0:00:00.280,0:00:04.840 As the prayer was ongoing, [br]suddenly the pain disappeared 0:00:04.840,0:00:12.440 and I really felt peace in my heart, which is something that I've never felt since I was born. 0:00:12.440,0:00:17.680 As I was growing up, I've always [br]had this in my heart to say - 0:00:17.680,0:00:22.440 it seems like it's really not me who's living;[br]I’m living someone’s life. 0:00:22.440,0:00:25.640 Since that Interactive Prayer, that's when 0:00:25.640,0:00:28.480 I felt like I'm being connected [br]to the real me. 0:00:28.480,0:00:31.240 That's when I had control of my heart. 0:00:37.760,0:00:42.720 You devil, wherever you are [br]operating in their lives, 0:00:42.720,0:00:46.000 your time of deception [br]has come to an end. 0:00:46.000,0:00:52.280 Your time of stealing, killing and destruction has come to an end. 0:00:52.280,0:00:56.280 I command you devil, to leave right now! 0:00:56.280,0:00:58.240 Leave with your bondage! 0:00:58.240,0:01:00.000 Leave with your sickness! 0:01:00.000,0:01:01.880 Leave with your nightmares! 0:01:01.880,0:01:03.480 Leave with your pain! 0:01:03.480,0:01:05.080 Leave with your depression! 0:01:06.600,0:01:13.120 My name is Lonwabo and [br]I'm connecting from South Africa. 0:01:13.120,0:01:19.040 The person next to me is[br]my lovely wife, Tumediso. 0:01:19.040,0:01:25.960 And the reason I joined the Interactive Prayer with Brother Chris was that 0:01:25.960,0:01:29.600 I had a problem with excessive anxiety. 0:01:29.600,0:01:35.880 I was suffering from this problem [br]for over 18 years. 0:01:35.880,0:01:42.840 Back in the days when I was [br]still in tertiary school, 0:01:42.840,0:01:48.320 one thing that I remember vividly [br]when I had this challenge - 0:01:48.320,0:01:53.680 I stopped going to church. 0:01:53.680,0:01:59.040 And that was because I had a fear[br]that I just could not control, 0:01:59.040,0:02:05.760 over losing my bursary because my studies were funded by a bursary scheme. 0:02:05.760,0:02:11.280 So there came a point, when I was [br]going through my studies, 0:02:11.280,0:02:19.120 I felt like the time that I spent going to church, attending church services 0:02:19.120,0:02:27.000 was actually taking much of my time and [br]I wasn't focusing enough in my studies. 0:02:27.000,0:02:33.000 And therefore, I was afraid that [br]I was going to lose my bursary 0:02:33.000,0:02:37.520 and that would have meant I wouldn't be able to continue with my studies. 0:02:37.520,0:02:44.040 So that’s just how the problem affected me from when I was back at the tertiary school. 0:02:44.040,0:02:48.640 And also, this problem persisted because 0:02:48.640,0:02:55.960 by the grace of God, when I completed my studies, after five years of study, 0:02:55.960,0:03:01.440 I was ready to begin a new job. 0:03:01.440,0:03:06.880 So one thing that was strange [br]with my situation - 0:03:06.880,0:03:11.960 I think for anyone, when they [br]start their new job, 0:03:11.960,0:03:21.400 there is excitement of getting a new job, sustainable means of making a living. 0:03:21.400,0:03:32.160 But my situation was a little bit different in the sense that I was overwhelmed by fear. 0:03:32.160,0:03:40.480 What would the people I’m joining in this new job think of me, of my competency? 0:03:40.480,0:03:42.400 Am I competent enough? 0:03:42.400,0:03:45.520 Am I the right fit for the position? 0:03:45.520,0:03:51.320 So I was just overwhelmed with questions that I couldn't really answer. 0:03:51.320,0:03:53.760 And that added a lot of frustration. 0:03:53.760,0:03:58.040 The focus wasn't really on me [br]starting the new job. 0:03:58.040,0:04:02.520 I felt uneasy with the whole [br]situation of a new job. 0:04:02.520,0:04:11.560 As I was gaining experience over the years, I got promoted to a management position. 0:04:11.560,0:04:15.680 So the position itself obviously [br]brought additional demands 0:04:15.680,0:04:19.400 in terms of accountability [br]and responsibilities. 0:04:19.400,0:04:22.440 And I was still having this problem. 0:04:22.440,0:04:27.080 So it actually made it more intensive [br]with the additional load. 0:04:27.080,0:04:29.880 Because there was so much expected at work 0:04:29.880,0:04:33.720 and I was still battling with [br]this excessive anxiety. 0:04:33.720,0:04:38.240 So it got worse around 2023, last year. 0:04:38.240,0:04:43.520 I was having a lot of headaches [br]that I couldn't control. 0:04:43.520,0:04:49.200 And then I started taking some general [br]pills to try and ease the pain 0:04:49.200,0:04:52.680 and to just get me going through the days. 0:04:52.680,0:04:57.160 But really, that didn't seem [br]to be a permanent solution. 0:04:57.160,0:05:01.480 And then I got to a point where [br]I was referred to a specialist, 0:05:01.480,0:05:05.120 a psychiatrist by our family doctor, 0:05:05.120,0:05:12.920 That’s where I was actually diagnosed for the first time with excessive anxiety. 0:05:12.920,0:05:15.560 That was around April 2023. 0:05:15.560,0:05:20.200 And then, in that process, [br]I was put on treatment, 0:05:20.200,0:05:23.600 three weeks of treatment where I was taking some medication 0:05:23.600,0:05:31.360 that was aimed at helping me to [br]try and recover from this anxiety. 0:05:31.360,0:05:37.680 But I did not really end up finishing [br]this treatment session 0:05:37.680,0:05:41.920 because there were side effects. 0:05:41.920,0:05:47.240 I used to feel dizzy at work and [br]it used to change my mood. 0:05:47.240,0:05:52.680 And I was not myself. [br]I would react very awkwardly, 0:05:52.680,0:05:56.960 especially if I was in front of [br]or among people. 0:05:56.960,0:06:01.320 So I decided to discontinue the treatment, 0:06:01.320,0:06:07.080 and I was really looking for a [br]solution that would help me 0:06:07.080,0:06:10.560 and I didn’t have any at the time. 0:06:10.560,0:06:19.080 This problem really impacted not only [br]my career but also my family as well. 0:06:19.080,0:06:24.800 Because when I was going through the phases where I was being frustrated 0:06:24.800,0:06:29.240 by the work demands and [br]I couldn't really find solution, 0:06:29.240,0:06:32.600 even a professional solution[br]to the problem, 0:06:32.600,0:06:39.560 I ended up drinking and in the process, [br]I was also fornicating, 0:06:39.560,0:06:49.080 I was thinking that this would alleviate the situation and help but that really didn’t help. 0:06:49.080,0:06:52.880 But instead, it really threatened my marriage with my wife. 0:06:52.880,0:06:59.800 And I wasn't really playing the role of father-figure to my kids as well. 0:06:59.800,0:07:03.560 And I wasn't really supportive [br]to my wife during this time. 0:07:03.560,0:07:11.920 Really, it broke trust between myself and my wife - that my wife couldn't trust me. 0:07:11.920,0:07:19.560 It was a very devastating situation [br]that the problem put us through. 0:07:19.560,0:07:26.840 Every area of my life was not stable, [br]in a sense that I couldn't even make 0:07:26.840,0:07:29.760 and sustain good friendship with people. 0:07:29.760,0:07:31.480 I was in isolation. 0:07:31.480,0:07:38.720 So by the grace of God, I joined the Interactive Prayer on May 6, 2023. 0:07:38.720,0:07:47.200 During the prayer session, I had a painful sensation right at the back of my neck. 0:07:47.200,0:07:50.920 In my heart, I really asked [br]God for His mercy. 0:07:50.920,0:07:54.560 I asked God to see me through [br]as Brother Chris was praying. 0:07:54.560,0:07:57.040 I asked God to forgive my sins. 0:07:57.040,0:08:02.880 And, as the prayer was ongoing, [br]suddenly the pain disappeared 0:08:02.880,0:08:10.480 and I really felt peace in my heart, which is something that I've never felt since I was born. 0:08:10.480,0:08:15.720 As I was growing up, I've always [br]had this in my heart to say - 0:08:15.720,0:08:20.480 it seems like it's really not me who's living;[br]I’m living someone’s life. 0:08:20.480,0:08:23.680 Since that Interactive Prayer, that's when 0:08:23.680,0:08:26.520 I felt like I'm being connected [br]to the real me. 0:08:26.520,0:08:29.640 That's when I had control of my heart. 0:08:29.640,0:08:31.880 And I really thank God for that. 0:08:31.880,0:08:36.080 There has been a significant [br]change in my life, 0:08:36.080,0:08:38.960 not only in my family, but also in my career. 0:08:38.960,0:08:44.200 Because around June, I was demoted. 0:08:44.200,0:08:54.920 Going through demotion at work [br]was really a devastating situation, 0:08:54.920,0:09:00.240 where I was asking myself, as young [br]as I am, with my wife and the kids, 0:09:00.240,0:09:02.000 what are we going to do? 0:09:02.000,0:09:04.760 That was really when we had no options. 0:09:04.760,0:09:10.240 We didn’t know what to do but we soldiered on in that period. 0:09:10.240,0:09:14.000 So as I was demoted and[br]signed a letter in June, 0:09:14.000,0:09:18.440 by the grace of God, in October [br]of the same year, 2023, 0:09:18.440,0:09:22.640 I was actually promoted to [br]a more senior position 0:09:22.640,0:09:28.720 than the previous one where I was demoted, so really I thank God for that. 0:09:28.720,0:09:33.680 The other issue I used to battle with - [br]I used to feel in isolation, 0:09:33.680,0:09:40.400 even when I walked around the mall,[br]even when I had to deliver a speech. 0:09:40.400,0:09:44.400 Because my position is very demanding and at times, I deliver speeches 0:09:44.400,0:09:48.560 to the directors, and more senior people. 0:09:48.560,0:09:54.840 So the problem really affected me as well - from self-esteem, self-confidence. 0:09:54.840,0:10:00.920 That was an issue and really[br]dimmed the performance 0:10:00.920,0:10:03.800 or effort I could bring to the table 0:10:03.800,0:10:09.640 But after the prayer, I really gained control. 0:10:09.640,0:10:18.040 I can really deliver a very informative [br]and well-received presentation 0:10:18.040,0:10:22.280 with the directors and management [br]in my company. 0:10:22.280,0:10:24.880 I’m now even walking around more. 0:10:24.880,0:10:28.640 Before the Interactive Prayer, when [br]I went with my wife to the town, 0:10:28.640,0:10:31.800 I would always rush to get back home 0:10:31.800,0:10:36.680 because I felt like everyone was just looking at me and there's something wrong I was doing. 0:10:36.680,0:10:40.400 And now all of that is a thing of the past. 0:10:40.400,0:10:45.800 Because I’m myself. I'm in control [br]of my heart, by God's grace. 0:10:45.800,0:10:50.040 So even going to the mall, that is [br]no longer a problem for me. 0:10:50.040,0:10:54.720 I can express myself freely and [br]I really thank God for that. 0:10:54.720,0:10:58.560 My relationship with my family has improved. 0:10:58.560,0:11:04.400 Most importantly, we are going to church - with my wife and kids, 0:11:04.400,0:11:10.360 and I’m really taking the [br]responsibility as a father. 0:11:10.360,0:11:13.960 I am there for my kids. 0:11:13.960,0:11:16.680 I am supporting my wife with the kids. 0:11:16.680,0:11:22.960 And our marital life has really improved. 0:11:22.960,0:11:29.240 I'm there for her when she needs me and support her in every area of her life. 0:11:29.240,0:11:34.080 My name is Tumediso and I’m connecting [br]from South Africa. 0:11:34.080,0:11:37.480 The man beside me is [br]my husband, Lonwabo. 0:11:37.480,0:11:41.960 I can attest to this testimony [br]he has just shared. 0:11:41.960,0:11:46.800 For the past years, he has [br]suffered from anxiety. 0:11:46.800,0:11:50.920 He has experienced episodes of anxiety. 0:11:50.920,0:11:57.960 He always used to stay isolated, showing a shame-based nature, being antisocial. 0:11:57.960,0:12:02.800 And when we walked around town, [br]he didn’t feel comfortable. 0:12:02.800,0:12:07.400 He always wanted to go home as [br]soon as we were done in town. 0:12:07.400,0:12:11.400 So it was a big problem for me. 0:12:11.400,0:12:16.800 Now, he is a ‘perfect husband’ that I always knew before all these changes came. 0:12:16.800,0:12:20.520 My advice - let us have faith in God. 0:12:20.520,0:12:26.440 And we must believe that God is [br]in our lives; He’s there for us. 0:12:26.440,0:12:28.320 There is always power in praise. 0:12:28.320,0:12:34.680 When you are in a spiritual battle, you must normalise using the weapon of praise always. 0:12:34.680,0:12:36.760 God is good all the time. 0:12:36.760,0:12:46.840 My advice to the viewers all over the world is really for us to ask for God’s grace 0:12:46.840,0:12:53.520 to help us to learn not to[br]put our fears above Him. 0:12:53.520,0:12:58.840 And in reference to Proverbs 3:5, 0:12:58.840,0:13:04.080 we need to trust God with all of our hearts[br]and not lean on our own understanding. 0:13:04.080,0:13:08.520 So really, that's my advice to [br]viewers all over the world.