Mona Beatrix’s Story
Forsaking Psychics, Fortune Tellers, and Angel Cards for a Personal Relationship with God

Language

A testimony is a “public recounting of a religious conversion.” The following is my testimony. It is important for me to share it for two reasons. First of all, Christ told the apostles to be a witness of Him, and as Christians we should all do the same. Second, I was led to God and Jesus Christ when someone else shared her testimony publicly.

I was never spiritual-minded until about eight years ago, when I developed an interest in angels. I was drawn to the beauty of these celestial beings and their gentleness. At first, I would just look at angel cards in bookstores and imagine that there really was a world in which such unique creatures existed. I then began to watch Doreen Virtue’s readings on the internet and purchased my own angel cards. Doreen Virtue’s readings at the time were a bit like fortune telling, because she would arrange the cards in a certain way and trust that the angels would tell her the future. Around the same time, I began to see both a psychic and a fortune teller.

Kabbalah cards used for psychic predictions

The psychic owned an angel shop and claimed to be able to contact angels. I found out, many months later, that she also practiced Kabbalah, a Jewish esoteric practice. On the cards were written the names of the kings following Solomon in the Old Testament. I have not studied about these kings, but there were roughly forty. They were not all godly, but they were preserved because of the Lord’s promise to uphold David’s descendants. In Psalm 89:36 the Lord told David that “his line will continue forever.”

I went to see her because I was drawn to the shop itself. There were statues of angels, and the psychic was welcoming and was always hopeful about the future. The cards with the names of the many kings were shuffled and placed face down on a table. Depending on which king I chose, she would tell me about my future. The information she told me was often a combination of the hopes I had shared with her, as well as the characteristics of the king I chose and other messages she claimed to receive. By asking these deceased kings for messages, she was attempting to contact the dead, an occult practice that is forbidden in the Bible. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 commands, “Let no one be found among you…who consults the dead.” Not realizing that I was transgressing God’s law, I saw her for several months until I moved out of the town.

I didn’t believe in God, or even angels back then, although I was drawn to them. Because I had no faith in the Lord, and was often immersed in secular beliefs from friends, family, and school, I often felt very lonely and empty. Although I felt loved, I frequently got angry with others, or I felt isolated and alone. I was very aware of my own shortcomings and other people’s. There was no one I could completely trust, including myself.

Doreen Virtue’s angel cards, prior to her conversion to Christianity

Although I was no longer seeing a psychic since I was living in a new city, I began to watch angel card readings on YouTube. Doreen Virtue was the most popular angel card reader at the time, so I would watch her almost every day. I liked listening to her, because the angel card readings were comforting and hopeful, a lot like the ones I had done with the psychic.

Later, I began seeing a fortune teller in person also, and began to do readings with her. To me, it was a way to communicate with someone who did not believe in what was only material, and that was a relief. I did not feel drawn to any faith or religion in particular, yet I was unsure about the readings. I didn’t really know whether we were speaking to angels or not, or if the psychic was just making good guesses. I indulged in this practice because the information I was being told about my future was almost always bright and comforting. I had my doubts about the validity of the sessions with the fortune teller, but I continued to go because I liked the encouragement.

My Influencer’s Turning Point

One day, however, quite unexpectedly, Doreen Virtue announced that she had become a Christian. She told all her listeners online that she would no longer be claiming to communicate with angels, and that in fact, that was a false and wrong practice in the sight of God.. She even said that her products were not Christian. She had written many books on angels, and she believed that they were actually heretical. She explained that she realized that she was doing something wrong after listening to a sermon by Alistair Begg.

The sermon was on false prophets and teachers. She recognized that she was a false teacher, then she quoted  Bible scriptures like the following that warn against witchcraft, fortune-telling, and idolatry (the first I already quoted partially):

     When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer,
or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.
You shall be blameless before the LORD your God.
For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

     You shall not eat anything with blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying. (Leviticus 19:26)

     Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. (1 Samuel 12:21)

I was surprised by this change, but I trusted Doreen and so I followed her when she began to teach a Bible class online. I listened to her quite a bit like I had done before. I was confused by this change in her mindset, but I kept listening to her. I didn’t have any deep convictions about the New Age or religion, so I absorbed what she said mainly out of curiosity. During her classes, she emphasized the importance of reading the Bible before judging the Christian religion. That sounded logical to me and I also realized that I had judged the Bible, along with many around me, without reading it. She also talked a lot about having a relationship with the Lord, and to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit before reading the Bible, in order to understand God’s Word. I read the Bible a bit myself, but it was hard for me to understand it. I didn’t comprehend how all the chapters and books fit together, nor did I have a relationship with God. But that was soon to happen.

 How the Spirit of God led me in June of 2020

I continued to read the Bible occasionally, and I would also watch Doreen Virtue’s many videos that were focused on exposing the New Age and its dangers. One time, while I was on YouTube, I watched an interview that Doreen Virtue had with Pastor Mike Shreve. It was about why they no longer believed in reincarnation. Afterwards, I watched another video with Steven Bancarz and Mike Shreve in which they explained that yoga was not for Christians. While I was watching the video (link is below), God’s Spirit fell upon me. It was as if this message was addressed to me specifically. I was also greatly influenced by Pastor Mike Shreve. Because he is an evangelist, he has a special anointing to share the Word of God with those who don’t yet understand biblical truths.

Steve Bancarz (former New Age influencer) interviews Mike Shreve (former teacher of Kundalini Yoga and moderator of this website). The interview is available under “Interviews” or by going to this link.

The Holy Spirit really began to speak to my heart while I listened! Although I have never personally practiced yoga, I realized that I needed to speak up on this subject and be a leader to others. I almost never place myself in positions of leadership, but I understood at that moment that it was important for me to do so. There was no other way to defeat the darkness that had invaded my life. That day, I wrote an email to someone on this theme. It was a small step, but it changed the relationship I had with that individual. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus told His disciples, ”You are the light of the world.” I felt that I needed to do my best to fill that role, so I acted on it.

I also realized, around that same time, that up to that moment of divine revelation, I had not truly been saved (delivered from my past). I was doing a few things that disqualified me from being a real Christian. For example, I was viewing things on television that now I believe were displeasing to God. By watching immoral movies, for instance, the mind begins to become desensitized. Also, the viewer’s imagination can be influenced negatively. God’s holy Word says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Another verse in Philippians 4:8 shares the importance of meditating on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure…if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” I was obviously not thinking about things that were right and pure when I was indulging in television programs that were not godly, and I was not controlling my thoughts to make them obedient to Christ. So, I changed my behavior. Of course, our works do not save us, but grace, which is unmerited love, does. Paul said it so beautifully:

      For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

However, to have an unhindered relationship with God, I knew that cleansing my mind, my heart, and my life was necessary.

My first call to Renner Ministry in 2021 and praying

The year 2021 was an important year to me because I made my first call to Renner Ministry on September 20th. It was the first time that a prayer minister prayed just for me. I felt so special. God’s Word was so pure and holy. It wasn’t anything like seeing a counsellor or hearing myself read the Bible. God’s Word spoke to me in a very special way, because there was scripture to encourage and guide me concerning my particular problem.

The following year in 2022, I also studied the Bible seriously by downloading study guides on Rick Renner’s ministry website. This helped me so much as the Bible came alive to me, and I understood its meaning. The guides were so complete and masterfully explained that I was able to gain an understanding that I could not have obtained otherwise. The teaching shared related scriptural references, and the original Greek words of the New Testament were translated and explained, so I could also read a particular scripture and meditate on it more effectively.

I was able to study the Bible in a lot more detail by focusing on particular themes. For example, I studied women in the Bible, men in the Bible, the Holy Spirit and you, spiritual warfare and many other important subjects. In this way, I covered both the Old and New Testaments, yet it was not overwhelming because it was explained so clearly. As I grew in my understanding of the Lord, my character changed. I had a better understanding of who God is and who I am called to be. I could also discern when evil spirits were working through other people much better.

I joined a prayer chain online that year, and in that way, I was able to open my heart to others and pray for God to intervene in their lives, the same way He did for me. I believe in prayer, and I wanted to share the beauty and power of God’s Word with others. Prayer holds a special place in my heart because I learned that God’s can heal people and He still works miracles.

During this season, I learned what a blessing it is to be able to freely speak to God,  to “cast my cares” on the Lord, and to ask Him to intervene for others. My faith grew, and I could feel myself being set free more and more from sinful attitudes and the many deceptions that had held me captive. When people prayed for me, I knew they were anointed by God to bring healing to those who are emotionally and mentally damaged. It says in Isaiah 61:1:

     “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives…”

Translating my Pastor’s testimony, then writing my own

During the year of 2022, I continued to learn about God, and I would watch Mike Shreve’s sermons online. I went on his website that summer and I downloaded his free testimony (www.thetruelight.netThe Highest Adventure: Encountering God). A bit later, I received an email from him! In the email, he said he was pleased that his testimony was being downloaded in France, where I am from.

The French translation of Mike Shreve’s conversion story who was once a teacher of Kundalini Yoga, but became a follower of Jesus in 1970. You can download it on the homepage of this website.

I completely misjudged Mike’s email and thought that he wanted his testimony to be translated into French. I began the translation and emailed him two weeks later with the work I had done. He was so appreciative. I believe that this misunderstanding was God’s way of intervening, so that I could take the first step toward doing my own work for God. Prior to this, I was studying the work of others. This particular assignment was just for me because I am French, while the pastors I listened to and who influenced me were from the United States. We decided to go ahead with the translation although he had not originally intended that to happen. I liked reading and translating his testimony very much. I could relate to his quest for the truth, and the adventurous way in which he immersed himself in all religions in the hope of discovering the spiritual world. I was also inspired by the passion and depth to which he was willing to grow and learn about spiritual matters. It was relevant to me that he was raised Catholic because my father’s family is Catholic, and I know that coming out of that deception is not easy because it is such a long-standing denomination. (You should visit one of his websites: www.toCatholicswithlove.org.)

My identity before and after I turned to God

Before knowing God, the spiritual world, and God’s desire to help me, I didn’t really have a sense of self.  I mostly responded to people’s approval. Of course, in some ways, I thought I had an idea of who I was, but it was too superficial, even for me in my younger years. It wasn’t enough for me to think I was good at this, but not so much at that, or that I looked and acted a certain way.  Although I believed that there was no God at the time, I was also aware of people’s shortcomings and of my own. I also felt a desire for a deeper connection, since my relationships were much too superficial.

I am so glad that for two years now, I have been able to boldly declare, “I am the Lord’s daughter. I am loved deeply by Him and amazingly, I can be like Him!” I seek His attributes such as: goodness, purity, and charity, and now I know, the Lord reveals himself to those who seek Him. The more I read the Word and works by respected pastors, the more I realize how much the Lord wants to save us from evil and our own fallen nature. For this to happen, He has given us instructions that are quite simple: read His Word and sanctify ourselves to be more like Him. He has made covenants with us to bless us as we honor Him and follow His instructions. We also were given His very own Spirit, after Jesus died on the cross.

God still purifies my heart, and I am able to discern spirits that are coming against me, or my own faulty desires of the “flesh” as the Bible explains it. My relationships have changed, because I don’t feel this huge void I used to feel, even when I was with dear family and friends. It makes sense to me now, that the Lord was supposed to be “my first love” all along. It is written in Revelation 2:4, “You have forsaken the love you had at first.” God filled the void I felt inside with His love, and I can say Jesus truly has become my first love!

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You may contact Mona Beatrix by email: sharonmona11@gmail.com

All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.

 

 

 

 

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Written by Mike Shreve