11~The Turning of the Page

Sin Kills, Jesus Saves~

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Chapter 11

The bright winter sun blinded Duncan as he burst through the doors to the outside world. He glanced around, making sure that the man in the gray suit wasn't nearby, and made a run for it. Voices shouted after him, asking him questions he could hardly answer himself, but he didn't stop; he couldn't. His life was heading into areas that he couldn't explain, and didn't know who to tell or where to go for an explanation of this craziness, when one man came to mind. And for the first time in his life, he prayed. "Please God, please let him be there,"

His breath came out in white plums as he rushed down the block, his arms wrapped around himself, realizing he had forgotten his coat. Horns honked as he ran across the street. When he thought maybe the preacher had moved on, maybe he was going to be left on his own trying to figure all this out, he saw what he had been searching for and came to a halt. The raggedy preacher stood on his box shouting at the people passing by and not seeming to notice a teenage girl throwing her trash at him as the other girl laughed, but Duncan walked towards him.

"I've got some questions for you," Duncan said, noticing people watching him.

"Hello. I didn't think I'd ever see you again after last night," The preacher smiled.

"I need to talk to someone, someone who might be able to explain to me what is going on, and I thought of you."

"I'm flattered. I'm not sure what you need help with, but I'll do my best."

"Are ghosts real?"

"You want to know if there are such things as ghosts?"

"Well, ghosts or maybe demons,"

The smile fell from the preacher's face, and he stepped off the box. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I think something bad is happening to me, something I can't explain, and I can't even wrap my head around. And I need someone to tell me what the hell is going on. So, once again, are they real?"

The preacher's head bowed and shook back and forth a couple times before he looked.

Duncan straight in the eyes. "Yes, they are very real,"

"Do these ghosts haunt people? Could my dead wife be haunting me?"

"Unlike what most people think, there are no such things as ghosts… only demons."

"Are you sure? I mean, all those ghost hunter shows have ghosts on them, and it would make a hell of a lot more sense if my dead wife got some spook from the other side to come and ruin my life like I ruined hers,"

"I'm sure there are no ghosts, only demons. People like to think their loved ones can come back, for good or for foul, but it is all the work of the devil and his minions."

"Then why do people claim their dead husband or grandma moved a pin or wrote a message on a steamed mirror saying that they are okay?"

"Why do you think?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you,"

"It's to confuse them. What do you think the enemy is doing all day? I'll tell you. He's watching you. They have been here on earth for a very long time, and they know how humans work. They listen, they watch, and when you think you are alone, you're not. How do you think they know how to tempt you, how to get you off track of following God and his plan for your life and coming to salvation through God's Son, Jesus Christ? All they have to do is watch and listen, and when they find a crack in your life, they manipulate it and make it a gapping whole. That's it. That's all they have to do."

"Great. So, let's just say I have made a gapping, puss-filled open wound in my life. How do I get rid of these demons? I mean, do I pay you to come over and burn sage or read the bible and throw holy water all over my place or something?"

The man stared at him for a moment longer than what was comfortable and then spoke. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Dead serious. Something is haunting me. It's in my dreams; I hear laughter when I'm alone, and then today… I don't know how to say this without thinking I'm going crazy,"

"Just say it,"

"The man from my dreams was with me in the men's room. He told me to keep up the good work," Duncan gulped. "I want to believe that I'm having some sort of nervous breakdown, but I don't think I am. I need help, and you are the only person I thought of who would actually believe what I'm saying and could help me."

The preacher walked over, packed up his things, and glanced back at Duncan. "I think we should go somewhere quiet and have a chat, alone."

"Alright,"

A moment later, in a quiet coffee shop across from the corner where the preach stood, Duncan sat with his back to the wall. He watched the people come in and out of the place as he tried to steady his hands while sipping coffee. The preacher hadn't said anything and acutely bought Duncan a coffee before finding a place to sit. "So, are you going to answer my question?" Duncan growled.

"I am. But first, I think we should introduce ourselves to one another. I'm Nigel,"

"Why do you need to know my name?"

"Well, if we are going to get into a conversation that would have most people running away screaming in terror, it might be nice for us to be on a name-to-name basis,"

Duncan's cup rattled as he placed it back on the table. The face of the gray-suited man was scorched into his brain, and he didn't like it. "Duncan. My name is Duncan,"

"Nice to meet you, Duncan," Nigel grinned.

"Now, enough with the formalities. Will you please help me get rid of whatever is happening to me?"

The preacher sat forward with his hands entwined on the table, pressing his lips together before he spoke. "Okay, but first, I think you should understand a few things,"

"Like what,"

"Well, like, the whole ghost thing. Like I said, there are no such things as ghosts, and I need you to fully understand that. Everything that happens in the paranormal is all demons.

Burning sage won’t get rid of them. You can have crosses all over your house and dowse the place with so-called holy water, and you will still have a problem,”

"Fine, I get it. No ghosts."

"Okay,"

"Okay? Well, how do I get rid of this guy then?"

"You can't,"

"What? What the hell, preacher?"

"Let me rephrase that. You can't, but God can,"

"Here we go with the Jesus talk again," Duncan murmured.

"Again? You are so easy to believe that you can be haunted by an evil spirit and that someone can come in with a make-believe ritual, and everything will be fine. That you will be fine. Yet, believing that Jesus could come and take away that same problem is a joke to you. Tell me, why is that?"

"I, I don't know,"

"The name of Jesus has power over the spiritual realm,"

Duncan sat back and remembered the name he said that made whatever was on him leave.

"So, all I have to do is say the name of Jesus?"

The preacher frowned and shook his head. "It's not as easy as that. You might be able to say it once or twice, maybe even a dozen times. But if you don't have the Holy Spirit in you, you are at risk of being a dwelling place for those evil spirits to come and stay,"

"I said Jesus's name last night, and whatever was sitting on my chest left me alone after that,"

"It left you alone last night after saying Jesus' name. That's great, but from what you told me, you reencountered it just this morning. So, it's not gone, and it seems like it has no plan to be,"

"But don't you see, I'm not a Christian, and it worked for me. I haven't done anything you discussed with me the other night, so why can't I just repeat the name and get the same results?"

"Didn't you hear what I just said? God doesn't work like that. The Lord granted you mercy last night. He was showing you that He was there for you. What you choose to do with that knowledge is up to you. He is giving you the choice. In the book of Acts, there are the seven sons of Sceva, and these men cast out demons by saying, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches," and it worked... until it didn't. One day, they were trying to cast out a demon, and the demon said, "Jesus, I know. Paul, I know, but who are you? And then the demon beat the men so badly that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. So you see, the only way to truly have the Lord on your side is to be one of His children,"

"So, if I say this prayer, he will come and get rid of this guy for me... that's all I have to do? Is that what you're saying?"

"You can say the prayer all you want, but it won't make a difference if you don't mean it in your heart. If you say the prayer and mean it, really mean what you are praying, then yes, The Lord will be there for you, and the Holy Spirit inside you will protect you, but that doesn't mean all your troubles will end. In saying that, you will now have an ally that has the demons shaking in their boots when you pray to Him or call out His name for help. But that's all I can promise."

Duncan stared at his cup on the table before glancing at the preacher. "I'm not used to opening up to people. It's not who I am. But, last night, in my dream, I saw children playing in the sunshine while I sat in this cold, gray place. I wanted the sunshine, but I couldn't get up to go there. When I finally could move, the man in the gray suit forced me back down and told me I would never walk in the sunshine. I don't want that. I don't want to be in darkness. I know I might act like I do, and until recently, the thought of heaven or hell never entered my mind, but now... I never want to be in the darkness again, not ever. At the same time, I am who I am. I don't know how to change, and I don't think even God could change who I am,"

"You give the creator of the universe very little power," Nigel laughed. "If you want to be saved, you will give your life to Jesus. He is the only one who can change your heart,"

"But how do I know if I really want that or not?"

"Well, you're here, aren't you?"

"I guess I am,"

"So, what is your decision?"

Duncan sat there, his mind saying one thing, but his heart saying something different. "Whenever I do anything, I do it one hundred percent. So this would be no different. The one thing I know for sure is the man in the gray suit is real. And as much as I hate to admit it, he scares me to death. If this Jesus can meet me where I am right now, wanting his help but not really knowing who He is, then yes, I'll accept Him,"

"Do you want me to pray with you, or do you want to do it on your own?"

"I don't know what to say?"

"Then we'll pray together. But before we do, I want to make sure you understand everything I've said to you. You have to mean what you are saying, Duncan. You have to mean it down into your very soul. Do you want me to say the prayer with you?"

"Yes, I understand. And yes, help with the prayer," Duncan answered, putting his hands together on the table and shutting his eyes.

"Repeat after me, and if there's something else you want to say, you can say it privately to God alone or say it out loud. It's up to you,"

"Alright,"

"Dear heavenly Father. I come here today seeking you, knowing I am full of sin. I know You are the creator of this world, and You sent Your only Son to die on the cross and be risen on the third day so I may be forgiven of my sins. Today, I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savoir and dedicate my life to Him; in Jesus' glorious name, I pray, Amen."

Duncan didn't open his eyes; instead, he had a couple things to say as well. "Dear Jesus. I'm not a good man, and I don't know if I ever will be. I've done evil things in my life and enjoyed doing them. But if You will accept a man like me, I'm yours. Do with me as You will. Amen."