as what the Bible says”. I also experienced how it is to be rejected by men for standing in the Word of God, contrary to what others think or believe. There is a price for everything, especially when you want to please God. In everything you do, there is a price! But no price compares with the price that Jesus paid for me.

CHAPTER 12 Experiences in Healings and Liberations

“And He called to himself his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal every disease and every sickness”, Matthew 10:1. The wonders and miracles have not ended. God is the same as yesterday, today and through the centuries. God have not change, it is men who stopped believing in his power.

One of the manifestations of God’s healing power was when the time I was suffering from a very intense pain on my waist because of an accident that I had. I could not walk straight and experienced pain constantly, in a way; I had an excuse for not serving the Lord. One day, they were praying in Church for whoever needed to be prayed for, I ed to the front and when I was anointed with oil, I lifted up my arms and prayed in my heart, “Lord if my life should Glorify you, heal me Lord” at that moment I was healed instantly. Little did I know about the price that I was going to pay for him to glorify in me. However, no price can be enough for us, we will always be the living sacrifice for others to be blessed.

A friend of mine always insisted that I go and talk to a friend of his, called “El Blackie” who was a drug addict and during those times that I went; I never was able to find him. One day my friend told me that Blackie was very sick in the hospital in Lubbock, the doctor had said that he was not going to make it through the night, so we went that same day. When we got there, I started talking to him about God’s love then I asked him if he believe God could heal him and he said, “Yes”. I persisted in asking him the same question three times, to which he responded all with a yes. I could observe in his eyes that faith that he really believed that God could heal him. So, I said: “ok let’s ask God to heal you”, as I

prayed we agree together believing that anything we ask God in the name of his Son, he would do. Well, God heal and freed him from addiction to drugs and alcohol, once he was released from the hospital, Blackie went to the ministry I had in Littlefield. Since he was one of the oldest addict and well knowing in Lubbock, he would take me to where the addicts were, so I could talk to them about Jesus, and invited them to the ministry to introduce them to Jesus and restore their life.

A year and a half after Blackie came to the ministry, one of the Pastors in the ministry with drug addicts called me and tell me, “Did you know that Blackie’s brother is real sick in the hospital?” After telling me in which hospital he was in Lubbock, it didn’t take me long to get over there. When I got there, I started telling him about God’s healing power with the conviction that the Lord had a purpose in all of this. It seemed like a coincidence because the story repeated one more time in Blackie’s brother. He was a witness of what God has done with his brother, so I told him you saw what God did with your brother, and He can also do it with you. Now the important question came: “Do you believe that the Lord can heal you? He said yes! I could see that faith in his eyes, the same that I had seen in Blackie. And I said to myself “This Drug Addicts, they listen to God’s word and they believe in it!” And that amazed me, and I was contagious by their faith, after praying, I left to Littlefield. After two weeks, I went to see him again and they informed me that he had been transferred to Intensive Care Unit. When I went into his room I met his doctor at the door and he asked me if I was related to him, I said ‘No, he’s just a friend”. Then the doctor told me: “Because this man can die at any second”. I stood by his bed and he seemed completely unconscious, and with a strong conviction in believing that the Lord could still heal him, I put my hand on his forehead to pray for him and he opened his eyes. I asked him, “Do you know who I am?” He responded with a yes, which surprised me very much since he had seen me only once and he was in a very critical condition. I asked him the same question I had ask him before, “Do you still believe that God can heal you?” He said, “Yes!” I prayed for him fervently and asked the Lord to heal this man. Well God manifested His healing powers in that man, whose Doctors had already gave up on him.

During those times that I worked with the Drug Addicts, I got the chance to see

how God manifested His power on them by freeing them from the drugs and alcohol addiction. They were so grateful with the Lord for the transformation He did on them, that they became the most submissive and obedient persons that I have ever work with. We would start the day with one hour in prayer, these were the people who had never prayed before, but in their desperation to be free from drugs they would cry upon the Lord in prayer. And I saw some of them even prayed for four hours or more.

First experience with demons and liberation

My first experience with releasing demons was something unexpected for me. One day when I was still working with drug addicts, I got a call at two in the morning, asking me if I could come over to a certain address. They didn’t say what it was all about. I have always been ready to serve no matter at what time it may be, so I got up knowing that it must be some kind of emergency considering that they called me at that hour. When I was on my way, I felt like it was something evil, so during my drive I prayed all the way. When I got to the house and went in, right then I knew what was happening. There was this girl of sixteen years old, who was shouting real loud with a voice that wasn’t hers. It was a man’s voice and I knew she was being possessed by a demon. There were already some church praying, and the women trying to calm the girl, I knew that they didn’t know what they were dealing with. Even though it was the first time that I confronted something like that, I knew what I had to do, so I put my hand on her forehead commanding the demon to leave her in the name of Jesus. She fainted just for a minute and then started shouting again with a man’s voice: “No, No, No”, so I commanded the demon in the name of Jesus Christ, believing that the demons had to obey. The girl went in like in a comma state and she was freed that night from the demon that was tormenting her.

Liberation in Chihuahua, Mexico

In 1984, I was invited to preach a one week Revival in a Community (Land the governor provided for people). During the seven days revival, the Pastor’s sister was very active in inviting people every day to attend the night services. At one time during the seven days, I asked the Pastor if her sister had already received Christ as her Lord and savior, he said, “No, not yet”. We just had one more night services, and her brother had told me that the night before his sister told him that she tried to go forward and receive Christ, but something held her back and she couldn’t do it. So during the last night of our stay, I said to myself, “I hope she receives Christ, tonight”. We finished the service that night and she did not come to a decision to receive Christ in her heart, I just could not accept that. So, that same night I went to her brother’s house, because she was living with him and I talked to her for a while and then I asked her if she wanted to accept Christ as her Lord and Savior then in desperation she started saying, “Yes, yes. I want to, I want to, but I can’t! I can’t!” Right then, I knew what was going on, so I started calling to the demon that was holding her back from accepting Christ as her Savior. Then she said yes, yes I accept him would not say that she was possessed by a demon, but surely, it was the forces of darkness that was holding her back so she wouldn’t confess to Christ. This young girl was very pretty and when she received Christ as her Savior her face lighted up and she looked even prettier. Those days were so glorious with professions of faith every night. On the last night, the architect who had designed the Church building made profession of faith with his wife; they both were from Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua.

Liberation in Chihuahua, Mexico, 1984. I preach a revival at the age of 46 years old, the same day of our Wedding Anniversary.

Liberation in Mount Olive, North Carolina.

When I was pastoring in Mount Olive, North Carolina, some of the Church called me at about midnight. They asked me if I could come over right quick, so I got up and I didn’t ask what was it all about, I usually don’t ask if they don’t tell me. I figure that if they wanted me to know they would tell me. This girl was sitting at the bed and two persons were holding her, because of her attitude I knew she was demon-possessed. I talked directly to the spirit and told him to release her and to get out of her body. She tried twice to spit on my face but I would turn her face away from me. It didn’t take long and the spirit had to obey, shouting he released her body. A few times, I saw her with her mother and she would always embrace me with appreciation, even though, it was the Lord who did it all.

Demonic spirit manifested in a man’s wife

One night, I and my wife were at our house. This also occurred in Mount Olive, NC, where I pastored for twenty years. I heard a knock at the door and when I opened it, there was this man; he was a church member from Clinton, NC. When he started talking, he told me that sometimes his wife would tell him that she wanted to kill him. I asked him where was his wife and he said that she was outside, waiting in the car, so I asked him to call her and bring her in. When she came in, I asked her to sit down at the sofa, and I started ministering God’s Word to her. After a while, I asked her to read Psalm 51. Psalm, is about a person’s

confession and repentance, I gave her the Bible to read and she grabbed it. When she tried to read, she couldn’t do it and she would just mumble but no words came out from her mouth. So I knew that a demon was at work, I started to rebuke that spirit, in Jesus Christ. My wife told me afterwards that when I started to rebuke the bad demon, she was seated forward on the sofa chair when she felt a strange power that threw her back and she started praying. I continued rebuking that spirit that was holding this woman from confessing Christ with her mouth. I insisted that she confess to Christ, finally, she did it but I felt that she did not do it with a sincere heart. As a Christian, the Lord has given me the knowledge to know if a demon is manifesting in a person. That woman’s confession left me very uneasy. I hope the Lord would give her an opportunity to give her life to Christ with sincerity.

Liberation of a child in Newton Grove, NC.

One Sunday night, I was already in bed and it had been a very long and busy day. I received a call from Newton Grove, which is eighteen miles away, a lady asked me if could go and pray for her child who had broken his arm. I have to it that I felt a little bothered because I was really tired and I was already asleep, I said to myself, “If he broke his arm, what can I do?” But I have never ignored a call and even though I was dead tired, I felt it was my responsibility to go because the Lord called me to serve and no matter what time it is. When I arrived at the house, there were a few people there, I have found out that there was really no broken arm. The two years old child was acting kind of strange. He was making strange sounds and moving his hands, like pushing someone away from him, like someone was trying to grab him. At that moment, I took him in my arms and in Jesus name I rebuke the demon or whatever it was trying to grab him, suddenly the child just fell soundly asleep. I handed him over to his mother and she took him to another room and meanwhile, the persons there were talking about the possibility of witchcraft due to some discords they had with persons in Guatemala- their country of origin. Then again, I heard the child making those strange sounds, so I went to the other room and took the child. While carrying the child in my arms, I rebuked the bad spirits working on the child from outside the US or wherever that curse came from, this time in the name of Jesus Christ. God in His divine Grace manifested his power on the child

and freed him completely and the child went again to sleep. Christ gave us the victory. During one of my trips to Guatemala, I visited this family at their house since they had already returned to their country. This child was already about twelve years old and as healthy as he could be. His mother recalled that experience very clear and she is very grateful to the Lord. Oh, and by the way this year, 2017 he got married.

The healing of another child in Guatemala.

During the years as a minister, God permitted me to see His healing power on separate occasions. One never knows how God is going to manifest his glory, which leave us in amazement and praising His Name, for making us instruments of His power. In our first missionary trip to Guatemala, I preached an Evangelistic Revival. During those days my wife and I were staying with a family, whose Pastor had been killed and according to the rumors, it was for preaching the Gospel. On my second trip to preach, ing the Church member Jose Gutierrez, who had come from my Church in Mount Olive, NC. He is originally from Guatemala and he is now pastoring that church. On that trip, Pastor Gutierrez, mentioned to me that there are still serious threats in his life for preaching the gospel. Even though there are rumors about the threats, my wife and I haven’t stop going to Guatemala. On one occasion, when we just finished eating our supper after the night service, I noticed this child, who was crying and he seemed very uneasy, it was as if something was hurting him. His mother could not quiet him down and I felt the need to pray for him. I asked the mother to hand him to me so I could pray for him. The child refused for me to hold him; even so, I told his mother that I was going to pray for him. So I asked the Lord to heal him from whatever it is that was hurting him, while I had my hand on his head. When I finished praying, he looked right straight at me just for seconds and then he instantly extended his arms to me. I embraced him for a moment and he just fell asleep peacefully in my arms and I handed him back to his mother. I have seen a few times that people who are healed go into a deep sleep just for a few minutes and when they wake up, for them it seemed like they had sleep for hours. This child was healed and when the Christian Brothers who were there saw him sleep peacefully, they were astonished. Whatever the problem was, God manifested himself with power and authority over all evil spirits.

Healing on my wife

Something similar happened to my wife. One day, she was at home and in pain because of her kidney stones. At that moment, a brother in Christ was visiting us so I told him, “Lets pray for my wife because she is really sick” so we got on our knees and called upon the Lord to heal my wife. I was really worried about her being in so much pain. In my concern about her health, I prayed with all my faith trusting that God would do His work. When we finished praying she was in a deep sleep, so we went to eat at a restaurant while she rested. When we got back she was awake and she told us that it seemed like she had slept for hours and that she didn’t have any more pain. Oh, I am so thankful to God and His kindness and mercy for my family whom I love very much. I don’t think one need to do a lot of yelling and many repetitions as you pray for healing. The thing that matters is a prayer with faith and trust in God, and let Him do the rest.

Liberation in Texas’ youth camp

We were in a youth camp and during the first night a lady came over to the men’s dorm, and told us in a very scared voice, “Hurry up, there is a young girl who said that the devil told her to kill the other girls”. I got up accompanied with the pastors and headed to the girl’s dorm. I that the doors there were big and heavy, my wife told me afterwards that when we started praying and rebuking the demons, the door opened and closed by itself. The Pastor that was invited as a speaker for the youth was an old man with many years of experience as a pastor, but what called my attention was what he had said regarding what we all had just witnessed-seeing that girl possessed by a demon, “It’s just that the girls were scared”. I could not believe my ears! He had just seen the demon in action and he didn’t believe it. There are a lot of preachers, who preach about demons but they can’t recognize them when they manifest themselves. For me, it’s simply that they don’t believe in demons, like this pastor.

Later I was invited to preach in Morton, Texas where this young girl was a church member attending service. After the service, her parents told me that she had mentioned to them that the devil had told her that it was time, and he was coming for her. I asked them if they have olive oil and said that they didn’t have one. So we went to the store to buy some and when we got back I put oil in the doors and windows and started praying, rebuking all evil spirits and demanding for them to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. After two months, I was invited to preach again at that same Church, and her parents told me that ever since I prayed, their daughter had not mentioned anything about her situation again.

With all this experience that I had lived, it doesn’t mean that I’m seeing demons everywhere or that I want to rebuke demons in every situation. But when they manifest, God gives me the knowledge to recognize them, and I exercise the authority that God have given me. And this is for every believer, the problem lies when many don’t take advantage of the authority that God gave to all of us, as Christians. But the saddest part is the fact, that when the Holy Spirit manifest, they can’t recognize it. I have seen it in some occasions, so I know what I am talking about.

CHAPTER 13 Leaving everything and responding to God’s calling

A little while after I had the manifestation of the Holy spirit in my life, they called me from Mount Olive, NC to start a Mission Church, which my wife and I accepted the calling without giving it a second thought. We were sure it was God’s calling since we had been praying for it for two years. I was fifty-two years old and my wife was forty-seven, we still felt strong enough for the job that God set for us, so we felt a lot of enthusiasm to start my first pastoring. The day we were supposed to leave, our youngest son, Miguel got sick so we had to wait for a few days. He and our daughter Eva were going to the University at that time. When Miguel was well enough, my wife and I left to North Carolina leaving behind, Miguel and Eva, my home town where I grew up and the church family where we had served for eleven years. Three days after, we arrived at the place where we were going to live. It is ten miles away from town and we didn’t know anyone and we felt far away from home. My wife and I would hardly speak to each other; we were missing everything and everybody back home, specially our family. One day, early in the morning I prostrate myself in the floor and I said to the Lord: “Lord, I want to go back home but in my spirit, I want to do your will. Would you send someone here that would love us and that we could also love?” Hours after praying, at noon, someone knocked at our door. It was an Anglo lady, who introduced herself as Jenny Jean, member of First Baptist Church in Mount Olive. She made herself available and willing to serve us with whatever we needed and right then, I could tell and feel that she was filled with God’s love. At that time, our lives were so complicated with all the changes that we were going though for the sake of the ministry. And from that day on, she has treated us like a mother. One more time, God had heard my prayer and it was sooner than I had expected. When we moved to Midland, Texas, Jenny and Opey, her husband came from NC to see my wife when she was in the hospital. God never forsake us in twenty years that we were in the ministry in NC. God is faithful!

The work was not easy at the beginning in that place, since there were no congregation when we started. I that on one of the Wednesday night service, the only once in attendance was my wife and another lady. But despite all of this, we still courageously and firmly went from one house to another, visiting all the mobile homes that were parked around that area and inviting them to attend the church services. I don’t deny that I also got discouraged like anyone else would be when you work very hard and not seeing any good results. When we would paid them a visit and most people would say, “Okay, we’ll see you on Sunday at the church”, and then Sunday morning comes, at service time, when I stand at the pulpit I would only see my wife and two or three other persons. Now that is enough reason for anyone to be discouraged, but we chose to continue in trusting the Lord, we keep on working hard and doing our responsibility even though we couldn’t see any results yet.

In every service, we would start with a thirty-minute prayer at the altar, just my wife and I and then we would sing praises to the Lord for thirty more minutes. And by the time that I will preach, I could count the attendance with just one hand. When people started coming to church, they would see us prostrated at the Altar, and some of them would prostate to pray also. You see, when people see the Pastor praying they will also do it, the pastor needs to be an example to his church . Six persons from my church are pastoring now: one in Guatemala, one in Mexico, three in North Carolina, and one in prison. If you visit their churches before the service starts, you will see the pastor and a group prostrated at the Altar and praying. Why? because they learn that from me, as their pastor in North Carolina. In my church, you would not hear any people talking, while people were praying at the Altar, because I taught them about reverence in God’s house. They would either be praying on their seats or reading their Bible, but not talking! Because if they did, I would call their attention with all courtesy, the visitors would see this and they would also be silent.

You see, the church will do what they see their pastor do, and the visitors will do what they see the church do, that is “discipleship”. Isaiah 6:7-B says: “I will accept their sacrifices and offering, for my Temple

shall be called: A house of prayer for all people”. On Wednesday nights, we would have prayer meetings. There were three prayer groups, and they would extend even up to four hours. And as result of our perseverance, the church grew and after two years, the enemy didn’t seem to like that, so real soon we received the first blow and we ended up without a worship team, and other persons left the church. I recall very clear that from 80 attendees, the next Sunday we just had 21 in attendance. But all of that didn’t stop us from continuing what we started in the ministry. I have learned that when the enemy hit me hard, the more natural thing to do is to hit him back where it hurts him the most and that is by “reaching out and freeing the lost souls from his kingdom”. With time the Lord started blessing the church with new people. I’m sure the devil was mad so he continued hitting hard and this time directly at me, who was giving him most of the problems. He tried to knock me down from the pulpit, in my time as a pastor in North Carolina. There were three persons who tried to take my position as pastor and on the third attempt, the devil nearly won, you will see, as I continue to share about my pasturing experience. Since the first time we started the work in North Carolina, I could feel demon spirits in the air, and I would tell my wife these parks of mobile homes are camped by demons. But the Gospel has the power to destroy every evil barrier, and nothing stopped me from preaching the Word of God with more conviction for He had brought me to North Carolina to do what He had intended to do in that place, where there were so many lost persons.

After five years, we started to make plans to build a new church building. So when we hired a company to build it, I invited the church to make a prayer chain for 24 hours, from the beginning of the construction until the end. Since we were a small group, I asked the FBC to help us fill in the 24 hours. The Mission church were working: some during the day and others at night, so they were able to pray for 24 hours. After six years since the Mission started, by the Grace of God, we had the new Temple in a six and half acres of land and a new double wide mobile home. We were also ing a Mission in Guatemala, whose pastor was Jose Gutierrez, and we had bought a $13,000 sound equipment. For sure, the devil was enraged to see how the Lord has prospered us. Souls were being saved and God’s ministry was in full throttle and nobody was going to stop it. As we continued growing in the spiritual and economic aspects, we sponsored two more Missions in Mexico: in Hidalgo and Guanajuato, making a total of three Ministries that were sustained monthly by

our church. Well, six of the left on a different occasion and circumstances. Three of them although they didn’t go by calling to pastor a Mission, I knew the Lord had a plan for them. As time ed, He put all six, one by one in the ministry to pastor a church and up to this time, they have been faithfully preaching God’s Word, and personally, the doors are open for me to preach at their churches.

Seventeen years had already ed since the church was founded when the third person that had tried to take my position as a pastor, influenced by the devil, tried to remove me from my ministry. He came against me starting false rumors that I had committed adultery, this affected me very much and it almost destroyed my marriage, this was something the church was never aware of. Even with all the attacks of Satan, God protected me by using other Ministers who backed me up unconditionally and without doubting me. I thank God’s people that were praying for me. It was one of the critical times in my ministry when I needed someone so much. I that the Lord sent me these three persons, Marcelo, Aura his daughter and Glenia, who had been of the church, and brother Marcelo said to me: “Pastor we came to pray with you, we know you and know that you are a trustworthy person”, something that I needed so much for someone to say. I appreciated them because, they didn’t ask me questions, they didn’t criticize me, they just went to pray with me. “Real friends are those that, even when things are against you they do not lose confidence in you”.

CHAPTER 14 Diabolic influence in a person’s subconscious

There is a spirit of bad influence which exists and it is of a diabolic origin that begins in the Garden of Eden, this diabolic spirit is very dangerous. It has divided churches and even destroyed them, including the pastor. Many leaders have not uncovered it yet, he works really smooth without being noticed, something that he doesn’t want to happen. : “he came to steal, kill and destroy”. This can be achieved from transmitting false information into a person’s subconscious mind, “This diabolic spirit will be transmitted to the subconscious from one person to another”. I’m not exaggerating, I experienced this first hand from the church that I pastured for 20 years. Three of the general committee accused me of adultery without proof of such accusation, even when the woman involved in this accusation said that I had not done, or tried to do such thing. For obvious reasons, I will call these three persons by the name: Mateo, Lucas and Juan. They tried at all cost to destroy and discredit me with that terrible accusation. I say that they wanted “to destroy” me because even when I told them that If they thought that I was not supposed to pastor the church anymore then I will renounce on Sunday, but they still insisted in bringing me before the church, not only to remove me as their pastor but to destroy and discredit me completely before the church and also all around the area to make me seem guilty of this sin, that would easily be a chance for Mateo to take the pastoring.

Mateo was the one in charge and who was influenced by an evil spirit and transmitted this same spirit to Lucas and Juan to carry on their evil plan. At the end, it was confirmed Mateo’s evil intention and it was to take over my position as a pastor, even though he tried to deny it there was much evidence that show the contrary. Lord knows I’m not trying to harm these three men or anybody else, but to unmask the real enemy: (Satan) whose plan was to use these three men. Just like I told my wife, at the very first moment I already knew what their

plan was. I said to my wife, “My love, don’t blame them it’s the enemy who is using them, but they don’t know it. This false leader started to transmit this diabolic spirit to Juan, who was very humble, faithful and also a great servant. When our committee meeting would end, Mateo would call Juan away from the other committee , where no one could hear their conversation. I didn’t like that act, for me it looks like a conspiracy and this happened every time after a meeting. So, Mateo was working really smooth and was just waiting for the right moment to strike and he found himself another victim to transmit that spirit. And he successfully transmitted that spirit to Lucas, who is also a committee member whom he used as his spokesman so he could keep his hands clean and would not appear suspicious of his evil plan. But Lucas could not see that he was being used. The devil and his kingdom of darkness are active twenty-four hours a day and on the first chance they’ll get, they will strike with mortal force. He chose Mateo to destroy me, knowing his ambition for the pastoring to which God did not call him.

First, these three church set me up to meet them at my office, but first Lucas called me and said that he wanted to talk to me. At first, I told him to meet me in my office, but then I changed my mind and told him to come to my house. He said that he is bringing others so I told him that we can meet at my office but right then, I already knew what that was all about. When in the office, Lucas, being Mateo’s spokesman was the first to talk. He asked me what I had done on certain day, I answered and told them, “well, you called me to this meeting, so you speak up”. At this point, no one said anything, so it was Lucas who started talking. Poor Lucas, he didn’t know he was being use. He used to tell me that he love me like a father. As soon as Lucas started talking, I realized the motives of the meeting, so I armed myself with courage and I didn’t want to hide anything, knowing that I was before God confessing my bad intention toward this woman. So, I wanted to be honest with them, like I said not hiding anything, so I said “Yes, I did ask her if she wanted to go to see my house that I have in the country since she had mentioned to me about renting a house. But I had bad intentions in taking her there. We went inside the house and when inside all that time, I was tempted to try something on her. When I picked her up at her house, she just finished taking a shower, so she received me with just a towel wrapped around her body. The enemy took advantage of that to tell me: “She is giving you the “I’m willing, if you want to” sign”. And then by going alone with me to that little house, which was very isolated, what would any man think of that? Well, in

all the time that we were inside the house, I only had one thing in my mind, but I was really afraid so I didn’t try anything. When we went back, I left her at her house when I was leaving she told me, “Take care, Pastor”, and I went home. Well, after I confessed to them, I asked them for forgiveness. Lucas said: “That is her same version of the story” so what else was there to say? there was no need to talk about it anymore. But when Mateo saw that there was no solid evidence against me, he told Juan that he wanted to talk with him outside the office, and Lucas followed them also. Before they stepped out, I told them, “If you’ll going to talk, let’s talk here”, they just ignored me and went out of the office. But the evil spirit had already taken control of their minds and they were willing to go ahead with their plan at all cost. So, once they talked together, they told me that they have agreed to call a meeting with the church, of course they were being influenced by Mateo. I tried to avoid a meeting with the church, to which I answered them as nice as I could, and said: “Please it’s not necessary, don’t do it. I’m not saying this to protect me but to avoid harm to the church. If you think that I’m not worthy of being your pastor anymore, I will renounce this coming Sunday”. But it was no use trying, even when I had confessed and asked for forgiveness, they insisted to make a meeting with the church. I got up and moved to the door, before I went out I said to them: The only difference between you and me, is that I have confessed, but you’ll have not (I was trying to tell them that they also had bad intentions on one time or another). My last words to them were, “But that you’ll have kids” (Sons & daughters) with the acknowledgement that God will deal with us where it most hurt, I left the office without saying another word.

Anyone could see this: “If they didn’t want to accept my resignation, what was Mateo planning?”. As you see, he didn’t want to remove me only from my position as a pastor, but he wanted to discredit me completely so he could take over the pastoring. Now, there was someone behind on all of this, which was “Satan” because we are not each other’s enemy, Satan is our enemy. Don’t let yourself be used by him!

Without wasting any more time, I ed my former pastor from Littlefield, Texas. I told him the whole story of what had happened, I him saying: “I ire you, Varon (Man)”. He advised me not to go to that meeting alone, he

told me to invite another pastor with experienced to go with me. I asked him if he could come and answered me that he could, saying that he had some conference to give but he could cancel them. He told me to tell Mateo, Lucas and Juan that he wanted to talk with them before the meeting. When I told them that my pastor was coming and wanted to talk to them, they started to mobilize telling the church that the Wednesday service was cancelled, because there was going to be a meeting and they did this without even consulting me. But, when I found out, I called the church and told them that there is going to be a service on Wednesday. When my pastor arrived, he told me that he wasn’t going to defend me, I didn’t ask him what was the reason why he wanted to meet with them. I didn’t expect for him to defend me anyway, I know my pastor and I knows he’s a very wise man, in all of this I was trusting God’s Word, “That He, makes justice to those who suffer injustice”. I knew I was innocent and I wasn’t worried, yes, I was hurting and concerned for the church but somehow I knew the Lord had everything in control.

My pastor met with these three church and up to this day, I don’t know what happened in that meeting. Come Wednesday, while everyone was in the service, these three meet with other committee in one of the rooms. And before the service was over, before I could dismiss the congregation in prayer, Lucas, as the spokesman for Mateo, came in and stood in the front interrupting the service. He told the church that there is going to be a meeting. At that very moment, I called their attention and said, “This meeting is supposed to be on Sunday. Don’t you’ll stay these with this rebellious”. I started to leave and Lucas told me not to leave but I just ignored him and that’s when I heard him say, “Sinner” but I still ignored him and went out. The church stayed to see what was going to happen and there was a big fuss, with Juan’s wife taking a video of the entire scene.

These three church had the strong intention of removing me from the pulpit, before my pastor arrived from Texas. They had some signatures from other committee , which were their wives’ and were totally ignorant that they could not do it, unless they have the majority votes of the church and on even grounds.

A few days later a meeting was carried out with the whole church, before anyone spoke up, I stood up and said, “There is no one to blame, but me, but the enemy wants us to put the sword on each other” and without saying another word I sat down. And they started attacking me, and I was just listening trying not to defend myself. ing again and trusting that, “God makes justice to those who suffer injustice”. I could have shame them if I had wanted to, but I didn’t want to make a bigger scene. I had invited a friend of mine from the Baptist State Convention who was going to direct the meeting.

There was another meeting in which some people vote against me, and in favor of me, whether I would be removed from the pulpit or not. It came out eleven votes against the whole church in my favor, of course the eleven votes were from their wife’s and kids, including two that were not qualified to vote, because they were not . In that same meeting by the advisement of the Baptist Convention and Baptist Association, they agreed to remove me from the pulpit for three months. Even though there were no proofs of me committing adultery, except for my bad intentions toward this woman. In all this time, I wasn’t supposed, not even to put a foot on any of the church services. My friend from the Convection was very wise in conducting the meeting, he advises the church to elect another committee, that would be called: “A committee of peace” and none of the old committee couldn’t be in that committee.

It is very hard for me to it it, but it was because of my stupid actions and with my bad intentions toward this woman that some of the church were influenced in their subconscious mind, and stopped coming to church. Even though some of them realized later on, but too late that it was all a false accusation.

Even though Mateo knows that I was innocent of what I was accused of, he still started spreading gossips everywhere about me, saying that I had committed adultery, in order to discredit me. I always believe according to what the Bible says, that it is very dangerous to arise against the God’s anointment man. I have

seen it also, on all those that arise against me while I was pastoring in North Carolina. In sharing with you’ll this sad experience of mine, it is not my intention to harm anyone, but I feel obligated to speak about this as a warning to everyone in general, to tell you not to let this evil spirit transmit in to your subconscious, on things that are not real. Just like it happened with these three church , who did a lot of harm to the church. , “You are not each other’s enemy. Satan is our enemy” and his objective is: “To steal, kill and destroy”.

After a time, it came to my mind the idea to destroy Mateo, by discrediting him just like what he tried to do with me, and let everyone knows what kind of person he is. But at the same time, I felt like I didn’t want to do it and God knew that, because I’m not that kind of person, also I knew what the Bible says: I Thessalonians 5:15 says, “See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else”. But still I was going to plan a meeting with him and other persons who were going to be witnesses. I was doing this to show everyone that Mateo was a hypocrite and a liar. But the Lord was already planning to work in me through Lino, who I was going to ask to be one of my witnesses. Lino had told me that Mateo, at one time had talk to him real bad about me, to which he said to him: “Me and my family have a lot of respect for pastor Rangel” so, when I talk with Lino after I told him what I was planning, he said to me: “Pastor, you maintain your image as you have always done. Mateo is already paying in his own flesh for his mistakes”. He probably knew something that I didn’t know. He started talking to me and after a little while, I told him: “You have spoken with God’s wisdom”. All the time that he was talking, it feels like God was ministering to my heart. So, I said to him, “I really appreciate your words, thank you very much”. And I feel that all my resentment and bitterness, vanished within me. By that time, I had already called this friend of mine from the Baptist State Convention, and told him that I was planning a meeting and wanted him to be there, so I called him back and cancelled everything. After this, I called all three of them, Mateo, Lucas and Juan. I set a meeting with them but during the time that we were supposed to meet, only Mateo and his wife showed up. I didn’t wait for Lucas and Juan, not knowing if they were coming or not, I told Mateo that I have forgiven him and if he wants to be used by the Lord, he needs to ask the church for forgiveness for all the harm that he did. Just like I asked them three to forgive me, his wife told me, “Pastor I’m glad I came because I did not know about this”, she look at him

and told him, “You didn’t tell me about this?” Mateo then said, “I guess I just forgot”. Sure, he wasn’t going to say something that would be inconvenient, for him! I talked to Lucas and Juan on a separate occasion, I never figured out why they didn’t come together when I called them. I also told them that I have forgiven them and that they need to ask for the church’s forgiveness but until this day, they haven’t been humble enough to do it.

God was good to me despite of all that had happened, he held me for three more years as the church’s Pastor, before we left for Texas, because He had a purpose. God wanted to work in me about forgiving this three church , He did not permit me to leave with my heart full of resentment and bitterness, because He still wanted to use my life for his Honor. I telling my wife: “Can you imagine if I would have come to Texas without forgiving these three men, how could I be preaching about God’s love and forgiving?” God have always dealt with me in loving and forgiving those that have offended me, and I thank God that I don’t have any grudge against any one. Praise God! I can live with a clean conscience.

With all that had happened, with me being in discipline by the church for three months, my wife and I decided to leave for Texas. After all the proceedings of meeting after meeting was over. My pastor and friend from the Baptist Convention, my wife and I, decided to go to eat at Goldsboro. We went on separate cars on our way to Goldsboro, my wife and I talked about the whole ordeal. If we should stay and deal with this or just leave for Texas, we gave both a consideration. And we both reach to an agreement, and it was to leave as soon as possible and go back to Texas. While we were eating at the restaurant my Pastor from Littlefield, and friend from the Convention gave us some advised and we listened to them, and thank them for their advice. But we had already made a firm decision.

After we decided to leave the pastoring in North Carolina and return to Texas, for good, early in the morning at about 4:00 am, I was very restless. I decided to get up and seek the Lord in prayer, and after a good while I lay down in the sofa.

I just lay there with my mind in a blank state, I felt devastated inside and spiritually destroyed. I had been in battle and came out with no strength left on me to fight, it hurt me to leave my congregation after seven teen years. I was suffering too badly that no words can express. I grabbed my Bible not knowing that God had a word of prophecy for me, telling me what would happen if I leave for Texas, and assuring me that He would fight with me if I stay. I opened it in Psalms, chapter 35 and read the whole chapter. In the first verse, it says: “O Lord, fight those fighting me; declare war on them for their attacks on me. Put on your armor, take your shield and protect me by standing in front. Lift your spear in my defense, for my pursuers are getting very close. Let me hear you say that you will save me from them” Verses, 7-8 “For though I did them no wrong, yet they laid a trap for me and dug a pitfall in my path. Let them be overtaken by sudden ruin, caught in their own net and destroyed” Verses 11-12 “These evil men swear to a lie. They accuse me of things I have never even heard about. I do them good, but they return me harm. I am sinking down to death”. And the Lord started ministering to my heart through these scriptures that was so appropriate for my soul which was very devastated at that moment. That is when the Lord spoke to me, saying: “If you leave, the devil is going to destroy this church, but if you stay and fight I will be with you and fight for you”. It was already five am and I started making coffee, plug in the coffee pot and went to the bedroom and woke my wife and told her that I wanted to talk with her. Half broken and wanted to cry, I told my wife: “I know that I have already told you that we would be leaving”, and then I told her how the Lord had spoken to me. My wife knows me well and she knows that when I say, “The Lord had told me”, it’s because He did. I said to her, “There are brothers here that love us and they have confidence in me, I just cannot leave them, should we stay and fight with them?” I knew she was also hurting and the only thing that she wanted was to leave for Texas. She didn’t give it to much thought though, despite with all the hurting that she was going through, she moved her head, “saying yes”, bless her heart!

It wasn’t easy for us to stay and expose myself to the criticism and comments from other people towards me, even from some of the church . But I always stick to God’s promises and his Word, “That all things help, (Result) for the best to those that love him”. It would take me a lot of time writing pages for pages on how the Lord works in our favor. All those three more years, we stayed and fought the battle of faith, it’s an Honor to suffer for the Justice.

After three years, we moved to Midland, Texas. The good Lord have permitted me to travel to Guatemala and various places in the Republic of Mexico, taking the message of the Word of God and being a bridge to help other Pastors and churches. He also gave me the opportunity to give conference, Preaching and taking clothes and shoes and also providing money for them to buy foods. And also, the blessing to be able to see my kids who live in El Paso, Amarillo, Dallas, Littlefield and Eva, here in Midland, and also spends time with my wife. We have five kids, ten grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren. God’s will I trust that God is not through with me, my heart is in Missions by helping pastors and churches and preach salvation to the lost people.

Rangel Family Above from left to right: Michael, Joel, Eva, Adrian Lee and Josué Seated: Pastor Rangel and his wife, Oralia

Vicente Rangel

106 McDonald St Midland, TX 79703 USA (432) 689-3545 [email protected]