Vic's Testimony
I had been overweight for many years, became concerned about my overall health, and decided it was time to consult my doctor. I asked him if there was anything that could be done about my ballooning weight, and he informed me of a radical procedure called Gastric Bypass that would alter parts of my digestive tract. Unfortunately, the risks associated with such a drastic surgery weren’t made clear to me, and what follows is my testimony of those complications.
The complications that stemmed from this surgery reinforced in me the following two things: one, that the devil will try to take out any member of the body of Christ called by a prophetic mandate from God; two, that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Back to the events surrounding the surgery: On February 3rd 2004 I went in for Gastric Bypass. On the 6th the doctor released me with the assurance that: “Everything appeared fine.” But on the 7th I developed severe abdominal pains; as I went to sit in my Easy Chair, I collapsed into the back of it, got up, managed to stagger a few steps then fell again and passed out. When I came to, I called for help. God, by His Grace, allows us to recognize when we’re in trouble. Knowing I had a severe problem, I was rushed to the hospital where the doctors were waiting. And expecting the worst.
Upon this second examination to fix the complications, the doctors found that I had developed an abdominal leak that became infected and went sceptic, taking over my whole system. The leak needed to be closed. And fast. The infection, if left untreated, would lead to death. So for the second time that week, I was in surgery.
After this second surgery, I fell into a coma for 3 and a half months where I have the remembrance of a vivid vision of God bringing me places in Heaven. He showed me a place saturated with His peace – a peace I had never experienced. I did not see the face of Christ, but I heard His voice, a voice John writes about in Revelations 1:10: “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.” That voice of Christ intimately spoke to me, saying, “Vic, I want to talk to you before I send you back to earth, so that you can trumpet my voice when you get back. You need to tell my people they need to live in love and forgiveness like I’ve done. Love and forgiveness has to become part of their core. The body of Christ needs to walk in my Spirit.” I remember having a feeling of false assurance that I had already been living in this divine mandate so I said, “Lord, I hear you telling me this, and I will do as you ask, but as I’m sure you know, I’ve already aced this test.” He responded, “You did well on this test, huh?” At that point, twelve different people came to my attention; they were people that I had not forgiven. Not my familial relations, which surprised me. They were the everyday people I met in my life: people I bumped into at the convenience store; competitors in business; the garbage man who, not so long ago, left the cans behind my car that I would later back into. How I berated his boss for that! Each one of these people I had not forgiven flashed into my mind. So I asked the Lord, “Lord, are these people so important to forgive?” With a calm and understanding voice, He said: “Each and every one of them, Vic. You must forgive them all. I am in the season of making mature Sons and Daughters of the earth. You qualify to be a Son but you must understand and trumpet this: Suffering is a part of becoming a Son. Suffering is part of the gospel. The church has removed the word ‘suffering’ from the gospel, but I want you to tell her to put the word ‘suffering’ back in and preach it. To love and forgive is no easy thing, but in order to become a Son, the church needs to put off her pride and suffer for each other.” His words triggered scriptures into my mind. First Romans 8:14: “Because those that are lead by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” Then Matthew 7:1: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” It was like the scriptures were being etched into me with a beam of light. He continued: “Vic, I am making Sons of the earth. Now, will you give of yourself to become a Son? Will you willingly endure pain and suffering?” I thought immediately of Christ learning obedience through His suffering.
Then He said to me, “We have another place to go.” Immediately I found myself in what I surmised to be Hell. There was fire around my body. I stood up, but could not move. There were four vicious dogs foaming at the mouth, one at each corner of this fiery room. Then there were horrific scenes being projected in Hell of things that were happening on the earth. One scene was of my daughter, who was 18 at the time, being beaten by some older men. She couldn’t get away from them. My father, seeing what was happening, got involved. Finally, I saw my daughter getting into a car, backing into another car and getting away, stranding my father there. At that point, I was desperate to help my loved ones but I was trapped in Hell. The scripture that was brought to my mind was Luke 16:27-28, the parable where the rich man cries out from Hell: “Then I beg you, father [Abraham], send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’” Despite his pleas, the man was not allowed to leave.
After what seemed to be a long time, I finally found myself back in my hospital bed, awake and surrounded by only a handful of nurses. I quickly found that I was unable to speak, so I mustered up all of my strength to offer a feeble wave. It was so strange not having a voice, and after being in a coma where I experienced visions, I wasn’t sure the room I was in was really the actual hospital room, or if it was still part of the vision. The doctor came in and said, “My God, you made it back!” I remember the look of shock on his face. “Very, very few ever make it back from this kind of infection.” Soon after, he addressed why I was unable to speak. “You don’t have a voice because we had to do a tracheotomy. We hope we can give you back your voice but that’s a long haul. We’ll work on that.” I was in a state of panic for how does a prophet move with divine utterance without his voice? I pondered this for weeks, doubting my calling while I laid in my bed, my body and muscles completely atrophied. My question remained: How do I speak to a nation, to a region, to even a church without the ability to communicate?
When my family and friends learned of my awakening and came to visit, I wasn’t able to tell them that I felt like I was burning up. My body felt enflamed so I tried to write notes on paper they held up for me. However, without strength, all I could do was scribble. Eventually, I was able to convey to my wife and family the extreme heat I was experiencing. I got them to bring me ice and pour it on me. The doctor said there was no reason I should be so hot but I believe that when I came back to earth, a residue of Hell was imprinted on me.
After a few more weeks, I started the arduous process of rehabilitating my voice. I was also bound to a wheelchair for 8 weeks. One of the greatest miracles can be the restoration of the simple things in life. In my case, a silenced voice and unresponsive legs. Today, much like Job, I thank God and rejoice for that which has been restored to me. I can only compare the compassion that cascades over me when I see people in wheelchairs and people who cannot speak to how Christ was moved with compassion when He saw the multitudes.
I believe this prophetic generation is being called to walk with God with crisp ears to hear and the eyes of an eagle to see in the spirit realm. I believe that those with such a gift of spiritual eyes and ears are the first people who will understand and relate to my testimony. Perhaps they aren’t going through complications from surgery as I did, but are being pulled in different directions by life circumstances and are being physically and emotionally taxed by the things in their lives that oppress them. Many are dealing with problems that they don’t understand. Many cry out: “Why me, God?” If that speaks to you, then I offer you the following encouragement: I believe God is preparing us for the end times of the world, but He must qualify us first through suffering. He’s cleaning us up and imparting us with wisdom. He’s teaching us how to love each other, how to forgive each other. He’s taking our fears away. Remember: All things work together for good for those who love God. If you are experiencing something in your life that is causing you great discomfort, know that God is preparing you for a better place, a place without fear, a place without maladies and a place saturated with peace: on earth as it is in Heaven.
I thank you for the opportunity to share my testimony with you. May God bring us together so that I may hear yours. The body of Christ is edified when it shares its testimonies with each other. Live in love, live in forgiveness. God bless you.
| The following two songs have been at the beginning of my quest. While in a coma, I heard these two songs over and over again and I want to share with you, their important meaning. | |
JOSH GROBAN LYRICS When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary; You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up... To more than I can be. |
DIDO LYRICS I know you think that I shouldn't still love you, Well I will go down with this ship. I know I left too much mess and destruction Well I will go down with this ship. And when we meet, Well I will go down with this ship. I will go down with this ship. I will go down with this ship. |