Angels, Demons, Spiritual Guidance and Near Death Experiences

I am working on a project and I wanted to put a feeler out to the ATS community. I love the diversity of beliefs and experiences that I see in the forum interaction. I wanted to see if anyone had any near death experiences that they would be willing to share. I am not only looking for stories of those who almost died, I am also interested in stories of those who have had interaction with supernatural beings, particularly if you were “led” to complete a task or action. Whether you saw your grandma beckoning you to come into the light or darkness, demons and hell fire, I would love to hear your experience. I am a minister that is putting together some anonymous research for some scholars.

I will give you a little background on myself, here is my story:

I have not always been a Christian. Statistically speaking, it is only by the grace of God that I am not dead or in prison. My perception of life was dramatically skewed by my dysfunctional home life as a child. Surrounded by alcoholics, drug dealers and prostitutes, the influences in my life had no guidance to offer. By the time that I was a preteen I was mainlined into the drug underworld, often used to deliver products under the radar of law enforcement officials. By my early teenage years I was caught in a whirlwind, seeking drugs, money, and power. This search for power led me into a life of witchcraft. I lived life by the mantra, “if no one will love me, then they will fear me.” Secretly I struggled with the hollow feelings that come from an unfulfilled life, often turning to binge partying until I blacked out. I did not even know the meaning of hope. Luckily for me, Jesus had a plan to become the author of his hope, a plan to transform my life.

I had just finished several days of partying and I was experiencing a “sickly” feeling. I decided to make my way home, stumbling into an empty house. My breathing became erratic and I felt a sharp piercing pain in my heart, causing me to collapse onto the couch. I realized that I was dying, and I was absolutely terrified. The same Demons that I thought served me were swarming around the room, waiting to drag me to Hell. It was in that moment that Jesus chose to show mercy to me. As I was on the verge of losing consciousness, I looked up at the Television. There was a Televangelist on who stopped the entire production, blankly looking at the camera for what seemed like an eternity. The Televangelist said “stop, stop, stop! There is someone watching right now…” The Televangelist made several statements that let me know that I was, without a shadow of a doubt, the one that he was speaking to. The Televangelists words thundered with the authority of Christ; “God is going to DELIVER you from your drug addiction and he is not going to stop there, he will deliver your entire family!” Instantly I was sober, without a pain in my body.

God began a powerful transformation in my life that night and it changed every aspect of my being. I was so thankful and excited that I would share the testimony of what The Lord did to every friend, family member, or person who tried to buy drugs from me. Everyone thought that I would follow in the footsteps of my family members, but after my Damascus Road experience I had a passion for reaching out to those who corrupted others, offering the same redemption that was offered to me.

I attended church with a gentlemen who continually told me that the Holy Spirit wanted to empower me to do his work. I began prayerfully seeking The Lord for his empowerment and direction. One evening during a church service, I felt The Lord whisper to my soul a specific direction to go to Denny’s and preach to the people about magic. This was the first time in my life that I had ever ben “led” to do anything of consequence for the Kingdom of God. I promptly obeyed and went to Denny’s following the service. Within a matter of moments of arriving, a large group of people wearing pentagrams and upside down crosses entered the restaurant. When I saw them walk in, I realized that this was a mission given by God and I asked The Lord to use me. I preached to all of Denny’s that evening and over the course of the next few months almost every member of that group had given their heart to The Lord.

I realize that there are a wide variety of beliefs in the ATS forum. I would be very interested I hearing your story whether you are a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or Atheist. What was your experience?

a reply to: ClosetConspirator

My experience with reading OP's on this topic is that the anti-Christian and Active Atheiests will pile on in......

5,
4,
3,
2,

a reply to: ClosetConspirator

I am saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
And I love God. God helps me and protects me and provides for me. Everything that I have, I do not deserve. But it it by the grace of God that I am blessed. And so I live to serve God. It is because of a childhood experience of mine--which you can read if you click on the "FIRST" link on my signature. Interesting thread concept--if you want any more information, feel free to PM me, brother.

I don't really like Televangelists, I will say that. I find the concept off-putting. It feels wrong to me, but I try not to judge. I just listen to the Holy Spirit--my moral compass, I suppose one might call it--and try to do the right thing. I mess up and sin all of the time, of course! But yeah, I've always believed in God. I love everyone--and I have friends of all faiths (or lack thereof). I don't believe in pushing my beliefs onto people--because it is our differences that make us beautiful. And, agreeing is HIGHLY overrated

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: ClosetConspirator

My experience with reading OP's on this topic is that the anti-Christian and Active Atheiests will pile on in......

5,
4,
3,
2,

^ Well hopefully people can be mature and control themselves because that's just boring. It's much better to have a nice conversation and humor the OP for the sake of having a real discussion and not a debate. This is a thread about sharing--not debate

a reply to: ClosetConspirator

 By my early teenage years I was caught in a whirlwind, seeking drugs, money, and power. This search for power led me into a life of witchcraft

Quite bizarre that you'd turn to the supernatural to gain power rather than more traditional and proven methods.....rather than kill/eliminate your competitors or gain more influence via intimidation, what made you think 'whitchcraft' was an option and was even possible?

a reply to: Prezbo369

I've seen it before in many of my peers. I was not tempted toward that because, despite my early-childhood experience, I chose to think of such things as being mainly the subject of fantasy novels and not reality. I have also always known that such things were wrong. Plus, I am highly sensitive, so I suppose the idea of having "powers" never appealed to me. I was content to play pretend that I had magical powers or whatever when I was little, but that was just entertainment.

I suspect it could be a similar occurrence--seeking stimulation--but to an extreme. Like the OP mentioned, OP was involved in several high-risk behaviors. The study of the occult would probably be appealing to someone desperate like that. It sounds like the OP desperately wanted some sort of identity and purpose--as we all do. But perhaps due to hopelessness, etc, OP decided to believe what many thousands of people throughout history have chosen to believe: and that is in the existence of magic. Because it is real, it's just not good to mess with and can have some really bad consequences. So that's why it's really fantastic that the OP is a Christian and saved now, because otherwise his life might really be messed up at this point

That's just my hypothesis btw I have no idea if I'm right or not.

Several friends of mine are into the occult and don't seem any worse for it, quite frankly. But they are not also involved in those high-risk behaviors (and the one that is DOES suffer for it).

But, generalizing is bad. So all of this is just my analysis of the OP based on personal observations and not actual fact.

I was brought up in a way that allowed me to make my own choices regarding religion. Time after time I've seen Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Jews praise 'their' lord. Every one of their lords created the earth, heaven, hell.
When will they realise it's the same entity / god they all worship? And, if their god is omnipotent (i.e. all powerful), we wouldn't need anyone else to tell us about them, because we'd already know. Which, sort of proves that there can't be one, or if there is they're not as omnipotent as some people believe!

Ok, rant out of the way
My own experience is spiritual. From about 6 years old I've had messages. Some were dreams that came true. Some were visions while I was awake. Some were as simple as 'take a couple of steps to the right when you pass the next tree'. This last one was handy as a bird decided to empty its bowels and if I'd kept walking straight it would have been a direct head shot.
I accompanied my partner to a spiritual evening in a (now closed) community hall. The medium was on the stage for a couple of hours, but about 3 quarters of the way through I had a tingle. He then pointed in my direction and asked if I knew a busker who'd passed. As he spoke I felt 2 'presences' standing behind me. I didn't know who he was talking about, but when I mentioned it to my mum later that week, she said there was a family member who did busk and died a while back.
There has been other unexplainable stuff, such as the kitchen tap dripping when I talk about my nan. The kettle makes clicking sounds when my partner talks about her dad. We thought that was co-incidence (even after about 50 times that it happened, as it was just too strange) but we were decorating and the kettle was unplugged and still clicked when she talked about him.
The lights also flicker when other family members are talked about.
All of this can't be co-incidence, though I'm sure someone will try to explain it lol

a reply to: uktorah

Thanks for the perspective.

originally posted by: Prezbo369
a reply to: ClosetConspirator

Quite bizarre that you'd turn to the supernatural to gain power rather than more traditional and proven methods.....rather than kill/eliminate your competitors or gain more influence via intimidation, what made you think 'whitchcraft' was an option and was even possible?

I was seduced by the Dark Side... LOL! Actually, all Star Wars jokes aside, there was a secluded hermit who lured my cousin and I into black magic, Egyptian magic, and voodoo. The guy was probably a pedo. My perspective on life and society was so messed up. Whenever I isolated myself for extended periods of time with spellbooks, smoking dope, everything made perfect sense to me. I was broken. I saw some manifestations that legitimized what I was being told.

To answer your questions:
I probably would have used more traditional methods but:
1. I was a puss, so fighting was out of the question.
2. I only carried a gun for show, it was rarely even loaded.
3. I was about as intimidating as a pillow pet.

since early age as child i met my first demons and message they give me was i shall never escape, since then i have had them observing my every move and thought, i see them in peoples eyes and minds, in darkness, dreams but i seen some of the people from other side too, visions and some simple and complicated messages that have opened up bit by bit over the years, my life has been rather painful script that i just observe and battle with demons and such.
i also know very well how that sounds and how i look like to other people, they think i am crazy and should be full of meds, perhaps locked up for good but i never surrender even theres times when i do not know if the world is real or not, if death or life exist. this year have been quite roller coaster for me and past few days been very difficult time so i felt like this is proper threat to rant on, thanks.

a reply to: romilo

Do you see shadow people?

a reply to: ClosetConspirator

Could say that people seem like shadows to me, or maybe it is i who is like shadow.. do not really know what is shadow people exactly, as non real? THose i feel like i saw all my life. btw i liked your story it was moving and bit connecting with me as similarities how you tell how you lived before you met guidance, can also say that is grace of God that i am still living, even somedays i feel like i am ready to move on already, i guess i am not yet and that is the other part in me, i feel and always have God around so even how angry or fearful i get it quickly dims out with Gods presence.