Testimonies!

“MY BACK MOVED FROM ONE SPOT TO ANOTHER TWO TIMES”

Ministering deliverance to the demonically oppressed has always been a part of our ministry in prison, but it has been especially exciting this year to see men healed by the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit.  Frederick sent me a note that he was getting out soon and wanted me to pray over him and bless him before he got out.  When I pulled him out to my office, he also asked me to pray for his back as he was in constant pain in his lower back.  After ministering deliverance to him, the presence of the Holy Spirit filled my office and he was baptized in the Holy Spirit.  

 

We then prayed for the healing of his back and although he said it was better, the pain was still there.  When I began to pray a second time (even Jesus had to pray twice sometimes, see Mk 8:22-26), I was led by the Spirit to come against any demonic spirit that may be hindering the healing.  When I did so, another demonic spirit manifested in Frederick by violent coughing and choking and was eventually expelled in the name of Christ.  I then asked the Holy Spirit to come and heal his back by performing back surgery which He did.  Frederick testified, “My back moved from one spot to another two times.  Now it’s healed.  I never felt this good before in my life.”   Frederick 

“HE HAS SENT MY BACK PAIN AND MY HIP PAIN AWAY. HE HAS SENT MY MENTAL ILLNESS AWAY”

“My testimony of today is awesome!  God is an awesome God.  He has delivered me from evil.  He has filled me up completely with the Holy Spirit.  He has forgiven me of all my sins.  He has baptized me by water.  He has baptized me by the Spirit.

 

He has sent my back pain and my hip pain away.  He has sent my mental illness away.  Praise be to God.  I felt the evil spirits leaving my body through the top of my head, starting at my feet and working their way up through each part of my body until they reached the top of my head and left out.

 

I felt as if I was too weak to stand.  My legs had cramps in them from trying not to fall down.  I spoke in tongues.  At first when I heard it in my head I didn’t understand it but then it came clear to me that what I was hearing was what the Spirit was telling me to speak.  As I was trying to pray for forgiveness and asking God for the Holy Spirit my voice started to go out.  It felt as if I was being choked with a large amount of phlegm.  When I asked God to give me the strength to continue and send out from me all evil spirits, it went away.  No coughing, just a slight clearing of my throat and my voice was back stronger, more confident and able to speak easy and freely.  I was able to actually stand up and bend over and touch my toes with no pain in my hips or my back - - something I’ve not been able to do for at least 15 years.  I know deep in my heart now the power of God.  It was God through His son Jesus Christ that saved me from the path of wretchedness and filled me up completely with the Holy Spirit.

 

I gave forgiveness for things I’d been holding onto for 40 years.  I asked for forgiveness for things I’d been doing wrong for 40 years.  I cried deep tears to slash away and let out the evil spirits hiding in me for 40 years.  I know God is real.  He has given me faith through Jesus Christ to believe again and to start on a new clean path to freedom and righteousness.  I want to also thank Chaplain Jack Gaudin who by his faith in God through Jesus Christ, and himself filled with the Holy Spirit helped me with this awesome awakening to further understand God and believe in the full truth of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

 

I’m to be baptized by emersion soon and I’m so excited to have the opportunity of this.  It’s going to be another great spiritual awakening.  Praise the Lord!”  Steve

“I DON’T EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME”

I went to see Harry at his cell because he wanted to get his religious records corrected from being listed as Native American to Catholic.  When I began talking with him and sensing heaviness upon him, he was reluctant to talk with me saying, Chaplain, you don’t need to waste your time on me.  I’ve heard it all before and there’s no hope for me.  Being middle aged, and having been in youth detention centers and prison all his adult life, he had grown weary of living and he said the only thing left for him to do was to die and go to hell.  By the grace of God, he allowed me to examine his “spiritual foundation” and share some scriptures with him.  The Lord opened his eyes to the love of God and the real meaning of biblical repentance, the laying down of his rebellion against God by a decision of his will.  Well, the spiritual lights came on and he repented of his sin and gave his life to Christ.  I then sensed the Holy Spirit wanted me to pray for his deliverance right then, which I did and he was then set free of years of demonic strongholds in his life.  He began jumping up and down in his cell crying, “I’m free!  I’m free!  I’m free!  As I was getting ready to leave him, he said, “Chaplain, the Lord sent you to me to deliver me from my sin and bondage.  What is your name?  I don’t even know your name.”  Praise the Lord for the Holy Spirit and “his incomparably great power for us who believe” Eph 1:19. 

“GOD’S GOING TO HOLD YOU TO YOUR PROMISE”

I received a call from Florencio’s family that his mother had a heart attack, was in critical condition on a respirator and not expected to make it.  I pulled him out of his cell and gave him the news.  He called his sister who was at the hospital who confirmed the diagnosis, and his mom was unable to talk to him as she was unconscious.  I gave the family my pager number to call me when there was any news about his mom.  After the call, I had a time of prayer with him.

 

I received a page the following morning from the family.  I immediately assumed I was going to get the news his mom was gone and I was going to be delivering the death notification that morning.  However, when I spoke to the family his mom had experienced a remarkable, miracle recovery, was in stable condition and was going to make it.  When I was getting ready to go deliver this good news to Florencio, the Lord spoke to me to tell him that He was going to hold him to his promise.  My first reaction to this was to question if it was the Lord or not, since it’s such a common thing for people to make all kinds of promises to God when tribulation and tragedy hit their life.  But I’ve never had the thought of telling an offender such a thing before having delivered hundreds of these type of messages.  So, I decided it was the Lord speaking to me and I would deliver the message.  

 

When I entered Florencio’s unit he was just getting out of the shower.  His eyes fixed on me until I got close enough to tell him the good news about his mom.  He was relieved to say the least.  I went on to tell him that “God told me to tell you that He is going to hold you to your promise.”  His eyes immediately teared up, and he asked how I knew what promise he had made with God.  I told him I didn’t know what he had promised God, but the Lord wanted him to know that He had heard his prayer.  I wanted to pull him out right then to share the gospel, but couldn’t as there was no room available at the time.  So I purposed to call him out the next morning which I did.  

 

As I began to share the gospel with him the Holy Spirit convicted him of his lostness and his need of a Savior.  He then told me what he had promised God.  He had stayed up most of the night telling God it wasn’t right for his mom to die and him to live, and that if God would spare his mom’s life, that He could take his instead.  After telling him that “God is going to hold you to your promise,” he had spent the entire day and night waiting for God to kill him.  I laughed as I told him that God indeed was going to hold him to his promise and take his life, but not in the way he was thinking!  “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” 2 Cor. 5:15.  God had given him his life back in order to live for HIM, and he received Christ and committed his life to Him.  This was on a Thursday, and he was baptized on Saturday.  He continues to be a shining light in his unit.

“THE NOOSE BROKE”

Randy’s life story isn’t that uncommon for those serving time.  Poor judgment and too many bad decisions had ruined his life.  He had lost everyone, and was now in a place he never thought he would be.  In his own words, he says “I knew in my heart that I needed God, but felt that because of my sinful way of life that there wasn’t any way I could ever get right with God.  I was believing I could always stay one step ahead of the law.”  

But that is the biggest lie of the devil, that it won’t happen to you.  After being arrested, he decided to take his own life by hanging himself, but the noose broke!  He continues, “I then stayed on my knees and cried out to God to take my life, and He did, only not in the way I was looking for, but for the first time in my life, I made a right decision and asked to be forgiven.  And it was then that I realized what repentance was, and my life has not been the same as I knew it before.  God answered my prayer and my life has changed and though it is going to take the rest of my life to learn how to be the man of God I desire to be, I’m so thankful I am not the person I used to be.  I’ve been forgiven and felt God’s grace, mercy, love and forgiveness.  Now I understand what Isaiah 55:7 means, ‘Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.  Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”  Randy

“WHAT WORK HAS SATAN DONE FOR YOU LATELY?”

John had made a commitment to Christ after being informed of a family tragedy in his life.  When I went to his cell to follow up with him about a week after his decision for Christ he said, “Chaplain, the Lord spoke to me today.”  He said he was sitting on his bunk watching something on TV he knew he shouldn’t have been watching, and thinking about getting revenge on some guys when he got out of prison.  He said the Lord asked him, “What work has satan done for you lately?”  He said he told the Lord, “The devil hasn’t ever done anything for me,” to which he said the Lord replied, “Then why do you want to do his work?”  At that moment, John said he made a decision to release all his anger and hatred toward all who had wronged him.  He’s free from all of that now, and has since been baptized in the Holy Spirit and wears a smile on his face for the first time since being a child.

“AND OTHERS SAVE WITH FEAR, PULLING THEM OUT OF THE FIRE…” Jude 23

“When a person like me, with his criminal track record spanning over 30 years looked into the eyes of the abyss, and it looked back at me, it was definitely one scary experience. It was me, the wanna be tough guy, Mr. know it all, that saw a black funnel spinning clockwise, people attached to the sides, hollering and yelling and the set of eyes at the bottom staring back at me, not moving, nor blinking, that was the abyss.  [This was an open vision he had.  The cement floor of his cell opened up and he actually saw this with his eyes open].  

 

Prison is one of the most loneliest and dangerous places on earth. And for me, one of my greatest fears was of dying a lonely death.  But chaplain came into this place of hell on earth, and did something that no one has ever done before. He looked at me as if I was a human being, he treated me as if I was the only person around, and then still not knowing who I was, listened to my confession of one murder after another that I had committed, which I have never spoken to anyone about, not ever! 

 

Then Chaplain Jack, without any hesitation, took my miserable and broken life and presented it to Jesus. The devil is showing signs of weakness and of defeat. Because he no longer controls my mind, my thoughts, my actions, my life, nor anything else.”  Michael

 

[A week after his conversion, Michael was healed of a heart condition named “bundle branch block”, respiratory problems, hearing impairment, a nasal blockage and arthritis in his hands, shoulders, knees and feet!]

“I NOTICED A SURPRISED LOOK UPON HIS FACE”

Carl is in prison for the death of a two year old child.  As long as he could remember he would go into fits of rage, black out and not have any remembrance of his actions.  He accepted Christ at his cell door earlier this year, and not unlike Frederick, experienced freedom and deliverance in Christ during a one on one visit with me through the power of Christ.  He then told me he experienced excruciating pain because of pinched nerves in his shoulders when being cuffed behind his back as staff had to double cuff him (linking two pair of cuffs together).  

 

He could not overlap his wrists behind his back or place his thumbs up which is the required manner of cuffing behind the back.  When I asked him to show me, you could see the tenseness in his shoulders and arms.  He could not position his arms closer than ten inches together behind his back, nor turn his thumbs upward.  I asked him to place his hand upon the glass of the non-contact visiting booth we were in to pray for his healing.  After a time of prayer, I asked him to check how it was.  He stood up and when he placed his arms behind his back, I noticed a surprised look upon his face.  He said it was much better, and when I asked how much better, he said about 50% to 60% better.  I asked him if that had increased his faith and he said absolutely.  

 

I then told him I wanted him to pray for the fullness of his healing, and I would agree with him, which he did.  He then stood up, placed his arms behind his back, overlapped his wrists and placed his thumbs all the way upward!  

 

It was my delight just a few months ago when I not only baptized Carl, but also the father of the two year old child who had been killed, on the very same day.  Praise God for His infinite love and willingness to heal and restore the whole person - spiritually, emotionally and physically! 

 
 

“The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and relea

“One night I had a dream and I was standing before God.  He told me I was lost and bound for hell.  I stood there in utter fear, weeping, confused and lost.  I could not believe what I had done to myself and could think of nothing to say.  Then God told me if I could come up with an excuse or reason to justify even one of my sins, he would forgive me of all.  I remained devastated and hopeless.  I knew there was nothing I could offer or say to save myself.  I was completely and eternally condemned and damned...  I cried out to God.  I told Him how I felt, how miserable and sorry I was, BUT I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO BE SAVED.

 

I wrote a kite to Chaplain Jack for some Christian literature.  He came to speak with me and asked if and when I became a Christian.  I told him my story, the course of my life and the dilemma I believed I was in.  He told me that I needed to repent, to be delivered from demons, and to trust in Jesus Christ... [And that’s exactly what I told him!]. 

 

He prayed and laid hands on me for the deliverance from the demons and evil forces of my life, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Since that time God has blessed me beyond my imagination.  God has touched my life so deeply.  He enabled me to forgive the people that hurt me in the past, to let go of my past regrets and old lifestyle, criminal background, drugs, alcohol and sin.  He has freed me from the obsession of lust, greed, hate and bitterness.  I am no longer plagued with depression and resentment, bitterness or anger.

 

Robert later sent me this note:  I have been so blessed since being born again and baptized, and I have wanted to let you know the appreciation I have for your work and obvious devotion to those of us in here.  You were so instrumental in my coming to understand the way to God and to finally see the need and be totally delivered by God from all the demonic and satanic spirits and forces that were so entrenched in my life.  God has begun such a tremendous work in my life, I have come to know such peace, joy, happiness, contentment, fellowship with God - Christ - Holy Spirit, the true knowledge of a relationship with Him, forgiveness and assurance.  He has given me a passion and hunger for His word and is revealing Himself to me, and even given me the joy of prayer and intercession, and speaking/praising Him in tongues...  I have a new life.  I am a new creation in Christ!  Praise God!  Praise God!  Praise God!”  Robert

“I COULD NOT MOVE MY ARMS OR LEGS”

“The following is my testimony of the day I got saved, received Jesus into my heart and surrendered all to Him.  All my life has been one of much sin and dysfunction.  I’ve tried many drugs from cocaine, marijuana and even heroin.  My whole life has been one of crime.  I’ve been involved with gangs and lived a life of sexual perversion being involved with male and females.

 

In mid February I felt such a very strong and persistent urge to put in a request to speak with Chaplain Jack Gaudin.  Something within me (which I know was the devil) was resisting the urge to put in the request; but I ended up putting the request in anyway.  Soon thereafter, Chaplain Jack pulled me out to speak with me.  I shared with him my desire to seek God and to know Him and truly live my life for Him.

 

I shared with Chaplain Jack how I had prayed some nights ago asking Jesus to come into my life and change me, but that something within me was resisting and I kept wrestling with doubt.  So then, Chaplain Jack anointed my head with oil and began to pray for me.  Again, something within me was resisting the Holy Spirit.  After Chaplain Jack prayed for me, he provided me with some material to read and then went through a packet with me on Steps to Freedom in Christ and guided me on renouncing sin and curses in my life.

 

Well, as soon as I got back to my cell, it was like the Holy Spirit was just waiting for me right there in my cell.  I immediately just dropped to my knees and just cried out to God with all of my heart, with all of my being.  I could not control my crying.  I lifted my hands up and cried out with all my heart and I said, “Jesus! Here I am!  I want you in my heart, in my life Lord, please fill me with your Holy Spirit!  Please save me Jesus!  I don’t want to live the way I’ve lived my life anymore.  I need you Jesus!  Please, take away my sinfulness and cleanse me, take away my unnatural perverse sexual desires.  I don’t want it anymore!  I surrender all to you Jesus.  I can’t live like this anymore!”  For the first time in my life, I meant every single word with all my heart.  I then began to pray in the Spirit and the Holy Spirit just came upon me so strongly!  I began to say, “Yes Jesus yes!  Thank you Jesus!”

 

Then I heard this voice in my head and He told me to get down lower on the ground, so I did.  I bowed down before Him and began to pray some more, but then He told me no, get down lower.  Then it became clear to me that He wanted me to lay on my face before Him.  So I laid down on my stomach on my face with my hands stretched out in front of me.  All I could just keep saying was “Thank you Jesus” over and over.  But then I heard His voice again and this time He told me to be still and be silent.  So I became silent.  The best way I can describe it now is that I then went into like a comatose state, but after quite a while I kind of came to and tried to get up.  When I tried to get up though I could not move my arms or legs to do so.  I even tried to just move my hands or fingers which I just could not move.  I couldn’t even wiggle my toes.  Then I heard be still again, so I did.  

 

Finally, after quite a while I was able to get up.  When I did get up, the Holy Spirit was so strongly upon me that I had to hold on to the walls to walk.  My legs felt like jello under me and I felt like I was high, which I was, of course, high on the Holy Spirit!  I began to cry uncontrollably over and over and just kept doubling over on my knees thanking Jesus.

 

From that day, I have been and I am saved and delivered!  I have no homosexual desires.  I harbor no anger or hate or pain associated with my past and I have only the desire to live my life for Jesus and serve Him all the days of my life.  I have no desire for the things of this world and all doubt I ever had is gone!  I have been able to make decisions that I was never able to make on my own before and that’s because of the great comforter, the Holy Spirit.  Jesus lives, He is real and His power is real.  He renews, He restores, He saves, He delivers and He does indeed make all things new.”  Victor

“NOW THAT MAN IMPRESSED ME”

“Before I had come to know Christ, I didn’t understand or know where I belonged in this world.  I really felt like I didn’t have anybody to talk to or nobody could understand me.  Of course, I was living to please myself and others.  I’ve always just figured I had to act a certain way in order to gain acceptance.  I would be a good person most of the time, then I would do something stupid to try to impress somebody.  When I hurt people it was usually to draw the attention of somebody else, not because I really felt anger toward that person.  I always felt bad afterwards and told myself that I’m not that kind of person.  But that never changed the fact of what I had done.  Just recently (within the last two years) I’ve been trying harder and harder to do right.  But I still knew something was missing.

 

I found myself in a situation (that I was innocent of) that I knew would be impossible to get myself out of on my own.  Being accused of something I never did was a first for me (because I’ve always been guilty of my accusations).  Especially at a time in my life where I was trying so hard to right.  I found myself extremely alone.  I started to cry and just told God that if he would help me prove my innocence that I vow to seek him out.  

 

Well, of course, the truth came out and my situation turned out alright.  The very next day while I was sitting in my empty cell with nothing to do, Chaplain Jack came to visit my neighbor.  He was explaining to him what it meant and how to become saved!  I was curious myself.  So I asked if I could listen in on their conversation.  He said, “Sure”.  So when he was done speaking to my neighbor, he came to my door and prayed with me to also receive the Spirit.  It felt good.  I felt like this was something I needed in my life.  If felt like a fresh start for me.  And it made me feel like I was not alone anymore.  

 

Nothing can explain the outcome of my problem a few days before except that I believe 100% that it was divine intervention.  I believed it so much in fact that I was baptized two days after accepting the Holy Spirit at the door of my cell!  That was the 14th of April, 2005.  I was baptized in water on the 16th of April and I’m writing my testimony.  Only by the grace of God!  Now I’m not saying that I turned perfect over night, but I promise you that I’m changing day by day.  And the more I learn the more I want to know.  And from now on in the future when I do things to try to impress someone, I’m going to try to impress my new friend, Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  When I finally meet him I want him to be able to say, “Now that man impressed me!”   Randy

“THEY WERE ANGELS”

Last month one of the Christian inmates in my facility (who has been forgiven much and has been saved for about a year and a half) was led by the Lord to go on an eight day fast.  During this time of fasting and prayer, he was moved by the Spirit to intercede for the other men at the facility, which you know is a super maximum security prison with the men being locked down in their cells 23 hours each day.  We house Colorado’s worst inmates.  He told me at one point during the fast, he woke up at 1:00 am in the morning and prayed non stop until 6:00 am on his knees beside his bunk.  One of the things be petitioned the Lord for during this time was for the Lord to send thousands upon ten thousands of warring angels to the facility to help in the spiritual battle raging at the facility for the souls of the lost men.  

 

A couple of days later I went into another pod to follow up with a man who I had led to Christ about three months earlier.  These men are in different parts of the facility and do not know each other.  When I walked into his pod, he was standing and looking out the window in the “exercise room.”  I walked up to the door and tapped on it motioning for him to come over so we could visit.  He told me he was just standing over there thinking and meditating what the Lord had done in his life over the past three months since he had been saved.  He began to tell me while looking out the window he saw these images coming down out of the sky over the mountains.  He didn’t know what he was seeing.  As they keep getting closer and closer, he said he noticed they were angels.  Big, huge angels dressed for battle and coming down to CSP – thousands and ten thousands of them!  I told him I knew of another brother who had just prayed to the Lord for that very thing a few days ago.  He said, “Well, tell him they showed up around 2:30.”

“GOD WANTED TO HEAL ME JUST BECAUSE HE LOVED ME”

Over the last several years I’ve realized the need to draw away to a conference a couple of times a year to get spiritually refreshed.  So earlier this month, I went to a “Soaking in God’s Glory” conference in Toronto.  It was great as I not only received ministry from the Lord, but He also had some ministry appointments for me and Mary was one of them.  

 

She had broken her foot at 16 and did not receive any medical care because of the neglect that characterized her childhood.  As a result it didn’t heal properly.  It was twisted and the muscles shrank up causing it to be two sizes smaller than before it was broken.  Over the years she developed quite a list of physical ailments as a result of her foot being twisted, the worst of which has been constant back pain.  After 30 plus years she finally gave up thinking she would ever find relief from the pain and had suffered plenty “at the hands of physicians.”  

 

Some friends prayed for her one evening during the conference, but the next morning her foot was really painful.  So I joined them in praying with her the next evening.  She relates:

 

“I honestly wasn’t expecting anything to happen, but as Jack prayed with such authority, there was a burning sensation that started in my inner thigh and moved all the way down the inside of my leg and stopped at the arch of my foot.   

 

I sat down on the chairs and stretched out my legs to compare my feet.  My right leg had noticeably been twisted back in line and my right foot was now completely straightened out – no longer twisted like it had been!  Jack wanted to keep praying for my right foot to stretch out and be the same length as the left one.  He said that God wanted me completely healed, not just healed part-way.  I was actually fine with my foot staying short, as I knew that my back would now be perfectly aligned and my pains were all gone, but he insisted.  I had told him many people had seen my “weird” feet over the years and God would surely be glorified in this healing.  But he told me God wanted to heal me just because he loved me. That was a bit tough to accept, but I did.  

 

Finally, after much more prayer, about 12:15 AM that night, my foot stretched out and was the same length as the other foot.  I was stunned.  And all my back pain is completely gone.  I can stand with no limitations.  There is no pain in my feet, my legs, my knees or my back and I’m quite confident my spine no longer has zigs and zags.” 

“I’VE GOT SOME MORE BAD NEWS FOR YOU”

When I got paged by the facility late on Sunday afternoon, I really did not want to go deliver another emergency notification to another inmate.  This was a bad one, too.  The man’s 24 year old daughter had just committed suicide by hanging herself.  Just 6 weeks before, I had also delivered the news to the same man that his mom had died.  At CSP, they’re not allowed to leave the facility to attend any funeral service.  They get a 15 minute phone call.  That’s it.  As I walked down to the pod to deliver the bad news, I prayed, “Lord, fill my mouth because I don’t know how I am going to be able to do this.  May you minister through me.”  As a chaplain, you learn to deliver this kind of news quickly.  You get it out as soon as you can.  So, when he was escorted by two officers down to where I would speak with him, with his hands and legs handcuffed and belly chained, I looked him in the eyes and said, “I’ve got some more bad news for you.  It’s your daughter.  She has hung herself.  I’m so very sorry.”  That’s the way you do it.  There’s really just no good way to deliver this kind of news.  When he gained his composure enough to call his ex-wife, I could tell from the conversation that he believed in God and was a “religious” man, but I doubted if he really knew the Lord.  After the phone call, although I forget exactly what I said, I ended up sharing the gospel with him.  Others may have done it differently, thinking this is not the appropriate time to speak to a man about salvation.  But the way I see it is that it is only the Holy Spirit that can comfort a man suffering with this kind of grief and sorrow.  And unless he is really saved and has the Holy Spirit indwelling him, the words I speak will be shallow.  I’ll let you pick up the rest of the story from Chris.

 

“As I walked towards the make-shift office, next to the barber shop, where us in ad-seg go to talk with the chaplains one-on-one, and looked into the chaplain’s eyes, I read them  as “I’m sorry”.  I knew right then something was wrong, before he said anything.  I can at times still hear the cold words that came to me that day.  Within me, I said, “No!  Not my baby!”  And it broke me, for the first time in my life, I felt so helpless and useless.  Once I had a chance to compose myself, the chaplain placed a call to my ex.  As I talked with her, she verified what the chaplain had already told me.  I hung up the phone and felt all lost.  I don’t know if anything I was uttering made any sense?  I heard someone as I uttered, “I feel so worthless.”  That someone (the chaplain) asked me, “Are you ready to accept Jesus into your life?”  The chaplain took my hand and my answer came “yes!”.  And I began to sob, for I couldn’t hold back the tears nor my great pain any longer.  He led me in prayer as I uttered “I am a sinner.  Forgive me Jesus.  I open my heart, soul and mind and accept you Jesus as my Lord and Savior for now and ever into my life.”

 

At the time, I didn’t understand what was happening to me.  An overwhelming wave of an electrical power washed over me and a powerful sense of relief came upon me as I prayed at that moment.  I felt a sense of peace and loved, a sense of serenity I’ve never known at any time in my life.  All my sadness, hurt, anger, hatred, shame, had all left me.  I felt his (Jesus’) forgiveness, for I no longer felt dirty nor rotten or worthless.  When I opened up my teary eyes and looked into the chaplain’s eyes, I was so happy he had been there for me and brought me into the one thing missing out of my life–“Jesus, my Lord!”  Right before the chaplain and I parted, he told me, “The old Chris has died.  You are re-born of the Spirit.  You are a new creation, for you now have Jesus Christ in you forever.  He’ll never leave you.  Trust in him.”  All that night I stayed up, all kind of things went through my mind.  My former troubled 35 years had ran swiftly through a gauntlet of wild and sinful living.  I reflected on my past life.  I had searched for a meaning to my existence, as it continued to elude me, as I was chasing the wind, in heroine filled balloons, meth, booze, under the bed sheet with strange women.  And the one I once thought to only be a myth of a man was and had always been the genuine article...”  Chris

“THAT’S GOOD NEWS”

Jim called me over to his cell to ask me about services for Jewish inmates.  After a short discussion with him about the Messiah and sharing the gospel of Christ with him, he saw that it was all about what Jesus did for him and not what he can do for God.  He also made a decision to repent of his sins and received Christ right on the spot!  The last verse I had Jim read was Heb.13:5 where the Word says, “because God has said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  He immediately said with meaning, “That’s good news!”  Yes, Jim, it is good news isn’t it!  Not only is it good news, it’s the best news that can ever be spoken, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners!

“CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF”

“Before I met Christ and asked Him into my heart, I lived my life by my own standard.  Right and wrong, good and bad were never absolutes, they were dictated on a situational basis for me.  Needless to say, this way of life led me down an unpleasant and immoral path which left me wanting something more, something better.  Along this path I would sometimes think of Christ or someone would mention his name, but it never dawned on me that in Him I could and would find the fulfillment I had been looking for.  After 26 years of unpleasantness, prayers from family and friends, and words - “Check it out for yourself” spoken by Chaplain Jack Gaudin, I put all my indoctrinatials aside and picked up the New Testament to check Christ out for myself.  In reading and believing the Word, I began to feel the void in my mind, heart and soul fill up with the presence of Christ.  At that moment in the back of a prison cell I met Christ and asked Him into my heart.  Since that time my life has changed.  I’ve been given peace and a sense of belonging.  The walls that make up my cell seemed to have been knocked down.  I feel the freedom that Christ promised.  Most importantly, I know what I am and that’s a child of God.”    Travis  [Travis comes from a Jewish family].

“PLEASE HELP ME CHAPLAIN”

I didn’t know Michael when I received this note from him that read, “I’m lost and wandering around in the black and can’t find or see any light at all.  Please help me chaplain.”  I made time that day to pull him out of his cell for a visit the very day I received his note.  He had grown up as a “gutter punk” rocker and ended up practicing satanism with everything that involves, plagued with suicidal thoughts and more.  His neighbor had recently become a Christian and told him he should speak with me.  The love, grace and mercy of God is amazing as I watched the Living Word penetrate his heart and bring salvation, deliverance and the baptism of the Holy Spirit to the depravity of man.  Testifying of what Christ had done for him, he said, “When Jesus took His place on that throne of my heart, there was a feeling I’ve never experienced before, better than any drug I’ve ever gotten high on.  The anointing oil was put on my head and it shot down through me!  It felt like a bubbling sensation going all through me, cleansing me like a brillo pad.  It spread and spread.”  “...the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Rom 10:1213  Michael

“MY PRIDEFUL NATURE WAS BLOCKING THE TRUTH”

“Today is the first day of my new life with God.  I took a huge step by being baptized.  God blessed me with the opportunity, the conviction and the courage.  I am forgiven, I am redeemed.  My Lord and King has erased my past and given me a new heart and spirit.  My eyes were opened and all things became new.  Today I will begin to record this new beginning as I truly begin to walk in the spirit, leaving the flesh in the ashes.  Let my blessings be my witness for God’s glory and loving kindness.  He has been saving me from myself for so long I am humbled by His grace.  In my arrogance I felt so bad for so long.  I was the worst, most awful, evil, wicked person.  Nothing could or would save me.  And now I smile and wonder how I could ever have thought I was so special to avoid God’s love.  Like a wave it washed over me, consuming me like a raindrop.  The sins of my life could not compare to the awesome sacrifice of Jesus who died for me and all who believe.  My understanding was obscured by the ways of the world.  My mind could not comprehend the greatness of His gift.  My prideful nature was blocking the truth and although I knew there was a God, I did not trust Him.  So that was worse than my other sins.  

 

No matter.  The moment I cried out to my Father He healed me head to toe inside and out, crushing the flesh and all its desires.  My life changed in a moment as the darkness was lifted.  I have only begun my journey and already my cup runs over.  Praise God for His mercy!”  David

“I COULD SEE THE CHAINS BREAKING OFF OF ME AND SLIDING ACROSS THE FLOOR”

Robin grew up in a Christian home and involved in church and ministry all of her life, but never feeling she was worth God’s presence or time.  She had been subject to a lot of physical and sexual abuse as a child and constantly worried if God would really want her in heaven with Him.  When we met for coffee she readily admitted how she and her family were struggling and out of church, and that her anger was just out of control because of what she had suffered as a child.  

 

I told her, “Well, we can take care of that right now.”  So we went out to pray in my Suburban.  This is how she tells the rest of the story: 

 

“We started to pray; I had my doubts, but was truly desperate.  Jack prayed with me, having me name those I was angry with and why, forgiving them and me.  I released all of them.  It was like it was sucked right out of me.  I was shocked, relieved and so happy.  I was hooked!  I had never felt such freedom.  Then I heard a voice, “Make a decision!”  I looked at Jack and it wasn’t him.  Again it was, “Make a decision!”  I did, and then the Holy Spirit moved!

 

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HAD GIVEN MY EVERYTHING TO HIM.  He wanted it all.  I had always held back not wanting to give up the embarrassing part, the bad and the evil.  We cleaned house.  Renouncing the kingdom of darkness and announcing the kingdom of light.  I claimed it and owned it.  I went from crying uncontrollably to just sitting up and saying, “Done!”  It felt like hot air left and a door shut.  Another time I could see the chains breaking off of me and sliding across the floor.  Slowly I was being delivered.  I could not believe what was coming out of my mouth.  Owning up to my past was more than I could believe, but I was at His feet and it was ok.  The biggest breakthrough was the spirit of unworthiness.  I had no worth.  I felt sick, trying to get it out of my mouth, “He likes me, He loves me and then, I am your favorite!”  I have never felt such an overwhelming feeling in all my life.  I give my Father all the glory.  He wanted me!


“GOD CAME UPON ME LIKE A THIEF”

“Well I hear this guy talking to somebody in the cell next to mine, but I'm really not paying attention to all that. At least I'm trying not to listen to what he's saying, but then I hear him start quoting scripture. So I write out a kite to the chaplain if I can get a Bible.  I have no idea that God just knocked on my door.  I go about my business...  

 

Chaplain Jack came to my cell with the bible I asked for and on that day the Lord took over my life and I was baptized in the Holy Spirit. I have to tell you that I never in life would have guessed that I would have ever crossed over into that which is holy. God came upon me like a thief, but you know I no longer feel all that hate and anger. I no longer have thoughts of murder. I am now God's child for I have been saved. Amen!”  Ron 

“I knew right there at that moment I would live the rest of my days on earth for God and try to make God smile every day”

“Praise God!”  I’m doing life in prison in Canon City.  Today I’m going to share with you all what God has done for me and said to me.  When I came to prison twenty four years ago I couldn’t read or write my own name, so I asked God to guide me this day.   Bless those that read this.  Mr. Jack from the chaplain’s office came and pulled me out of my cell today so we could go pray.  God is real.  Mr. Jack said we are going to pray over all the darkness and strongholds I’ve given Satan willingly or unintentionally because the devil can enter through our ancestor’s practices of darkness and disobedience to God.  Mr. Jack told me to put it all out there so Satan can hear it and know that I renounce all satanic acts in my life and that I am a partaker of the new covenant with Christ.

 

I prayed and commanded Satan to leave my presence in the name of Jesus Christ!  Mr. Jack prayed over me also in Jesus Christ and commanded Satan to leave my presence.  I’m not sure how to put this part in words because I’m not an educated man, but as Mr. Jack prayed over me, I felt a very uneasiness.  I knew there was something wrong and it was like someone was fighting back and knew it was wrong for being there.  I tried to explain this but couldn’t, so Mr. Jack prayed harder and a different feeling came over me.  My body felt light and free and a protector was there.  All my guilt, shame, sins and unrighteousness was taken away.  It’s a feeling that everyone in the world should feel.  It is a freedom from all earthly bondage.

 

Let me say something before I go on and I mean no disrespect to anyone!  You might think to yourself this is just another man with life in prison that found religion.  Well, you’re wrong!  I’ve been in prison for 24 years and just started living my life for Jesus Christ just over a year ago.  One day something told me God has been waiting on me!  It was so deep in my heart I started looking and asking and praying and God opened my eyes.  That’s just the simple truth.  All the time God was there waiting.  I don’t care what anyone thinks or believes.  God is just as real as the words you are reading.      

 

Pastor Jack baptized me right there and I was full of the Holy Spirit of God.  Peace, love, forgiveness engulfed my whole body like I’ve never experienced beforeI knew right there at that moment I would live the rest of my days on earth for God and try to make God smile every day.  Surely God had been waiting on me all those years.  I knew that Jesus had given me authority over all powers of the enemy.

 

Now this will take you aback.  Pastor Jack began to pray over me and the Spirit of God came over him.  I sat listening with my eyes closed and Pastor Jack began speaking in the Holy Spirit or tongues.  As he continually prayed I just gave it all to God and all the darkness left.  Then just as clear as day I heard in my soul, heart and mind God say, You are special to me - my greatest creation.”  That’s the very first time in my life I’ve ever experienced anything like that.  Pastor Jack was speaking a language only my heart understood.  It wasn’t as one hears with his or her ears.  I know God is real.  Nothing or no one can make me believe any different.  God told me through Pastor Jack He loves me and to write My commandments on your heart and My will will be done in your life.”  I called out to God and he heard me.  God was waiting all these years until I was ready and now I’m a part of God’s Kingdom.  I will live the rest of my life for God through Jesus Christ our only Savior.  Bond or free I’ll serve God.

 

This is the first time in my life I feel good about myself.  No tormenting by the evil one - my mind is clear.  I feel and see all things differently.  I’m not doubtful about God anymore.  As men we have all tried something in life, but I tell you now try Jesus and you’ll never try anything else.  God is all one needs.  All glory to the Lord Jesus Christ!  Otis

Thank you partners for being a part of changed lives! Jack and Debbie Gaudin