Artwork & live blue links are under construction.  Book contents are complete & updated July, 2010. © 

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Chapter One: Those Foolish, Foolish Television Preachers

Televangelists. Who needed them? Certainly not me. I didn't like them, and I didn't mind saying so. Bunch of fools! I especially didn't like that one who was always raising big money for one reason or another.  To make matters worse, his wife had really big hair.  People in Boston didn't look like that.  She cried all the time, too, mascara running down her face like Niagara Falls.  "They need all that money to keep her supplied with false eyelashes, mascara and hairspray," I thought to myself.  I was spiritually dead and ruled by selfish, human pride. Therefore, I had no need for either one of them.  Or anyone like them. That is, until my former wife and I became far more involved with drugs and alcohol than we had been previously.  Pride, drugs and alcohol are a deadly combination and not exactly the prescription for success. We were about to discover the high cost of traveling life’s low road.

Everything started falling apart.  My wife took the babies and left.  I was devastated and in a state of shock. My heart was completely broken. To make matters even worse, I then lost a business I had worked so hard to build.  Five of my friends, including one of my suppliers, had recently died using the same bad drugs I was using.  Why I didn’t die, too, I couldn’t understand.  I was scared.  Frightened is more like it.  I knew I needed the kind of help that only God could give. But would He help me, loser that I was?

Three years prior to this I had given God my word that I would serve Him in exchange for His help during a crisis, but I did not do so.  At that time, my former wife was giving birth to our daughter and serious complications developed.  A nurse came to me in the Fathers Waiting Room and said, “Mr. Hamel, I don’t know whether you believe in God or not, but if you do, I would suggest that you pray.  There’s a great possibility that you are going to lose both your wife and your baby tonight, and you’ll want to be prepared for that.”  She then stoically turned away and walked out of the room leaving me standing there alone.  Fear hit me like a Tsunami wave.  I thought, "Did she just say what I think she said?"

My heart pounding in my chest, I dropped to my knees and cried out with my very best emergency prayer, “Oh, God, if You’ll let them live, I’ll give you my life.  I’ll do anything You want me to do.  I’ll give you my life if only You’ll just let them live.”  Although I did not know enough about the Bible at that time to pray to God in Jesus’ Name, He had great mercy on me that night.  Shortly after that prayer of committal from my heart, my newborn daughter, Kristin, was wheeled out to me in an incubator.  She was lying face down on her belly.  As I looked down upon her, she pushed herself up with her arms, lifted her head and turned to look up at me.  Her eyes were wide open as she looked directly into mine.  

The nurse exclaimed, “Oh, my G-d, in all my years of nursing I’ve never seen a brand new baby do something like that.  She’s pushing herself up and looking right at you. Oh, my G-d!”  It was rather astounding even to me.  To this day I believe the Spirit of God moved upon my newborn daughter supernaturally enabling her to do such a thing. He was confirming to me that it was Him indeed Who had just intervened in response to my emergency prayer of commitment, saving her life and her mother's life.

Although for the next three years I kept in mind what I had promised God, I was unable to fulfill my promise to serve Him.  I simply did not know how one went about giving their life to God.  In fear, frustration and anxiety we continued using drugs and alcohol. 

Now here we were once again three years later, addicted to drugs and desperately needing His help. 

Would He help us again?  Even after I did not keep my word to Him? I remembered how my Dad had told me about a big prayer that God answered for him years earlier.  My Dad wasn’t exactly the personification of all that is patient, good and kind.  I mean, I loved him in spite of himself, but he was one exceptionally hard and cruel taskmaster.  Although years later I would lead him to salvation in Christ, I would rather have been raised by Godzilla!  At least Godzilla was kind to and protective of Baby Godzilla! Yet, God answered my Dad’s prayer.  So, I thought something like, “Maybe, just maybe, God will help me, too.  I guess it all depends on how angry He is with me.” 

I realize now that I was unfairly judging God by my earthly father’s anger and cruelty.  Plus, the Denomination I grew up in taught us about a God Who could get pretty angry.  I figured surely He must be pretty ticked off at me because of the drugs and all.  But I had to find out for sure.  

It came to my remembrance how when I was 17 years old, standing alone in front of the corner store, lighting a cigarette, I heard what appeared to be an audible voice.  A voice that said, “I love you.”  I always wondered if that was the Voice of God.  Certainly the words “I love you” didn’t go with what my Denomination had taught me.  But, maybe they were wrong.

Now, in the spring of 1981, three years after my hospital emergency prayer, my wife had taken the children and left. We both desperately needed to be free from drug and alcohol addiction.  To whom could I turn to tell me what God was really like?  The money-raising Televangelist and his crying wife with the mascara problem and the Texas-sized hairdo were the only ones who came to mind.  I felt like a hypocrite, but I decided to give them a try. Desperately flipping channels, my blood system full of amphetamines, cocaine and alcohol, I finally found them.  

The Preacher’s face appeared on the television screen and he immediately began speaking directly to me.  I was shocked as he answered the very reasoning of my heart. “If you’re a drug addict or an alcoholic and you think God’s mad at you, YOU ARE WRONG,” he declared. “God loves you.  If you’ll ask Him, in the Name of Jesus, He’ll set you free from your addiction.”  

I fell to my knees and began to sob. From the depths of my heart I prayed another home-made emergency prayer.  I cried out, “God, if that’s true and You’ll set me free, I’ll serve You for the rest of my life. I give You my word. I’ll serve You for the rest of my life, in the Name of Jesus! Please, Jesus. Please.” 

Do you know what happened after I prayed that sincere prayer from the very bottom of my very broken heart?  Nothing! Absolutely nothing at all.  

Maybe the Televangelist didn’t know what he was talking about after all.  Maybe God was just sick and tired of me, and really, I couldn’t blame Him.  He had already given me one chance and I squandered it. I didn’t deserve another. Maybe it was best to just die this way, like my five unfortunate young friends.

Chapter Two:  My First, But Not Last,  Angelic Visitation

Soon after praying that prayer, I lay down on the sofa, covering up with a blanket, so discouraged and full of despair.  The drugs and alcohol affected my circulation so severely that my hands and feet were constantly cold.  I was an emaciated wreck.  Approximately one hundred and twenty pounds on a five foot eleven frame.  My fingernails were bitten and bloodied.  I had been literally surviving on chocolate-covered donuts and beer.  I felt that I would die of rejection and loneliness lying there all alone, pumped full of drugs and alcohol. 

Suddenly, from behind me, someone softly laid a hand upon my head.  This wasn’t just any hand.  This was a giant hand that absolutely startled me.  

As a boy I would ride the train into Boston Garden to watch “Professional” wrestling matches.  I once saw Killer Kowalski take on Andre the Giant in a “Death Match.”  I thought Andre had the biggest hands in the world, until this hand came upon my head.  I turned to see who had slipped into my my securely locked home, coming up behind me.  No one was there.  I jumped up and went through every room and every closet, looking to see who was hiding and playing games with my mind.  I frantically checked every door and every window.  They were all locked.  I was alone.  I must have imagined it.

Lying back down on the sofa that giant hand rested upon my head again ever so gently.  I jumped up, repeating the entire search process.  Once again I was convinced that I was indeed alone and that my tormented mind was simply playing tricks on me.  After all, drugs, alcohol and a steady diet of chocolate-covered donuts can produce imaginary experiences. 

For the third time I lay on the sofa.  As soon as I settled down, the giant hand was placed gently on my head again.  It was so large that it easily reached both of my ears and my forehead.  This time there was no getting up.  Something began to “pour” out of that hand.  Some sort of warm, liquid substance began to pour into me through my head.  It felt like hot honey was being poured into me.  I was paralyzed but not with fear.  It was as if I was being paralyzed with love - hot liquid love.   Down into my cold fingers it flowed so peacefully.  Down into my cold, cold toes it slowly went.  I was being overwhelmed by some sort of hot, liquid love that poured into my body through a giant, invisible hand on top of my head.  I lay there basking in this love that I had never experienced before when suddenly I lost consciousness.

What happened next, I do not know.  I didn’t wake up until NEARLY THREE FULL DAYS LATER.  I immediately realized that during that entire time I had not changed positions.  Neither had I dreamed.  Of course, I did not eat or drink. Every bodily function had shut down entirely.  Some may struggle with this, but I am convinced that I was not even breathing during that three-day supernatural experience.  

Years later I discovered how Sister Maria Woodworth-Etter had a similar experience while preaching in St. Louis, Missouri around the turn of the century.  She was preaching in a tent meeting when the power of God came upon her.  She had her hand up and her mouth open as she was preaching when suddenly she froze in place.  She literally stayed in that position for three full days and nights, neither moving nor uttering a word.  All of her bodily functions ceased as well, including breathing.  Grown men attempted to move her from her frozen position and were unable to do so.  She was literally locked in place as a testimony to the Power of God. (Ezekiel 33:22; Acts 2:43)  

During that three-day period over 150,000 people filed by to witness this astounding sign, wonder and miracle of God.  At the end of three days and nights she began breathing and moving, PICKING UP HER SERMON EXACTLY WHERE SHE HAD LEFT OFF.  The St. Louis newspapers covered the story.  Her life story can be found on the Internet & FaceBook simply by searching her name. The 1924 photo below is of Sister Woodworth-Etter.

As I slowly regained consciousness that third day, I became sharply aware of one thing.  I HAD BEEN SET FREE FROM ALL DESIRE FOR DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. The desire that was always there when I woke up each morning was gone.  I was free from fear.  Anger and unforgiveness were noticeably missing, as well.  God had forgiven me and delivered me.  How could I not now forgive those who had hurt me?  I felt brand new on the inside.  I remember showering after this supernatural three day "slain in the Spirit" experience and thinking to myself, “I don’t know why I’m doing this.  I feel like I couldn’t possibly be any cleaner.”  I soon discovered that this was because the Bible said I had become a “New Creation in Christ” when I called upon His Name. (2 Corinthians 5:17)  I picked up an old beat-up Bible and started reading it voraciously.  Preaching and teaching it, too.  I still haven’t put it down nearly thirty years later.  (Ezekiel 2:8-3:4)

The Televangelist and his wife were right, and I was wrong.  God wasn't mad at me, and I remain indebted to them eternally for my supernatural deliverance which came through their Ministry, in spite of the great problems and heartache they went on to encounter for their own mistakes. We are all still learning how to live with our humanity.  

Now I knew it was the Spirit of God Who said "I love you" that day in front of the grocery store while I was lighting a cigarette.  

It actually troubles some people that I would say God told me He loved me while I was smoking a cigarette.  They don’t understand the Bible says that Jesus came because God so loved the world, smokers and non-smokers alike. (John 3:16)  Besides, nobody ever went to Hell for smoking cigarettes.  People go to Hell for rejecting redemption in Christ.  Now, I haven’t smoked a cigarette for twenty-six years, but God loved me as much when I smoked cigarettes as He does now that I don’t.   

As a result of my spectacular conversion experience and uneducated zeal, most of my family and friends said, "Man, Hamel's really lost it now."  They were right, too.  I lost my old, weak, destructive life and found a brand new powerful one in Jesus. When everyone else walked out on me, He walked in.  I was and still am unashamed of Him.  I love Him now more than ever.  

Sadly, my former wife informed me that she would have nothing to do with Jesus as I had come to know Him.  Offering to come back if I would renounce my new-found relationship with Jesus, I was forced to decline.  “That was our problem to begin with,” I explained.  “Christ was never the focal point of our relationship or our family. I could never go back to doing things without Him again.”  So, she chose her way and I chose God’s way, hoping and praying that she would change. She did not. 

That’s what an encounter with the God of Creation will do to human beings.  It will harden you or it will soften you, but one way or another, you’ll never be the same.

Sure, early on in my walk with the Lord Satan tried to tempt me with drugs and alcohol again. He  just doesn't give up that easy. However, those old ways just had no lasting attraction any more.  No power either.  They were counterfeits, substitutes for what I had been looking for all my life - love.  God’s Love.  The Love that poured into me that morning through the giant hand placed so gently upon my head three times before I fell unconscious for nearly three full days.    

I soon discovered my three-day experience was Biblical, indeed. Many people in the Bible had similar experiences when touched by the hand of God or one of His angels. (Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 2:1-2; Daniel 10:8-9; Matthew 17:1-6; Matthew 28:1-4; John 18:1-8; Acts 9:6; Acts 26:14, etc.)

Having had multiple Angelic visitations since that day, I have discovered to whom that giant hand belonged.  It belonged to God’s Angel.  My Angel.  One of the Angels that was assigned to me at birth. (Matthew 18:10)  The Angels of God are giant creatures indeed.  The ones that have appeared to me multiple times over the past nearly thirty years stand on average ten to twelve feet tall.  Some even taller.  Their hands are the size of the hand that was placed on my head three times that day.  It was my Angel’s hand. 

The tangible anointing and love of God was transferred to me that day by the laying on of the Angel's hand. I literally fell under the power of God for nearly three full days. Talk about falling in Love!

Chapter Three: My First Visitation of Jesus as He  Commissioned Me 

Within 24 hours of regaining consciousness from having been "slain in the Spirit" for those three days, I received the first of what has been multiple visitations of the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 12:1) 

In an open vision He came to me out of a literal, cloud-like whirlwind which suddenly appeared, coming down from the North, spinning before me as I was on my knees. (Ezekiel 1:4) 

Two white-winged Angels, dressed in white, pushed the whirlwind cloud wide open from its spinning center point, like sliding, spinning doors; and Jesus, clothed in a white linen robe, came out of the whirlwind appearing directly before me. 

The entire scene was very similar to the whirlwind and Angels described in Ezekiel's commissioning in Ezekiel chapters one through three, which I had never read before this visitation.  I did not even know the Book of Ezekiel existed. I had never read the Bible. 

At that time Jesus stood before me and through an impartation from His right hand, He personally commissioned and anointed me to the Ministry Offices to which I am called.  His hand (anointing/power) came upon me that day. (Ezekiel 1:3)

Of course, it has taken decades to develop into those Offices.  I will spend the rest of my life doing so.  No one just starts out in the Offices to which they are called, including me.  It takes years of tremendous discipline, endurance, faithfulness, sacrifice, prayer and study to properly develop in any of the 5-Fold Ministry Offices of Ephesians 4:8-11.  Tremendous persecution also accompanies some of those Offices, one in particular.  

However, Jesus Himself did personally commission me to those Offices, through an impartation from His right hand, at the time of this Divinely-granted visitation. 

Having done so, Jesus and the two Angels then went back into the whirlwind from where they had come, Jesus first. The Angels then closed the opening in the spinning cloud behind them, like sliding doors, disappearing into it themselves and the whirlwind dissipated before my eyes.  I was left kneeling there, stunned and all alone. 

I began to know things supernaturally from that very day. 

For a number of years I never shared these visitations with anyone.  Early on, as a very young Christian, I did try to explain some of my experiences to a young Pastor in Nevada.  When he laughed and ridiculed me, walking away as if I had more loose screws than a Studebaker, I was humiliated.

Of course, I later came to realize that young Pastor was also lacking knowledge of such Biblical experiences himself.  He simply did not have the answers I needed.  So, I forgave him.  But, as a result of that embarrassing encounter, I became very reluctant to share these experiences with anyone for a very long time, especially Ministers of the Gospel.  As was the case with the young, inexperienced Nevada Pastor, I was concerned they might not believe or understand me, and I was unwilling to face that kind of rejection again.

Of course, having grown in knowledge of God's Word and my Offices, as well as now having had multiple visitations and revelations of Jesus Christ and multiple visitations of angels  over these past twenty-nine years, I have grown past that. (2 Corinthians 12:1) 

Jesus Christ did indeed visit me that day and He personally commissioned me to help people, not to fear what they might think, say or do to me because of it. (Ezekiel 2:5-7; 3:8,9)

You will also read later in this testimony how in 1984, three years after my first visitation, Almighty God Himself, not Jesus, quoted Ezekiel 3:18 to me, word for word, also from Ezekiel's commissioning. (I Samuel 3:10)  At that time I was in an Albuquerque, New Mexico hotel room when He rebuked me by His authoritative voice because I had not been fully yielding to Christ's prior appearance and commissioning three years earlier.

Also, later in 1984 while in Las Vegas, Nevada, I was caught up in a trance and found myself once again in the presence of the Master, Jesus. I stood and spoke with Him as he gave me personal insight, correction and direction concerning His will for my attending Rhema Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. You can read about that in abbreviated form in the article, "The Word of Wisdom" at the JHM Bible Study Centre. 

The Las Vegas trance was not to be the last time I would find myself suddenly in the presence of the Master. On the homepage of this web site you will find the article, "Great Spiritual Awakening Comes to America."  It is the account of my February 28, 2004, 45-minute Divinely-granted visitation of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit, revealing the coming Revival/Awakening to me in fascinating detail. 

I was praying in the Holy Spirit with my wife as I often do, in a Vermont motel room, when Jesus suddenly caught me up in the Spirit. I found myself suspended in the heavenlies, standing right beside Him from a vantage point just above the earth, as the Awakening began to unfold beneath us. (Ezekiel 8:3; 11:24,25; 37:1)

I watched in amazement as this great Spiritual Awakening began in New England, moving into the entire Northeast, spreading across America and moving to the nations of the world! I stood there with Jesus and the Holy Spirit witnessing multiple millions of hurting, confused, penitent human beings coming to Him just in the Northeastern United States alone. This great Spiritual Awakening has even begun. 

 Chapter Four:  Yet Another Divine Appointment

Back to 1981. Approximately nine months had now passed since being so gently, yet so powerfully touched by the Angel's giant hand and being called and personally commissioned thru a Divinely-granted appearance of Jesus.  Now another Divine appointment awaited me.  

I was sitting in a restaurant one morning, discreetly reading my Bible.  A young man wearing cowboy boots and holding a cowboy hat approached me and said, “Hello.  I see you’re reading the Bible.  Are you a Christian?”  I told him that I was, indeed.  He said his name was Michael and that he was a “Charismatic Catholic.”  He invited me to dinner at his girlfriend's house and a Godly friendship quickly developed. 

Michael gave me a box of cassette tapes.  They were by a Minister whom I had been listening to on the radio.  His name was Dr. Kenneth Copeland. Michael’s girlfriend and soon to be wife, Barbara, also gave me my very first Christian book.  It was “The Ministry of A Prophet” by Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin.  Soon I was also to encounter the Ministry of Dr. Lester Sumrall, who would become my Pastor for the remaining fifteen years of his amazing life.  Little did I realize then how the combined Ministries of these three great men of faith would impact me for the rest of my life.  They became “Spiritual Fathers” to me.  Sometimes when telling the story of how God has used these three men to bring me up in the Faith, I refer to it as “Three Men and a Baby.”

One night during one of my regular visits, Michael and Barbara were playing their guitars and singing to the Lord.  Michael began to softly speak in a strange language.  I stopped him and asked, “What is that?  What is that language you are speaking?”  He answered, “It’s Tongues.  It’s a gift.  Ask God and He’ll give it to you.”  “But what is it?” I insisted.  Michael repeated, “It’s Tongues.  It’s a gift.  Ask God and He’ll give it to you.”  He returned to playing his guitar and speaking in that strange language. 

At that moment something “went off” on the inside of me.  I could no longer sit still.  Whatever this “gift” was, if it was of God, I was determined to have it.  Jumping up and grabbing my jacket, I headed out into the crisp winter night.  All the way home I repeated these words, “God, if that’s from You, I’ve got to have it.”  Over and over I repeated those words, hurrying home through the moonlit snow.  I had a special prayer place in the attic.  I just knew when I got there God would give His special “gift” to me.

Pushing the attic door open, a literal, soundless, explosion of white light enveloped me as I stepped inside.  The room was literally filled with a brilliant white light, wall to wall, ceiling to floor. It was a white that was whiter than the whitest of all earthly whites.  The Apostle Paul referred to this explosion of white light as being “above the brightness of the sun” when describing his Damascus road encounter with it. (Acts 26:13)  How accurate! The light of God’s Glory is above the brightness of ten thousand suns!  I was literally blinded by it.

Overcome with weakness, I was knocked to my knees, unable to remain standing in the presence of this supernatural illumination. (Ezekiel 1:28; Ezekiel 3:23) Enveloped in this shining light from Heaven, my face pressed to the floor, I began praying profusely in other tongues.  It seemed as if I had fallen into a Heavenly blast furnace.  

How long I stayed enveloped in that supernatural light, praying in other tongues, I do not know.  My next recollection was waking up the next morning in my bed not knowing how I got there.  

I had received the “Baptism with the Holy Spirit” as evidenced by the speaking in other tongues in a very dramatic way, even as I had been saved, delivered and commissioned in a very dramatic way nine months earlier. (Acts 2:1-4; 19:6)  

This was the “gift” that my friend, Michael, was referring to.  A gift that would prove invaluable to me from that night on.  To tell you the truth, I have been praying in other tongues on a daily basis for nearly thirty years now - extensively. It's a Hotline to Heaven and a powerful way to keep one's spirit sensitive to the voice of God! (Jude 20)

Chapter Five:  Babies Live and Babies Learn

I had been Born Again when I prayed with the Televangelist. 

I had been miraculously delivered from the bondage of drugs, alcohol and fear by an angel of God laying his hand upon my head three times. As a result, I was slain in the Spirit for nearly three full days and am convinced I was not breathing.  

I had received a personal visitation of Jesus Christ and His two angels and was commissioned to stand in specific Ministry Offices through an impartation from His right hand. 

I had been supernaturally and dramatically enveloped in the Glory of God and baptized with the Holy Spirit in an experience quite similar to the Apostle Paul's on the Road to Damascus. (Acts 9:1-18)

However, I was still just a baby Believer with practically no knowledge of God’s Word other than what I was picking up during my reading times.  I was in desperate need of proper New Testament teaching.  All I had was a few Kenneth Copeland tapes and that one Kenneth Hagin book on the Ministry of the Prophet. 

I knew nothing yet about how to be led by the Spirit of God.  I was to learn volumes on being led by the Spirit of God from these two men later.  But at this time, I was clueless. The only way I could have known less about being led by the Spirit of God was if I were twins!

That being the case,  I wrongly took a job that was not God’s perfect will for me.  That job was driving semi-trucks for a Hollywood Production company.  I now found myself touring America with popular Rock ’n’ Roll bands and Hollywood/Las Vegas-based entertainers.  I had no idea at that time how wrong this job was for me. 

I would drive between major American cities listening to my Kenneth Copeland teaching tapes and praying in other tongues.  Upon arrival at each destination, I’d back my semi-truck up to the staging area to be unloaded for the type of entertainment that is definitely not pleasing to the Lord.  I simply did not know any better.

One evening I was in Austin, Texas working with a very popular Mo Town entertainer.  I was sitting in the special employee section in front of the stage during the show.  This man suddenly stopped singing and began “preaching” as the music softly continued.  As he stood there dressed in silk pajamas, to my shock, he began to explain how performing certain sexual acts while praying in the Name of Jesus could actually bring physical healing to the sick. He was "preaching", but by the inspiration of Satan. 

The moment those shocking, demented words came out of his mouth, I heard an authoritative voice say to me, “He’ll be dead in two months because of the very words of his mouth.” 

Startled, I looked all around to see who had spoken that to me.  With the exception of another employee and his two guests a distance down in front of me and to my left, there was no one else in this reserved section.  I knew that no one in that entire area could have possibly spoken those words to me so clearly above the sound system.  I thought about what that authoritative voice said for a moment and then got up to leave the auditorium.  I was shocked that this entertainer, whose Dad was a Christian Minister, believed such a thing. I was further shocked that he’d stand up and speak it in an auditorium seating thousands.

Two months later, back home in Las Vegas, I walked up to a newspaper display and looked at a headline.  It read, “(Entertainer’s name) Shot Dead By Father.”  My mind raced immediately back to that night when I was with him in Austin, Texas, when that authoritative voice of the Holy Sprit said to me, “He’ll be dead in two months because of the very words of his mouth.”  I was now shocked by the accuracy of those words. 

Still, I didn’t realize how wrong it was for me to play a supportive role in the entertainment industry.  Neither did I understand that the authoritative voice is one of the ways that God can speak to New Testament Believers. (Acts 9:4; 10:13,15)  However, I was about to learn in a very spectacular and most convincing way.

Chapter Six: The Voice of Authority Speaks Again

Soon after this I had my semi-truck parked out front just prior to another short tour with a different entertainer.  The forty-eight foot drop frame van trailer was loaded with lighting, staging, costumes, instruments, sound system, etc.  I was to drive from my base of operation in Las Vegas to Albuquerque, New Mexico on behalf of "one of the biggest names in the business.”  

Before heading out I decided to pray, asking the Lord to bless my trip.  As I stood in the living room praying, that authoritative voice spoke to me again, saying,  “Don’t go.”  I literally jumped off the floor.  When I did, it actually hurt my neck! I looked around to see who had come in.  Of course, no one was there.  I searched the entire house to see who was tampering with my mind.  No one was there.  I was alone.  Certainly God wasn’t telling me to not go.  He understood that the truck was loaded, the entertainer was scheduled to appear and I had no choice. 

I continued praying.  As soon as I began to speak, that voice spoke to me again, audibly.  At least to me it seemed audible.  I know now that it was coming out of my own Born Again human spirit.  It repeated with tremendous authority, “Don’t go.”  I knew then it must be the Voice of God warning me to not take this trip to Albuquerque. 

I took an extra moment to explain to God the situation I was in.  I told Him whom I was working for.  I explained how the truck was loaded with hi-tech equipment, costumes and hardware.  I also explained that it was too late for me to back out.  There was no one else to take the truck to Albuquerque in time for scheduled show. 

Having straightened that out with God, I proceeded to climb the steps up into the cab of my tractor-trailer and drive to Albuquerque.  I was confident God understood.  Besides, it was quite possible that I had imagined that voice that told me not to go. Both times. 

Every mile I drove was another mile driven out of the revealed will of God.  I suddenly began to feel sick physically. Very sick. Nausea and dizziness began to overtake me.  The further I drove the sicker I became.  Further and further I drove on heading for Albuquerque.  Sicker and sicker I became as I did so, vertigo trying to overtake me. 

I discovered that by listening to my Kenneth Copeland tapes through headphones, the nausea and dizziness would subside to where I could continue to drive.  The Anointing on the Word of God would override the sickness as long as I kept the headphones on.  When I took them off at truck stops, etc., the dizziness and nausea would literally overwhelm me.  Although I couldn’t walk, I could actually sit and drive my semi-truck as long as I kept God’s Word going into my spirit through my ears. (Proverbs 4:20-22) 

How foolish of me to forge on, driving a truck of that size and weight, with that kind of sickness tyring to overwhelm me.

Finally arriving in Albuquerque, I half-climbed, half-fell out of the cab of my truck.  I staggered into the high-dollar hotel lobby looking like a drunken man.  I was so dizzy and so nauseous, now completely overcome with vertigo, that I literally slid along the hotel corridor walls in order to reach my room.  

Stumbling into my room and falling onto the bed with the room spinning all around me, I lost consciousness and went immediately into the following dream.

Chapter Seven: A Revelation of Accountability

In the dream I was standing on the huge outdoor stage just prior to “the show” in Albuquerque.  I was looking out across the massive outdoor arena.  The crowd was beginning to filter in from the parking areas.  As I stood on that platform wearing my flashy navy blue silk roadie jacket, I was feeling rather proud of myself.  “After all,” I thought, “this show couldn’t have come together without me.  I brought the lighting, the sound system, the instruments, the costumes, risers and everything else necessary to make this possible today.  If I hadn’t brought all this high dollar equipment in my flashy high dollar semi-truck there would be no show.  THIS WOULDN’T BE HAPPENING IF IT WEREN’T FOR ME.”

As I stood on that platform eight to ten feet above the crowd, I could hear voices.  Someone asked, “Who’s that standing on the stage?  Is he with the show?”  Someone else asked, “I wonder if he knows (entertainer’s name)?”  My chest was swollen with pride.  I was feeling pretty heady knowing that I had “backstage access” to such a popular venue. 

I continued to deliberately stand on the stage where I could be easily seen.  I was enjoying the attention knowing that people were looking at me, wondering who I might be, not knowing I was just the lowly truck driver.  The crowd began to swell and the sound of multitudes of voices grew much louder.  Soon there would be multiple thousands of people filling the outdoor arena.  I could clearly hear laughter and enthusiasm in their voices.

Suddenly people began to rush for the few remaining seats in front of the stage.  People began to push and shove frantically.  The massive crowd pushing from the rear was forcing the people in front even further forward.  The sounds of laughter and enthusiasm began to change to cries of fear and terror.  Soon they were screaming in absolute horror.  The expanding number of people in the back kept pushing, pushing for the remaining front seats.  They didn’t seem to realize that they were crushing and hurting the people in front of them.  It was similar to a human stampede at a European Soccer Tournament. The screams of agony and terror intensified. 

During all of this I was more focused on the people who were pushing and shoving from the rear.  When I finally looked down at the crowd directly in front of the stage, I was horrified by what I observed.  The people in front of me, being shoved from behind, were helplessly falling.  Only they weren’t just falling to the ground as I had previously thought.  They were falling into a massive pit of fire that had somehow opened in front of the stage.  The pit was as long as the stage.  It was also so wide that it was virtually impossible for the people being pushed to jump across to save themselves.  They just kept falling and tumbling into the fire pit, one after another. 

Up from the black smoky pit came tremendous heat with flames of orange, red and yellow.  Innocent people continued falling and tumbling into it.  I looked into the faces of some of them as they went to their eternal destiny.  They just kept falling and falling into that massive fire pit as I stood there helplessly watching. 

Then my own prideful, ignorant words came back to me as I watched those precious souls perishing, one after another.  “THIS WOULDN’T BE HAPPENING IF IT WEREN’T FOR ME.”  “THIS WOULDN’T BE HAPPENING IF IT WEREN’T FOR ME.”  

I was completely overcome with horror realizing this great human destruction was all my fault.  

These dear people were perishing for all of Eternity because I was cooperating with “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.” (1 John 2:16) 

I was disobeying Jesus' 1991 appearance and commission to preach His Holy Word. 

This was entirely my fault and I stood on that platform knowing it in the dream.  

Screaming, terrified human beings were being mercilessly pushed into this fire pit against their wills and I was to blame.  

The thick black smoke, the bright orange, red and yellow flames and the screams of human horror sickened me, breaking my foolish heart, when suddenly I woke up.

Chapter Eight: The Voice of Almighty God and a Much Deserved Rebuke

I sat bolt upright on my hotel room bed.  I was in a literal cold sweat.  Before I could even begin to evaluate the horror of what I had just witnessed or for how long I had been forced to look at it, I heard that voice of authority once again.  

It was the very same voice that had spoken earlier, back in Las Vegas, demanding, “Don’t go.”  “Don’t go.”  This time it spoke with even greater authority.  Tremendous authority. It roared like a mighty waterfall. That’s the only way I know to describe it. This is the way Job, David, Ezekiel and others described it in the Bible. (Job 37:45; Psalm 29:3-11; Psalm 68:33; Ezekiel 1:24)

It was the Voice of the Most High God and He seemed to be standing right beside me. (1 Samuel 3:10) He literally roared the following exact words at me.

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; BUT HIS BLOOD WILL I REQUIRE AT THINE HAND.”

Those words shook me to the very core of my being. It seemed as if I could feel them penetrating the marrow in my bones. The entire high-rise hotel complex appeared to be vibrating around me as those words were being released from the mouth of the God of all Creation. 

This was a verse of Scripture from the Bible.  A VERSE I HAD NEVER READ OR EVEN HEARD BEFORE.  I was hearing it supernaturally for the very first time.

Some months after this experience, I discovered this verse was in Ezekiel 3:18 while reading along in my Bible during a Dr. Frederick K. C. Price television broadcast. As you can imagine, I was astounded to realize that Almighty God had personally spoken this very verse to me before I even knew it was written in the Bible.

As I sat there on that bed in my hotel room, that verse ringing in my spirit like a bell on a cold winter day, I realized that my life had just been forever changed.  

The Spirit of the Living God had both SHOWN and TOLD me that He would hold me personally accountable for every human being who ended up suffering tragedy, prematurely dying and even ending up in Hell, because I was playing with the devil for a big paycheck instead of obeying Jesus' personal commission to reach them.

He had just revealed to me that He would hold me personally accountable for everyone whom I refused to speak to on His behalf, individually or corporately, saved or unsaved, big names, little names or no names.  

From the dog house to the penthouse, when He tells me to warn someone, I now know I must. I have no alternative. 

From the outhouse to the White House, I will obey Him. Otherwise, their blood will be on my hands if they end up being judged and I will be judged for that.  I call this "My Ezekiel Mandate." 

I later discovered how my Pastor of fifteen years, Dr Lester Sumrall, had similar experiences and visitations. At seventeen years of age he was a rebel and dying of tuberculosis when he had a dream. He saw a casket suspended in mid air to one side of his bed and a Bible suspended on the other side. The voice of God told him he was to choose that night which one he wanted. Young Lester Sumrall choose the Bible and woke up the next morning healed of every symptom of tuberculosis. Later in life, the Almighty also showed Brother Sumrall a vision of the multitudes dying and going to Hell. In that vision the Lord told him, even as He had told me, "Their blood will be on your hands."      

I, like others who stand in these same Offices, have experienced great rejection, ridicule, misunderstanding and persecution as I have obeyed Him these nearly 30 years. Particularly from those who lack clear, Biblical knowledge of the Prophet's Office. It comes with the territory, so to speak. Better that than answering to Him for the fear of man, disobedience and rebellion when it comes our time to stand before Him. 

Chapter Nine: Supernatural Confirmation of My Ezekiel Mandate

I am going to share with you just some of the many supernatural confirmations of my "Ezekiel Mandate."  But in order to help you better understand both my calling and my heart, I will first share the following.

I fully understand that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are for exhortation, edification and comfort. (I Corinthians 14:3) God has not placed His Gifts in the Church to pull the Church down. The Gifts are to lift the Church, encourage the Church and to bring comfort and hope to the Church.  However, sometimes Christians, yes, even Ministers, stubbornly choose disobedience over obedience. 

When that happens and they continually override conscience, override the Word of God and override the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit to get back on track, the God of Love can send a word of warning to awaken them from their stupor. This is always to give them further encouragement to judge themselves before having to be judged by the Laws of Sowing and Reaping. (Jeremiah 2:19; Galatians 6:6,7) Or, in their case, what I call, "The Laws of Sowing and Weeping."

Please note as you continue to read on. In my life and and Ministry, whenever God has sent me to give someone a warning of coming judgment for their rebellion, He has ALWAYS had me to tell them that judgment could easily be avoided through simple repentance. God is not a God of condemnation. I do not go around as a make-believe Old Testament Prophet of condemnation bringing scathing words of damnation to individuals. 

Having preached the Gospel multiple thousands of times over a twenty five year period, I have brought far more words of exhortation, edification and comfort to people than I have brought words of warning and pending judgment. However, there are times that God will send His messenger with a word of warning to at least attempt to bring the deliberately wayward back on course before judgment occurs. (Ezekiel 2:8-10)

Sometimes people heed God's gracious warning. Sadly, many times they do not. (Ezekiel 2:11; Ezekiel 3:11,27)

Having now made it clear that I understand fully the Gifts of the Spirit are to pull the Church up and never to pull the Church down, I will share the following from my Spiritual Journal which I have been faithfully and accurately keeping for the past twenty five years. 

Thirty-one times, since the day of God's visitation in my Albuquerque hotel room, He has sent me to privately tell individuals they were either going to face tragedy or  die prematurely, if they did not repent for open sin, secret sin or disobedience concerning His call. Thirty-one times.

Only two additional times has this occurred in  public services. This is because ninety percent of the Prophet's Ministry occurs not in public but in private, even as in the Bible. (2 Kings 5:21-27; John 4:1-19, etc.) The Holy Spirit has great respect and consideration for the dignity of human beings even when they are in sin. After all, we are created in His image and likeness. (Psalm 113:5,6)

Many of the thirty-three individuals I have been sent to are Ministers of the Gospel.  Sadly, they seem to be amongst the most prideful, stubborn and even fearful when it comes to repenting, particularly when a certain type of sin and evil spirits are involved. 

Ten of those thirty-three have now died prematurely and needlessly, some surprisingly quickly, just as the Lord told me to tell them they would.  Four of them died precisely within the exact timeframe the Lord had given me for them.  Preciously. Even I have been astounded and  heartbroken by the accuracy of these warnings time and again. 

Any of these ten deaths could have been easily avoided through simple repentance.

Ten more have experienced heartbreaking, unnecessary tragedies, exactly as the Lord told me to tell them, because in their pride they refused to repent. Oftentimes their immediate family members have suffered terribly, even their children dying, because in their pride and rebellion they left the door wide open for Satan to come against their family. Others have lost their Ministries, businesses and even great wealth and influence, exactly as the Lord so graciously had me to warn them - repeatedly. 

Any of these ten tragedies could have been easily avoided through simple repentance.

Of the remaining thirteen, only three have wisely and quickly judged themselves and wholeheartedly repented thus avoiding having to be judged. (1 Corinthians 11:30-32). 

That's the whole idea behind this aspect of the Prophet's office. It is never intended to condemn. It is always intended to help people and to keep them from hurting themselves or their loved ones. It is intended to encourage them to repent and get back under the Lord's umbrella of Covenant protection. (Proverbs 28:13)

Ten others are still stubbornly resisting the Lord's gracious warnings and are pending. Three of those are Word of Faith Ministers. Based upon the supernatural accuracy of the previous twenty-three warnings, these too will suffer unnecessarily, if they refuse to simply repent. 

Other times, apart from the thirty-three whom the Lord has sent me to, He has revealed to me individuals who were going to die or suffer tragedies, even telling me why and sometimes exactly when, but He did not instruct me to go to them. Take for example the popular Mo Town entertainer whom the Lord said would be "dead in two months." He did not tell me to go to him. If He had done so I would have. I had clear access to him.

This has even happened while I was preaching or teaching from the pulpit.  The Lord would show me a particular person who was either going to die or suffer a tragedy but He did not tell me to speak to them. I was simply to pray that they and their families would be prepared for what they would soon experience. 

To date not one of these Divinely-granted revelations has been wrong. Not one! My heart grieves at the accuracy of these revelations. 

I do not rejoice as being "super spiritual" because of these revelations, for I am not. They have nothing to do with me. Like Ezekiel, I have often told the Lord in anger and in tears, "I would prefer to not know these things, Sir. Please. I do not ever again want to tell someone they are going to suffer tragedy or die. I would rather die myself." (Ezekiel 3:14) 

So many times I have complained to both God and my wife that all I want to do is to be an Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher and keep my nose out of other people's business. 

So many times I have wished I could go back to big trucks, big business and big paychecks. 

But then I call to remembrance my supernatural visitations, realizing that I am going to spend Eternity based upon how accurately I obeyed His commissioning while I was down here. (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10) The closer I walk with Him here, the closer I will walk with Him there.

I call to remembrance how Jesus personally commissioned me to this type of Ministry. I remind myself that the Most High God personally rebuked me and told me He would judge me if I continued to walk in disobedience to His call. I have no choice in the matter. If I disobey there is potentially a casket waiting for me as well. One with a label that reads, "Early Bird Special". (Ezekiel 3:18-21)

Many of the individuals I have been sent to have slandered and/or persecuted me relentlessly for my obedience to speak to them privately on God's behalf, particularly the Ministers. Sadly, they seem to believe their only option is to destroy my credibility in case I should tell others what the Lord told me to tell only them. This is an extremely childish, ignorant reaction and one that always and only compounds their problem. Killing His messenger is never the solution when one is under the microscope of the Most High God. (2 Kings 1:1-17; Acts 13:1-12)

Sometimes it is the hardest thing in the world knowing these things about others, especially when they mock you and will not listen. Particularly when Jesus Himself has appeared to you and personally given this commission.  You know you are hearing clearly from Him but the one you are sent to is either so prideful, dull or disobedient they blow it off and continue in rebellion. They stubbornly race down the pike, headed straight for judgment, through the unfailing Laws of Sowing and Reaping. (Galatians 6:7,8) Or, in their case, what I have already referred to as "The unfailing Laws of Sowing & Weeping."

After twenty-nine years of walking with the Lord and twenty five years developing in this type of ministry, I find the most common mistake made by people who are soon to be judged is this. They ALMOST ALWAYS misinterpret much time given to repent as an unwillingness on God's part to allow them to be judged. (Please, read that again.) They wrongly believe, after much mercy and patience are shown by the Lord, "If it hasn't happened by now, it isn't going to happen." 

I have witnessed this repeatedly.  Particularly with Ministers.  Particularly highly successful Ministers.  And I have been sent to a few, as you are about to read.  The greater the level of success, the greater the level of resistance to the Lord's gracious, respectful warnings!  What an indictment!  

Chapter Ten: Well-Known or Little-Known, We All Go Through the Same Program

One world-renown, Tulsa-based woman Evangelist died at precisely the time God told me she would, "in five years," for lying about miracles in her and her husband's Ministry and for refusing to walk in love. It was impossible to get this woman, her immediate family (some of them my in-laws), or her Ministry associates to understand judgment was coming if she and her husband refused to repent for lying about miracles in their publications as well as in the pulpit. 

I was an "insignificant-no-name." They wrongly believed that based on past worldwide miracle evangelistic crusades for the Lord and hundreds of thousands of books, if not millions sold or printed, that judgment could never happen in their case. Like so many other prideful Ministers, they misinterpreted much time given to repent as an unwillingness on God's part to allow her or them to be judged. 

Regardless, they too ended up paying the ultimate price for pride and disobedience to God's Word. Charismatic and Pentecostal Christianity was shocked by this Healing Evangelist's tragic, premature death!  

This well-known woman Minister battled cancer for five years as a direct result of her deception and disobedience. Over that five-year period I would hear her testify on Christian TV programs that she was "healed" of her cancer.  Each time I would hear that I would tell my wife, "She is not healed, and she will not be healed unless she repents for rejecting God's written instruction of truth-telling and obedience to walk in love towards others. The Lord said she will be dead in five years."  (Isaiah 38:1-6)

In the Spring of 1995, five years and two months after the Lord told me, "(name withheld) will be dead now in five years," she died a terrible death of cancer. Some heralded her death as "a great home-going." But there was nothing great about the way she went home at all. She died tragically and prematurely for lying about miracles to make herself look important. She died tragically and prematurely for refusing to walk in love towards her family, employees, fellow Ministers, friends and associates. 

Even to this day, in spite of my continuing reminders, this woman's family and their Ministry staff still refuse to believe that she died in this way by refusing to judge herself for lying about miracles and not walking in love towards her fellow man, not because "God called her home gloriously." (1 Corinthians 11:30-32)

In a December, 2006 Charisma Magazine "Heroes of Faith" interview, her husband, daughter and staff members continued their sad history by greatly exaggerating crowd sizes in their Ministry's past overseas crusades, amongst many other things. In that interview crowds that once numbered in the tens of thousands in their own earlier publications have suddenly swollen to "one quarter to one half million in each crusade" for "53 years." 

This is simply not true, based upon their own previously published, readily available accounts.

As I told certain family members who are directly responsible for the grossly deceptive article, "Where you once counted only heads, you have now gone back and recounted, including fingers and toes this time. You'll want to repent for that. Judge yourselves and you won't have to be judged." (1 Corinthians 11:30-32)

Obviously, in this new era of Super-Evangelism (Reinhard Bonnke, Benny Hinn, etc.), this was another heart-breaking, competitive effort to brighten what they refer to as their "family legacy."  An exercise the Apostle Paul also forbade in Scripture. (2 Corinthians 10:12)

It is no small wonder that the great tragedies, multiple premature deaths and unnecessary suffering endured for decades by this renown Gospel preaching family is often referred to as "The (Family name) Curse." However, there is no "(Family name) Curse." It is called "The Curse of the Law of Sin and Death" in the Bible. (Romans 8:2) If we insist on living with unconfessed sin in our lives, we'll ultimately drink from a bitter cup, no matter what our family name is, including "Hamel." (Proverbs 28:13; 2 Peter 2:20)

Somebody said, "Brother Hamel, you should just leave matters such as these with the Lord." No, not when the Bible instructs you and me both to do otherwise. People running from and turning a blind eye to these types of problems in the name of "touch not My anointed" is what allows them to fester and worsen, weakening the Body from within and giving Satan a legal foothold. This is why the Apostle Paul quickly, publicly, strongly and unapologetically  rebuked the Apostle Peter for his hypocrisy as a spiritual leader. Then the Holy Spirit had it recorded in the Bible so the Body could read it, heed the warning and obediently follow Paul's example. (Galatians 2:11-14) 

There needs to be much greater Biblical and moral clarity on this issue. In Psalm 105:15 where the Psalmist wrote, "Touch not My anointed and do My prophets no harm," the Holy Spirit was not saying we should not rebuke spiritual leaders for deliberately doing what is wrong. He was saying we should never rebuke them for deliberately doing what is right. 

Paul never feared being black-balled or shunned for obeying God and rebuking open sin in spiritual leadership and neither should we. Paul always obeyed God and did what was best for the Church, not just what was "best" for his Ministry.

Look here at 1 Timothy 5:17-21 in the Amplified Bible for greater clarity on confronting the dangerous and damaging issue of spiritual leaders who defiantly live in sin, refusing to repent.

"The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,' and 'The worker deserves his wages.'  Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.  Those (elders) who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.  I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism."

To allow spiritual leadership to continue unchecked in blatant, open, even published sin because of former good works for Christ and to not rebuke them publicly as commanded in the Bible is to show partiality and favoritism. Paul charged us in the sight of God, Jesus and the angels, DO NOT DO THAT! To do so puts one in a position of great disobedience to the Holy Spirit - a position no one would ever want to find themselves in. That's one spiritual equation I am determined to never find myself on the wrong side of. 

Yes, I have lost some Ministry friends for standing on these and other commands of Scripture. Jesus did. You will, too. It comes with the territory. (John 6:66-71) 

My former Pastor, himself a fellow Prophet (not Dr Sumrall), withdrew his friendship because I took a stand and refused to show partiality or favoritism to a mutual Pastor friend who was/is secretly involved immorally with another Pastor.  However, like the Prophet Moses, I would rather lose the friendship of a man, any man, than to lose the friendship and anointing of God. (Exodus 33:11) 

When Almighty God says to not do something He means it. He will not turn a blind eye when we ignore Him for the sake of money, places to preach, or out of fear, partiality or favoritism. (Proverbs 29:25,26) 

This is not to say we don't walk in love towards the wayward - leaders or lay persons. But neither do we turn a blind eye to their open sin. Rebuke them. (Luke 17:3,4) Confront them with witnesses and Church leaders. (Matthew 18:15-17) If they refuse to repent withdraw fellowship from them. (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) Do it in love and if they repent, restore them. (2 Corinthians 2:1-8) I am appalled at the number of believers and Ministers I have encountered who are simply afraid to obey Jesus and do this. 

There is no neutral ground on the matter of deliberately sinful leadership. No man has the right to try and create neutral ground, either. To do so puts one in the same sinking boat as the original offender! (Romans 1:32) 

Chapter Eleven: Disobedience Blocks the Spout Where the Healing Comes Out

Another widely known Minister the Lord instructed me to address multiple times over the past 20 years, and who was very closely connected in life and Ministry to the above-mentioned woman Evangelist and her family, even conducting her funeral, died very recently. He pastored a church of 17,000 people in Oklahoma. 

In 1990 when I initially spoke to him a word of avoidable, yet pending judgment concerning a certain situation he was directly in the midst of, he actually laughed aloud and told me, "God isn't going to judge anyone for anything."  He then very rudely dismissed me from his office, but not before throwing an angry little fit, falsely accusing me because I had dared to confidently and obediently, yet respectfully, confront him as the Lord had instructed me.

I left the Pastor's office at his insistence  that day, my heart broken by his pride, shameful behavior and insensitivity to the Spirit of God. He then embarked upon a sad journey of twenty years of cancer bouts coming and going against his body. He left the door to his life wide open by refusing to repent for his rebellious behavior that day and simply do as the Lord had instructed me to tell him. He never could seem to get the victory over those cancer bouts because obedience, and obedience alone, sets the stage for miraculous intervention.  

Over those twenty years, always and only at the Lord's leading, I would respectfully continue to remind him of his need to repent. (Ezekiel 3:25-27) Always to no avail. 

In the Fall of 2009, nearly twenty years after my initial confrontation with him that day in his Tulsa office, this Pastor was diagnosed with an extremely deadly form of cancer. I moved immediately and respectfully, per the Lord's instruction, reminding him again of his need to judge himself in two very specific areas, as well as repenting for his rebellious behavior that day in 1990 when he ejected me from his office.  I assured him, from the written Word of God and by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he would live and not die if only he would put down human pride and the fear of man and simply repent in the areas the Lord had me to address with him. 

I told him, by the Spirit of the Lord,  that he would "die quickly now" if he chose to stubbornly continue to drag his feet, refusing to repent and take care of his business with God "immediately." 

I also reminded him of my love and respect for him and his ministry. This was nothing personal. God had told me in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that if I refused to warn someone that they were going to die in their sin, their blood would be on my hands when I faced Him. I was not and am not willing to have that happen.

This was to be the Pastor's final warning, at least from me. 

Once again I was rejected and dismissed as a "nut case" and a "False Prophet." 

Although I did discover this Pastor and/or his wife doing some extensive reading on my web site, from their ministry headquarters and the hospital in which he died, during the last weeks and days of his life. Apparently they were reconsidering their stubborn position but the Pastor still refused to repent.  

As I stated, this kind of stiff-hearted rejection comes with the territory, particularly when dealing with foolish human pride on God's behalf. (Ezekiel 2:1-7) Especially when you are "a nobody."

Prayer teams were activated literally on a global scale for this Pastor. I, myself, was contacted and asked to pray for his healing by some who did not know my private, long term "behind the scenes" involvement in his life. Of course I did so. Only I did not pray for his healing. I continued to pray that he would recognize the severity of his situation now and repent like Hezekiah. (Isaiah 38:1-6) Then healing would simply come. (Proverbs 28:13) 

Regardless, within seven short weeks of his diagnosis and the Lord's gracious final reminder of his need to "take care of your business with God immediately," this much-loved man of God went to Heaven suddenly and prematurely. No amount of prayer by any number of people can ever serve as a substitute for repentance - for anyone - big or small! 

Like the Prophet Samuel whose heart broke over the rebellion of King Saul, my heart broke that this beloved Pastor disqualified himself from receiving God's promise of healing and longevity through stubborn pride. (1 Samuel 15:11)  I loved him even as others loved him.  I'm so sorry that he refused to recognize that God gave me a job to do concerning him in spite of the fact that his Ministry was much bigger than mine.  Had I disobeyed God, I, too, would have paid a severe penalty for  my own rebellion. His blood would be on my hands. God, Himself, had personally assured me of that when He spoke to me by His authoritative voice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

The Pastor wrongfully refused to believe his illness was connected to the pride, un-confessed sin and disobedience in his life. In His great mercy, God gave him twenty years of warnings to repent, plus an additional, loving, final warning. For twenty years this Pastor continued to ignore me as God's messenger, dug in his heels and squandered every merciful warning. 

Like so many others God has sent me to, he continued to misinterpret much time given to repent as an unwillingness on God's part to allow him to be judged. 

He  refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and died in the prime of his life and Ministry. 

This was a man who once preached the Doctrine of Divine Healing all around the Globe with great results, even as his friend, the above-mentioned woman Evangelist, once did! 

He has now left his loved ones, congregation and worldwide Ministry friends shocked, confused and questioning the Word, the goodness and the integrity of a God Who is not guilty. 

God has no favorite children. He loves us all equally and we all go through the same required program of faithfulness and obedience. Even the Man Jesus was required to obey. (Hebrews 5:8)

Chapter Twelve: Knowing the Truth Will Set You Free

Immediately after this Pastor's traveling on to Heaven, I spoke with a friend who trusted greatly in his Ministry and was severly disillusioned.  He had opened a Boston newspaper and read of this sad event.  He was now questioning why this could happen to someone who strongly preached that it's always God's will to heal.  His faith in God's Word was severely shaken. His faith in God Himself was greatly wavering.  He simply could not understand why God did not heal this Pastor whom he had loved, trusted and supported. Once I was able to explain to him what I am sharing in this testimony, he began to settle down and regain his composure.  

As I explained how I was personally and privately used of the Lord for twenty years in an attempt to bring this Minister to repentance, although unsuccessfully, this man's confidence in God and His Word was immediately restored. As I shared some of the details of my reaching out to the Pastor, he saw that God was not guilty at all in the matter of the Pastor's premature death. He said to me, "It really blesses me to hear this. As saddened as I am by the Minister's passing, I am thankful to hear that God reached out to him and tried to help him over such a long period of time.  I am so glad to hear that God is not at fault here.  I am glad to hear that it is God's will to heal and to prosper. I am glad to know that I can still continue to trust God's Word for my own needs to be met."

As I thought on my friend's confusion and near loss of faith in God's Word, I was strengthened in my resolve to share with others how God is not guilty in the premature death of this well-known Pastor.  I became even more determined to share with everyone whose faith in God's Word was shaken by his death how God personally used me to reach out to him in multiple ways that only he, my wife and I know. 

I explained to the Pastor in my final communication with him just weeks before his passing that if he chose to die in place of repenting, I would take every opportunity to share with all affected persons how he chose disobedience over obedience even at the expense of those who completely trusted in his ministry.  I put this question before him, "Why should people question God's faithfulness and goodness because of your rebellion?"  

Although I have kept my encounters with this Pastor private for twenty years, I am no longer silent. People deserve to know that God is faithful and His Word is true. Presently, I am responding honestly to the questions of so very many all around America and in other nations concerning the premature death of this Word of Faith Pastor. 

People from all across America and from multiple nations of the world come to this web site routinely now, reading this article and finding answers to their confusion and fear, having their hope in the Word of Faith message restored. I am glad to be able to help them to keep walking with the God of Faith and to keep releasing expectation for their own healings.

I am telling them all the same thing - God is not guilty in the death of this Pastor. Although I loved him, behind the scenes this Word of Faith Pastor was guilty of pride, stubbornness and disobedience. 

God is never guilty when His promises go unfulfilled. Never! I have preached to people for decades, "If you hear of a tragedy happening to John Hamel, question John Hamel, not God and not His Word!"

It would be wrong for me to sit back while the faith of so many is destroyed out of fear that some would persecute or shun me for my truthfulness. Anyone with even limited discernment can see that I am not trying to destroy the reputation of the beloved Pastor. I tried to warn him and protect him privately for twenty years and that was no easy task! I am now serving to restore the faith of the multiple thousands, such as my Boston friend, who have been negatively impacted and potentially turned back from the Word of Faith message by the stubborn Pastor's unnecessary, tragic death. 

Let it be known to the reader, again, that God did not take the Pastor's life, no matter who says God allows some to live long while others are "destined of God" to die early. Where is that in the Bible?  My Bible promises long life for ALL who set their love upon Him, obey Him and believe Him. (Psalms 90 & 91; Proverbs chapters 3,4,9,10,11,etc.) God does not afflict. (Job 37:23) God is the Blesser, not the Curser! (John 10:10) He tried to keep the Pastor from this tragedy by having me address him a number of times over a twenty-year period. Who knows who else was sent to him?  

God simply permitted this Pastor's death not because "it was predestined," but because the Pastor permitted it through disobedience. People have God-given free will. God did not commit this tragedy through "predestination." But God did permit this tragedy because the Pastor permitted this tragedy by refusing to simply repent in the areas the Lord had me to repeatedly address with him. 

Chapter Thirteen: Better to Be Warned Than to Be Judged

Rev. James Robison went to Rev. Jim Bakker multiple times, in private, before Brother Bakker's fall from grace in 1985. He said he would tell Brother Bakker, "I don't know what it is, but the Lord keeps telling me there is something you need to repent of before you have to be judged." Brother Bakker continued to deny any wrong doing. After over a year of these private warnings, Brother Bakker's sins finally found him out - publicly. Rev. Robison was hearing clearly from the Lord. The Lord, in His great love and mercy, was trying to save Rev. Bakker tremendous loss, shame and humiliation, as well as saving the Body of Christ great heartache and confusion.

Like Brother Bakker, the Tulsa Pastor did this to himself by tampering with the Laws of Sowing and Reaping and resisting the Lord's warnings over a twenty-year period! Although not an evil man, a man with an obvious call of God and a man whom I love and once greatly respected, even attending his church until he rebelled that day in his office, he refused to judge himself according to the Word of God and found himself being judged by the Word of God. (Proverbs 26:2; Isaiah 26:9; Jeremiah 2:19; 1 Corinthians 11:30-32; Galatians 6:7,8)

How sad that a Word of Faith Pastor in his position would look me in the eye and so openly express to me his lack of willingness to believe that Jesus would allow someone to be judged in their sin.  How sad that such a well-known leader who taught repentance rejected Jesus' teaching on repentance as it applied to him. Equally as sad is the fact that this Pastor rejected the Holy Spirit's sending me to him because I am not a "big name" or a "known" Minister. Now, in the prime of his earthly life, he has arrived in Heaven prematurely, his work here on earth incomplete. How much more he would have achieved had he chosen to repent and remain!

Like the Tulsa Pastor, many Word of Faith Ministers need to repent in the areas of pride and disobedience.  Many Word of Faith Ministers reject words of pending judgment because they say it is not "positive" and therefore does not "fit" with the message of "faith."  However, I cannot think of anything more "positive" than God giving someone another chance to live when they are headed for premature death because of unconfessed sin! 

Many Word of Faith leaders have become prideful and try to tell God through whom He can and cannot talk to them.  Others, like Judas, have hardened their hearts to Jesus' teaching as it applies to them, opening themselves up to demonic deception and control. (Luke 22:3) They refuse to believe that Jesus would ever allow them to be judged because of their success and "importance."

Possibly they are unaware that thirty-one times, in Matthew, Mark and Luke alone, the Prophet Jesus used the word "woe" in pronouncing judgment on the Pharisees, on the Scribes, upon cities and upon men in general for their sinfulness. Not to mention Peter's and Paul's extensive teachings on  Godly discipline and judgment in their Epistles. 

It appears that far too many Ministers do not know, or do not care, that Christ is the Lord of Justice and Judgment as much as He is the Lord of Love and Mercy. Possibly they would do well to study the way the Laws of Sowing and Reaping worked against Cain (Genesis 4:1-15), King Saul (1 Samuel chapter 15; 1 Chronicles 10:13), Hamaan (Esther 5:1-7:10), Judas (Matthew 26:24, 25; Acts 1:15-25) and so many others.  

Someone might be reading this and thinking, "Hamel, you make mistakes, too. Who are you to go to these people and correct them?"  Very good question and one I asked the Lord myself. His response to me? "I needed someone who ALWAYS repents when they are wrong to go to some who NEVER repent when they are wrong."  

I tell people who sneer at and ridicule this New Testament form of Ministry, "I would rather obey God imperfectly than to disobey Him flawlessly."

As I have continued to state, it is not uncommon for God to reveal to a Prophet something that is going to occur so the Prophet can warn those involved. In the days of the Voice of Healing, the Holy Spirit told Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin to warn popular Evangelist Jack Coe that he was not going to live much longer if he didn't judge himself in three areas.  Those three areas were the unethical way Rev. Coe handled his finances, his refusal to walk in love towards other Ministers and his lack of self-control in his eating habits. 

Brother Hagin, in his youthfulness and inexperience, did not warn Rev. Coe.  Three and a half years later, Evangelist Jack Coe died prematurely, at thirty five years of age, even as the Lord said he would.  Obviously, to me at least, Brother Hagin regretted his disobedience for the rest of his life. 

In January of 1964 the Holy Spirit gave Brother Hagin another Word of Wisdom. This time it was a warning concerning Rev. William Branham. The Lord said, "At the end of '65, he who now stands in the forefront of the Healing Ministry as a Prophet will be taken out of the way.  He'll make a false step and Satan shall destroy his life, but his spirit will be saved, and his works will follow him. Ere '66 shall come, he shall be gone."

Rev. Gordon Lindsay tried to warn Rev. Branham, according to Brother Hagin's word, that he was going to die if he did not repent and get back into the perfect will of God for his life.  Brother Branham ignored the repeated warnings.  Just days before 1965 ended and 1966 began, Brother Branham died tragically even as the Lord had shown Brother Hagin. The Lord later told Brother Hagin, "I had to permit him to be removed because of the damage he was causing the Body of Christ."  

Dr. Hagin has also said that during years of itinerate ministry he would often stay in the homes of church members where he was holding services. While staying with these families the Lord would frequently reveal to Dr Hagin that tragedy or even death was coming to them. This was either to bring them to repentance or to prepare them for the inevitable.  I, myself, have had this happen many times traveling about in life and Ministry.

You will recall I told you earlier, in Chapter Three: "My First Visitation of Jesus as He Commissioned Me", that Jesus Himself personally appeared to me in the spring of 1981 commissioning me to this Ministry through an impartation from His right hand. From that point on I began to occasionally see into the spirit realm as well as knowing things about others supernaturally, as the Holy Spirit willed. 

However, these manifestations increased dramatically in my life and Ministry, particularly the Word of Wisdom, as a direct result of Dr Kenneth E. Hagin laying his hand upon my head one evening in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1994. There was a supernatural impartation through that experience to increase in my Offices that actually began that very night. (Numbers 27:18-23; Acts 6:1-8; 13:1-3, etc.)

I began to know things, particularly about others, supernaturally, like never before. I also began to see into the spirit realm, concerning people, places, things and events, like never before. 

I am not saying I know everything about everybody all of the time. I do not. No Prophet does. But from the very night when Dr Hagin laid his hand on my head, there was a stepping up in the realm of the Spirit and I began to know specific things, about specific individuals, in a more specific way then previously - but only as the Holy Spirit wills it. It has nothing to with me. I can not turn these operations on and off. My job is to stay in the Word, maintain a prayer life, preach and teach and mind my own business. I have been doing this faithfully for over 25 years since answering the call to Ministry. When He wants me to know something He tells me. I have no control over any of it. He is the Transmitter. I am the receiver, so to speak. My job is to simply stay turned on.

There are lesser and greater degrees of the Prophet's anointing.  I stand in that Office to a far, far lesser degree than Dr Hagin did and many others who stand in this Office today. Ninety-five percent of all I have learned about the Prophet's Office I have learned from Dr Hagin.  I have stayed faithfully connected with him  ever since that Fall day in 1981, soon after Jesus appeared to me for the first time, when I was handed my very first Christian book, "The Ministry of a Prophet" by Dr Hagin.  Although he has been in Heaven for nearly eight years now, I still submit to his teachings and anointing. I will continue to do so.

Someone once said to me concerning my great respect for Dr Hagin, "You are worshipping a man." I replied, "No, I am magnifying the Offices Jesus died for and esteeming the man God has sent into my life to help me with my callings. There is no one in the earth better equipped to teach me what I need to know. When God told me to hook up with Prophet Hagin He never intended for me to disconnect from him. We are to submit to someone who stands in the same Offices to which we are called, someone who has already been down the road we are still traveling. It's called 'wisdom.'" (Romans 11:13)   

The Holy Spirit does indeed foretell coming events through the Word of Wisdom  in the Prophet's Office to privately warn when someone is going to die or experience tragedy because of disobedience. Occasionally this can even happen publicly. Either way, judgment can always be avoided through repentance. Always!

Chapter Fourteen: Understanding the Ministry of a True New Testament Prophet

Of course, giving individuals prophetic words of warning is not the primary job of the Prophet. It's only a small part of his ministry. This is where many self-proclaimed, unlearned Prophets get into trouble. They seem to think that all a Prophet does is to go around prophesying blessing, cursing or guidance over people. Usually this is because they do not understand the difference between the Old Testament Prophet's ministry and the New Testament Prophet's ministry.

Like the "trying to fit a square peg into a round hole" adage, there is simply no place for an Old Testament Prophet in the New Testament Church. He/she doesn't fit. 

The job of the New Testament Prophet is NOT to give people guidance and to tell them God's will for their lives. That happens rarely, if ever. The Old Testament Prophet would often do that only because the people did not have the permanent indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they could not discern from within what the will of God was. They were spiritually dead. They needed the help of someone who had the presence of the Holy Spiriting abiding permanently upon them - the Old Testament Prophet.

Under the New Testament, all believers can have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the individual believer is required to look within their own Born Again human spirit to discern the will of God for themselves. (Romans 8:14,16; 1 John 2:20,27, etc.) 

It is not Biblical for the new Testament believer to seek guidance through the Office of the Prophet. It is not Biblical for a New Testament Prophet to go around offering guidance to individuals. To do so almost always leads to shame and disaster.

The New Testament Prophet, like the Apostle, is first and foremost a Teacher and/or a Preacher of God's Word. A Prophet is both a Teacher and a Reformer. A Prophet also often teaches and preaches by inspiration of the moment, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, not solely from prepared notes. (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 14:3) Any "Prophet" who is not an apt Teacher or Preacher is not a Prophet. All Prophets in the New Testament were excellent Teachers or Preachers. Although the Apostle Paul was both an Apostle and a Prophet, he always put his preaching and teaching first. (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11) Always. 

Many false Prophets do not even bother to prepare themselves as Teachers or Preachers. They simply step to the podium and the "show" begins. They may use a verse of two from the Bible to appear to be Scripturally based, but from that point on it's usually "a dog and pony show," "smoke and mirrors" and yielding to evil spirits who know things about people. In the Bible these are called "familiar spirits." (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6; 1 Samuel 28:7-9 ) Almost always the subject is soon turned to money and material possessions as the false Prophet attempts to fill his or her coffers at the expense of God's uneducated children.

As I said, a Prophet rarely, if ever, gives guidance or direction to the New Testament believer because, unlike the people of the Old Testament, the New Testament believer has the Holy Spirit living within to guide them  directly. (Romans 8:14,16; 1John 2:20,27)  

A Prophet is a Seer who sees into the spirit realm as God wills, through the Gift of Discerning of Spirits. He/she has insight into both God's Word and even people's lives as God wills. The Prophet also has foresight concerning future events, such as my 2004 vision of coming Spiritual Awakening. This would not be generalized foresight as is the case with many false Prophets who "predict' things that anyone can see are coming.  The true New Testament Prophet has specific, often detailed, foresight concerning future events that would not have been known otherwise. (Acts 11:27-30; 21:10-14)   

A Prophet operates consistently in the three Revelation Gifts of the Holy Spirit plus the simple Gift of Prophecy. (2Corinthians 12:1) 

Any "Prophet" who does not have these Scriptural confirmations is not a Prophet at all.  He would be a false Prophet.  This does not always mean he is evil.  It just means he is not a true, New Testament Prophet.

I am simply sharing some of my experiences with prophetic words of warning that confirm my 1981 personal commissioning by Jesus and my 1983 Albuquerque hotel room visitation, to help the reader better understand this one aspect of the Prophet's Ministry. Don't be fooled by self-proclaimed "Prophets" who wrongly go around just prophesying blessing, cursing or guidance over people, yet have none of the above confirmations in consistent manifestation. Particularly when they are looking for money, "registration fees" or material goods in order to prophesy over individuals or groups. 

Many false Prophets actually advertise that they will be prophesying over the Body during their services. This, too, is dangerous because the Gifts of the Spirit operate only as God wills, not as man wills or advertises. (1 Corinthians 12:11)  Man is not the Head of the Church, Jesus is. (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18) Man isn't running things in the Church, the Holy Spirit is. What if it is not the will of the Holy Spirit for His Gifts to operate in those meetings, and the people come expecting the "Prophet" to perform?  This is when false Prophets begin yielding to familiar and wrong spirits, fabricating and conjuring things up, getting people into deep deception. 

Plus, as I said earlier, in the Bible ninety percent of the Prophet's ministry to individuals occurs in private, not in public services. (2 Kings 5:21-27; John 4:1-19) It is wrong for "Prophets" to advertise and promise that supernatural things will be occurring. The Church of Jesus Christ is not a circus. The Church is to bring Glory to God, not fame and fortune to man.  I believe in the message of Biblical prosperity, but never at the expense of God's Word or His Glory.

One "Prophetic" group based out of a large mid-western city is notorious for all of the above mistakes, wreaking havoc upon the Body. This same group has had serious sexual problems within their top leadership, their founding leader confessing to prophesying over women in the privacy of his office but only if they would first "disrobe before the Lord."  Many women have acknowledged having done so. Another of their key "Prophets" has a confessed, forty-year history of sodomy with teenagers. By submitting themselves to these false, or backslidden, Prophets, many believers have opened themselves up to demon powers. Whatever trickles intravenously into the life of the false Prophet trickles into the lives of all who plug into them.  

Prophets are to build up and edify the Body, not tear down, destroy, take advantage, humiliate or put on a show.

Whenever God has given me a word of warning for someone, He has always told me to assure them they could escape judgment by repenting for their sin. (Isaiah 38:1-6; 1 Corinthians 11:30-32) This is exactly how He would lead Ezekiel to speak on His behalf. God would always have Ezekiel tell the people to meet the conditions of grace and they would live. If they refused, they would die and it would be their own fault, not God's. (Ezekiel 3:18-21) God is a good God. (Psalm 145:8,9)

Also, whenever I have received a vision, dream or prophetic word for someone, I was never seeking them. The Gifts of the Spirit occur spontaneously only as the Spirit wills. It is unscriptural and dangerous to seek any kind of spiritual experiences. The one who does so will be accommodated by Satan. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

It is unadvisable for anyone to attempt to stand in the Office of the Prophet if not anointed to do so by the Lord Jesus Christ. There would be no supernatural grace or anointing to endure the persecution, false accusation, misunderstanding and rejection that accompanies this Office. (Ezekiel 3:8,9)  

See the book by Dr Kenneth E. Hagin, "He Gave Gifts Unto Men. A Biblical Perspective of Apostles, Prophets and Pastors" for a greater understanding of the Office of the Prophet. It is quite possibly the most informative book ever written for those who seek clarity concerning the Office of the New Testament Prophet. I will go so far as to say if you are called to the Prophet's Office and do not study that book you will forfeit standing in your Office with excellence. Since it was first published in 1992, I have carried my copy with me everywhere I have gone in life and ministry, studying it over and over again.

Chapter Fifteen: Back To The Fire Pit Dream in Albuquerque

Now, let's go back to my waking up from the Fire Pit dream in Albuquerque. I knew that very moment, sitting on that bed, I was all through with the way the world does things.  I gave God my word that I would never again tamper with precious, eternal human lives for pride or money.  Never again would I let pride or fear keep me from obeying Him when it came to someone’s eternal destiny.  From then on when I stood on a stage or a platform it would be in humility, to boldly preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  From then on when He sent me to speak to someone, one on one, or to rooms full of people, I would not fear rejection, what they could do to me through persecution or what they might think of me.  I would go with their best interest in mind, not my own, no matter how big or small they might be! 

I got on the telephone immediately from my high dollar hotel room.  I informed the tour manager that he was going to have to find someone else to bring that semi-truck back to Las Vegas. I was unwilling to ever drive that truck again.  I got on an airplane that day and flew back to Las Vegas.  I was going to find a Pastor and a Church where I could learn everything possible about teaching and preaching the Gospel.   

During the flight home I became increasingly better physically.  The symptoms of nausea, dizziness and sickness steadily subsided.  It seemed that every mile I flew was another mile flown back into the will of God.  I just kept getting better and better physically.  By the time that plane landed at McCarran Int’l Airport in Las Vegas, I had been completely and supernaturally healed of all sickness.  Absolutely every physical symptom of sickness was gone and I was completely restored.  What a relief it was to be back in the revealed will of God.

The curse of disobedience had been supernaturally reversed.  Finally, I had gotten the message.  NO MORE FEAR. NO MORE COMPROMISE!  

Chapter Sixteen: Obedience Doesn't Cost. It Pays!

Soon after returning home I received a phone call from the entertainer’s manager for whom I had been working.  He was placing the call on behalf of the entertainer who wanted me to come back to work.  Only this time he didn’t want me to just drive his semi-trucks.  He wanted me to manage that aspect of his operation.  No more driving for me.   All I had to do was to make sure that the trucks and drivers were where they had to be, when they had to be there.  I expressed my appreciation for their confidence in me.   However, in obedience to the revealed will of God, I respectfully declined his offer. 

Turning the pressure up a bit, his Manager said, in essence, “John, I don’t think you realize what you’re refusing.  Money is no problem here.  We will supply you with everything you need to keep this equipment available to us.  (Entertainer’s name) is offering to set you up with a trucking business to facilitate him.  Once you’re in with him, other contracts will become available to you as well.  This can turn into other things for you.  We’re talking about a lot of money for you, John. I don't think you know what you're doing refusing this offer” 

Again, I expressed my appreciation; only this time I told him why I would not be able to accept his generous offer.  I told him how the Lord had dealt with me strongly and that I was obediently going in another direction.  I told him that I was now focusing on a Bible education to prepare me for Ministry.  Although bowled over by my non-acceptance of such a lucrative, “once-in-a-lifetime” offer, he reluctantly accepted my decision. 

I soon received excellent training for the Ministry directly under Dr. Hagin at his Bible Training Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  The Lord then set me in the Office of the Pastor for over two decades.  This was to help me to understand firsthand the challenges and difficulties Pastors endure on behalf of their congregations.  Certainly this has prepared me to be more sensitive to other Pastors as I serve them through the Ministry Offices in which I also now stand. I have nothing but appreciation and compassion for sincere Pastors who are truly called of God and who are not in it for the money or to put on a show. Pastoring is not only the most important job in the earth, it is the most difficult.

Over twenty-five years after having refused my former employer’s “once-in-a-lifetime” offer, I am still faithfully walking out my decision.  I will obey the Almighty, preaching and teaching His Word until He calls me home to be with Him.  The high dollar trucking business I refused will come back to me in the form of trucks for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No act of obedience to the Most High God ever goes un-rewarded. Obedience always sets the stage for the miraculous!

The laying on of the angel's hand three times, falling under the power of God for nearly three full days, supernatural deliverance from drug and alcohol addiction, Jesus Christ personally appearing with two majestic, powerful angels and commissioning me to the work of the Ministry, a dramatic, supernatural Holy Spirit Baptism, the Albuquerque Fire Pit revelation, the authoritative voice of God that accompanied it and additional visitations of Jesus to guide me personally and to reveal future, coming events concerning His Church have indeed changed my life forever. 

Yet, still, some refuse to believe.

One man who heard me give my testimony on television told me none of these things actually occurred to me. He told me I was lying.  

Another man, a Pastor, rebuked me for sharing one of my visitations of Jesus with a large group of Pastors, referring to it as "your self-promoting ways".  

Another Brother in the Lord became quite agitated with me for sharing some of the miraculous ways the Lord has intervened in my life these past decades. He told me I was out of order for doing so. He accused me of trying to draw attention to myself.  He freely expressed his belief that I was doing so to make myself look good. He could not have been more wrong. He completely misread my heart as to why I share these miracle testimonies.  

God did not give me these miraculous experiences to make me look good. Nor do I share them to make myself look good. I share them to help people. 

What looks good about being so bound up in drugs, alcohol, demon spirits, compulsive human behavior and  basic human stupidity that God had to send an angel to set me free? What looks so good about having Jesus and two angels actually appear to me, commissioning me to the work of the Ministry only to have Almighty God have to personally rebuke me for not cooperating with that supernatural commission?  How does that make me look good? Personally, I think it makes me look like a bit of a blockhead. If I were going to make up a story to make myself look good, I would do a much better job than that. 

Like everyone else, God chose me because He loved me, yes, but also because I am foolish, weak, base and despised, not because I am special. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31) God did not give me these testimonies to make me look good. He gave them to me to help people. No one has any right to glory in the way God uses them. No one.

God raised up Joseph from a terrible, terrible predicament and gave him supernatural favor with Pharaoh by revealing the future to him through Joseph. But it wasn't to make Joseph look good. God had a plan. Look what the Bible says Pharaoh did for Joseph in turn for his supernatural assistance.

"So Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'You're the man for us. God has given you the inside story - no one is as qualified as you in experience and wisdom. From now on, you're in charge of my affairs; all my people will report to you. Only as King will I be over you.'  So Pharaoh commissioned Joseph: 'I'm putting you in charge of the entire country of Egypt.'  Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his finger and slipped it on Joseph's hand. He outfitted him in robes of the best linen and put a gold chain around his neck.  He put the second-in-command chariot at his disposal, and as he rode people shouted 'Bravo!'  Joseph was in charge of the entire country of Egypt.  Pharaoh told Joseph, 'I am Pharaoh, but no one in Egypt will make a single move without your stamp of approval.'" (Genesis 41:39-44, Message Bible) 

The ring Pharaoh gave to Joseph had a seal with the King's name on it.  With it Joseph could write his own ticket, transacting business as if he were Pharaoh himself. 

The "linen" robes he gave to Joseph were actually made of silk. These were garments worn only by the King Himself. No one but Joseph was allowed to wear these robes because it made one equal to the King.

The gold chain given to Joseph by Pharaoh was a symbol of great dignity and honor. It was worn only by Pharaoh's official appointees and individuals of the highest rank and esteem. 

Now, with the exception of Pharaoh, no one in the world had more power than Joseph. No one!

Why did God supernaturally put Joseph in position to where Pharaoh would give him that ring, those robes, that chain and that kind of unlimited authority? Why did God dress Joseph in that powerful testimony? To make him look good? So he could self-promote himself? So he could draw attention to himself? 

Joseph answered those questions himself when his brothers, who had hatefully sold him into Egyptian slavery eighteen years earlier, discovered he was now the second most powerful man in the world.

"Then the brothers went in person to him, threw themselves on the ground before him and said, 'We'll be your slaves.'  Joseph replied, 'Don't be afraid. Do I act for God?  Don't you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now -- life for many people.  Easy now, you have nothing to fear.'" (Genesis 50:20, Message Bible)

Here Joseph reveals to his brothers exactly why God Himself dressed him up so handsomely, not only with high-dollar clothes and jewelry but with one of the most powerful testimonies ever recorded in the history of humanity. 

It wasn't to make Joseph look good. It was for the sake of "life for many people", even as Joseph said.

God actually used Joseph's horrible circumstances to bring him before Pharaoh for a supernatural promotion which would result in saving the nation of Israel from yet another satanic attempt at genocide. 

Had Satan been able to kill Israel off through that worldwide drought, there would be no chance of sending God's promised Redeemer through them. (Genesis 3:15) The world would be up a creek without a paddle! You wouldn't be reading this today.

God dressed Joseph up in that powerful testimony for the same reason He dresses people up in powerful testimonies today -to help many people. Period. God did not dress me or anyone else in a powerful testimony to make some man look good. God dresses his children up in powerful testimonies to draw attention to Himself and His desire to help many people. End of story. (Revelation 12:11)

I have shared just some of the wonderful testimonies God has clothed me in to help you to see that God always prefers to bless His children, leading them away from unnecessary suffering, tragedy and even premature death. 

You may read many more of my supernatural testimonies at the Bible Study Centre on this web site. 

Sadly, some will not listen when God sends a word of supernatural warning thru His messengers. However, on a much happier note, there are those who are humble and will listen when the Holy Spirit warns of coming tragedy for unconfessed disobedience, compromise and sin. 

I encourage you, reader. Pay the price of obedience and walk confidently with the Lord. Live a long life. Live a strong life.  

As my highly esteemed mentor and Teacher, Dr. Kenneth E. Hagin always said, "Obedience doesn't cost. It pays!"

Great Spiritual Awakening is on the horizon. Also like the Prophet Ezekiel, Jesus Christ caught me up between Heaven and Earth for forty-five minutes in 2004 and showed it to me. (Ezekiel 8:3; 11:24,25; 37:1) He is coming soon.  Every hour for saving souls and conforming to the revealed will of God for our personal lives is crucial.  There’s just no time for looking back, compromising or disobeying. 

Chapter Seventeen: A Closing Word of Caution concerning Supernatural Guidance

Throughout this testimony I referred to the authoritative voice of God, dreams, visions, trances, etc.  Although these are ways that God can guide Believers today, they are not the primary way.  God guides Believers today primarily through the Written Word of God and through the Inner Witness of the Holy Spirit. Even Prophets are to be primarily led by the Inner Witness of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

However, there are times when the Written Word of God does not address a specific situation.  For example, if you needed to know whether or not it was God’s will for you to relocate to another city, you simply will not find Scripture telling you whether or not to do so.  Therefore, you should make your decision and tell the Lord about it.  Then give Him a few days to let you know whether you have made the right decision or not. 

If you have “peace” about the relocation down in your spirit and it’s for legal and moral purposes, God is telling you “Yes.”  If you have “unrest” about the relocation, then God is telling you “No.”  A simpler way to say this is, “If your gut is telling you YES, God is telling you YES.  If your gut instinct is telling you NO, God is telling you NO.”  God’s peace is His “Yes.”  Unrest is His “No.”  Going against this form of guidance will result in disappointment or tragedy every time. 

This is the primary way that God guides ALL Believers when there is no Scripture telling them what to do.  This can be seen in the following verses of Scripture.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Romans 8:14)

This verse of Scripture could also read just as easily, “The sons and the daughters of God are led by the Spirit of God.”  It does not say, “The sons and the daughters of God are led by the Authoritative Voice of God.”  Although the Authoritative Voice is one way God can guide, IT IS NOT THE PRIMARY WAY.  Here’s a verse from the Amplified Bible that will help you.

“And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds ...]” (Colossians 3:15, Amplified Bible)

Here the Apostle Paul teaches that Believers are to let “peace” act as an “umpire” concerning all questions that they have.  Everyone knows what an umpire does.  An umpire lets the players know whether they are “safe” or “out.”  The Holy Spirit is the Inner Umpire if one is Born Again.  The Believer makes a decision as to what to do.  Then they give the Inner Umpire enough time to let them know whether they are “safe” or “out.”  He’ll do this through “peace” or “unrest” deep down inside.  Some call this “intuition” or “gut instinct.”

Although I have been led at times by voices, visions and Angels, these are not the primary ways He guides me daily.  Primarily, I am led by the “peace” or “unrest” of the Inner Umpire.  This is the primary way He guides all Believers. No one in the Bible was ever praying to hear a voice, to see a vision or to be visited by an Angel when it happened to them.  God alone determines when these types of guidance are necessary.  I encourage those who have read this testimony to not insist on voices, visions or Angels.  I never have. I never will.  If you do, Satan just might accommodate you. 

Stay safe with the Inner Umpire’s “peace” or “unrest.”  If you need anything more than that, you can trust our Heavenly Father to get it to you!  

Don’t miss His SUPERNATURAL inward “peace” or “unrest” by insisting upon more SPECTACULAR forms of New Testament guidance.  Guidance doesn’t have to be spectacular for it to be supernatural.

For much more detailed teaching on the subject of Supernatural Biblical Guidance, visit our Faith Building Bible Study Centre.  Once there, click on "Guidance."  JHM 2010