HOW SWEET MY JESUS

My name is Deborah Ziegler. I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1955, and still live here today. I have been married to a God-loving man; Leroy, since October of 1996.

My first husband was an alcoholic that was extremely abusive. This man cared for one thing (well, actually two things) himself and his bottle. I had a demon in me called Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed with MS, in 1984 or '85. I suffered numbness, weakness and the inability to speak without slurring my words. At times, I could not walk without aid. I was unsaved but I went to church every Sunday. In pastoral counseling I was told that at least the MS wouldn't kill me. No one saw the physical or emotional scars that I carried.

In 1990, I had enough of my husband's abuse toward me and my sons. We separated and divorced. I was smart enough to know that he would not do right by our three children, so I closed the little business that I had and got a job managing a clothing store. At that same time I became a "very good sinner". I was on the fast track to death; smoking at least two packs of cigarettes a day and doing other destructive ventures. While on that track I met a friend, Leroy. This man was to become a true friend indeed!

For about a year, Leroy and I were all wrapped up in the world of sin! Then, things began to change ... can't really put a finger on what it was, but neither one of us was happy. Leroy began to talk to me about God in a way that I had never heard before. One day in September of 1992, he told me that he was going to a 'revival' meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. He said that when he came back NOTHING was going to be the same. He said that God was either going to kill him or deliver him. He was determined, he didn't care which way it went! He was sick and tired of sin. Leroy wanted to go back to the God of his youth. That Jesus God that heals, delivers and cares. Anyway, because of that determination, Leroy was actually delivered before he ever left for his trip. He still went to Memphis and let me tell you - he was changed! Thank you, Jesus! He began reading the bible to me and with me. We would pray together.

One night in October of 1992, I had a dream. In that dream, the devil presented himself before God. In this spiritual meeting Satan told God, "Well, You got him, but she's mine!" ... Scared is a mild word for what I felt. I told my friend that I didn't care if we went to the river... I HAD TO BE BAPTIZED IN JESUS NAME, ASAP! I did get baptized AND filled with the Holy Ghost on October 28, 1992.

To side step a bit, the clothing company that I was working for went out of business. By the time that all of this was going on I was working for another company. Now, when I started seeking and finding my Jesus, the head bosses at my job began trying to make my life miserable. I just kept on doing my job though. Finally in February, 1993, a show-down came. One of my bosses (whom I happened to have worked for at the other company) gave me an ultimatum. She wanted to demote me and transfer me to another store, I said, "No, thank you." She then told me that I could quit or be fired. I told her that I would go to lunch and think about it. I must say, I really wasn't scared. I truly felt as though God was going to do something amazing in all of this. I called Leroy, he met me and we discussed everything. He came back to the store with me because he knew Melissa (my boss). We talked for a bit; all the time knowing that I was about to be fired for believing in righteousness. I was not going to quit, the company was going to fire me and would not contest my unemployment. Done deal. I left. Later that day in a dream I saw me leave that store and with me went the spirit of the Lord. Jesus told me to never go in that store again for anything. I didn't and within a year the company was out of business.

God made me a full-time pray-er and I was always reading the Bible. I don't really know when it was that I quit smoking. Then one day I realized that I wasn't smoking and couldn't remember the last time that I had smoked. The Holy Ghost had taken it out of me and I didn't even know it! Praises to Jesus! One day I was reading in Isaiah. Chapter 53, verse 5 told me: But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. Let me tell you, when I read that, something hit me like a ton of bricks! I got on my knees and I asked GOD if that meant that I could be healed of this devil MS. GOD answered me so beautifully and told me that it did and that it was done! Hallelujah, GOD healed me! He had healed me before I even knew it, not just of MS but of smoking and other unclean spirits! Friends, let me tell you, He healed me and He will heal you. In Matthew 8, we read of a leper that went to Jesus saying, "Lord, if thou will, thou can make me clean." Jesus put out His hand, touched him and said, "I will, be thou clean." That same Jesus is my Jesus. No doubt, only believing that He will set you free to be free indeed.

Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus