Katie, thank you for sharing. This is incredibly powerful. I have such a shockingly similar story and past. As I was reading, I was wondering if we lived the same life somehow. Your words carry such Kingdom weight and your story will move so many. God has gifted you with this story and it shows. When you wrote, "All I can do is teach them how to cope with demons," I was deeply moved by your awareness and wording. God bless you and peace be with you.
Wow I’m so glad you were able to relate to this Jak. Praise Jesus He has made us new and set us free. Your words mean so much. My prayer is that this Substack ministers to readers. Thank you for reading and being here♥️
Thank you for sharing this testimony and praise God! I’ve dealt with depression for the better part of twenty years. Ten years ago I got out of the psych ward after being suicidal and prayed God remove the desire to kill myself and despite all the pains I’ve dealt with I have never wanted to kill myself again. This confuses nonbelievers. Especially when I have sought help for depression because Jesus removed those desires from me. He continues to do powerful healing in me too.
What evidence of the freedom you live in that, even with the fear and embarrassment, you were able to write and publish this essay. Thank you for your love and obedience, sister in Christ 💗
@Katie, this was a pure joy to read. Thanks for being obedient and having the courage to share this powerful story. You did a great job writing this from your heart and I pray God will use your story to bring freedom to others.
Wow! Thank you for sharing your amazing grace story. I am so happy that you got set free from all the yucky stuff. Yes to repentance, obedience and humility. Looking forward to reading more.
Katie, I had this in my “saved” section for ages, waiting to devote the proper time to read it. I cried. I am so, so grateful to you for sharing your story. Your honesty is beautiful, and you glorify God so sincerely with your writing. I also have a question for you, if that’s okay. Please know I’m asking this in good faith: I’m curious about your thoughts on the theology that says people who aren’t healed must have some unrepented sin in their life? Full disclosure on my own view that I find this theology really harmful, and I’m in no implying that you’re sending this message with your essay, but I’m just so curious about your thoughts on it given that you’ve been miraculously healed and are also a therapist? I know people who are completely sold out for Jesus, embrace repentance, and they’re still sick. Those are the tough stories, and as a Christian, I’m always trying to learn more about God’s character and discuss it with other Christians as I navigate those murky waters. I’d really value your thoughts. But also, if that’s too heavy a conversation right now, I totally understand! Either way, thank you SO MUCH for sharing your story. Praise God for the healing you experienced! His mercy never comes to an end. ♥️
Thank you so so much Christina. Praise Jesus, this piece was so prayerfully written. And yes I welcome the questions!! It's a good question for sure, hence why I put in the beginning of the piece that I could not promise that people would be healed of all their afflictions.
What God has revealed to me though is that sometimes He allows a true believer and follower to suffer because He knows it will make them draw near to Him, that God will actually take their suffering and move them from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18) AKA will bring them into a greater knowledge and understanding of God and His ways, refine their faith, and transform them into looking more like Christ ensuring their salvation so God can be reunited with them in Heaven.
The Lord also took me on a crazy journey where He educated me on spiritual warfare. Since it is not God's design or intention for us to suffer and live under demonic oppression, God taught me that there are so many ways we open doors for demons to enter in our lives and wreak havoc. Such as, identifying with anything other than being His child (ex. all the years I spent identifying as someone with a mental health condition. Richard Matthews, Rashad Verme, & Carew Ellington all have powerful testimonies about how identifying with being gay or bisexual led to homosexual lifestyles and how they were set free completely), engaging in seemingly harmless practices rooted in the worship of pagan "gods" AKA deceitful demons (ex. all the years I practiced yoga, dabbled in tarot card reading, did Buddhist meditations to help anxiety), being a "friend of the world" (James 4:4) by idolizing worldly music and music artists, watching horror films, even celebrating Halloween (I'm still sad about this one lol), etc., and also through sin and unrepented sin (ex. intoxication from alcohol or drugs, premarital sex, masturbation, porn usage, gossip, etc., you name it!) He also taught me that there are demons who follow our family lineage, that "genetic predispositions" for mental illnesses are really just demons following our family line, that psychology gives us language to describe what is happening in the spiritual realm. If everything good comes from God, that means anything bad is because of Satan and demons. The gospels are clear that once we receive the Holy Spirit (evidenced by fruits of the Spirit), the same power and authority that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within us, and through Him we have the ability to open our mouths, use our voices and cast out demons. I have seen SO much deliverance in my life and friends lives from doing this!! Once we name that demon (ex. spirit of anxiety, unclean spirit, spirit of envy, spirit of lust, etc.) and tell them to leave in the name of JESUS and NEVER come back (Mark 9:25) since in Matthew 12:45 it talks about how demons return with 7 more when they have been cast out, they must leave! I've also seen in my life and others' lives that for a short time, it seems the spiritual warfare worsened, but that's only because we hit the demonic hornet's nest and made the enemy angry and scared! Ultimately though, Jesus wins, and we are set free.
Nowadays I go the casting out demons route first before assuming that God is just using trials or afflictions to refine me and glorify Him.
I can send some good resources (articles, podcasts, sermons) on this if that would be helpful too.
Thank you for reading all this Christina. I know it's a lot but I wanted to pass the education that the Holy Spirit has taught me.
Thank you so much for sharing all your thoughts on this, Katie! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain. I’m super familiar with the theology around deliverance, but I really appreciated reading what God has specifically revealed to you. ♥️
Thank you, Christina Wallace for asking this question, and thank you Katy Donohoe Tona for your response. I have been living 15+ years of healing of trauma from a 30 year marriage that ended when God revealed to me how much HE loved me. This post has given me lots to think about as I am now living with my youngest daughter and trying to work through what is true and what is false about things that she is pointing out in my life. She has had a lot of therapy through her adult years to recover from the trauma of her childhood, but she has also rejected the Jesus that loves her so. I am glad God let me to read this post finally. And I am glad for Christina‘s question because that is been one I have had through these most recent years of my journey of faith. God’s grace & mercy is boundless. This paragraph stood out to me as describing what healing & joy I have found as well:
“Have you identified or at least come into agreement with any title or affliction the enemy has placed over you, instead of clinging to your only identity being found in Christ Jesus? And most importantly Reader, do you know that Jesus loves you? He loves you. He had you on His mind when He went to the cross that day. You don’t have to focus on not sinning. You just have to focus on His love for you.”
Thank you for reading and commenting Grace and sharing part of your story♥️ you and your family have been through so much and my heart reaches out to you. Praying for you and your children tonight.
So beautiful! Thank you for your courage in sharing - I think you'll find you're not as alone as you think! While I never suffered with things to that extreme, I did go through several years of depression and some crippling insecurity that started in 7th grade until I was 16. There were times when I wished I was dead and could just get in a car accident or something, not on purpose, but... not quite suicidal, but in the early stage of it maybe. Shortly after I turned 16 the Lord set me free from all my fears on an ordinary day in my living room, and taught me His love through 1 John 4:18-19. When I was 18 I made the decision to be rebaptized, and felt some final chains fall off then as well. Today I am a new person, and continuing to grow more and more into His image as He brings me to completion praise God! My testimony led me to take a BS in Psychology: Christian Counseling, although as I continued to grow and learn more in the Lord, I began to doubt that avenue for me. I'm still figuring out where He wants me, but I know the life of being His disciple is often simpler than we make it, and that thirst for Him and obedience to His kingdom presses me forward to instill that in others, especially those like you and me who thought they were doing it but weren't fully in.
I know that's a lot lol, but I wanted to hopefully encourage you with my story as it encouraged me, and know you are not alone! Praying and knowing God will use you whatever path you take!
Praise Jesus for the work He’s done in your life Sierra. Any level of depression and suicidal thoughts are such a sad experience to have. That’s amazing that God revealed Himself to you at such an early age. Thank you so much for sharing and for reading😊
Thank you for sharing your story Katie. This is another level of surrender, obedience and dying to self and it’s not easy, the flesh doesn’t like it so good on you for having a willing heart. God bless you and I pray that your eyes are opened as you seek clarity in this new season in Jesus name.❤️
I just read this tonight, and thought of your subtitle again... and psych-olatry. Therapy can certainly bring "no small profit." God bless you on this Journey, sister.
Acts 19:23-28
"And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: 'Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.' Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!'"
Wow what a great passage. There has certainly been idolatry of therapy and psychology. How impactful it would be to the entire field if people turned towards Jesus and experienced deliverance from spiritual warfare! Thank you for reading Andrew.
Katie, your story moved me deeply. I'm literally crying right now! The courage it takes to share such personal experiences and struggles is huge and I respect you for that! It's inspiring to see how you've gone through such challenging times and come out on the other side. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of faith, and the power of God's love. Your words bring hope and light to many who are still finding their way. God bless you for sharing your journey. I'm so glad you found Jesus! I'm a Buddhist, but I love Jesus as much as I love my religion. I love going to the church whenever I can. I don't relate to most of the trauma, but I understand you cause lately, I've been hurt so much to the point that I'm numb. It's kinda scary but I just don't care anymore. The only thing I care about is giving my mom a happy life ahead.
So let's get positive here! YOU. ARE. SOOOOO. CUTE!!!! The pictures are ugh 😍😩💕 and see how much you have grown and how successful you are in life! A pretty mommy with positivity in life! Let's keep it up! 💕 Just know that I'll be always here for you!
Thank you sooo much for your kind words Izel🥹 Praise Jesus He has transformed me. And I’m so glad this story moved you. Praying that Jesus brings you out of that numbness and what a beautiful heart you have to care so much for your mother. Thank you for being here!🥹♥️
As someone who has also been healed from mental illness inexplicably except by God, I understand that fear that people will feel you are saying they don’t have enough faith or that they should be healed overnight. But there is also such beautiful power in sharing your testimony! Hope is not lost with the Holy Spirit and what a grace that is! Thank you for sharing and being vulnerable ♥️
Katie, thank you for sharing. This is incredibly powerful. I have such a shockingly similar story and past. As I was reading, I was wondering if we lived the same life somehow. Your words carry such Kingdom weight and your story will move so many. God has gifted you with this story and it shows. When you wrote, "All I can do is teach them how to cope with demons," I was deeply moved by your awareness and wording. God bless you and peace be with you.
Wow I’m so glad you were able to relate to this Jak. Praise Jesus He has made us new and set us free. Your words mean so much. My prayer is that this Substack ministers to readers. Thank you for reading and being here♥️
Thank you for sharing this testimony and praise God! I’ve dealt with depression for the better part of twenty years. Ten years ago I got out of the psych ward after being suicidal and prayed God remove the desire to kill myself and despite all the pains I’ve dealt with I have never wanted to kill myself again. This confuses nonbelievers. Especially when I have sought help for depression because Jesus removed those desires from me. He continues to do powerful healing in me too.
Praise Jesus🙌 thank you for sharing Chanel. Your testimony is another beautiful story about God’s supernatural healing power!
Wow thank you for sharing your powerful testimony! Much love sister in Christ! Ps I’ve read several of your posts & love your writing style
Wow thank you so much Laura!😊
What evidence of the freedom you live in that, even with the fear and embarrassment, you were able to write and publish this essay. Thank you for your love and obedience, sister in Christ 💗
Thank you so much Rose😊
SO GOOD!!! Thank you for sharing despite what others might think. Praise God for what He has done in and through you!! ♥️
Thank you so much Lizzy!😊 and yes praise Jesus He sets us free!!
@Katie, this was a pure joy to read. Thanks for being obedient and having the courage to share this powerful story. You did a great job writing this from your heart and I pray God will use your story to bring freedom to others.
Thank you Susan. And yes in Jesus’ name!!
Wow! Thank you for sharing your amazing grace story. I am so happy that you got set free from all the yucky stuff. Yes to repentance, obedience and humility. Looking forward to reading more.
Thank you so much Sheyvah😊 Praise Jesus!
Katie, I had this in my “saved” section for ages, waiting to devote the proper time to read it. I cried. I am so, so grateful to you for sharing your story. Your honesty is beautiful, and you glorify God so sincerely with your writing. I also have a question for you, if that’s okay. Please know I’m asking this in good faith: I’m curious about your thoughts on the theology that says people who aren’t healed must have some unrepented sin in their life? Full disclosure on my own view that I find this theology really harmful, and I’m in no implying that you’re sending this message with your essay, but I’m just so curious about your thoughts on it given that you’ve been miraculously healed and are also a therapist? I know people who are completely sold out for Jesus, embrace repentance, and they’re still sick. Those are the tough stories, and as a Christian, I’m always trying to learn more about God’s character and discuss it with other Christians as I navigate those murky waters. I’d really value your thoughts. But also, if that’s too heavy a conversation right now, I totally understand! Either way, thank you SO MUCH for sharing your story. Praise God for the healing you experienced! His mercy never comes to an end. ♥️
Thank you so so much Christina. Praise Jesus, this piece was so prayerfully written. And yes I welcome the questions!! It's a good question for sure, hence why I put in the beginning of the piece that I could not promise that people would be healed of all their afflictions.
What God has revealed to me though is that sometimes He allows a true believer and follower to suffer because He knows it will make them draw near to Him, that God will actually take their suffering and move them from glory to glory (2 Cor. 3:18) AKA will bring them into a greater knowledge and understanding of God and His ways, refine their faith, and transform them into looking more like Christ ensuring their salvation so God can be reunited with them in Heaven.
The Lord also took me on a crazy journey where He educated me on spiritual warfare. Since it is not God's design or intention for us to suffer and live under demonic oppression, God taught me that there are so many ways we open doors for demons to enter in our lives and wreak havoc. Such as, identifying with anything other than being His child (ex. all the years I spent identifying as someone with a mental health condition. Richard Matthews, Rashad Verme, & Carew Ellington all have powerful testimonies about how identifying with being gay or bisexual led to homosexual lifestyles and how they were set free completely), engaging in seemingly harmless practices rooted in the worship of pagan "gods" AKA deceitful demons (ex. all the years I practiced yoga, dabbled in tarot card reading, did Buddhist meditations to help anxiety), being a "friend of the world" (James 4:4) by idolizing worldly music and music artists, watching horror films, even celebrating Halloween (I'm still sad about this one lol), etc., and also through sin and unrepented sin (ex. intoxication from alcohol or drugs, premarital sex, masturbation, porn usage, gossip, etc., you name it!) He also taught me that there are demons who follow our family lineage, that "genetic predispositions" for mental illnesses are really just demons following our family line, that psychology gives us language to describe what is happening in the spiritual realm. If everything good comes from God, that means anything bad is because of Satan and demons. The gospels are clear that once we receive the Holy Spirit (evidenced by fruits of the Spirit), the same power and authority that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within us, and through Him we have the ability to open our mouths, use our voices and cast out demons. I have seen SO much deliverance in my life and friends lives from doing this!! Once we name that demon (ex. spirit of anxiety, unclean spirit, spirit of envy, spirit of lust, etc.) and tell them to leave in the name of JESUS and NEVER come back (Mark 9:25) since in Matthew 12:45 it talks about how demons return with 7 more when they have been cast out, they must leave! I've also seen in my life and others' lives that for a short time, it seems the spiritual warfare worsened, but that's only because we hit the demonic hornet's nest and made the enemy angry and scared! Ultimately though, Jesus wins, and we are set free.
Nowadays I go the casting out demons route first before assuming that God is just using trials or afflictions to refine me and glorify Him.
I can send some good resources (articles, podcasts, sermons) on this if that would be helpful too.
Thank you for reading all this Christina. I know it's a lot but I wanted to pass the education that the Holy Spirit has taught me.
Thank you so much for sharing all your thoughts on this, Katie! I really appreciate you taking the time to explain. I’m super familiar with the theology around deliverance, but I really appreciated reading what God has specifically revealed to you. ♥️
Thank you, Christina Wallace for asking this question, and thank you Katy Donohoe Tona for your response. I have been living 15+ years of healing of trauma from a 30 year marriage that ended when God revealed to me how much HE loved me. This post has given me lots to think about as I am now living with my youngest daughter and trying to work through what is true and what is false about things that she is pointing out in my life. She has had a lot of therapy through her adult years to recover from the trauma of her childhood, but she has also rejected the Jesus that loves her so. I am glad God let me to read this post finally. And I am glad for Christina‘s question because that is been one I have had through these most recent years of my journey of faith. God’s grace & mercy is boundless. This paragraph stood out to me as describing what healing & joy I have found as well:
“Have you identified or at least come into agreement with any title or affliction the enemy has placed over you, instead of clinging to your only identity being found in Christ Jesus? And most importantly Reader, do you know that Jesus loves you? He loves you. He had you on His mind when He went to the cross that day. You don’t have to focus on not sinning. You just have to focus on His love for you.”
Thank you for reading and commenting Grace and sharing part of your story♥️ you and your family have been through so much and my heart reaches out to you. Praying for you and your children tonight.
So beautiful! Thank you for your courage in sharing - I think you'll find you're not as alone as you think! While I never suffered with things to that extreme, I did go through several years of depression and some crippling insecurity that started in 7th grade until I was 16. There were times when I wished I was dead and could just get in a car accident or something, not on purpose, but... not quite suicidal, but in the early stage of it maybe. Shortly after I turned 16 the Lord set me free from all my fears on an ordinary day in my living room, and taught me His love through 1 John 4:18-19. When I was 18 I made the decision to be rebaptized, and felt some final chains fall off then as well. Today I am a new person, and continuing to grow more and more into His image as He brings me to completion praise God! My testimony led me to take a BS in Psychology: Christian Counseling, although as I continued to grow and learn more in the Lord, I began to doubt that avenue for me. I'm still figuring out where He wants me, but I know the life of being His disciple is often simpler than we make it, and that thirst for Him and obedience to His kingdom presses me forward to instill that in others, especially those like you and me who thought they were doing it but weren't fully in.
I know that's a lot lol, but I wanted to hopefully encourage you with my story as it encouraged me, and know you are not alone! Praying and knowing God will use you whatever path you take!
Praise Jesus for the work He’s done in your life Sierra. Any level of depression and suicidal thoughts are such a sad experience to have. That’s amazing that God revealed Himself to you at such an early age. Thank you so much for sharing and for reading😊
Thank you for sharing your story Katie. This is another level of surrender, obedience and dying to self and it’s not easy, the flesh doesn’t like it so good on you for having a willing heart. God bless you and I pray that your eyes are opened as you seek clarity in this new season in Jesus name.❤️
Thank you so much Jemima♥️
Selling out for Jesus is (I believe) the most confrontational thing anyone can ever do. Confronts everyone — self included (and especially).
Wow yes agreed.
I just read this tonight, and thought of your subtitle again... and psych-olatry. Therapy can certainly bring "no small profit." God bless you on this Journey, sister.
Acts 19:23-28
"And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: 'Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.' Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!'"
Wow what a great passage. There has certainly been idolatry of therapy and psychology. How impactful it would be to the entire field if people turned towards Jesus and experienced deliverance from spiritual warfare! Thank you for reading Andrew.
Beautiful, powerful story. I'm going to have to reread this a couple times.
Thank you so much Catherine. Praise Jesus🙌
Katie, your story moved me deeply. I'm literally crying right now! The courage it takes to share such personal experiences and struggles is huge and I respect you for that! It's inspiring to see how you've gone through such challenging times and come out on the other side. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of faith, and the power of God's love. Your words bring hope and light to many who are still finding their way. God bless you for sharing your journey. I'm so glad you found Jesus! I'm a Buddhist, but I love Jesus as much as I love my religion. I love going to the church whenever I can. I don't relate to most of the trauma, but I understand you cause lately, I've been hurt so much to the point that I'm numb. It's kinda scary but I just don't care anymore. The only thing I care about is giving my mom a happy life ahead.
So let's get positive here! YOU. ARE. SOOOOO. CUTE!!!! The pictures are ugh 😍😩💕 and see how much you have grown and how successful you are in life! A pretty mommy with positivity in life! Let's keep it up! 💕 Just know that I'll be always here for you!
Thank you sooo much for your kind words Izel🥹 Praise Jesus He has transformed me. And I’m so glad this story moved you. Praying that Jesus brings you out of that numbness and what a beautiful heart you have to care so much for your mother. Thank you for being here!🥹♥️
As someone who has also been healed from mental illness inexplicably except by God, I understand that fear that people will feel you are saying they don’t have enough faith or that they should be healed overnight. But there is also such beautiful power in sharing your testimony! Hope is not lost with the Holy Spirit and what a grace that is! Thank you for sharing and being vulnerable ♥️
Praise Jesus! He sets us free!😍 thanks for reading Madison😊
Thank you for such a wonderful testimony!
Thank you Brian!
What a beautiful testimony of redemption! Thank you for sharing ♥️
Yes praise Jesus! The author and perfecter of our faith♥️ And thank you for reading Giana😊