My Stalker Taught Me A Bullet Proof Strategy.

“This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged... For the battle is not yours, but God's." -2 Chronicles 20:15

God brought to my mind a terrible past experience I went through. Many of you remember the ten months of hell I went through with a stalker.

Justin was about 9 months old, and I was scared out of my mind. This guy caused an uproar in my neighborhood. So many nights, countless nights for almost one year he was seen on my property. It was the 4th of July weekend, I wanted to go see the fireworks but couldn’t for fear of this man. I stayed home, and was watching from my family room. I was laying on the couch with Justin on me, holding him. My phone.

The phone rang. It was my neighbor. She said, “Where are you in the house? That guy is sitting on top of the tree, looking down at you from your skylight window. I called the police. Don’t be afraid. My son is coming over your house!” The police showed up within seconds but couldn’t catch him.

These stories are many. He tried to break into the master bathroom one night while I was in the shower, breaking my bathroom window, and cracking the stone wall surrounding my home. It was so scary the entire police department knew me by my first name and still do. So many nights police cars surrounded the entire neighborhood shutting down every street leading to my home, and with powerful lights trying to find this man, not to mention every night a police car parked in my driveway at night so I could have at least a few hours of sleep. I couldn’t go anywhere without someone with me, accompanied to work and back, church, supermarket, hairdresser... get the point? My life was not free to do as I wished. I was about to lose my mind.

The police sat with my neighbor and my mom who saw this man many times, and they gave a description, a sketch was created and they were looking for a man that looked like that. My mom was coming to my house, she arrived to see this man standing in front of my window watching me. I was in my son’s room putting the baby clothes away. It was night time, with the light on, I didn’t see him. Police just couldn’t catch him. He was a sophisticated stalker with a scanner. So when my neighbors or my mom called the police he would hear it, and then the stalker would run before they got there.

This went on for over 10 long months of this ordeal almost every night.

One day in May, I had just arrived home, and the baby was with my parents, The person who was designated to watch over me that day had another appointment and left me safely in the house. I was so angry. Just angry. I felt like a prisoner. It was fig season, and I wanted figs.

I decided no more. I can’t live like this, so I left my house to go get the figs. “My family called me where are you? Turn the car around and come home now.” I responded, "No way, I’m not going to be afraid anymore."

I wanted this man to confront me so that all this could end.

Well, two minutes into my driving, I saw this man. He looked like the drawing the police made of the description my mom and neighbor gave. I called my Mom and my neighbor and asked them again to give me the description. Yes, this was the man, I told them. I decided to follow him with my car.

My neighbor and my mom were telling me to just come home and let the police handle it. However, I was afraid we would lose him again. I had him now. Next thing I knew the police arrived, circling him and my car. I got out of my car, ran to one of the policeman and was telling him, “This is the man! Please bring him to the station for questioning, and for my neighbor and mom to identify him.”

The police arrested him, and for a few minutes, I was thanking God we found the man who was making my life so miserable.

My Mom and neighbor arrived at the station. They put this man in a line up. My Mom came first, and she couldn’t be sure it was him. There were ten men in the line up. He was the last man on my right. Each man past both my Mom and neighbor, and then came the last man. They looked at him from every direction. My Mom said it looked like him, but she couldn’t say for 100%. I thought, "Okay, my Mom, thinks it’s him but can’t be sure. but my neighbor will identify him." They brought her in next. Guess what? She had the same issue. She thought it was him but wasn’t positive. I honestly began to cry at the police station. They had to let him go. The police came over so very nice towards me. They hugged me, told me they understood my fear, and frustration, that they would put extra police in my neighborhood and that they would continue to camp in my driveway until they caught him. “We are here to protect you. It’s going to be okay. We will catch him,” they said.

Then one morning, I woke up after another night of this man coming. It was 1 a.m., and he rang my doorbell. He was just so brazen. I couldn’t believe it. Police were there within 2 seconds, 5 police cars! Lights and sirens blaring. This time a man was caught walking. Police told him to get on the ground, and they began to question him. My Mom and neighbor were called to identify him, right there on the spot, There they are in bathrobes and slippers, in the middle of the Street, at 1 a.m. Lights everywhere, I went out there, too. I was starring at this man, trying to memorize his face just Incase it was him. Again, he fit the description but wasn’t sure. Police tried fingerprints from my doorbell, my windows, but just couldn’t catch this guy.

I fell to my knees, that morning and asked God, “I don’t understand this, God. What are you doing? Why can’t the police catch him? I can’t take this anymore. Please God tell me what to do?” In that second God said, “All this time you never asked me what to do? I have protected you. It’s my hand that has protected you. Call your intercessory prayer partners and walk around your propriety and begin praying and speak scriptures as part of your prayer. Thank Me for protecting you. Stop being afraid and trust in My power. I have you closely in the grip of My hand, I’m not letting you go!”

I called my intercessory prayer partners, and we walked and prayed over my property immediately. The head of the intercessory group, Evelyn, a beautiful woman with great faith, prayed and declared this above passage over my home and over me. This is what the Lord says to you: "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's," (2 Chronicles 20:15) . That man never returned again. Ever! Have no idea who he was or anything. He just never bothered me again. In that prayer, I prayed, “God change this man’s heart. Help him and let him get physically ill when he steps into this neighborhood. I wish him no harm, but I want him gone from trying to harm me.” I was so discouraged and so afraid, and rightly so. This wasn’t funny. This man wasn’t just stalking me but tried to break into my home while I was in it.

REFLECTION: "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD," (Proverbs 21:31 NLT). The battle we fight are against evil. Evil can only be won by a God that has the power and might to stop it. Today, your battle might not be as intense as what I had to go through, or maybe it’s worse. It doesn’t matter. Do you know who God is? Do you know WHO He is in the lives of His children? Do you know He WINS every single battle? Do not be afraid, and do not be discouraged no matter what you think and feel. God wins every battle, and He has you. Ask Him for wisdom and understanding, and then have the courage to do what He tells you to do. There is a spiritual warfare going on, and we must understand it and call upon a God that has the power to end it victoriously on our behalf. Our weapon to tear down every scheme of the enemy in all he tries to kill, still, and destroy is called prayer! Prayer is the greatest weapon that will never fail us, and is victory guaranteed. Secondly, it is God’s Word. Speak it over you and the situations you find yourself in. God’s Word never comes back void without accomplishing what He as set it to do. You have the power in these two greatest weapons to win every single attack known to man. Use then, and use then constantly. You are victorious in Him, for every single battle belongs to a unfailing God. Finally, worship Him in the midst of the battle. Give a shout of praise right now, declaring the battle in won in Jesus' name.

Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, You, O God, are My Shield and My Defense. You are My Shelter and My Refuge. Thank You for keeping me in the grip of Your hands. You are My Hope in this time of trouble. I will trust in You and not be afraid. Use me for Your glory that I might testify of Your goodness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

#TopicArticle #protection #fear #courage #faithfulness #testimony