From Hinduism to Christ

Testimony of Vani Marshall

I was not born in a Pentecostal Christian family, church. . . I was born in an Orthodox Priesthood Hindu family. I was born in a Hindu family to Brahman priest. My grandfather, my great grandfather, and my great great grandfather were Hindu priests. It was unthinkable and offensive for a daughter – or a granddaughter – of a priest to come away from that system. I was so hungry for God. I was thirsty for God.

When I was six days old, I was dedicated to Hindu demons in a cave temple. From that moment on, my mind, my spirit, and my soul were overtaken by demonic forces that I had no control over. I cannot control these forces; they controlled me. Every decision I made and everything I became [was influenced by these forces].

I began to learn to worship the names of over two thousand gods by memory. It was required of me. It was required of the priesthood. And I, as an obedient daughter of a priest, learned the names of two thousand gods. 

At the age of nineteen, I was so hungry for God, but I did not know His name, where He was, who He is. And so, I started a journey of pain and darkness. 

[When I was in] my late teen years, I became discipled under a witch. And the reason I went into that was not to harm anyone, but to find God. . . When you’re hungry, you get desperate, and when you’re desperate, you will do anything to find God. 

I went after Him, [but] I didn’t find him in the pages of Hinduism. I didn’t find Him in the pages of the priesthood creed. I didn’t find Him in the pages of mantras and prayers that I was taught to believe in. I didn’t find him in the rooms of temples. 

I will go into [huge temples] and want to look for God. 

There was one time I was in Southern India. . . I went into [a temple], and I opened the curtain. There was a veil that divided the holy area from the rest of the public. I couldn’t wait. I have no authority to go into that area. Only a male priest could go in there. I opened the curtain, and there was a ten-foot idol [with] twelve arms, twelve faces, [and] a myriad number of eyes. He didn’t see me. He couldn’t hold me. He had eyes, [but] couldn’t see me. 

Years down the road, I was struck with a demonic pain in my body from the top of my head to the tips of my feet. I [was] in pain. Painkillers and suicide came [to] the order of the day. I took painkillers every day more than the required dose just to knock myself out. In my mind, it was one thought – if I ended my life, I would end the pain. 

I was sitting at the edge of my bed, possibly on the last day of my life on this planet. 

Sometimes, when all looks lonely, [and when] you feel that nobody really cares . . . Hear me young people: He’s watching over you. He’s watching over you. It may not be tangible, but He’s over you. And He loves you. And He’ll come through for you. If you would just focus on Him and let the other stuff go.

And I was sitting at the edge of my bed, frustrated, fed up, and I cried out like you have cried out: “Jesus!” 

I [had] heard of that name when I was growing up. . . [through] Christmas cards and Christian people [who] would come to my door and tell me, “He died for you.” And I would resist them and argue with them. [I was] proud and arrogant of the priesthood that I belonged to. . .

When I cried out: “Jesus!” the presence of a Holy God began to filter through that room. That room was darkened. The lights were switched off. I was sitting on the edge of my bed. I never saw His face, but His voice was as audible as anything that I have ever heard before: “I am Jesus! I am God!” 

And He touched my body.

No doctor could cure the disease that was in my body. No doctor could heal me. No doctor could provide the answers.

In an instant, the disease left my body. In an instant, I was healed. I began to feel His power and His presence in my body.

Then I went into this tiny church with about fifty people. Somebody there was talking about going into the water, that if you are baptized you become a new creature. Well, I didn’t understand that either. I was wondering how water can make such a big difference. What’s the big deal? We take showers every day. 

[However],  I went up to this preacher . . . and said, “Would you put me in this water . . . Because everything and anything He wants me to do, I’m ready to do it. He has set me free. He has healed me . . . Anything and everything, no matter the price.”

And so they put me in that water. When I came out [of it], legions of demonic influences broke free from me. I was set free!

This article was transcribed from a video of Vani Marshall’s testimony at The Pentecostals of Boisser City. Click here to watch the video.