JUDE ANTOINE TESTIMONY

Summary

In this powerful testimony, a 45-year-old man recounts his journey from a sheltered Catholic upbringing to a life of despair following his father's sudden death at 45. At age 15, he faced his father's passing alone, leading to a rebellion against God and a downward spiral into a life of crime and self-loathing. Three years later, on the brink of suicide, he challenged God for a sign, and a profound spiritual experience transformed his life, filling him with peace and a new purpose. He now shares his story to inspire others and demonstrate the power of faith.

Takeaways

• 👨‍👩‍👦 The speaker is an only child who grew up in a protective and religious Catholic family.
• 🙏 Despite a lack of formal religious education, the speaker participated in Catholic sacraments due to his father's close relationship with the parish priest.
• 😢 At age 15, the speaker experienced the sudden death of his father, which deeply affected him and led to a crisis of faith.
• 🏠 The speaker, being the only child, had to take responsibility for his father's funeral, a burden that fell on him at a young age.
• 😡 The speaker's life spiraled downward after his father's death, leading him into a life of crime and self-hatred.
• 🔪 At the lowest point, the speaker contemplated suicide as a way to escape his pain and despair.
• 🌟 In a moment of desperation, the speaker decided to give God a 'second chance,' seeking a sign or intervention.
• 👼 The speaker experienced a profound spiritual encounter where he felt a presence and heard a voice, which he attributes to God.
• 😇 This experience led to a transformation in the speaker's life, replacing anger and hatred with peace and a renewed sense of purpose.
• ✝️ The speaker emphasizes the power of faith and the belief that God can overcome sin and change lives, encouraging others to entrust their sins to God.

Q & A

How old was the speaker when he lost his father?

The speaker was 15 years old when he lost his father.

What was the speaker's relationship with his father like before his father's death?

The speaker was very close to his father, as he was an only child and his father was a strong influence in his life.

What was the speaker's initial reaction to his father's death?

The speaker was shocked and could not understand how his father, who was strong and had no history of illness, could die from a single heart attack.

How did the speaker cope with his father's death at the age of 15?

The speaker took on the responsibility of handling his father's funeral, trying to stay strong and not show emotions like crying or sadness.

What was the speaker's view on religion after his father's death?

The speaker became disillusioned with religion, seeing it as a fabrication by weak men to cope with their own weaknesses, and he walked away from God, church, and faith.

What negative path did the speaker's life take after his father's death?

The speaker's life spiraled downwards as he got involved with the wrong crowd, engaging in extortion and visiting prostitutes, leading to a life filled with anger, hatred, and self-loathing.

What was the turning point for the speaker that led him to reconsider his stance on God?

The turning point was when the speaker, at the age of 18, decided to give God a second chance and asked for a sign, after which he experienced a supernatural encounter that changed his life.

What supernatural experience did the speaker claim to have had?

The speaker claimed to have felt a physical presence and heard an audible voice that told him God would be his father from that day forward and would change his life.

How did the speaker's life change after his supernatural experience?

After the experience, the speaker's anger, pain, and hatred were replaced with a sense of peace, and he began to speak in tongues, which he later learned was a spiritual gift.

What message does the speaker want to convey about God's love and forgiveness?

The speaker wants to convey that God loves people immensely, is willing to do anything for them, and that their sins are not an issue for God, who conquered sin on the cross.

What advice does the speaker give for breaking the stronghold of sin in one's life?

The speaker advises recognizing the need for God's help and handing over one's sins to Him, implying that this is the way to break free from the cycle of sin.

Outlines

00:00

😔 Loss and Disillusionment

The speaker, Jude, shares his life story starting at the age of 45, being an only child in a protective Catholic family. He recounts his close relationship with his father and the minimal religious education he received, leading to a superficial understanding of his faith. At 15, he experiences the sudden death of his father, which deeply shocks him and leaves him feeling lost. He attempts to pray but feels disconnected from God. Taking on the responsibility of his father's funeral, he feels overwhelmed and decides that religion is a fabrication by weak men, leading him to abandon his faith. His life spirals downward for three years, filled with anger, hatred, and a sense of hopelessness.

05:02

🔪 A Desperate Turn and Divine Intervention

Jude's life continues to deteriorate as he gets involved with criminal activities and prostitution, harboring deep resentment towards everyone, including God and himself. After three years of his father's death, he reaches a breaking point and contemplates suicide. However, a thought to 'give God a second chance' enters his mind. After a struggle, he challenges God to show Himself. To his surprise, he feels a physical presence and hears a voice promising to be his father from that day forward and to change his life. This experience fills him with peace, and he begins to sob, releasing years of pain and anger. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the love of God and the power to overcome sin, encouraging the audience to surrender their sins to God.

Keywords

💡Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to difficulty in breathing. In the video, the speaker mentions being born asthmatic, which made his parents very protective of him. This condition is used to set the stage for the close-knit family dynamic and the speaker's early life experiences.

💡Catholic

Catholic refers to a Christian who follows the Roman Catholic Church, which is guided by the Pope and adheres to specific sacraments and traditions. The speaker's upbringing in a 'very good Catholic family' and his interactions with the parish priests illustrate the cultural and religious context of his early life, shaping his initial relationship with faith.

💡Holy Communion

Holy Communion, also known as the Eucharist, is a sacrament in Christianity where believers partake in the bread and wine, symbolizing the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The speaker's account of receiving Holy Communion and confirmation without much catechism reflects his superficial understanding of faith at that time.

💡Heart Attack

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked, often leading to damage or death of the heart tissue. The speaker's father's sudden death due to a heart attack at the age of 45 profoundly impacts the speaker, leading to a crisis of faith and a turning point in his life narrative.

💡Funeral

A funeral is a ceremony for commemorating and burying the dead. The speaker's responsibility for his father's funeral at the age of 15 signifies a forced maturity and a significant emotional burden that contributes to his subsequent struggles.

💡Depression

Depression is a mental health condition characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in activities. The speaker's mother's depression following the father's death adds to the family's tragedy and isolates the speaker further, impacting his emotional state.

💡Sin

In religious contexts, sin refers to an act or omission that goes against religious or moral law. The speaker's later realization about sin and its defeat through Jesus Christ on the cross is a central theme in his testimony, illustrating his transformation and renewed faith.

💡Gift of Tongues

The gift of tongues, or glossolalia, is a spiritual phenomenon where one speaks in languages unknown to them, often associated with religious experiences. The speaker's experience of speaking in tongues is a pivotal moment in his spiritual awakening, symbolizing a direct encounter with the divine.

💡Suicide

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. The speaker's contemplation of suicide after years of downward spiraling and despair represents a critical moment of hopelessness, from which he is ultimately saved by a spiritual intervention.

💡Redemption

Redemption is the act of making up for or being saved from past mistakes or sins. The speaker's story of redemption is central to his testimony, as he moves from a life of anger, hatred, and despair to one of peace, faith, and a renewed sense of purpose.

💡Faith

Faith is a strong belief in something, often without proof or evidence. The speaker's journey from a superficial understanding of faith to a profound, life-changing experience with God illustrates the transformative power of faith in overcoming adversity.

Highlights

The speaker, at 45 years old, reflects on his life as an only child and his close relationship with his father.

Despite being asthmatic, the speaker's parents were very protective, and he had a strong bond with his father.

The speaker's Catholic upbringing is detailed, with a focus on his early religious experiences and the role of the parish priest.

At 15, the speaker's father suffered a fatal heart attack, which left him shocked and questioning his faith.

The speaker was left to handle his father's funeral at a young age, an experience that deeply affected him.

A moment of crisis led the speaker to question God's existence and his role in his father's death.

The speaker's life took a downward spiral, involving negative influences and self-destructive behaviors.

After three years of turmoil, the speaker considered ending his life as a way out of his despair.

In a moment of desperation, the speaker decided to give God a 'second chance', seeking a sign or intervention.

A profound experience of feeling a presence and hearing a voice led the speaker to a spiritual awakening.

The speaker describes a transformative moment where he felt a release of anger and pain, replaced by peace.

The speaker's life changed dramatically after this encounter, leading him to a renewed faith and purpose.

The speaker shares the message that God's love is unconditional and that he is willing to do anything for those who believe.

The speaker emphasizes the power of faith in overcoming sin and the importance of surrendering to God.

The speaker concludes by encouraging the audience to recognize and break free from the stronghold of sin in their lives.

Transcripts

you can be free you know friends let me

just give you a brief testimony of my

own life I'm 45 years old I said just

now 45 years old and I am the only child

in my family there was mummy daddy and

Jude no brother no sister Lone Ranger

not even Tonto you know Tron Tron only

only child I was born asthmatic and

because I was born asthmatic my parents

were very very protective of me I was

very very close to my father very very

close to my father at the age of 15 my

father okay before before that we grew

up in a very good Catholic family my

parents were very close to the parish

priests and as as a young man for my

Holy Communion because my father was

very close to the parish priest even and

said to the parish priest father never

mind my son only learn never mind I

don't need catechism trust too much okay

just give him a Holy Communion okay God

within two months of catechism I got my

Holy Communion then after that

confirmation same thing happened never

mind love my son like give him holy

confirmation now okay then two months

our catechism I got my confirmation so

my understanding of my Catholic faith

was when Father Son Holy Spirit our

Father Hail Mary glory be I know when to

stand up sit down kneel down to walk in

front stick out my tongue

God was there I was in the chair God you

stay there I stay here I'm happy you're

happy

okay I was a good Catholic I was good

Catholic at the age of 15 years all my

my father went to work my father worked

in the railways he went to work and I

went to school and middle of school the

principal comes to my class to say Jude

your mother called to say that your

father's very sick in hospital I'm to

take you back home so grab your school

back and I will take you back home and

on he he put me in the car and as he was

driving me home the principal told me

and Jude actually what your father's

what your mother said was that your

father had had a heart attack

he had collapsed and died in the

hospital I was shocked

remember I was 15 my father at that time

was 45 my age now 45 years old he was a

strong man he never smoked never drank

alcohol

had a history of heart problem never had

a cough cold flu fever I could not

remember him sick for all my life and

here he was went to work get one heart

attack the first heart attack

collapsed and died and I could not

understand how that was possible so for

the first time sitting in the car I

tried to pray and say God please don't

take away my father but you know you

know what I didn't know how to talk to

God so I ended up saying our Father hill

made a glory be until the car drove into

the house and sure enough as the car

drove into the house my body was in a

stretcher in the living room of my in

the living room of my house we usually

keep the body at home for two nights and

and my father was adopted so there was

no one from his side of the family to

take care of the funeral

my mother had had strained relations

with her family and so there was no one

from her side of the family even to

handle the funeral arrangements so at

fifteen years old I undertook my

father's funeral my father's funeral at

fifteen years old I was the man of the

house I said I'll make my heart strong

don't feel anything no cries no tears I

will handle my father's funeral and I

undertook the coffin the Undertaker that

cemetery the church the whole thing we

keep the body like I said in the house

for two nights the first night my mother

sat awake with the body the second night

I said awake with the body at about 12

o'clock when everybody else was asleep I

was sitting next to my father's coffin

and I'm trying to figure out how is this

possible

this man 45 years old no history of

heart problem just one heart attack and

died he's not responsible I'm not

responsible I figured my mother is not

responsible so guess who's responsible

God I said you know God you're

responsible we had a good Catholic

family we have a Bible in the house

except nobody opens the Bible so it's

full of dust you know so I wipe the dust

off the cover and I open the Bible it

was written in English but look like

Greek to me

I said to God God they say this is your

word tell me from your word why you took

away my father God was absolutely quiet

I said this is nonsense I threw the

Bible against the wall

I said to God God you tell me now and

Wrekin fifteen years old you know I said

to God God you'll tell me now why you

took away my father but God was

absolutely quiet two o'clock in the

morning three o'clock four o'clock five

o'clock six o'clock the Sun was rising

God was

absolutely quiet that day I made up my

mind

15 years old I made up my mind that God

church religion faith Christianity

Catholicism was a load of crap it was

not there was no such thing it was made

up by weak men to satisfy their own

weakness so they created a God like that

so there is really no God because it's

impossible that if there is a God he

could allow something like this to

happen so that day friends I walked away

from God Church religion faith 3 years

of my life spiral downwards it became

worse and worse there was no God my

father was dead I was my mother was in a

in the pit of depression

she had no concern for what was

happening to me and there I was no one

to care for me I got involved with the

wrong company of friends the next three

years of my life was a spiral downwards

friends I got involved with people who

extort money from the customers of

prostitutes and with a with a knife he

would go stick the knife at the back and

say your wallet please and I got

involved with these kind of people I

visited the prostitutes myself I got

involved with these people I got

involved with everything except drugs in

the back lanes of the streets of the

city that I come from messed up my life

my heart was filled with anger and

hatred I hated myself I hated the people

around me I hated my father for dying on

me I hated my mother for being in the

depression I hated God I hated myself

for being in this in this very big mess

and it only went deeper and deeper it

was like quicksand that was pulling me

deeper and deeper and deeper at the end

after three years after the death of my

father I came to this point that the

only thing that made sense to me was to

end my life so I thought to myself since

I extort money with her with a knife so

I will also finish my my life also with

a knife so I thought I would slash my

wrists and it'll be over so three years

after that of my father I put the knife

in the living room of my house my mother

was asleep three rooms behind I put the

knife in front getting ready to slash my

wrists and as I was about to do that a

thought came into my mind give God a

second chance give God a second chance

I said why give God a second chance he's

never been around for me not for my

father not for my mother why give God a

second chance

the thought persisted what have you got

to lose nothing to lose give God a

second chance and after 45 minutes of

struggling with this thought I said okay

if there is really if really there is a

God you show yourself to me arrogant 15

I said that I'm 18 years old

I reckon 18 years old if you're a god if

there is a God you show yourself to me

now I believe but not tomorrow my life

will be finished by then now you show

yourself to me friends what happened

after that changed my life the moment I

said those words I was sitting in a sofa

the back of the sofa was a wall there

was no one in the living room except me

and as I said I sweat those words

I felt somebody standing behind me and

putting a right hand over my shoulder

but there could be no but nobody

standing behind me because it was just a

wall but I felt a physical hand in my

shoulder then I heard a voice a voice an

audible voice as clearly as you hear my

voice now I was not in my head but in my

ears

the voice said to me dude it was I who

took away your father but from this day

onwards I will be your father

and I will change your life forever

friends when my father died I did not

cry I did not cry but that day I began

to sob and sob and sob and as I cried

the anger the pain the hatred was all

being lifted out and in its place in its

place there was tremendous amount of

peace peace was coming into my heart

filling my heart my tongue started to

move by itself I thought I was going

crazy later they told me that was called

a gift of tongues that one day friends

changed my life 1981 changed my life

friends you have a God who loves you so

much loves you so much he will do

anything for you because you are so

precious to him because you are so

precious to him

your sin is not an issue for him he

conquered sin on the cross 2,000 years

ago

amen your sin is defeated all you got to

do is give your sin into his hands very

quickly let me let me wrap up by by by

sharing with you how to break the the

stronghold of sin in your life first

recognize