Philippe Testimony
A Broken Start
I was born into a broken home. My parents divorced when I was young, and I couldn’t see my father like I wanted to. He wasn’t around as much as he needed to be. My mom struggled with depression and anger, and I felt the weight of that growing up. At school, things were no better — I was bullied, and my grades were terrible. Life felt unstable.
Later on, my mom became a Christian, and we started going to church. That’s when I first heard stories about God. I wasn’t religious — I just liked the stories. But looking back, I think a seed was planted.
I also had strange spiritual experiences when I was young. One night, my siblings and I all woke up terrified. My sister saw a spirit — and I started seeing things too. Shadows. Figures. It never left me. I became sensitive to the spiritual realm in a way that was real and terrifying.
The Spiral
As a teenager, I moved in with my father. My grades got better at first — but I quickly fell into another trap. I became popular, started partying, using drugs and alcohol, and eventually dropped out of school. I hung out with the wrong crowd, got involved in crime, and built up a lot of anger. It was like a bubble had burst, and I suddenly realized how hurt I was by everything that had happened to me.
I had no purpose. I wanted revenge. And so I turned to the occult. I invited spirits into my life because I believed they could give me power.
By 18, I was living in a small apartment with a friend. We were deep into drugs — especially hallucinogens — and spiritual practices. He was into New Age meditation. I was into darker things. Demons. Shadows. I wanted to hurt people the way I had been hurt.
Then one day, everything changed.
The Encounter
My friend’s Christian parents sent someone to check on him. This man came to take him for coffee, but when he walked into our dark, heavy apartment, he felt led to stay. He started talking about Jesus — and something strange happened. When he asked me a simple question, my mind shut down. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even understand what he was saying. It was like something took over.
But then he said, “In the name of Jesus.” And instantly — I was free.
I challenged him. I said, “If your God is real, prove it to me. If it’s legit — if there’s no room for doubt — I’ll follow Him for the rest of my life.”
He didn’t argue. He simply prayed for us.
There were four of us sitting on the floor, no furniture. As he laid hands on us, I bowed my head. My eyes closed. And suddenly I saw something.
From a distance, a light came — so far away but so powerful. It flooded everything. It went through me. Nothing could stop it. And right there, on that floor, my heart broke. I cried like I had never cried before.
I knew it was Jesus.
I knew He was real.
I didn’t understand everything — not sin, not heaven, not hell — but I knew I needed to be clean.
That moment changed me.
The Battle
My roommate and I got rid of everything — the drugs, the video games, the music. We started going to church all the time. But the battle didn’t end.
Those dark spirits didn’t leave right away. We were under attack. We’d see them, feel them, hear growling and knocking. Sleep paralysis. Fear. We slept with lights on, worship music playing, sometimes even in the same bed just to feel safe.
And we felt like no one in church understood. We were told to “renew our minds,” but what we were facing was physical. And while I was reading my Bible daily — finishing the whole thing in a short time — I saw miracles in the Word, but not in our lives.
I was also still bound in secret sin. Pornography. Weed. Cigarettes. Anger.
I hated it.
I blamed God.
I remember saying, “You say I should be free — but I’m not. So it’s Your fault.”
Years passed. I drifted.
The Wake-Up Call
Eventually, I lived alone. I still believed in Jesus, but I was far from Him. I worked nights, smoked weed, played video games. But I also talked about God with my rough neighbors. I even did Christian rap. There was always this pull in me — a desire for purpose.
Then I met my wife. She came from a Buddhist background. We started a life together, and we both got good jobs. We moved to New Brunswick, bought a house, and had everything we thought we wanted. But inside, I still felt empty.
One day, I was driving, and I seriously considered ending my life. I was going to crash my car into a tree.
That’s when I heard God speak — for the first time clearly.
He said, “Remember the promise you made Me — that you would follow Me if I revealed Myself.”
I broke down.
I had forgotten.
But He hadn’t.
The Real Gospel
I started going back to church. I mowed the lawn. I brought my wife and her son every Sunday. I tried to earn my way back in, to show God I was serious. But deep down, I still felt like a hypocrite. I was still smoking, still watching porn, still playing hours of video games.
Then one day, I saw a video.
It showed people getting truly set free — from addiction, from sin, from bondage. And it stirred something in me. I wanted that.
I learned that I had never truly been born again. I had repented — yes — but I had never been baptized. And in the Bible, baptism wasn’t just a symbol. It was a burial. A cleansing. A spiritual transaction.
I knew that was what I needed. I wanted to die to my old life — for real.
The Baptism
I prayed that God would make a way. The man from the video lived far away, and I had no way to get there. But one day, I saw online that their team was coming to my small town. It was a miracle.
But even before they arrived, my pastor announced a baptism at the beach. I didn’t want to wait.
I told him my story, and he agreed. The day came. The water was freezing. But when I went down and came back up — I felt warm. I felt light. It was like a hundred pounds were lifted off me.
And from that day on — I was free.
No more pornography.
No more weed.
No more video games.
No more chains.
I understood what Paul meant by being set free from sin. I’m not perfect, but I’m no longer a slave. I live differently now — not out of fear, but out of love.
What I Wish I Knew
If I could go back, I would tell my younger self:
- You need the hear the full gospel — and the response to it (Acts 2:38)
- You need discipleship — someone to walk with you, not just preach at you.
- You need to know that the church isn’t a stage — it’s a family. And every member has a purpose.
I needed someone to see my calling — and help me walk in it.
A New Life
That was nine years ago. Since then, my wife and I have walked through many trials. God has shaped our character, taught us how to love, how to forgive, how to build a family. We have three children now. We hear His voice. We walk with Him. We want to help others find the hope we found.
Today, I know I am loved. I know I am a child of God. I know I have a purpose.
I’m an ambassador of the Most High.
And I’m called to go and bring this message to others — that Jesus sets people free.
To finish the race…
He’s coming back.
And He will judge and restore everything.
For You
If you’re stuck in sin…
If you feel like a failure…
If you want to be free…
There’s hope.
But it will cost you. Jesus didn’t die so we could live halfway. The gospel is not free. It will cost you your life. But it’s the best trade you’ll ever make — because this King wants to be your Father. He wants to love you, raise you, walk with you, and set you free.
You’ll cry. You’ll fight.
But you’ll never be alone again.
Scripture That Anchors Me
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”
— Ephesians 2:10
The Story’s Not Over
I’m still learning.
Still growing.
Still walking by faith.
But now I walk in freedom.
If you want to know more, or you need someone to talk to — feel free to reach out or click [here].
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for listening.
And may Jesus meet you the same way He met me.