A brief overview of my Testimony
I grew up in a traditional Yugoslavian Roman Catholic family. My uncle was a Priest in Former Communist Yugoslavia and church attendance was a mandatory weekly occurrence. I went through the traditions of the Catholic church of infant baptism and confirmation but this was just what you did. It didn’t make any sense to me and at a young age I remember feeling empty and lonely along with being ridiculed for being different (European) at school and punished for not being obedient enough at home. As a first-generation migrant you walked in two different worlds. You needed to fit in to your new culture (Canada) while upholding your traditional (Yugoslavian) values. I was the black sheep, the rebellious child of the family, always in trouble with Dad.
As a teenager I was also tormented by a reoccurring dream. I didn’t know this dream was from the Lord until he gave it to me again with the interpretation when I bowed my knee to Christ. Parallel to that there were things happening that I dismissed as an overactive imagination, until one evening I was attacked, and my imagination became reality. Then I knew evil spirits were real and I became fearful of the night. So to control this fear I started to research the occult to better understand what was taking place around me and somehow stop being scared of the evil that confronted me.
Many things happened over the next few year but …
When I turned 18 I left home much to the hurt of Mom, but I wanted freedom (what I thought was at least freedom) from living in constant fear of the next mental and physical assault. Now on my own, I tasted what the world had to offer me, but much to my disappointment life outside of home provided no solace.
Now I was angry, lonely, rejected and completely empty in my heart. I wanted to numb my downward spiralling mind. I needed to somehow escape this life, so I threw myself into everything. Disciplines like body building and judo, trying to become physically stronger so I could protect myself. The exhaustion and pain of training gave me a temporary distraction from my mental torment. At the end of it all, I just ended up becoming a very strong, physically capable, sarcastically abrupt, bitter man. But little did I know things were about to change. I had a friend in the gym who was a Christian. Both he and his wife were friendly and kind. So when one day I said to John, “I’m travelling to Australia for one year”, he gave me a Bible as a gift. I hated religion but out of respect for my friend I simply took it.
In 1996 I arrived in Australia and quickly spent all the money I brought with me and needed to work sooner than planned. While I was looking for a job at the (then) CES, now Centrelink, I sat beside a stranger who was a Christian. One thing led to another, and he gave me an invite for an upcoming gospel meeting. I said thank you, but I thought to myself, “Why can’t I seem to get away from these Christians”.
A few days later I looked at the invite and decided to read the Bible my friend gave to me before I left Canada. I remember turning to the book of Proverbs. The words just jumped off the page. I turned to my friend who I was travelling with and said, “Let's check out this gospel meeting.” So we went, and it was like the message was written for me. At the end of the message the preacher had an invite to receive Jesus Christ and on March 17,1996 I repented and put my trust in Jesus Christ. Of course, I didn’t know what all that really meant, but the journey of my Christian walk started then.
Things seemed different. The grass was greener, the sky was bluer and for some strange reason, I felt clean. I was led into a season of fasting and a month or so later, while attending this church in Fitzroy, an evangelist asked if anyone in the audience had put their faith in Jesus but was yet to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I put my hand up and he simply prayed for me. It was like heaven opened up and I was taken to another place. There was an overwhelming sense of Joy and power as the Holy Spirit filled my being and gave me utterance, and then the Evangelist prophesied over my life - words from Isaiah 40:3-5.
The Lord started to do a deep work in my heart and during the same time of prayer and fasting I fell into what seemed like a deep sleep and I had a vision. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ came to me and in His hand, Jesus was holding a jar and in it were three snakes. His hand covered the top of the jar, and the snakes were aggressively striking at the jar and at his hand, yet the Lord didn't flinch. He said, “David I have taken these away from your life” I awoke and felt free. I didn’t realise it but the spirits of fear, insecurity and bitterness that had consumed my life left, and as time went on, I had a compassion for others that I had previously not known.
A few months passed, and a group was street preaching and I was politely pushed into doing it. I was so scared but stepped out and the presence of the Lord so energised me that I preached for what felt like an hour, even though it was probably just ten minutes. When I stopped the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “I’ve called you to be an evangelist.”
So I sought the Lord’s guidance regarding bible college but He simply said “I have a different path for you, for I take the foolish things of the world to confound the wisdom of the wise. I will prepare you for the work of the ministry”. And he led me to John 16:1 3-15 and 1 John 2:27
Not understanding what this all fully meant and not realising that the Lord would use the school of life to educate me, I submitted myself to the Lord and His guidance as the message of the gospel compelled me to go forward. I had no idea that the path I was on would be one mixed with suffering and great difficulties, yet in the school of life I would learn to cling to the promises of the scriptures and our Saviour.
For the following ten years I evangelised on the streets and even booked some halls to share my testimony of our Lord’s wonderful grace. I saw Jesus heal the sick, bring the lost to saving faith, baptise them in His glorious Spirit and give hope to the broken hearted. It was an exciting time of faith and growth in the things of the Lord.
I could continue to pour out my heart and share my testimony, since the Lord has been so gracious to a sinner like me, but long story short: the Lord took me on a journey where I spent ten years in a Pentecostal church, then ten years in a Baptist church serving as the Lord allowed, all the time being trained and taught by His Holy Spirit.
Was I perfect? No! I failed the Lord many times and even had many seasons of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. At times it got so bad that I prayed for the Lord to take me home, but instead He took me through the valley, and as I wailed and struggled in self-pity with a deep sense of failure, He taught me some of the most important lessons that I would ever learn. Like … He will never leave us or forsake us and when we are weak then he makes us strong and the Lord takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wisdom of the wise.
The valley taught me to die to myself so that only Christ can dwell within me. He showed me that often after a mountain top experience the valley of testings is not far behind. I believe the reason the Lord allows this is that there is a difference between knowledge and conviction. We never truly learn in the mountain top experiences, but only in the valley. The greatest journey is twelve inches long from the head to the heart, where knowledge through trials becomes conviction where we learn to cling to the cross, the Saviour, and only His word.
Therefore I come to you as a simple fool. Chronic debilitating pain and suffering have been my pillow. I’ve been instructed by despair, overwhelming loss, and overwhelming failure. I have felt and understand the sting of rejection. I understand what it means to be a stranger in a strange land simply passing through.
In the school of life, the scriptures became to me more than knowledge. They became life-giving truth: Words with power to set the captive free, hope for a hurting heart, healing for a struggling mind and for a broken body.
I thank my God and Saviour Jesus Christ for His patience and instruction, for many times I have been a difficult and stubborn student. Jesus suffered more than I can ever comprehend, to pay the price for my sins. So, if I suffer for the Gospel’s sake, then so be it, for I am not greater than my master and in Christ Jesus we have victory. If I suffer though because of my own foolishness and pride, then that is on me. And unfortunately, this has also occurred. Yet the Lord is faithful to chasten those he loves, and I too have been instructed by his faithful chastening.
Why do I share all this with you? Because I am one who has seen the risen Lord. I consider myself to have been born for these times - called and chosen in this generation by the will of God for the work of the ministry - equipped, commissioned by God, and separated for the apostolic work of the Gospel by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
My Lord has put a burden in my heart to share a simple message with you that will change your life. A message of the work of the Cross of Christ, a message of redemption, a message of hope, a message of healing, a message of the kingdom of God. Will you partner with me in the work of this ministry?
Blessings
Dave
Ps: The Tormenting Dream:
Dream:
I was on a raft drifting away from a boat in the middle of the ocean. The boat was on fire and many people were screaming for help, “Save us, save us!” they yelled. The raft drifted to land where I saw a cave and started to walk through this tunnel that was illuminated by torches on the walls. This led to a room and in it was just a mirror: a mirror with a torch on either side. As I looked into the mirror at my reflection, I literally started decaying and falling apart.
Interpretation:
The Lord took me and led me to the mirror of His word. His word (the mirror) showed me that I was a sinner in need of a Saviour. I was a man completely undone, and He showed me my true self. Then He showed me there were many on the boat of life needing salvation and heading for destruction, and He called me to minister the Gospel to a lost and dying world.
As a teenager I was also tormented by a reoccurring dream. I didn’t know this dream was from the Lord until he gave it to me again with the interpretation when I bowed my knee to Christ. Parallel to that there were things happening that I dismissed as an overactive imagination, until one evening I was attacked, and my imagination became reality. Then I knew evil spirits were real and I became fearful of the night. So to control this fear I started to research the occult to better understand what was taking place around me and somehow stop being scared of the evil that confronted me.
Many things happened over the next few year but …
When I turned 18 I left home much to the hurt of Mom, but I wanted freedom (what I thought was at least freedom) from living in constant fear of the next mental and physical assault. Now on my own, I tasted what the world had to offer me, but much to my disappointment life outside of home provided no solace.
Now I was angry, lonely, rejected and completely empty in my heart. I wanted to numb my downward spiralling mind. I needed to somehow escape this life, so I threw myself into everything. Disciplines like body building and judo, trying to become physically stronger so I could protect myself. The exhaustion and pain of training gave me a temporary distraction from my mental torment. At the end of it all, I just ended up becoming a very strong, physically capable, sarcastically abrupt, bitter man. But little did I know things were about to change. I had a friend in the gym who was a Christian. Both he and his wife were friendly and kind. So when one day I said to John, “I’m travelling to Australia for one year”, he gave me a Bible as a gift. I hated religion but out of respect for my friend I simply took it.
In 1996 I arrived in Australia and quickly spent all the money I brought with me and needed to work sooner than planned. While I was looking for a job at the (then) CES, now Centrelink, I sat beside a stranger who was a Christian. One thing led to another, and he gave me an invite for an upcoming gospel meeting. I said thank you, but I thought to myself, “Why can’t I seem to get away from these Christians”.
A few days later I looked at the invite and decided to read the Bible my friend gave to me before I left Canada. I remember turning to the book of Proverbs. The words just jumped off the page. I turned to my friend who I was travelling with and said, “Let's check out this gospel meeting.” So we went, and it was like the message was written for me. At the end of the message the preacher had an invite to receive Jesus Christ and on March 17,1996 I repented and put my trust in Jesus Christ. Of course, I didn’t know what all that really meant, but the journey of my Christian walk started then.
Things seemed different. The grass was greener, the sky was bluer and for some strange reason, I felt clean. I was led into a season of fasting and a month or so later, while attending this church in Fitzroy, an evangelist asked if anyone in the audience had put their faith in Jesus but was yet to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I put my hand up and he simply prayed for me. It was like heaven opened up and I was taken to another place. There was an overwhelming sense of Joy and power as the Holy Spirit filled my being and gave me utterance, and then the Evangelist prophesied over my life - words from Isaiah 40:3-5.
The Lord started to do a deep work in my heart and during the same time of prayer and fasting I fell into what seemed like a deep sleep and I had a vision. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ came to me and in His hand, Jesus was holding a jar and in it were three snakes. His hand covered the top of the jar, and the snakes were aggressively striking at the jar and at his hand, yet the Lord didn't flinch. He said, “David I have taken these away from your life” I awoke and felt free. I didn’t realise it but the spirits of fear, insecurity and bitterness that had consumed my life left, and as time went on, I had a compassion for others that I had previously not known.
A few months passed, and a group was street preaching and I was politely pushed into doing it. I was so scared but stepped out and the presence of the Lord so energised me that I preached for what felt like an hour, even though it was probably just ten minutes. When I stopped the Lord spoke to my heart and said, “I’ve called you to be an evangelist.”
So I sought the Lord’s guidance regarding bible college but He simply said “I have a different path for you, for I take the foolish things of the world to confound the wisdom of the wise. I will prepare you for the work of the ministry”. And he led me to John 16:1 3-15 and 1 John 2:27
Not understanding what this all fully meant and not realising that the Lord would use the school of life to educate me, I submitted myself to the Lord and His guidance as the message of the gospel compelled me to go forward. I had no idea that the path I was on would be one mixed with suffering and great difficulties, yet in the school of life I would learn to cling to the promises of the scriptures and our Saviour.
For the following ten years I evangelised on the streets and even booked some halls to share my testimony of our Lord’s wonderful grace. I saw Jesus heal the sick, bring the lost to saving faith, baptise them in His glorious Spirit and give hope to the broken hearted. It was an exciting time of faith and growth in the things of the Lord.
I could continue to pour out my heart and share my testimony, since the Lord has been so gracious to a sinner like me, but long story short: the Lord took me on a journey where I spent ten years in a Pentecostal church, then ten years in a Baptist church serving as the Lord allowed, all the time being trained and taught by His Holy Spirit.
Was I perfect? No! I failed the Lord many times and even had many seasons of walking through the valley of the shadow of death. At times it got so bad that I prayed for the Lord to take me home, but instead He took me through the valley, and as I wailed and struggled in self-pity with a deep sense of failure, He taught me some of the most important lessons that I would ever learn. Like … He will never leave us or forsake us and when we are weak then he makes us strong and the Lord takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wisdom of the wise.
The valley taught me to die to myself so that only Christ can dwell within me. He showed me that often after a mountain top experience the valley of testings is not far behind. I believe the reason the Lord allows this is that there is a difference between knowledge and conviction. We never truly learn in the mountain top experiences, but only in the valley. The greatest journey is twelve inches long from the head to the heart, where knowledge through trials becomes conviction where we learn to cling to the cross, the Saviour, and only His word.
Therefore I come to you as a simple fool. Chronic debilitating pain and suffering have been my pillow. I’ve been instructed by despair, overwhelming loss, and overwhelming failure. I have felt and understand the sting of rejection. I understand what it means to be a stranger in a strange land simply passing through.
In the school of life, the scriptures became to me more than knowledge. They became life-giving truth: Words with power to set the captive free, hope for a hurting heart, healing for a struggling mind and for a broken body.
I thank my God and Saviour Jesus Christ for His patience and instruction, for many times I have been a difficult and stubborn student. Jesus suffered more than I can ever comprehend, to pay the price for my sins. So, if I suffer for the Gospel’s sake, then so be it, for I am not greater than my master and in Christ Jesus we have victory. If I suffer though because of my own foolishness and pride, then that is on me. And unfortunately, this has also occurred. Yet the Lord is faithful to chasten those he loves, and I too have been instructed by his faithful chastening.
Why do I share all this with you? Because I am one who has seen the risen Lord. I consider myself to have been born for these times - called and chosen in this generation by the will of God for the work of the ministry - equipped, commissioned by God, and separated for the apostolic work of the Gospel by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
My Lord has put a burden in my heart to share a simple message with you that will change your life. A message of the work of the Cross of Christ, a message of redemption, a message of hope, a message of healing, a message of the kingdom of God. Will you partner with me in the work of this ministry?
Blessings
Dave
Ps: The Tormenting Dream:
Dream:
I was on a raft drifting away from a boat in the middle of the ocean. The boat was on fire and many people were screaming for help, “Save us, save us!” they yelled. The raft drifted to land where I saw a cave and started to walk through this tunnel that was illuminated by torches on the walls. This led to a room and in it was just a mirror: a mirror with a torch on either side. As I looked into the mirror at my reflection, I literally started decaying and falling apart.
Interpretation:
The Lord took me and led me to the mirror of His word. His word (the mirror) showed me that I was a sinner in need of a Saviour. I was a man completely undone, and He showed me my true self. Then He showed me there were many on the boat of life needing salvation and heading for destruction, and He called me to minister the Gospel to a lost and dying world.