JURANDIR FERREIRA OF BRAZIL

 FROM SORCERER TO SOUL-WINNER FOR CHRIST

I was born in the state of Minas Gerais in the city of Carangola. Around the age of 10-11, I ran away to Rio de Janeiro by hiding under a seat on a train.

Once in the Rio station, I found myself alone. I who was from a little provincial found myself lost in such a big city. Very quickly I met other street children with whom I formed friendships. Then we took the bus to the beach. This is where we slept. We made our home on the beach. We mainly ate seafood that we caught and cooked on the site.

The other street children managed to steal a shoe polish kit for me. I went to a nearby town where I worked as a shoe shiner. I accumulated a few pennies and I managed to buy something to eat. But after a while, my shoe polish kit was also stolen. I then took public transport, with no specific destination in mind. The bus passed towards the Maracanã, then in front of a military college. I went down to the front of the college and looked at the facade. On the portal there was a note announcing the opening of registrations and that children of civilians were also accepted.

I wondered if I should not enroll in this military college. But I did not have the basics of primary education. In my city, I stayed only a few months in primary school. I didn't like schooling and now I didn't have the capacity to move forward.

However, the idea of having a place to eat and sleep motivated me when I saw soldiers leaving college. I accosted one of them to give me details on what to do to pass the entrance exam. It was Lieutenant Luis.

"Sir, can you help me pass the test to enter this college?”

"What is your grade level?”

"Ah… none…”

"Ah… it's hard eh.”

But something touched him about me. He sat down and took out some sheets of his binder and offered me a notebook where he wrote down everything I needed to know for the test. He encouraged me to study a lot to get there. He really explained a lot to me.

"Well, there you have it, you're going to study and you're going to try your luck, okay?!”

"Okay.”

We said goodbye and he took his road. After a few minutes, he came back to me, to ask me where I lived. I told him I didn't have a home. He asked me to follow him home. When he got home, his wife, a very beautiful woman, was waiting for him in front of the house gate. At that time, the women took their shower before the arrival of the husband. They waited in front of the house to kiss him and welcome him etc.

Then she turned to me asking her husband, "Where did you find that?”

She called me "that." He explained to him that he had found me in front of the college door. He explained to her my situation by asking her to help me. She then walked towards me to kiss me on the forehead, welcoming me. Once in their house, she sent me to the bathroom and asked me to take off my old clothes. She washed me, rubbed me with soap until I was clean. She had two boys about my age, she gave me their clothes.

At the table, I tried to behave well. It had been a long time since I had had a decent meal.

During the meal, she looked at me and said, "You, in another incarnation, you were my son, that's why I'm loving you.”

In my head, I was thinking that no matter who I was the son of, the most important thing for me at the time was that I had food to eat. She repeated that sentence again and I nodded while focusing on the food.

At the end of the meal, she put a bed in her sons' room and that's how I lived with them. I was studying, her children helped me. She was my home teacher, she taught me everything, she also helped me a lot psychologically.

The exam was to take place in July. The day before the exam, the lieutenant arrived happily and took me aside to tell me that the exam would go very well. Then he started to write down all the questions and answers for the exam. He asked me to hide this in my clothes during the exam. On the day of the exam, he gave me instructions on how to copy the answers he wrote. I had to sit in the middle. The sergeant who supervised the exam knew that the vacant place in the middle of the room was mine. He again asked me several times not to worry. Everything went as he had planned. After the test, I went to the canteen where he was waiting for me. He asked me if everything went well. Then he asked me to go home and rest, he had to correct a few copies.

As soon as I returned, his wife was waiting for me very happy. She told me that from the house, she felt that everything was going well for me. She felt the right answers that I wrote because her "protector" was taking care of me. A few days later, the results came out. The lieutenant came back telling me that I had been received. The following week I was going to enter college.

As I was not the son of a soldier, I had to pay for my studies, and I paid for them by performing various tasks. They first put me in the kitchen. After cooking I changed jobs to the patio. The officers' shoes were polished on the patio. After the patio, I was a sentry.

One evening while I was guarding one of the college entrances, the lieutenant approached me to tell me that he would replace me because he wanted to take me somewhere. After having dinner at his house with his family, he told me that we all had to go somewhere. We went to a place that appeared to be a religious place.

When we entered everyone was seated around a large table. We seemed to be expected. When the manager saw me, he stood up and said, "I'm glad you're here, I've been looking for you for 200 years.”

I was surprised. He was a military admiral. He chatted with other officials, then came back to me, asking me to change. They dressed me head to toe in white. From there, I received training as a spiritual doctor.

After 15 days I knew how to operate spiritually. It is not an operation on someone's physical body, but on the spirit. I was able to open, cut and sew, all of this spiritually. After some time they asked me to switch to Umbanda (powerful branch of occultism). They offered me a briefcase and I had to go for this training on a Friday, which is Exu (great spirit) day.

When I arrived, the Exu named 7 Caveiras (7 skulls) was waiting for me smoking a big cigar and drinking pure alcohol. He told me that he had been looking for me for a very long time. Once inside, he asked me to change. Then in a room, the spirit threw me against the wall, then on the floor, several times, but I didn't feel anything. I received spirits in me while he was doing this. When he finished, I was ready.

A few weeks later, I was a medium. My "head" was ready. I started to work. My guides, or rather as I know today, my demons, were powerful. In a short time, I was the president of this center. It was at this time that they sent me to the African continent to "do my head," then to Haiti, for the same reason.

In Africa, specifically in Angola, they “made my face” by opening the back of my skull to place a golden ball. Then they placed a silver plaque in each leg for me. I was ready. I started my life as “Pai de Santo” (priest, in witchcraft).

I wasn't a charlatan, I was a living witch doctor, I only worked for those who could pay. I only received high authorities. I opened 173 witchcraft centers.

I was also training new wizards. The test to test their basic power was a hot oil bath. The candidate had to wash his hands there. If he burned himself, everything stopped for him. If he did not burn himself, he could be trained. Many did not even dare to approach the oil, they gave up before trying. There were a few who had the power to dip their hands in boiling oil. For this level of requirement, I was highly respected, well known in Sao Paulo, Rio, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Bahia, and several places in the State of Bahia in general. I was then evolving within the Umbanda.

I have scars all over my arm because I gave my blood to the devil on the 1st Fridays of the month at midnight. I went to the cemetery, the Devil entered my body. He cut my wrists, blood flowed, he laughed. When I only had plasma coming out, he called another sorcerer to take me to the hospital. At the hospital, I was known for this regular blood ritual. They stitched up my wounds and transfused me. During the blood transfusion, the Devil still appeared in the hospital to drink the blood. I was really his slave.

But someone was praying for me. That person prayed for 25 years for me. I'm not talking about the fragile little prayer, the prayers that are done more for our own benefits than for God's interests. I'm talking about real prayer. I mistreated her, I hit this person. But she said to me, “My Redeemer is alive!” And she was praying for me, she was really seeking my salvation in prayer. This woman was my biological mother whom I had found in the meantime.

One day I was at Portela samba school where there was a meal. A little one approached me to ask for help. I thought he wanted something to eat or some silver coins. He told me he didn't want the meal or some coins. He wanted me to help him pay for his school materials for the start of the school year because he was poor. I asked him to come back at the same time the next day. He came back, I took the car and we went to buy him his school materials and a bicycle for his trips to school. Then I took him back to his home. His mom offered me coffee. I befriended this little one for no reason. It was the start of God's work.

In my mind, I adopted him. I became his guardian and I had resolved that this little one would not beg from anyone anymore. I told his mother, if the little one needed anything, she had to phone me and I would bring it. Whenever I traveled, I always brought him a present.

One day when I was at their house, I asked him to pick up a gift in my car. He told me he didn't want any more presents. As I was taken aback, he told me he would accept my gift if I accepted his. I told him he didn't have to give me anything since he was poor. He insisted on telling me that it was a special gift, a treasure map, a very precious treasure. I was curious, I accepted. He ran into the bedroom, then came back with a large envelope that he wanted to give me if I promised to run after this treasure. I shook his hand, promising him to go hunting for this treasure. When he finally deigned to give me the envelope, I saw that there was an invitation there to attend the testimony of a former witch, Otília Pontes. She was the wife of General Luis Pontes, who was my teacher!

I did not understand anything. The little one told me that if I came, they would give me a treasure, something reserved just for me. I got mad because I had never set foot in a church, I didn't like the church. He reminded me of my promises, I had to accept. 

On the day of the testimony, we had an accident with my car. I told the little one that we couldn't go to church anymore. He insisted that we take a taxi. I told him I had no money, he told me, "I know you have some.”

We took the taxi and we had an accident on a bridge. After that, we took 5 more taxis, because all one after the other had an accident. The 5th taxi had an accident which threw us into a cemetery. When we got up, the little one told me that we had to go to church and that the Devil would not win.

I was stunned. The little one was still telling me that even if we were all broken, we had to go collapse and die in the church. The last taxi stopped in front of us without being flagged down by us. It took us but ended up crashing under a truck. The car was in a bad state. I was sure the little one was dead. But I heard his voice say, "I am not dead!”

They got him out of the wreckage and the only thing he had in mind was the church. I wanted to take him to the hospital but he didn't want to know anything, as if some power was pushing him to accomplish this goal. The little one was hurt, but he was holding me by the side of the waist. 

A man in a suit arrived in a black car, he wanted to know what was going on. I explained that we had had 7 successive accidents and that the little one did not want to go to the hospital. He asked us to get into his car, he would drive us to church.

This man was a pastor. Once in his car, the pastor started looking up, then down and to the sides while saying things that I did not understand. Then he suddenly started yelling at the Devil and daring him to tell him to stop. I had chills, I was sure he was going to be beaten. I thought he was lost, he was screaming, screaming all along. 

Before I knew it, we were in front of the church. Barely inside, someone picked up the child and took him to the hospital. I was seated, I was welcomed. They were all happy, they were all smiling, not only to me but spontaneously to everyone. I was dirty from the accidents. I looked unpresentable.

The woman began to speak. I remember it as if it were yesterday. She was talking about Revelation 22:12-15 And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.

I was everything this woman read. I'm a murderer and I'm a liar and I'm a sorcerer (witch doctor). I'm whatever she's reading. What am I doing here?! I wanted to leave. 

It looked like this woman had heard my thoughts as she cried out, "There is hope for these people if they wash their clothes in the Blood of the Lamb!”

I thought they were asking me to physically undress to wash my clothes in blood. My spirit guide encouraged me to flee from there. As I had a gun with me, he asked me to start shooting around so that the faithful would panic and I could leave (without them praying that I would stay).

The woman knew what was going on because she shouted, "You have no power in this place. Here the One who commands is the Holy Spirit of God.”

I thought to myself that if there was a fire, everyone would run out. When I thought to set the place on fire, she screamed before I did, "In the name of Jesus I bind you!”

I laughed, I said to myself, “Who is this woman to believe that she can tie me up? I need to show her who I am, maybe she doesn't know me.”

"You are bound in the name of Jesus!”

I don't know this "Jesus" who wants to tie me up! I put my hand on my head, it was a way of calling my guide (spirit). He again asked me to run away, but I realized I couldn't.

The woman then said aloud, "I bind the spirit that is with you, I bind you in the name of Jesus!”

But who is this woman to even bind my guide?! I couldn't believe it for I was very macho. The spirit told me that he was bound and that he could not move anymore. He was on the ground, lying like a dog. I made up my mind to summon two very powerful spirits. The two colossal spirits arrived. I was happy and sure they would show this woman their power. I thought they were going to set this place on fire. 

When these colossal spirits advanced to the 3rd row in the church, an angel came down from the roof with a sword. When he commanded them to stop, they both found themselves pinned down on the floor.

I did not understand how this rather thin angel could subdue these two colossal demons. I was beginning to understand the power of this Jesus. 

The woman started again, encouraging me to drop witchcraft by talking about Jesus, "Jesus is the greatest guide in the universe. He is the rock, the force, the power.”

The more she spoke, the smaller I felt. She spoke again and here I was with my hands raised, being led to the altar by unseen forces in front of this woman. The whole church got up, the choir began to sing. The woman came down from the pulpit. I was converted by this woman. She told me that she had come prepared for this work, before kissing me.

I began to hear the excited voices of the people of the neighborhood clamoring to enter the church because some faithful came out to spread the news that a wizard was being converted. Many knew me as a practicing sorcerer. 

My little one also came back, with bandages all over his body. He managed to make his way and approached me. I told him that I had accepted Jesus.

He told me, "You're not my friend anymore! Today you are my brother!”

People were kissing me, some just wanted to touch me to see if I were real. I went home, I told my mother that I had accepted Jesus.

She replied, "I know my Redeemer is alive!”

In the evening when I went to bed at my mother's house, the Devil tried to come and talk to me, but I rejected him using the same words as the woman in the church. I slept like a baby afterward. The next day I went home and got rid of everything. As I was also a soldier, I went to the barracks and returned my weapon and my clothes.

The lieutenant ridiculed me, "You too have given in to this trick of becoming a Christian?!”

I said yes. He told me again that I could be a Christian while serving the army. I told him that I didn't want any more weapons and I wanted to serve God alone. I got rid of a lot of things. I was like naked, I was starting from scratch.

One day an angel came to me. He told me that he had a mission for me and that I should follow him. I took some meager effects in a suitcase. I went out telling myself that I was going to take the bus, "Lord tell me where I should go!”

I walked towards a square, then towards a highway. Normally travel buses don't stop on the highway, it's forbidden, but this one stopped and I got in. He asked for my ticket, I didn't have one. He asked me why I hadn't bought a ticket? I told him I didn't have one and that it was my Father who made him stop to take me.

He asked me if I had money, and I didn't. He asked me what was my Father's name. I said that it was God and that it was Jesus who had commanded me to stop on the road. He just asked me to sit down, there was only one vacant place left.

I told him, "You see? This place was prepared for me.”

I was behind the conductor. He explained to me that he had left the church for 16 years. I replied that I was not aware of that but Jesus knows that and that was why He used him to let me get up the bus to talk to him about Jesus.

Further on I got off. The driver asked me if I was sure because there was nothing there, no habitation, nothing, but I knew that I had to get down there, God was asking me. The driver did not insist, he simply told me, "God bless you!”

I was in a dark, remote place, with my suitcase, only one change of clothes and a Bible. I wondered what I was going to do. I sat down when I saw a fiery hand across the road. I ran to get myself under this hand and I said, "Lord, I'm here!

He motioned for me to head down a small path, which I did. It was very late at night. I walked until I found myself on a hill, below was the city. I said, "What should I do?”

He told me, "You enter this city, to talk about Me! You will preach!”

In the morning I started knocking on doors. No one wanted to hear about Jesus, people closed their doors in my face. Nobody wanted to talk to me. At night I wondered where I was going to sleep. I saw a tree in the forest, I decided to spend the night under its foliage. The next day it was still the same thing. For 3 days, I did not meet anyone who wanted to hear about Jesus.

I hadn't eaten anything, I had no money, no one had even given me a banana. I laid down, looked up to the sky, and saw an eagle. The eagle landed on a branch near me.

When it landed it turned into a demon. He told me, "Look what you have become… you were rich and now you are starving under this tree like a madman that nobody wants. Is that what your Jesus is offering you? What did you eat? Nothing? You are worse than an animal. Throw this Bible away and I'll prepare your return. I'll take care of you, we'll leave together.”

With all these rejections and especially the hunger, I reflected. I am there alone in the forest, nobody wants to listen to me, nobody wants me ... but I rebelled against him, "Satan, let me go, I don't want anything from you, go away!

He left. I got down on my knees to thank God for this victory because he did leave me alone. When I finished thanking God, I had a vision in heaven. I saw two angels, each holding a piece of the cloth. They came down to my level and they put the sheet next to me.

One of them approached me and held me by the shoulder, "Get up! The Lord has ordered you to be fed!”

I was so weak ... so hungry I looked at the sheet; there was all I wanted to eat! I ate, firmly believing it was a vision. So one of the angels approached me again to see if I was satisfied enough. I said yes, rubbing some food on my clothes to see if it was really a vision. The angels left with their things and I saw them go up towards the sky which opened and then it closed again on them. When I was alone, I looked at my clothes to see if there were any traces of food. There were traces! I then understood that it was not a vision. I started dancing and praising God who had given me food from Heaven. What a privilege!

The next day, no one still wanted to hear me, but I was in a different state of mind. After a few days, I approached a house, in the middle of a sugar cane field. I was bullied by a gentleman with his sickle. When I explained to him that I was coming to talk about Jesus, he let me know that he had already killed two missionaries. He told me that his sick and elderly mother-in-law couldn't get out of bed, he took care of all her needs. His wife was tired of taking care of her.

So he made me the proposal, "Either you ask your God to kill her which will relieve us, or you ask your God to heal her, which will help us! Otherwise, you too will end up with your head cut off like the other two missionaries.”

I then prayed, telling God, that it was up to Him to choose whether I should come out of this house with or without a head.

So the lady had to die or be healed for me to come out of this situation alive. I was shown to her room. I knelt down and then I started talking about Jesus.

I was explaining the love of God, the power of Jesus to liberate, to resuscitate, to send the Holy Spirit. I was only talking about that. For 4 days, I was only talking about God and His Son Jesus. 

Then the lady got up from the bed. She looked at me. Then she walked alone to the kitchen to bring me a drink. I remained on my knees with my eyes closed. I glorified God for this miracle after 4 days at the bedside of this lady.

It was the first experience, my first mission for God led by God. The gentleman approached me and asked me to rest at his place, making sure that I could stay at his place as long as I wanted. I was exhausted, I had slept on the ground during these 4 days. I then fed myself and slept in a room.

A few hours later, I hear the noises of voices. I approached the gate and I notice that there is a small crowd and the man said to them, "The "man of God" is sleeping, do not worry, as soon as he is up, he will heal everyone! Do not make noise, the "man of God" is sleeping!”

I got scared. This man was putting me in a difficult position. As I thought about it, I remembered my mother's words, "I know my Redeemer is alive!" I took a towel and after washing up in the toilet, I grabbed my Bible when I heard, "The "man of God" is standing! That's it, he will heal you all! Be quiet!”

I looked, I said to myself, "Voila… the test of fire!”

I opened the Bible in front of them, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.

Eternal life is obedience, it is faith, it is salvation, it is love, it is the spirit that God gives us. And you offer this spirit to lies, witchcraft, idolatry ...

I was preaching, there was a Catholic priest with a handicap in one leg. I commanded him to let go of his stick and walk towards me. He walked normally. Others came and were healed. Everyone wanted me to go to their place for a drink or a meal afterward. But the man of the house forbade me to leave his house. I had to stay sequestered there. 

A few days later, the priest fled and abandoned his church. So I started my first worship in this church after removing all the statues. This is how I started my career as a pastor. I was able to leave this man's house afterward. The man who hosted me had become a Christian.

What God wants is for us to believe. He wants us to have the courage to preach and believe in the Truth. But today we only preach what is pleasing to us. We only talk about prosperity to the people. The prosperity that Jesus wants is SALVATION. It is spiritual prosperity. Today we have lost sight of biblical reality.

I “made my face” in 25 countries, I had to go to 25 different countries to become a great witch doctor and serve the Devil. I gave a lot to the Devil, but Jesus accepted me with the only clothes I had on my body. I have never asked for money from anyone. I have never begged from the faithful. But today I see pastors charging money for prayers and for teachings. They make the house of God, a house of business. In churches they want people to bear witness to the goods God has given them, people stand up to bear witness to the material prosperity that God has given them. But this is not Salvation. Where is Salvation? Why don't we preach obedience and salvation more, instead of material prosperity?

Pastor! God wants you to walk by faith and preach the truth in your local church. Drop the mask. The church is not a place for those who seek to be enriched materially; it is a place where we enrich ourselves spiritually.

I was in a hotel in Porto Alegre where I was to preach. In my hotel room, the Devil has manifested himself. He told me that I could be a pastor and believe in Jesus. But he would give me everything I wanted, riches, if I accepted his program. He didn't want me to preach about Jesus or the Truth. This is the work of Satan, he makes the programming, the content of the teachings of certain pastors.

The Devil has no power, but he has a lot of strength. All power has been given to Jesus, the Devil no longer has any. In Christ, you are more powerful than he.

When I served the Devil, in a meeting with demons, which many other people attended, there was a lot of discussion about how to attack couples. It was necessary to sow discord, because the discord within the couple, produces dissatisfaction and hardships of all kinds including financial hardships. Then it was necessary to encourage the attack by affecting health. So the whole household can be destabilized.

You must seek Jesus. Jesus said, "Come to Me." It is an invitation that many decline, yet He says, "Come to Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. It is therefore through Him that you will fight these attacks which you do not always know exist. The Bible reveals the way of God but the adversary spends his time developing strategies to succeed in deconstructing and destroying you.

"The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy." John 10:10

If you come to Jesus, your load and your fatigue will be lightened, your life will be more clarified because Jesus is light and life, life in abundance. To put an end to the works of the Devil, the solution is Jesus. As long as the Demon attacks your life, throw yourself at Jesus' feet. If you let the Devil do it, you will become human trash, because it is his project, it is his goal for you.

If my mom didn't pray for me, I would be toast. I was already a demon, even physically I looked less and less like a human. I had abnormal long hair and my face was strange. The more I advanced in evil, the more I physically resembled certain demons. But prayer, the prayer of one person, brought me out of hell where I had already set foot. Yet the more people prayed for me, the more I attacked, which has never discouraged true Christians, those who really want your soul to return to God without regard for their own safety. God is powerful, selfless prayer has real power. On Earth, nothing belongs to you, your place and your goods are high there in Heaven. Do not necessarily run after miracles, Satan also knows how to produce them. Stay in the simplicity and purity of Christ. Think about your family, your home, you have the right to be happy, happy in Christ, Jesus is your happiness. Enter into the joy of your master, He is alive!

God's ear is holy, your mouth must be holy when you pray.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Matthew 25:21 His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.

I would like you to think about this picture. You pray and an angel brings this prayer to God. When he comes back with the answer in due time, he finds you angry, drunk or in some other sin. The angel goes back to where he came from without giving you what was planned for you. You pray again and the same thing happens again ... over and over ... Remain in holiness, and if you sin, hurry to repent, may God not find you far from Him.

Daniel 10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 12 Then said he to me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to chasten yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I am come for your words.

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus said the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from the LORD.

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.

Genesis 16:8 ... from where came you? and where will you go? 

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you know not.

John 3:8 The wind blows where it wants, and you hear the sound thereof, but can not tell from where it comes, and where it goes: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from there you shall seek the LORD your God, you shall find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Matthew 23:8-10 But be not you called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brothers. 9 And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be you called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.