From Hidden Battles: Episode #15- Jesus Delivers Me From Darkness After 40 Years

“Hey everybody, I’m Anne-Marie Michaelis, a Christian author and coach. Welcome to the Hidden Battles Podcast, a weekly podcast about the hidden battles of spiritual warfare and the struggles that go on in our minds and hearts, and the truth to overcoming these hidden battles. My life was radically transformed during a supernatural encounter with Jesus.

God allowed my eyes to be spiritually opened long enough to see the truth of these hidden battles and to scare the rebellion against him right out of me. In each episode, I share a true story about a real life experience, a teaching, and a final takeaway. This podcast will reveal the hidden battles that lurk in our minds and hearts, and the way out.

Hidden Battles, revealing what the enemy does not want you to know. Please take a moment to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and subscribe to my channel on YouTube, at GodDesign LLC. Podcasts are available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

For a free download of my memoir, visit my website at goddesign.org.”

Today, in this episode, I’ll share the story of when I was delivered by Jesus from what was demonizing me most of my life without my knowledge.  I’ll share what I saw when this was happening and how I felt afterward.  For many, this may seem unbelievable.  Had I not been the one experiencing it firsthand, I would feel the same way.  But I can only share this experience in hopes others will turn from their current way of living and surrender to Jesus before it’s too late. 

Before I was saved and delivered by Jesus … I “called” myself a Christian or Catholic when asked. I went to Catholic school for 8 years, mass twice a week (during the week and on Sunday). Baptism as a baby – check. Communion – check. Confirmation – check. Ready to start my life … or so I thought.

The thought never passed my mind that I was NOT really a Christian. I was NOT “good to go” because I was really spiritually DEAD. Meaning I was NOT saved. I did NOT have true salvation. I was a superficial Christian. Hanging my hat on the title “Christian” that had completed the Christian “rituals” and practices without being able to answer these important question with a “yes”.

Did my life reflect transformation and spiritual fruit? NO

Was I motivated by a love for God? NO

Was I actively pursuing a relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship? NO

Was I feeling humility and repentance when confronted with sin? NO

I had … No transformation in my heart. No spiritual growth. No commitment to Jesus. Living in sin without conviction.

Now … sin is sin, and I say, “Pick your poison.”

Some may say … that person was married more than once … I’ve been married to only one person … well … sin is sin. Pick your poison.

Some may say … that person is an alcoholic or drug addict … I don’t do that … well … sin is sin. Pick your poison.

Some may say … that person is a homosexual or sexually perverted … I don’t do that … well … sin is sin. Pick your poison.

Jesus forgives all sins … when we surrender to Him, but He doesn’t tell us to keep sinning … He tells us to SIN NO MORE.

If we’re not surrendered to Jesus, that is called “rebellion,” and I was in “rebellion,” unsurrendered to Jesus and not even knowing I was in sin with my rebellious heart. Sin is sin. I was picking my poison and didn’t know it. That was not my only sin, but one of many.   Here is what God says about rebellion and stubbornness.

• 1 Samuel 15:23 (AMPClassic) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim (household good luck images).

I’ve found that where there’s rebellion and stubbornness, you may also find roots of arrogance and pride—these are characteristics that got Satan booted out of heaven for eternity (he worshiped himself, wanted to be worshipped, and wanted to be “god” … sort of like we see nowadays with everyone worshipping themselves … the god of “SELF” which I have an episode coming talking about this one).

Let me tell you a story about when my eyes were radically opened to Jesus. At this point, they had been radically opened to the hidden battles and spiritual realm of DARKNESS … but this was a different eye-opening. This was the illuminating light of Christ delivering me from the dominions of darkness. The demons were EXTRACTED out of me one by one.

I’m going to read to you from my memoir the catalyst that motivated me to pray nonstop for deliverance. At the time, I did not know that there was a word for it, so my praying was “begging for God to remove what was in me,” and I didn’t know much more than that.

The title of the catalyst story is called “Stopped at the Door to Smell of Sulfur”

I was renting a house away from the nemesis nightmare for the boys and me.  One day, I was leaving for work, and one of my sons had a late start at school on Wednesday.  So he was still sleeping.   I was about to leave when I smelled super strong sulfur.  Considering the experiences I had gone through with all the spiritual warfare, I was worried. I didn’t take anything for granted at that point.   I went into his room, and it reeked of sulfur. I was overwhelmed by the smell and woke him up immediately. 

I asked if he was all right, and as he woke, he said, “Yes, I had a crazy dream.”  I asked him what he was dreaming about, and he said, “Demons were chasing you, and I was fighting them off by putting something over them and killing them one at a time so they would not get you.”  I knew things were not over. Between that dream, the smell of sulfur permeating the room and hallway, and my head hurting daily, I knew things were not done. 

I planned to pray nonstop to God and Jesus, begging Him to save me for as long as it would take. I waited for the boys to be with their Dad for the weekend so I could have an uninterrupted prayer.   The scripture that is in my memoir that went with this very short story is …

– Revelation 20:10 (NIV) And the devil, who deceived them,  was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,  where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.  They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Now for the main story called “My Prayer Answered – Jesus Saves Me”

I was at my wit’s end when I realized something was still in this new house.  I had been praying regularly.  I had surrendered and obeyed what God had been telling me for so many years.  It was time to pray, as I had never prayed before.  It was time to beg God and Jesus to get rid of what was in me.

It was early evening and still daylight.  I was lying on my back on a bed staring at the ceiling.  I started praying, begging God and Jesus to get rid of whatever was in me.  What happened next was both breathtaking and petrifying. The center of the ceiling opened up.  A glowing bright white light shaped like a flame started small and grew larger and larger.  It grew till it became what I estimate was at least twelve inches in diameter in its most solid-looking form.  It was glowing outward from that solid form even further.

I started to see small dragon-looking things about three to five inches in size coming off of me.  They were being pulled up into the glowing light that had opened in the middle of the ceiling.  It took a while, and I didn’t move.  I just lay there and continued to pray.  I felt lighter and lighter inside myself by the minute as more of these things were swallowed up into the light.  If I had to estimate how many I saw, I would say around forty, give or take. It was overwhelming the amount I saw.  I didn’t want the light to go away because whatever was happening to me, I was feeling lighter.  It was like a spiritual weight was being lifted off me. Negativity was leaving.  The head pain I had been feeling for so long was lessening.  That gnawing feeling that I always felt inside me was leaving. Then as the last of these entities was consumed by the light, something arose in front of me at the foot of the bed.  A huge entity that looked like a giant dragon, nearly the height of the ceiling, appeared before me.

This didn’t come out of me because it arose out of nowhere. It looked slightly different than all the smaller ones, and this one was furious. I prayed profusely for it to be consumed by the light in the ceiling. I didn’t know how it would fit into the light as it was so large, but I thank God it also got pulled into the light and disappeared. 

Once everything was out of the room, the light slowly went smaller and smaller until it appeared to dissipate entirely into the ceiling.   I felt like a new person.  Not like any version of myself ever in my past.  Completely brand new.  I did not feel angry like I always felt deep down.  I didn’t have the same nagging thoughts I always had rattling around in my head. Those closest to me noticed this difference over the months that followed.  It was strange because I was different.  After being one way for forty years, I was now different.  I felt like I lost a hundred pounds – spiritually.

I’ll share an interesting thing I did months after being saved.  I took my first Myers-Briggs in my early twenties, and it was always the same thereafter. It was six months after this experience, and I retook it.  My personality had changed. What was removed from me caused a change in my personality.  I’ve thought about this so much.  How much of my life was influenced by these things? How many others are experiencing this and don’t even realize it?

What does God’s Word Say?

– John 8:12 (AMP) Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

– Colossians 1:13-14 (AMP) For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].

– John 12:46 (AMP) I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes and trusts in Me [as Savior—all those who anchor their hope in Me and rely on the truth of My message] will not continue to live in darkness.

– Galatians 1:3-4 (AMP) Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself [as a sacrifice to atone] for our sins [to save and sanctify us] so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, in accordance with the will and purpose and plan of our God and Father—

SAVE – Jesus frees from the penalty and power of sin through our faith and trust in Him

SANCTIFY (SANCTIFICATION) – describes the “ongoing” process of being made holy and more like Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit

• This is a lifelong process of being set apart for God’s purpose and becoming more like Christ.
• It involves the Holy Spirit working within believers to transform their character and behavior.
• Sanctification is a gradual process of growth in holiness, not a sudden, complete transformation.
• Sanctification is the natural outcome of being saved and following Christ.

One other thing I want to note.  In my story, I was praying profusely, begging God and Jesus to remove what was in me—the demons of darkness.  As I learned more about God’s Word, I learned that true believers of Jesus are given authority over this darkness in His name.  In Mark 16:15-19.  Believers are not only saved (receive eternal salvation), but true believers in Christ will drive out demons in Jesus’ name (among other signs).  Since this experience, I have had many other experiences with spiritual warfare in which I have learned to walk in the authority that Jesus grants those who truly believe.  We are not meant to “tolerate” the darkness and live in a blinded state of awareness!  We are meant to rise up in Jesus’ name as He has commanded us and preach the good news of Christ to everyone we know AND cast out the demons from people!  This was normal, everyday practices, in Jesus time.  We “Christians” have diluted what it means to be a true CHRISTIAN.  A true follower of Christ.  A true believer in Jesus.  It’s time to RISE UP! 

Now for reflections.

Let’s revisit those important questions that I originally said no to and that I now say an emphatic YES to. Let’s ask ourselves these questions.

Does your life reflect transformation and spiritual fruit?

Are you motivated by a love for God?

Are you actively pursuing a relationship with Jesus through prayer, Scripture, and fellowship?

Are you feeling humility and repentance when confronted with sin?

Are you ready to start the sanctification process?  Then, it’s time to surrender to Jesus truly.

For those of you ready to surrender to Christ, let’s pray a prayer of salvation and begin your commitment to walk with Jesus and accept Him into your mind, heart, and every facet of your life!

Pray this prayer with me with all your mind and heart.

Heavenly Father, I come to you as a sinner in need of Your grace. I repent of my sins and confess openly with my lips that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I believe in my heart that He died and rose from the grave for my sins. Lord Jesus, I invite you into my life and ask for the Holy Spirit to dwell in my heart; to be my teacher, counselor, comforter, and helper in all areas of my life. May Your will be done in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

If you prayed this prayer of salvation, it is a very good first step in beginning your walk with Jesus. Relationships take effort and communication. Keep the communication channel open with Jesus so you can start building your relationship and hear what He has in store for you.

Hey, friends, that wraps up today’s Hidden Battles Podcast. A transcript along with additional devotionals for this week’s podcast, as well as my memoir, are available for free download on my website at goddesign.org, or check out some of my other books that you may find helpful. If you liked this episode, please share with others.

Hidden Battles, revealing what the enemy does not want you to know. Never stop praying, never give up, and I’ll see you next week.”