Surprise Rapper

Jesse Birkey's picture

My life was radically transformed when I had an encounter with God while I was in college. Growing up, I never really believed in God although I was raised in a Christian home. Being preoccupied with life and not being able to see God in our church service made me doubt his existence.

As I got older, I felt the need to find my worth and fulfillment by falling into many temptations. While in college, I started drinking and hooking up with guys, though I didn't enjoy doing it. I thought being a cool cat would help me find my purpose and satisfaction in life.

 

I developed sexual addictions while having plenty of boy drama to deal with. I was getting overwhelmed with all of the stress I had from problems I created and out of nowhere, my health started to deteriorate. Illness came upon me around the time of my finals. I quickly went to my mom to ask for help and because she was a believer, she said that we’ll see the doctors but also have people pray for me.

As the week went on, I woke up one morning not feeling any of the symptoms of this diagnosed illness and began to wonder what had happened. I was sick and even my friends knew about it and all of a sudden everything was gone. I was normal again!

After getting checked out by the doctors, they said nothing was wrong with me. I began to wonder if this was a work of God or if science fixed my problems. Still carrying the weight of my boy problems and sexual sin and thinking that I have nothing to lose, I thought about praying to God myself to see if he really did exist and if He could get me out of this mess I got myself into. I cried out to him and after I was done praying and pouring my heart out, I felt the weight being lifted off. I felt so light and experienced a burst of joy coming from the inside.  Not knowing what to make of it, I simply embraced it.

After I was done, I decided to listen to a song that I really liked. It was a secular song that had hip-hop artists on it. I had been listening to a particular track for about three years but I lost the song on my computer. I asked the DJ if he could send it to me.

When I got the track and began listening to it, I heard a man interrupt the rapper and begin to sing about Jesus. I freaked out because I’d never listened to Christian music in my life so I didn’t understand how it showed up on my phone!

I also realized that the DJ who made the hip-hop track was Hindu so he didn't put the song on there. I’d been listening to the same song for three years and I never heard a man sing about Jesus once. The only connection I could make was to the prayer I prayed to some God right before I listened to this song.  

After staying on my phone for about three weeks, the Christian man disappeared and I heard the original hip-hop track with all of the secular rappers on it. After realizing what had happened, I knew God just showed up.

I still listen to the hip-hop track to see if the man who sang about Jesus would come back but it’s been about two years since that encounter happened and there has been no sign of him yet!  Right after that incident, I gave my life to Jesus and have been on a journey, cultivating a relationship with Him.

I encourage all of you guys to talk God, no matter where you are in life or how deep you are in sin. His love is more powerful than anything on this earth and he can show up if you ask him to!

I hope this testimony provides hope to all of you and stay blessed peeps!:)

--Jeana

Blessings,

Jesse and Kara Birkey

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Fulfill Your Financial Destiny

Fulfill Your Financial Destiny

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 66 Pages

Though the economic system (mammon) of this world is under a curse, we have received instructions for how to move out from that dominion and into the blessing of the Kingdom of God. God’s promises to His children have not changed with the whims of government or Wall Street, nor have His directions for how to walk in those promises. We can “choose not to participate” in the economic recession that is around us if we instead choose to obey the logos and rhema of the Lord and enjoy the blessings that result.

Price: $9.95
Gifted to Succeed

Gifted to Succeed

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 189 Pages

There is no joy so complete as knowing who you are -- who God has made you to be and what your basic giftings and drives are. The goal of this book is to get you effectively functioning in roles which allow you to adequately express your heart motivations and gifts. The fulfillment you experience when you function in your gifts and calling is a joy almost beyond belief.

"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men." (Prov. 22:29)

Price: $17.95
The Great Mystery

Great Mystery

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 54 Pages

This is a workbook which guides you in meditating on hundreds of New Testament verses which speak of Who Christ is within us and how to touch and release Him and His wisdom, power and might continuously and effortlessly out through our lives. You will look up every New Testament verse on being "in Christ," "in Him" and "in Whom." In addition, you will meditate on the various names given to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and realize that all that He is is available within you and even joined to you (1 Cor. 6:17)! Absolutely amazing!

Price: $9.95
Health Mastery Through MRT

Health Mastery Through MRT

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 82 Pages

Wouldn't it be great if there were a way for my body to tell me exactly what it needs and desires, without having to take expensive or invasive tests? Wouldn't it be amazing if I could perform these tests as often as I wanted, right in my own home (or anywhere I wanted), with no costly instruments necessary? 

Price: $19.95

Hearing God Through Biblical Meditation

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 179 Pages | $15.99 retail list price

For many years I studied the Bible incorrectly, and it produced death rather than life. Even though I had a knowledge of the Scriptures, I did not personally experience the life and the realities they revealed. The Bible calls this the ministry of death, rather than the ministry of righteousness (2 Cor. 3:6–9). Upon coming out of Bible college, I found myself just like the apostle Paul, attacking those who disagreed with my theology. 

Price: $15.95

Hearing God's Voice for Healing

Mark and Patti Virkler | 281 Pages | Retail: $23.99

Explore the many methods Jesus used to heal. Recognize the significance of the fact that more than half the time, the word used for these healings was the Greek word for "therapeutic," which means "cure". Become aware of 28 therapeutic cures which are either mentioned in the Bible or, if not specifically mentioned, are compatible with biblical principles.

Price: $19.95

How Do You Know?

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 180 Pages

How do you know? What is the process you use to discover truth? I did not ask that question during the first 25 years of my life. I used eleven different methods for discovering truth including: if my parents said so, then it was so. If my teacher said it was so, then it was so. If my pastor said it was so, then it was so. If my theology said it was so, then it was so. I have discarded them all and adopted a twelfth method, which is in harmony with what the Bible teaches. We teach you this method in this book.

Price: $17.95
How to Build a Winning Team

How to Build a Winning Team

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 105 Pages

Can I succeed like others have? What do I need to do? How do I go about it? What if I don't have the gifts necessary to do something great?  The wonderful truth revealed in Scripture is that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary feats, especially when they say, "Yes, Lord" to the destiny He has prepared for them!

Price: $12.95
How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 44 Pages | Published 2002

This brief booklet walks a person through the main obstacles to speaking in tongues, and shows how each one can be successfully overcome. It is down-to-earth, practical and biblical, and in it Mark Virkler shares the struggles he went through before he was able to speak in tongues. Some were theological issues and some simply practical issues, like the fact that if I am going to speak in tongues, I will need to speak. Otherwise, nothing happens.

Price: $2.95
How to Walk by the Spirit

How to Walk by the Spirit

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 136 Pages | Previous name "Sense Your Spirit"

Are you like many western Christians who have been taught little about how to sense their spirits? Do you have trouble even defining what spirit sensations feel like within you, much less recognizing them? This training was birthed from Mark’s passion to live out of his spirit, and thus release the anointing of God. The problem he faced was lack of clear biblical definition as to what his spirit felt like. So Mark looked up every verse in the Bible on heart and spirit.

Price: $13.95

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