PETE
“Growing up on Auckland’s North Shore, I was naturally drawn to others who enjoyed the same things I did. Surfing, parties, and drinking beer illegally in favourite pubs became part of our social world. United by common interests and a sense of adventure, friendships formed and grew stronger over the years.
“Now we are all in or close to retirement age we still keep in touch although out of the group I am the only one who is a committed follower of Jesus. One of the group recently described me as a disciple. I felt honoured he recognised me as such.
“Following a profound near-death experience in which I came face to face with the saving power of Jesus, I have never forgotten the terrifying spiritual encounter I experienced. In His great mercy, Jesus rescued me from what I believed to be the grasp of darkness, and the scary reality of that moment has remained with me ever since.
“I could not keep silent about what He had done for me. Jesus proved He is real, and His grace changed my life forever. In my darkest moment, He intervened and rescued me, leaving me with an unshakable conviction that I belong to Him.
“Although my mates do not share my faith, sometimes when life unravels and a crisis comes, I am the one they call, asking me to pray for them. I feel honoured to invite Jesus to speak into the hearts of people whose lives have been shaped so differently from my own.
“Recently, I received a phone call from an old mate whom I have kept in touch with for over 50 years. He told me of another of our mates, who was in a coma in Tauranga ICU ward. With a double brain aneurysm and was being kept alive on life support. Immediately, I began praying and engaged in spiritual warfare. Together with my wife, we made our way to the hospital to visit him hoping to find a way to his bedside so we could pray over him.
“As I stood beside his bed, and although visibly nonresponsive, I wondered if he could hear my voice. Surrounded by tubes and the steady beeping of monitors, it was clear he was at death's door. “My heart's deepest desire was that he would spend eternity with Jesus. I prayed asking God to reveal Himself and extend His mercy and grace.
James 5:16 “the effectual fervent prayers of the righteous man availeth much”
“A few days later, we bluffed our way into ICU again after I was told the specialists could do nothing more for him and were going to take him off life support that same day. I prayed over him asking him to trust Jesus and for Jesus to claim him for a life eternal and not let him go through the gates into hell. There was no noticeable physical movement, but I know God hears all prayers and believed my mate had heard me and Jesus had opened his heart to the truth.
“My wife was able to speak to and console his Buddhist wife who was understandably heartbroken.
“We prayed for a miracle. Out of respect for the family, I decided not to intrude on their time of grief.
“Three days later, I received a call again from the son, with encouraging news to say his dad’s life support tubes had been removed, he had been moved out of ICU into the stroke unit. He was sitting up, didn’t talk, but nodded answers to questions from his wife, smiled and tried to whisper to her. Only God.
“Now two weeks later, I received a message to say he was not doing well and sadly today heard news he had died in hospital.
"In life not all stories have happy endings and although I felt grief for his wife and family, I believe in the power of God often unseen, behind the scenes.
“I remember all too clearly the demons of hell reaching out to grab me and do not want that for anyone, especially a mate. It will remain unclear whether God gave him some extra time to farewell his family and accept Jesus into his heart, or something else.
“ I was called to pray for him in his time of need and believe God heard my prayers and answered them. Whether my mate said yes to Jesus is between him and God, but my belief as a disciple is ultimately eternal life, not merely temporary physical recovery.
“The miracle I prayed for isn’t that my mate sat up in bed, but that one day I will meet him again in heaven and that will be the greatest miracle of all”.
John 11: 25-26 “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die”.