REBECCA LAMB WEISS: ALL RIGHT, GUYS,
WELCOME BACK TO THE PODCAST.
YOU'RE GONNA WANT TO STAY TUNED BECAUSE WE HAVE
SOMEONE WITH AN INCREDIBLE TESTIMONY.
AND HE'S DOING AN AMAZING WORK IN THE KINGDOM.
THE STUFF THAT HE'S DOING IS KIND OF MY FAVORITE
THING TO TALK ABOUT.
SO LET'S NOT WASTE ANY MORE TIME.
BUT IF YOU LIKE THIS CHANNEL, LIKE THIS
EPISODE, PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, COMMENT, LIKE, SHARE ALL
THOSE THINGS BECAUSE IT HELPS GET THE MESSAGE OUT
FURTHER.
BUT WE ARE JOINED WITH PASTOR MARIO ESPARZA.
DID I SAY YOUR LAST NAME CORRECTLY?
PASTOR MARIO ESPARZE: YOU DID.
YES.
REBECCA: FROM KINGDOM COME CHURCH IN DALLAS.
MARIO: YES.
KINGDOM COME.
REBECCA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
MARIO: YEAH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I'M EXCITED.
IT'S AN HONOR.
THANK YOU.
REBECCA: WELL, YOU'RE DOING JUST SUCH INCREDIBLE WORK
THROUGH YOUR CHURCH.
AND I'VE SEEN YOUR VIDEOS WHERE YOU'RE MINISTERING
TO PEOPLE.
I WANT TO GET INTO YOUR TESTIMONY FIRST, BUT I
JUST HAVE TO ASK YOU, HOW DO YOU MINISTER TO PEOPLE
LIKE THAT OUT IN PUBLIC?
AND HOW DO YOU NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET
INTIMIDATED?
BECAUSE NOT A LOT OF CHRISTIANS DO THAT.
MARIO: SURE.
REBECCA: BUT I THINK MORE SHOULD BE DOING IT.
MARIO: OF COURSE.
YEAH.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD ALWAYS
SAY, HEY, CAN YOU PRAY THAT I WOULD GET BOLDNESS
TO PREACH THE GOSPEL?
AND I SAID, MAN, WHAT?
WE DON'T NEED TO PRAY FOR BOLDNESS.
WE NEED TO PRAY FOR ENCOUNTER.
SEE?
BECAUSE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU ENCOUNTER JESUS AND YOU,
YOU, YOU HAVE REVELATION, YOU WERE DEAD.
YOU'RE ALIVE.
YOU CAN'T HELP BUT OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THOSE MEN THAT WERE BLIND.
SON OF DAVID, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME.
THEY JESUS HEALED THEM AND HE SAYS, HEY, DON'T TELL
NOBODY.
DON'T TELL NOBODY.
BUT WHEN YOU'VE ENCOUNTERED GOD AND YOU
ENCOUNTERED JESUS IN THE WAY I ENCOUNTERED JESUS,
WE I MEAN, THERE'S NOT EVEN JESUS CAN TELL YOU TO
BE QUIET ABOUT HIM.
YOU GOT TO TELL EVERYBODY.
THEY WENT AND TOLD EVERYBODY.
THE WHOLE REGION FOUND OUT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T HELP
BUT SHARE WHAT GOD HAD DONE IN THEIR LIFE.
THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE BLIND.
NOW THEY SEE.
SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS I KNEW HOW
DEAD I WAS.
AND SO IT'S JUST LIKE, MAN, I, I CAN'T WAIT TO
SHARE THIS WITH PEOPLE.
REBECCA: I LOVE THAT.
SO LET'S GET INTO THAT TESTIMONY.
SO TELL US ABOUT GROWING UP, YOU KNOW, HOME THAT
YOU WERE IN, YOU KNOW, WERE YOU AROUND JESUS OR
CHURCH OR THE GOSPEL?
DID YOU EVER HEAR IT GROWING UP?
LET'S START THERE.
MARIO: GROWING UP, I GREW UP IN A BROKEN HOME.
YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS SPLIT UP AT A VERY YOUNG AGE.
THEY WERE YOUNG.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE LORD DIDN'T.
WE DIDN'T GROW UP RELIGIOUS AT ALL.
SO I ENDED UP GROWING UP WITH MY GRANDPARENTS.
AND THE ONLY THING I KNEW ABOUT JESUS WAS OUR
FATHER PRAYER.
YOU KNOW, THE, YOU KNOW, THE CATHOLICISM, HISPANIC.
YOU KNOW, MY GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT ME HOW TO PRAY ON
MY KNEES.
OUR FATHER PRAYED.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT JESUS OTHER THAN,
YOU KNOW, I LOVED WATCHING THOSE HISPANIC MOVIES ON
EASTER.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE THE 1972 FILM OF JESUS, WHICH
I USED TO ALWAYS I NEVER UNDERSTOOD.
I SAID, WHY DIDN'T HE RUN?
WHY DIDN'T HE RUN?
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE DIED.
LIKE, WHY DIDN'T HIS FRIENDS BACK HIM UP?
YEAH, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT HE ACTUALLY CAME FOR
THAT.
SO I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE GOSPEL OR
JESUS.
I DIDN'T GROW UP RELIGIOUS, DIDN'T GO TO
CHURCH.
I DON'T THINK MY GRANDFATHER, MY
GRANDMOTHER, NOT ONE TIME
DID THEY EVER TAKE ME TO MASS.
I THINK I WENT BECAUSE A FRIEND TOOK ME, OR MAYBE,
OKAY, SOMEBODY TOOK ME.
I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW I GOT THERE, BUT THEY
DIDN'T TAKE ME.
SO I GREW UP WITH MY GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: WAS IT JUST YOU OR WAS DID YOU HAVE ANY...?
MARIO: MY SISTER AMANDA.
YEAH, SHE'S ACTUALLY MY OLDER SISTER, ONE YEAR,
ONE YEAR OLDER.
AND SO WE WERE REALLY CLOSE.
YOU KNOW, WE GREW UP, YOU KNOW, MY PARENTS SPLIT UP
AT A VERY WE WERE YOUNG.
I THINK WE WERE LIKE, FOUR YEARS OLD.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
SO THAT HAD BEEN SO HARD.
MARIO: YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A TIME
WHERE WE ACTUALLY WE WERE LIVING WITH MY MOM AND WE
HAD TO GO TO MEXICO, COME BACK.
I WAS GOING TO LIVE IN MEXICO.
REBECCA: WHAT?
MARIO: YES.
YEAH, IT WAS, IT WAS A IT WAS A WHOLE THING.
YEAH.
IT WAS.
SO I WAS GOING TO LIVE IN MEXICO BECAUSE MY MOTHER,
YOU KNOW, HER AND MY FATHER WERE FIGHTING AND
SHE DECIDED TO TAKE US ONE DAY AND WE TOOK OFF TO
MEXICO.
MY MY FATHER WENT LOOKING FOR US.
HE COULDN'T FIND US.
REBECCA: OH MY GOSH.
HOW OLD WERE YOU AT THAT AGE?
MARIO: I WAS I THINK I WAS THREE TURNING FOUR.
REBECCA: OH MY GOODNESS.
MARIO: I DO REMEMBER THE TAXI RIDES AND THE SMELL AND
HAVING, YOU KNOW, LIKE TAKE OFF AND THINGS LIKE
THAT, BUT FROM FROM MEXICO.
MY MOM, MY MOTHER DECIDED TO COME BACK TO THE UNITED
STATES.
SHE BROUGHT ME AND MY SISTER BACK.
WE WERE THERE FOR MONTHS.
WE WERE.
SHE WAS PLANNING ON STAYING THERE.
WE WERE GOING TO LIVE THERE.
I WAS GOING TO BE THERE.
BUT SHE CAME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES.
SHE WAS WORKING TWO JOBS.
WE WE ENDED UP STAYING AT SOMEBODY'S BASEMENT.
WE WERE STAYING IN SOMEBODY'S BASEMENT.
REBECCA: WHAT?
MARIO: NO COUCH.
NO NOTHING, NO TV, JUST A DARK BASEMENT.
AND ME AND MY SISTER WOULD HAVE TO BE THERE WITH MY
GRANDMOTHER, WHICH WAS MY MOM'S MOM FOR HOURS.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
NO TV.
YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T.
WE JUST.
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.
MY MOM HAD TO WORK TWO JOBS.
SHE HAD TO RIDE THE BUS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST.
YEAH, IT WAS JUST THE WHOLE THING.
IT'S LIKE.
REBECCA: THAT'S CRAZY.
MARIO: YEAH.
YOU KNOW, SHE WENT THROUGH A LOT.
MY MOM WENT THROUGH A LOT, AND BUT SHE, SHE, ME AND
MY SISTER KEPT CRYING LIKE, WE CAN'T LIVE THIS
WAY.
WE WANT TO GO WITH OUR GRANDPARENTS.
WE WANT TO GO WITH OUR DAD.
WE LOVED OUR DAD.
OUR DAD'S ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT FATHER.
AND SO I WAS A DADDY'S BOY.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE HIM, YOU KNOW?
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS JUST YOUNG.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW JESUS.
AND ONE THING I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE IS LIKE, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE WHEN WHEN WE SHARE TESTIMONIES,
SOMETIMES WE DON'T REALIZE, BUT WE WE
DISHONOR OUR PARENTS A LOT.
AND AND THE THING IS, IS, LIKE YOUR PARENTS,
THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY, MY FATHER WOULD HAVE BEEN
A FATHER IF HE KNEW THE FATHER.
YOU KNOW, IF MY MOTHER THE SAME THING.
BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW GOD'S LOVE, SO THEY COULDN'T
REALLY LOVE US THE WAY THEY WANTED TO.
RIGHT.
AND SO JUST TOTAL FORGIVENESS, TOTAL HEALING
WITH THAT.
ANYWAYS, MY WE, MY MOM, SHE REALIZED THAT THAT WAS
NOT A PLACE FOR CHILDREN TO BE.
SHE REALIZED THAT SHE COULDN'T WORK TWO JOBS AND
HAVE ME AND MY SISTER JUST THERE IN THIS BASEMENT AND
GOING BACK AND FORTH.
REBECCA: OH, MY GOSH.
HOW MANY YEARS WAS THAT?
MARIO: WE DIDN'T STAY THERE THAT LONG.
WE STAYED THERE MAYBE HALF A YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT.
BUT IT WAS JUST IT WAS HORRIBLE.
YOU KNOW, MY MOM FINALLY WORKED UP ENOUGH, YOU
KNOW, SAVED UP ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY US A TV.
SO THEN WE HAD A TV, AND SHE BUYS LITTLE SNACKS
AND, YOU KNOW, BUT IT WAS JUST I MEAN, WE WERE JUST
THERE FIGHTING ALL DAY, YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE
NOTHING TO DO.
IT WAS PRETTY CRAZY.
WE WERE YOUNG, BUT, YOU KNOW, MY GRANDPARENTS TOOK
US IN.
THEY SAID, PLEASE LET US HAVE OUR KIDS, PLEASE.
THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN THE MOST AMAZING GRANDPARENTS.
AND MY GRANDPA, MY MY GRANDMA HECTOR AND EMMA,
THEY TOOK US IN AS THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, AS OUR
PARENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE GREW UP WITH THEM.
AND MY MOM, SHE ENDED UP GETTING WITH SOMEBODY.
MY DAD GOT WITH SOMEBODY.
AND SO WE WOULD VISIT THEM, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
MARIO: EVERY OTHER WEEKEND WE'D VISIT THEM AND BUT,
YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SO YOUNG.
THEY WERE MY MOM WAS SO SHE WAS YOUNG, SHE WAS
DRINKING.
SHE WAS PARTYING WHEN WE WOULD GO, MY DAD, SAME
THING WITH MY DAD.
AND SO THERE WAS THAT REJECTION.
THERE WAS THAT MAN.
THERE WAS THAT THERE WAS NO STABILITY.
WE HATED GOING BECAUSE WE WERE.
WE JUST DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE NO MORE, YOU
KNOW, LIKE BUT SO WE STAYED.
WE STAYED WITH MY GRANDPARENTS AND AND SO WE
GREW UP WITH HIM.
I ENDED UP HAVING A BABY AT THE AGE OF 17.
AND, YOU KNOW, WITH HER NAME IS NICOLE.
HER MOM GOT PREGNANT AT 16, AT HER AT 17.
BUT I WAS I WOULD SAY I WAS DOING REALLY GOOD.
I, YOU KNOW, OUT OF ALL MY FRIENDS, I HAD A CAR, I
WAS WORKING TWO JOBS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS LYING ABOUT HAVING A BARBER'S
LICENSE JUST SO I CAN CUT HAIR AND WORK AT KROGER.
AND THEN I WAS JUST WORKING TWO JOBS.
I WANTED TO BE A GOOD FATHER.
I WANTED, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO PROTECT HER,
TAKE CARE OF HER, PROVIDE.
AND I WAS DOING THAT.
I WAS BUYING PAMPERS, DOING ALL THAT.
REBECCA: DO YOU FEEL.
LIKE BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH AS A
CHILD, YOU WANTED TO GIVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR
YOUR DAUGHTER?
MARIO: 100%.
YEAH.
SO BECAUSE I SEEN THAT AND AND YEAH, THAT'S ACTUALLY
REALLY GOOD THAT YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE SPLIT
UP, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT I REALLY WANTED TO BE
WITH HER MOM, BUT I GOT REALLY DEPRESSED AND, YOU
KNOW, SUICIDAL, HATED ME BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I
FAILED MY DAUGHTER.
NOW SHE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE THINGS THAT
I'VE GONE THROUGH.
REBECCA: BECAUSE YOU GREW UP HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE
DIVORCE.
MARIO: GOING, HERE, THERE.
HERE, THERE.
REBECCA: YOU DIDN'T WANT THAT FOR YOUR DAUGHTER.
MARIO: I DIDN'T WANT THAT FOR MY DAUGHTER.
AND SO I NEVER DRANK, I NEVER SMOKED, I NEVER DID
DRUGS.
REBECCA: WOW.
MARIO: I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER DO THAT BECAUSE OF
THE WAY MY GRANDFATHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER RAISED ME.
THEY RAISED ME GOOD.
AND, AND AND I JUST SAID, MAN, I WOULD NEVER TOUCH
DRUGS.
AND THEN WHEN I WOULD DRINK ALCOHOL, I SAID, I
DON'T LIKE IT, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN ME AND THAT
THAT MY, MY BABY'S MOTHER SPLIT UP.
I GOT REALLY DEPRESSED.
NOT AGAIN.
NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE I REALLY WANTED TO BE WITH
HER, BUT BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I FAILED MY DAUGHTER
AND I WAS.
REBECCA: LIKE THE FAILED DREAM OF FAMILY.
MARIO: YES, I WAS A DEADBEAT.
THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
I'M A DEADBEAT NOW.
I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HAPPENING TO MY DAUGHTER.
SHE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING I WENT THROUGH.
AND SO I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH MY BUDDIES AT THE
AGE OF 17, AND WE STARTED DRINKING.
I HAD TO FORCE MYSELF TO DRINK, BUT THEN IT IT WENT
FROM ALCOHOL TO SMOKING WEED.
AND I SAID I WOULD NEVER TOUCH COCAINE.
THE ALCOHOL BECAME MY GOD.
IT BROUGHT PEACE.
WEED BECAME MY GOD, IT BROUGHT PEACE.
BUT THEN IT WAS JUST NOT ENOUGH.
SO I ENDED UP TRYING COCAINE.
AND THE MOMENT I TRIED IT, IT BECAME MY GOD BECAUSE I
BECAME NUMB.
I SAID, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING
FOR.
AND AND IT WENT FROM TRYING THE COCAINE TO, YOU
KNOW, I STARTED DOING 20 A 20 OUNCE OF COCAINE, 20
BAG, YOU KNOW, AND I GRADUATED I GRADUATED TO
40 OR 60.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, I WAS AT EIGHT BALLS OF COCAINE
DOING DOING TWO, THREE, EIGHT BALLS ON A WEEKEND.
REBECCA: WAS THAT BECAUSE YOU BUILD UP A TOLERANCE OR
IT'S JUST THE HUNGER FOR IT INCREASES?
MARIO: YEAH, THE HUNGER FOR IT INCREASES A TOLERANCE.
IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.
IT'S NOT.
IT WOULD NEVER BRING ENOUGH PEACE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NEVER GOING.
REBECCA: SO YOU WERE MEDICATING YOUR PAIN.
MARIO: YEAH, EXACTLY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.
AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO COMMUNICATE.
YOU KNOW, ONE THING IN THE HISPANIC CULTURE, THERE'S
THIS FAMOUS PHRASE LOS HOMBRES
NO LLORAN.
YOU KNOW, MEN DON'T CRY.
YEAH, MEN DON'T CRY.
AND SO, LIKE, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT OUR FEELINGS.
AND IF WE DO, LIKE, I REMEMBER ONE TIME TRYING
TO TALK TO MY GRANDPA ABOUT MY FEELINGS, I WAS
LIKE, GRANDPA, I'M GOING THROUGH.
I'M GOING THROUGH SOME DEPRESSION.
HE'S LIKE, SON, DON'T START WITH THAT, MAN.
DON'T START, YOU KNOW?
BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY WE GREW UP.
HE JUST DIDN'T BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO
COMMUNICATE THAT
THAT BOTHERED HIM.
THAT HIS SON, HIS SON, HE LOVES HIS SON AND HE
DOESN'T LIKE TO SEE HIS SON DEPRESSED.
SO THE BEST THING TO DO IS JUST, HEY, DON'T TALK
ABOUT IT.
YOU KNOW?
I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT.
SO IT WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO
COMMUNICATE OUR FEELINGS.
SO I WENT FROM THAT.
WHEN I STARTED DOING DRUGS, I GOT WITH MY WIFE
TIFFANY AT THE AGE OF 19, TURNING 20, AND WE STARTED
DRINKING TOGETHER, PARTYING.
SHE NEVER DID DRUGS.
SHE JUST DRANK.
AND BUT SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE STARTED GROWING UP, YOU
KNOW, SHE STARTED, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO HAVE A
FAMILY.
SHE DON'T WANT TO DRINK NO MORE.
BUT I KEPT WANTING TO DO IT.
BUT I WAS STILL DOING DRUGS AND SHE DIDN'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, I DID DRUGS FOR ABOUT.
REBECCA: DID SHE EVER KNOW THAT YOU DID DRUGS AT THAT
POINT?
MARIO: AT THAT POINT, I WAS SO SLICK WITH IT.
I MEAN THAT SHE I WAS I WHEN I SAY IS A
FUNCTIONING DRUG ADDICT, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE I STILL WENT TO WORK, I STILL PROVIDED
AND SO I ONLY DID DRUGS ON THE WEEKENDS AT THAT POINT
WHEN I WAS WITH HER.
BUT IT WOULD BE I'M TALKING ABOUT FRIDAY,
SATURDAY, SUNDAY WITHOUT SLEEPING SO I WOULDN'T
SLEEP FOR DAYS.
I WOULDN'T SLEEP, NOT EVEN FOR AN HOUR, I WOULD.
I WOULD DRINK FRIDAY, DO COCAINE.
AND THEN HERE'S THE SUN'S COMING UP.
IT'S SATURDAY.
I'D GO TO THE GROCERY, TO THE GAS STATION, BUY SOME
MORE BEER AND KEEP IT GOING, MAKE BREAKFAST FOR
THE FAMILY, WHATEVER, AND KEEP IT GOING, YOU KNOW,
PARTYING ALL WEEKEND AND.
AND THEN HERE COMES MONDAY.
I'VE SLEPT PROBABLY THREE HOURS, AND I'M AT WORK
WITHOUT SLEEP FOR YEARS.
I DID THAT
FOR YEARS.
REBECCA: YEARS?
WHAT?
MARIO: I DID THAT FOR YEARS.
REBECCA: BUT YOU HAD A REALLY GOOD WORK ETHIC.
MARIO: YES.
REBECCA: AND YOU BUILD A BUSINESS AT THIS TIME TOO,
WHICH IS HONESTLY IMPRESSIVE.
WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FACTOR BEHIND THAT?
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE JUST GO OFF AND THEY'RE PARTIERS,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
BUT YOU HAD THIS LIKE STRONG ETHICAL LIKE WORK
LIKE THIS WORK ETHIC IN YOU.
MARIO: YEAH.
AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'S JUST THE WAY I GREW
UP, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO WORK NO
MATTER WHAT, YOU KNOW.
AND SO, I MEAN, IT WAS MISERABLE ON MONDAYS.
I REMEMBER GOING TO WORK.
REBECCA: I BET.
MARIO: AND JUST LIKE FEELING LIKE, DUDE, THIS IS
HORRIBLE, BUT HERE COMES.
AND I SAID, I'M NEVER GOING TO DO IT AGAIN, BUT
HERE'S FRIDAY.
I'M DOING IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW?
REBECCA: DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE AN ADDICT?
MARIO: I DIDN'T I DIDN'T THINK THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING
WRONG WITH IT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
YOU WERE JUST KIND OF JUST
FUNCTIONING.
MARIO: NORMAL. YEAH.
ALCOHOL, PARTYING, THAT THAT LIFESTYLE IS NORMAL.
THAT'S ALL I'VE SEEN IS ALCOHOL AND PARTYING.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
BUT IN 2016, ME AND MY WIFE ACTUALLY GOT BAPTIZED
TOGETHER.
REBECCA: WAIT, SO HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
MARIO: SO MY AUNT SANDRA, OKAY, SHE.
YOU KNOW, I WAS MY AUNT SANDRA GOT SAVED.
SHE GOT SHE GOT RADICALLY SAVED.
HER FAMILY GOT RADICALLY SAVED.
REBECCA: IS SHE YOUR MOM'S OR YOUR DAD'S?
MARIO: MY DAD'S SISTER.
REBECCA: OKAY.
AND YOUR GRANDPARENTS THAT YOU LIVED WITH, WERE THEY...?
MARIO: MY DAD'S
PARENTS.
YES.
AND SO MY AUNT SANDRA GOT SAVED, AND THE LORD SAID,
HEY, YOU NEED TO OPEN UP YOUR HOME TO YOUR FAMILY.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT UNSAVED FAMILY MEMBERS.
BRING THEM IN, HAVE BIBLE STUDIES, AND HAVE GIL AND
SUSANNA, WHICH IS PASTOR GIL.
HE'S ACTUALLY HERE RIGHT NOW.
PASTOR GIL.
OH, AND SO AND SO.
HE'S BEEN IN MY LIFE THIS WHOLE TIME.
AND HE, YOU KNOW, THEY BROUGHT HIM IN.
HE WAS PREACHING THE GOSPEL, SHARING THE WORD,
YOU KNOW, HELPING DISCIPLE US.
REBECCA: YEAH.
WAIT, SO YOU WERE SAVED AT THIS POINT?
MARIO: NO.
REBECCA: OKAY.
OKAY.
MARIO: SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO THESE, I GUESS YOU COULD
SAY BIBLE STUDIES.
REBECCA: SO SHE BROUGHT GIL PASTOR GIL IN AND HE
STARTED BASICALLY KIND OF TEACHING YOU.
MARIO: GIVING A WORD.
YEAH, THEY WERE DOING WORSHIP, HAVE SOME FOOD.
REBECCA: AND THIS WAS AT YOUR GRANDPARENTS HOUSE?
MARIO: NO, AT MY AUNT'S HOUSE.
REBECCA: OKAY.
AT YOUR AUNT'S HOUSE, OKAY.
MARIO: AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAVING THESE
FELLOWSHIPS, AND I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE HERE, BUT I'M HERE BECAUSE
I LOVE MY AUNT SANDRA.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE KEPT GOING.
MY MOM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MY WHAT'S WHAT'S
INTERESTING, MY MOM ALWAYS HAD SUCH AN AMAZING
RELATIONSHIP WITH MY DAD'S PARENTS AND HIS FAMILY.
AND SO MY MOM, MY MY, MY AUNT SANDRA ACTUALLY
INVITED MY MOM AS WELL.
EVEN THOUGH MY DAD'S MARRIED, HE STILL INVITED
MY MOM AND MY MOM OUT OF EVERYBODY WAS THE FIRST
ONE TO GET SAVED.
REBECCA: OH, GO MAMA.
MARIO: YEAH.
SHE GOT SAVED.
AND SHE WENT ALL IN FOR JESUS.
REBECCA: OH, I LOVE IT.
MARIO: YES.
AND SO SHE SAVED ME AND TIFFANY, MY WIFE WERE
STILL GOING TO THESE FELLOWSHIPS.
AND THEN WE DECIDED.
REBECCA: HOW OLD WERE
YOU AT THIS POINT?
MARIO: 2016 WAS ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO, SO I WAS I'M
TURNING I'M 34.
SO I WOULD SAY, WHAT, 22 24, 25.
REBECCA: SO
YOU'RE LIKE MID 20S.
MARIO: YEAH.
MID 20S.
YEAH.
MAYBE 25 I WOULD SAY ABOUT 25.
AND SO WE GET BAPTIZED TOGETHER THE SAME DAY.
AND YOU KNOW I GET FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
I GOD GIVES ME A NEW HEART BECAUSE TWO WEEKS LATER I
GO BACK TO DRUGS.
AND THIS TIME ON MONDAY, I DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS
NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.
BUT THIS TIME I START CRYING ON THE WAY TO WORK.
I'M LIKE, SOMETHING IS WRONG, SOMETHING IS WRONG.
BEFORE I COULD, I NEVER THOUGHT NOTHING WAS WRONG
WITH IT.
AND THIS TIME NOW THE NEW HEART.
REBECCA: THE CONVICTION.
MARIO: THE RIGHTEOUSNESS YOU KNOW.
YOU BEGIN.
YOUR HEART BEGINS TO BEAT FOR THE THING THAT GOD
LOVES AND HATE.
YOU KNOW THE THINGS THAT GOD HATES.
AND I SAID, SOMETHING IS WRONG.
I CAN'T DO THIS NO MORE.
WEED IS WRONG.
COCAINE IS WRONG.
ALL THIS IS WRONG.
AND I'M CRYING LISTENING TO YOU'RE THE GOD OF
MIRACLES.
YOU KNOW, ON THE WAY TO WORK.
I'M NEVER GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN.
NEVER GOING TO DO THIS AGAIN.
FRIDAY.
HERE COMES FRIDAY.
I DO IT AGAIN.
REBECCA: THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT THING TO BE
TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND IF THEY'LL ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BECOME
DEFEATED.
AND ALMOST LIKE WALK AWAY FROM THE FAITH BECAUSE
THEY NEED BECAUSE YOU CAN BE SAVED, BUT YOU STILL
NEED TO BE SANCTIFIED OR DELIVERED OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, HAVING BREAKTHROUGH, BASICALLY,
IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE STILL SAVED.
YOU'RE FEELING THAT CONVICTION, BUT YOU NEED
TO GET DELIVERANCE OR FREEDOM FROM THIS
ADDICTION.
MARIO: OH THAT'S TRUE.
THAT'S SPOT ON.
YOU KNOW, IT'S YOU KNOW, THAT THE LORD SPOKE
TO ME A FEW A FEW WEEKS AGO, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS
ASKING HIM.
I SAID, LORD, WHEN WAS I SAVED?
I SAID, WHEN WAS I SAVED?
AND HE HE TOOK ME BACK TO THE DAY I GOT BAPTIZED.
SON, YOU WERE SAVED THAT DAY.
BUT YOU YOU WEREN'T SAVED
SAVED.
AND I SAID, SAVED, SAVED.
YOU KNOW.
THIS IS WHAT,
I'M DIALOGING.
AND HE SAYS, YOU WEREN'T SAVED,
SAVED.
AND I SAID, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
HE SAID, YOU WERE STILL IN EGYPT.
YES.
I'VE TRANSLATED YOU FROM THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS,
AND I'VE BROUGHT YOU INTO THE KINGDOM OF MY SON.
YOU WERE SAVED, BUT YOUR HEART WAS STILL IN EGYPT.
YOU WERE STILL BOUND THROUGH WRONG BELIEF.
I SEEN MYSELF A DEADBEAT FATHER, SEE MYSELF AS A
DRUG ADDICT.
I'M NEVER GOING TO CHANGE.
THIS IS TOO HARD.
SO I KEPT LIVING THERE.
I SEE MYSELF LOW, SO I KEPT GOING LOWER.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
YOUR IDENTITY.
MARIO: IDENTITY.
YES.
AND SO.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE.
THAT'S WHAT HE SHARED WITH ME.
AND I SAID WOW.
AND SO HE, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE THE CHRISTIAN, THE
WILDERNESS CHRISTIAN THE WILDERNESS CHRISTIAN.
YOU KNOW, GOD HAS DELIVERED HIS PEOPLE.
BUT WHY DID THAT GENERATION...
REBECCA: NOT GO INTO THE
PROMISED LAND.
MARIO: NOT POSSESS THE LAND.
WHY?
IT WAS THROUGH WRONG BELIEF, DOUBT, WRONG
BELIEF.
AND IF WE WOULD, WE WOULD BELIEVE THE RIGHT THINGS,
THE WORD OF GOD, THE TRUTH.
WE'D BE SET FREE.
WE COULD ENTER HIS PROMISES THAT NEVER FAIL,
AND WE COULD ENTER AND ACTUALLY POSSESS THOSE
PROMISES, THE INHERITANCE OF GOD.
AND SO I HAD THIS WRONG MINDSET.
I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, GOD IS ANGRY AT ME, AND WHAT
WOULD HAPPEN IS BECAUSE I MESSED UP.
I SAID, I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO LISTEN TO WORSHIP
MUSIC.
THE LORD IS GOD IS ANGRY AT ME.
HE'S GOT HIS ARMS CROSSED LIKE THIS.
HE'S SHAKING HIS HEAD.
HE SAYS, HERE YOU GO AGAIN, YOU KNUCKLEHEAD.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO CHANGE.
I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME ONCE.
YOU TOLD ME YOU WERE NEVER GOING TO DO IT.
BUT HERE YOU ARE DOING IT AGAIN.
BECAUSE THAT'S ALL MOST OF US HEARD THE MOMENT WE
WOULD MESS UP.
YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU ONCE, YOU KNOW, WHY
WOULD YOU DO THIS?
YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: YEAH.
YOU PUT YOUR EXPERIENCES ON THE FATHER.
MARIO: THE FATHER.
REBECCA: AND NOT REALIZING.
AND YOU HAVE TO WORK THROUGH ALL THAT PAIN AND
GET HEALING AND THEN GET A MORE ACCURATE VIEW OF HIM
THAN YOU REALIZE.
NO, HE LOVES ME
NO MATTER WHAT.
MARIO: YES.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT VIEW OF GOD, THAT'S
GOING TO AFFECT YOUR RELATIONSHIP SO MUCH,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO APPROACH HIM.
REBECCA: BECAUSE YOU
DON'T EVEN FEEL LIKE YOU COULD GO TO HIM.
MARIO: NO.
I FELT LIKE I COULDN'T GO TO CHURCH.
I FELT LIKE...
REBECCA: OH, NO.
THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO
HELP.
MARIO: THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
I FEEL LIKE I COULDN'T GO TO CHURCH.
THAT.
HOW DARE ME EVEN TURN ON WORSHIP?
THAT'S A HYPOCRITE.
REBECCA: THAT'S WHAT THE DEVIL WANTED YOU TO THINK.
HE WANTED TO PUT DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND GOD.
AND USE THAT SHAMED TO DO IT.
MARIO: YES.
AND THEN I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS WEEK I REMEMBER, LIKE CRYING ON THE TUESDAY,
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING AFTER GOD WITH ALL MY
HEART.
I STARTED FASTING, STARTED PRAYING IN
TONGUES.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
MARIO: I STARTED I REMEMBER BEING IN MY CLOSET,
FASTING, PRAYING, SEEKING GOD.
REALLY LIKE GENUINELY SEEKING HIM WITH ALL MY
HEART.
I WAS DOING SO GOOD.
AND THEN I MESSED UP.
I SAID A CURSE WORD AND SOME, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
WOULD SAY, WELL, I THOUGHT YOU WERE A CHRISTIAN.
AND I REMEMBER THOSE TYPE OF WHEN PEOPLE WOULD SAY
SOMETHING LIKE THAT FAMILY MEMBERS OR, WELL, YOU'RE A
CHRISTIAN, YOU JUST SAID A CURSE WORD.
I FEEL LIKE THE BIGGEST HYPOCRITE.
AND SO I GIVE UP.
THIS IS TOO HARD.
THIS IS SO HARD.
I, I TOLD GOD I WOULD NEVER DO IT.
AND HERE I AM DOING IT AGAIN.
REBECCA: WHAT WAS YOUR WIFE LIKE?
DID YOU SEE A TRANSFORMATION WITH HER
AFTER SHE GOT SAVED?
DID SHE STRUGGLE WITH THIS KIND OF LIKE IDENTITY
STUFF TOO, OR DID SHE KIND OF MORE EASE INTO IT?
MARIO: I WOULD SAY SHE EASED MORE INTO IT.
SHE KIND OF WHEN SHE BECAUSE SHE NEVER SHE
NEVER STRUGGLED WITH ALCOHOL, NEVER
STRUGGLED WITH
ANY OF THAT.
SO SHE WAS ACTUALLY LIKE GOING TO CHURCH EXCITED.
REBECCA: BUT YOU WOULDN'T GO WITH HER?
MARIO: I WOULD, I WOULD, BUT IT WAS JUST.
REBECCA: IT WAS HARD FOR YOU.
MARIO: IT WAS HARD.
YEAH.
AND YOU KNOW, WE WOULD GO TO A CHURCH THAT WAS A
REALLY BIG CHURCH.
NOTHING WRONG WITH BIG CHURCHES, BUT THERE WAS NO
DISCIPLESHIP.
AND SO
I FELT LIKE
NOBODY KNEW ME THERE.
AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A TIME I WENT THERE WITH
LIKE TWO HOURS OF SLEEP, STILL HIGH ON COCAINE AND
ALCOHOL.
AND I WENT TO THAT CHURCH AND I WAS JUST SITTING
THERE.
I REMEMBER LIKE, DUDE, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF
HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO BECAUSE I WAS JUST HIGH IN
THAT CHURCH AND, AND SO I JUST FELT LIKE NOBODY KNEW
ME.
BUT THAT'S WHY I'M REALLY STRONG ON DISCIPLESHIP.
DISCIPLESHIP IS SO IMPORTANT.
REBECCA: YEAH,
IT IS.
MARIO: IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT.
YOU GOT TO LEARN HOW TO WALK.
YOU KNOW, WITH JESUS, YOU GOT TO YOU GOT TO LEARN
DAILY ENCOUNTER.
IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT.
AND KNOW YOUR IDENTITY MOST AND FOREMOST.
BUT FAST FORWARD TO ALL THIS.
I END UP IN A HOTEL ROOM AND.
AND THIS HOTEL ROOM, I HADN'T SLEPT.
IT'S BEEN THREE, FOUR DAYS ALREADY.
I HADN'T SLEPT AT THIS POINT.
THIS IS TOWARDS THE END OF MY DRUG ADDICTION.
AT THIS.
AT THIS POINT, MY FRIENDS ARE EVEN LIKE, THEY'RE NOT
EVEN ANSWERING MY CALLS NO MORE.
MY DRUG DEALER HAD TO TELL ME, HEY DUDE, THIS IS
ENOUGH.
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO SELL YOU.
I'M GETTING CONCERNED.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: IT WAS SO BAD THAT, LIKE, HE WAS HE WAS
GENUINELY CONCERNED BECAUSE HE SAID, DUDE, YOU
HAVE NOT SLEPT IN DAYS AND I'VE ALREADY SOLD YOU
THREE, EIGHT BALLS AND YOU'RE COMING BACK FOR
SOME MORE.
AND HE'S LIKE, I, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT YOU.
A DRUG DEALER FROM OAK CLIFF TOLD ME THAT, LIKE,
HE WAS ACTUALLY CONCERNED LIKE, DUDE, THIS IS NOT
GOOD.
I WAS IN THAT HOTEL ROOM AND I GOT SO SUICIDAL, I
JUST SAID, TODAY IS THE DAY I GIVE I, I'M TAKING
MY LIFE.
AND SO I REMEMBER GRABBING MY BELT AND ACTUALLY,
LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS, LIKE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW I COULD HANG MYSELF WITH MY BELT.
BUT THEN I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'LL TURN ON THE BATHTUB.
AND I WENT TO GO TURN ON THE BATHTUB.
AND I KID YOU NOT, THE MOMENT I TURNED THAT WATER
ON, I FELT A PRESENCE IN THE ROOM, IN THE HOTEL
ROOM.
AND IT WAS SO SCARY BECAUSE SOMEBODY IN HERE,
SOMEBODY IS WATCHING ME.
AND THEN I JUST STARTED THINKING.
SOMEBODY'S GOING TO WALK IN ON ME.
AND WHEN I THOUGHT THAT, I WENT TO GO LOOK THROUGH
THE LITTLE PEOPLE IN THE DOOR, AND THERE WAS A GUY
STANDING RIGHT OUTSIDE MY DOOR.
THEN I LOOKED DOWN.
THE DOORKNOB STARTS TWISTING.
HE OPENS THE DOOR AND I AND I STOP IT WITH MY FOOT
AND I'M LIKE, DUDE, WHAT?
YOU KNOW, IT PROBABLY CURSE HIM OUT.
I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
AND HE SAID, SOMEBODY CALLED ME ABOUT A BROKEN
DOOR.
AND I SAID, DUDE, YOU'RE LYING.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALL DAY.
NO, I'VE NOT CALLED ANYBODY.
I'M JUST HERE TO FIX IT.
AND I SAID, NO, AND I JUST SLAMMED THE DOOR AND I
LOCKED IT, BUT THAT REALLY TOOK ME BACK.
I SAID, I KNEW THAT I KNEW SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO COME
IN.
I JUST KNEW IT.
I ENDED UP NOT GOING THROUGH THAT.
RIGHT.
BUT THAT NIGHT, I REMEMBER AT THIS POINT MY BODY
STARTED JUST REJECTING THE ALCOHOL, REJECTING THE
COCAINE, BECAUSE THE ALCOHOL, I HAD TO HOLD MY
NOSE AND POUR LIQUOR DOWN MY --
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: I HAD TO HOLD IT DOWN BECAUSE I HADN'T ATE.
AND WITH COCAINE YOU DON'T EAT RIGHT.
AND I HADN'T, I HADN'T EATEN ANYTHING.
AND IN A FEW DAYS.
AND SO YOU HAVE NOTHING BUT STOMACH ACID AT THIS
POINT.
AND I STARTED GAGGING AND I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT
TO BE HONEST, JUST LIKE STOMACH ACID COMING OUT OF
MY MOUTH, I HAD TO HOLD MY NOSE JUST TO POUR ALCOHOL
IN MY MOUTH.
AND AT THIS POINT, I STARTED DOING DRUGS AND MY
NOSE WOULD NEVER BLEED, YOU KNOW, NOT DOING DRUGS,
BUT I STARTED SNORTING MORE COCAINE.
MY NOSE STARTS BLEEDING PROFUSELY.
IT WOULDN'T STOP BLEEDING.
AND SO, I MEAN, I YOU WANT ME TO BE GRAPHIC?
REBECCA: OH, YEAH.
IF YOU NEED, YES.
MARIO: OKAY, SO AND SO, LIKE I'M SITTING THERE WITH
BLOODY NOSE AND STILL DOING COCAINE AND, LIKE,
STILL TRYING TO PUT THAT COCAINE IN MY MOUTH.
I MEAN, IN MY, IN MY NOSE.
AND, AND SO I REMEMBER TAKING A BIG LINE OF
COCAINE AT THE END OF THE NIGHT.
AND WHEN I SAT BACK ON THE BED, I FELT AS IF MY SOUL
WAS LEAVING MY BODY.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: I STARTED FEELING MY I STARTED HEARING MY
HEARTBEAT IN MY EAR LIKE.
AND MY.
IT WAS SO LOUD AND I FELT AS IF THE VEIL WAS SO
THIN.
LIKE I LIKE.
THE ONLY WAY I COULD DESCRIBE IT IS IS ETERNITY
IS LIKE TAKING A SOCK OFF.
IT'S THAT QUICK.
IT'S A VEIL IS SO THIN.
REBECCA: OH, MY GOSH.
MARIO: AND ONE THING THAT HELPS ME WHEN I PREACH THE
GOSPEL, I TELL PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE YOUNG.
I SAY ETERNITY IS NOT IN FRONT OF YOU.
ETERNITY IS RIGHT NEXT TO YOU.
YOU CAN STEP INTO THAT ANY DAY.
PEOPLE THINK, BECAUSE I'M YOUNG, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE
DAY WHEN I.
WHEN I GET OLDER, I'LL GET RIGHT WITH GOD.
MAYBE ONE DAY I'LL GET RIGHT BECAUSE I STILL HAVE
A LONG LIFE AHEAD OF ME.
NO, THE VEIL IS SO THIN YOU CAN ENTER IN.
I MEAN, SO MANY PEOPLE DIE DAILY, RIGHT?
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GO.
MARIO: EXACTLY.
AND SO YOU COULD STEP INTO THAT ANY DAY.
AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, I JUST STARTED SAYING I
DON'T WANT TO DIE.
I DON'T WANT TO DIE.
I DON'T KNOW, I ENDED UP FALLING ASLEEP.
AND THEN I ENDED UP GOING HOME --
REBECCA: ON COCAINE?
MARIO: YES, I ENDED UP FALLING ASLEEP.
YES.
REBECCA: CRAZY.
MARIO: YES.
LIKE, I MEAN, I BLACKED OUT AFTER THAT.
LIKE, I JUST KIND OF, LIKE, BLACKED OUT AND I
FELL ASLEEP.
I END UP HOME.
I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW I GOT HOME.
REBECCA: YOU ENDED UP AT HOME?
MARIO: SO I FELL ASLEEP.
AND I REMEMBER WAKING UP IN THE HOTEL ROOM.
BUT THEN AGAIN, I WAS STILL PROBABLY STILL OUT
OF IT.
AND THEN I END UP FALLING ASLEEP AGAIN AT THIS, WHEN
I WAKE UP.
THIS TIME I'M IN MY BED.
REBECCA: WHAT?
AND DID YOUR WIFE KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON?
MARIO: OH, YES.
SHE'D BEEN CALLING.
CALLING 20, LIKE.
200 CALLS.
WHERE ARE YOU?
WHY HAVE YOU?
I MEAN, THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING
I PUT MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN, I.
I DIDN'T GET HOME FOR DAYS.
I WOULDN'T ANSWER HER CALL.
I MEAN, I WOULD TAKE OFF, YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS IT
WAS REALLY BAD.
SO I FELT LIKE A DEADBEAT FATHER.
I FELT LIKE A HORRIBLE HUSBAND.
AND AND HONESTLY, I KEPT GOING LOWER BECAUSE I FELT
THAT'S WHO I WAS.
REBECCA: YEAH.
SO YOU JUST KIND OF --
MARIO: I SAID, MIGHT AS WELL
JUST DO IT.
LIKE, MIGHT AS WELL JUST...
REBECCA: YOU FULLY EMBRACE IT AS
LIKE YOUR IDENTITY.
MARIO: YOU LITERALLY EMBRACE THAT LIE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS DOING.
I REMEMBER WAKING UP IN MY HOME TO THE SMELL OF FOOD
MY WIFE IS COOKING IN THE KITCHEN, AND SHE WALKS
INTO THE ROOM AND I JUST LOOK AT HER AND SHE LOOKS
AT ME.
SHE SAYS, HEY WITH A SOFT VOICE, HEY, I'VE SIGNED
YOU UP TO A CHRISTIAN RETREAT.
AND I JUST GOT SO ANGRY.
I SAID, GET OUT OF HERE.
I SAID, PLEASE GET OUT OF THIS ROOM.
I'M NOT GOING TO THIS CHRISTIAN RETREAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO GO HOLD A BUNCH OF HANDS AND START
SINGING SONGS.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SEEN MOVIES AND I SAID, THESE
ARE A BUNCH OF EMOTIONAL DUDES.
I'M NOT GOING TO TELL THEM ANYTHING.
GET OUT.
I'M NOT GOING TO THIS.
BUT I SEEN IT IN HER EYES THAT SHE WAS TIRED OF IT,
YOU KNOW, LIKE SHE WAS JUST LIKE, MAN, LIKE, THIS
IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NO MORE WITH MY HUSBAND.
I KNEW THAT IF I DIDN'T STOP, I WAS EITHER GOING
TO DIE OR I WOULD LOSE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW?
AND I ENDED UP GOING TO THIS CHRISTIAN RETREAT,
AND I'M OUT THERE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY ASK YOU TO FAST AND DO ALL THESE
THINGS, AND THEY ASK YOU TO GO SPEND TIME WITH GOD
FOR SEVEN HOURS.
I SAID, WHAT I DID IS I ACTUALLY GRABBED AND I'M
NOT PROUD, PROUD, PROUD OF THIS, BUT I ACTUALLY
GRABBED MY BIBLE AND I USED IT AS A PILLOW AND
FELL ASLEEP IN THE WOODS.
AND I WAS LIKE, NOT TRYING TO DO NONE OF THAT, NOT
TRYING TO ENCOUNTER.
TOWARDS THE END OF THIS RETREAT, I'M IN THE WOODS
AND AND I'M WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS AND THEY
DO THIS THING WHERE THEY'LL PUT THIS OLD,
THESE OLD RAGS ON YOU, AND THEY'LL TAKE THEM OFF, AND
THEY'LL PUT THESE NEW, CLEAN ROBES ON YOU.
AND SO YOU WALK IN THE WILDERNESS.
AND SO IT'S LIKE THE PRODIGAL SON AND YOU'RE
WALKING, YOU'RE COMING BACK HOME.
AND WHEN I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS, I STILL
REMEMBER IT WAS LIKE OCTOBER.
I REMEMBER THE SUN HIT MY FACE.
AND WHEN IT HIT MY FACE AGAIN, REMEMBER, I DIDN'T
GROW UP SPIRITUAL OR NOTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I GOT CAUGHT UP IN A VISION AND I SEEN MYSELF
FOR THE FIRST TIME
THE WAY GOD SEES ME.
I SEEN JESUS ON MY LEFT.
I JUST SEEN HIM FULL OF LIGHT, AND I, AND I SEEN
HIM.
HE BEGINS TO SHOW ME KINGDOMS, THINGS THAT
BELONG TO ME.
HE BEGINS TO SHOW ME WHO I AM IN HIM.
HE SHOWED ME A TABLE THAT WAS PREPARED FOR ME AND
MY.
I'M JUST.
WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING AT THIS MOMENT IS A CUP OF
HONEY.
AND THAT'S ONLY A WARM HONEY IN THE INNERMOST
PART OF MY SOUL BEING HEALED OF ALL THE
REJECTION OF ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE GONE
THROUGH.
I'M EXPERIENCING THE PRESENCE OF GOD, HIS LOVE.
AND AT THIS POINT, WHEN I, WHEN I WHEN I'M
EXPERIENCING HIS LOVE, I START TRYING TO TALK
MYSELF OUT OF IT.
I DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHAT I JUST DID?
DON'T YOU REMEMBER ALL THE THINGS I TOLD YOU I WOULD
NEVER DO?
AND I TRY TO TALK MYSELF OUT OF GOD'S LOVE.
AND IT WASN'T.
IT WAS LIKE HE WAS.
IT WASN'T.
HE WAS.
HE WAS LIKE IGNORING ME.
BUT EVERY TIME I DID THAT, HE POURED IN MORE LOVE
INTO ME.
WHO I WAS, WHO I WAS, WHO I WAS, AND I AND I FOUND
OUT LATER, IT'S BECAUSE HE TAKES YOUR SINS AND HE
THROWS THEM IN A SEA OF FORGETFULNESS.
AND HE DOESN'T.
HE DOESN'T REMEMBER THEM ANYMORE.
SO WHEN GOD SEES US, HE REALLY SEES US THROUGH THE
BLOOD OF HIS SON JESUS.
RIGHTEOUS, PURE, HOLY, BLAMELESS IN THE SIGHT OF
GOD.
AND IT'S NOTHING WE COULD EVER DO, BECAUSE
EVERYTHING JESUS HAS DONE AND KNOWING THAT THAT'S
WHAT CHANGED MY LIFE.
IT WAS I HAD A PERSONAL REVELATION OF I, OF
SONSHIP, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S BECOME MY MANDATE NOW
IS TO PREACH IT.
RIGHT.
AND SO WHEN I SEEN THAT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO,
ME COMING TO CHURCH NEVER MADE ME RIGHT WITH YOU, GOD.
ME, ME, ME.
READING MY BIBLE EVERY DAY NEVER MADE ME RIGHT WITH
YOU, GOD.
THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL THINGS WE SHOULD DO.
BUT OUT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, OUT OF YOUR RIGHT
STANDING.
YOU KNOW, ROMANS SAYS THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS HAS ITS
FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS.
KNOWING THAT YOU'RE IN RIGHT STANDING IS SO, SO
IMPORTANT FOR A HOLY LIFE.
BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE HAVE IT BACKWARDS.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE HOLY, TO BE RIGHTEOUS.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO DO.
BUT WHEN I ENCOUNTERED GOD'S LOVE AND THAT IN
THE WOODS, I IT CHANGED MY LIFE FOREVER.
AND I SAID, THIS IS THIS IS HOW YOU SEE ME.
AND I KIND OF GAVE INTO THAT LOVE.
IT'S A LOVE THAT YOU KIND OF JUST SUBMIT YOURSELF TO
AND JUST
SAY, YOU KNOW, I GIVE UP.
IF YOU SEE ME THIS WAY, I'LL SEE MYSELF THIS WAY.
AND YOU KNOW THE REST IS HISTORY.
JUST PREACHING SONSHIP EVERYWHERE I GO NOW.
REBECCA: THAT THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE STORIES TO HEAR
ABOUT PEOPLE'S ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD, BECAUSE HE'S
JUST SO GOOD AND HE LOVES SO MUCH.
AND YOUR SOUL HAD BEEN.
IT WAS LIKE HONEY, BECAUSE YOUR SOUL HAD BEEN
LOOKING FOR THAT KIND OF LOVE AND THAT HEALING.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS THINKING
IS, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT YOU STRUGGLE WITH AND
THAT YOU GET VICTORY THROUGH WITH JESUS BECOMES
THE THING KIND OF BECOMES LIKE THE MISSION OF YOUR
LIFE.
AND YOU ALMOST GAIN AUTHORITY IN THAT AREA
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU WRESTLE.
SO THIS VERY THING THAT YOU TACKLED, LIKE YOU
SAID, YOU WENT PREACHING IDENTITY EVERYWHERE.
MARIO: YES.
REBECCA: SO WHAT SO WHAT STARTED HAPPENING AFTER THAT
ENCOUNTER?
MARIO: OH MAN.
WELL --
REBECCA: OH WAIT, I NEED TO MAKE THIS POINT.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING
TO BE WATCHING THIS AND THEY'RE THINKING, WELL,
WHY DID IT TAKE ALL THESE YEARS AND THIS AND THIS
AND THAT, BUT IT'S LIKE YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE EVER I
THINK GOD WAS ALWAYS READY TO MEET YOU WHERE YOU'RE
AT.
BUT IT TOOK YOU BEING ALONE AND OPEN.
MARIO: WOW.
REBECCA: AND WHEN YOU WERE READY, HE MET YOU.
AND WAS READY JUST TO TAKE YOU ON THIS JOURNEY.
AND SO I JUST THINK SO MANY PEOPLE, YOU CAN GO TO
CHURCH AND YOU CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS, BUT IF
YOU'RE NOT HAVING THAT DAILY ENCOUNTER WITH HIM
PERSONALLY, IF YOU'RE NOT TAKING THAT MOMENT TO BE
WITH HIM, IF WE DON'T OPEN OUR HEARTS UP, HE'S AT THE
DOOR KNOCKING AT OUR HEARTS.
WE DON'T OPEN IT UP.
HE CAN'T.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
COME IN.
AND SO HE WAS JUST WAITING FOR YOU AND TOOK YOU BEING
OUT IN THAT FOREST ALL BY YOURSELF,
YOU KNOW.
MARIO: I LIVE FOR THAT ENCOUNTER, THAT SAME
ENCOUNTER.
AND WE.
AND IT'S SO AWESOME BECAUSE YOU CAN YOU CAN
ENCOUNTER THAT DAILY.
IT'S THE --
REBECCA: I KNOW.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED
TO DO.
MARIO: YEAH.
EXACTLY.
IT'S THE TRUTH.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE THING WE HAVE TO DO IS
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY'LL HAVE ENCOUNTERS
LIKE THAT, BUT THEY DON'T STEWARD
THAT REVELATION, THAT PERSONAL ENCOUNTER,
THAT BEAUTIFUL ENCOUNTER THAT GOD GAVE THEM.
AND THE DEVIL, THE ENEMY COMES AND SNATCHES AT IT
AS IF THEY NEVER HAD IT.
RIGHT. SO IT'S LIKE, YOU GOTTA YOU GOTTA HAVE THOSE DAILY
ENCOUNTERS, REMIND YOURSELF OF GOD'S LOVE,
WALK IN THE REALITY OF GOD'S LOVE, BE AWARE OF
GOD'S LOVE.
AND I SAY THIS AS THIS TRUTH IS A HIGHWAY TO THE
PRESENCE OF GOD.
THE TRUTH.
YOU KNOW THE WORD OF GOD.
WHAT IT SAYS I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED.
I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.
YOU LIKE THAT JUST MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE, WOW, THANK
YOU JESUS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME THAT SOMEBODY SAID,
OH MAN, I JUST HAD THE MOST AMAZING ENCOUNTER
WITH GOD BY MEDITATING ON LIES.
BELIEVING LIES.
YOU YOU CANNOT.
SO YOU NEED TRUTH, RIGHT?
AND TRUTH HELPS YOU WITH THAT.
AND SO SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I WANT TO HAVE AN
ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS.
START BY READING THE WORD AND WHAT GOD HAS SPOKEN,
AND THEN BELIEVE IT, BELIEVE IT AND GUARD IT.
REBECCA: AND REPENTANCE MEANS LIKE WHEN THAT VERSE WHERE
IT SAYS TO CHANGE YOUR THINKING, THE RENEWING OF
YOUR MIND VERSE IN ROMANS THAT'S ALWAYS QUOTED THAT
ACTUALLY IN THE GREEK MEANS TO REPENT, AND IT'S
TO CHANGE YOUR MIND.
IT'S LIKE TO IT'S LIKE YOU'RE GOING THIS WAY AND
YOU GOT TO CHANGE IT AND GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
AND SO ALL THESE LIKE LIES THAT WE BELIEVE, ALL THESE
THINGS THAT ARE NOT TRUE, GOD COMES IN AND HE STARTS
CHANGING OUR THINKING AND WE HAVE TO REPENT AND SAY,
I'M SORRY.
I AGREED AND BELIEVED THIS LIE BECAUSE OF THIS THING
THAT HAPPENED TO ME, I REPENT AND NOW I'M GOING
TO RECEIVE THIS IDENTITY OF WHO I REALLY AM.
AND THAT'S THE PROCESS YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
MARIO: YEAH.
THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW, THE SPIRITUAL REALM WORKS
IS BY THE POWER OF AGREEMENT.
RIGHT.
AND THAT VERSE IS TALKING ABOUT SUCH A POWERFUL
VERSE.
IT'S ROMANS 12:1, I BELIEVE.
RIGHT.
IT SAYS BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR
MIND.
THAT WORD TRANSFORM IS METAMORPHOSIS, WHERE WE
GET MORE METAMORPHOSIS.
RIGHT.
IT'S FROM A CATERPILLAR TO A BUTTERFLY.
IT'S A WHOLE NEW CREATION.
AND IT GOES BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.
THAT WORD RENEWING IS ANAKOINOSIS.
AND YOU KNOW ANAKOINOSIS.
AND IT MEANS TO COME UP HIGHER, TO LEVEL UP, TO
UPGRADE, TO COME UP HIGHER IN THE WAY YOU THINK.
SO YOU'RE CHANGING TO A WHOLE NEW CREATION, BY THE
WAY YOU THINK JUST CHANGING THE WAY YOU
THINK.
SO AGAIN, I SEE MYSELF LOW, I LIVED LOW, I SEE
MYSELF AS A DEADBEAT, A DRUG ADDICT.
THERE'S PEOPLE THAT NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT.
THAT'S NOT YOUR IDENTITY.
YOUR SIN IS NOT YOUR IDENTITY.
AND CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK.
SO THAT WHEN YOU COME UP HIGHER AND START SEEING
YOURSELF THROUGH WHAT?
THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS, IT CHANGES
EVERYTHING THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD.
IT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY LOVE
ABOUT THAT ENCOUNTER IS YOU WERE SEEING INTO THE
SPIRITUAL REALM, AND SO YOU SAW GOD, JESUS, YOU
SAW HOW MUCH HE LOVED YOU AND YOU SAW LIKE ALL THESE
KINGDOMS.
AND SO IT'S LIKE IN THE NATURAL WORLD, YOU SAW
YOURSELF THIS ONE WAY THAT WASN'T TRUE.
AND YOU'RE LIVING IN THIS PHYSICAL WORLD, BUT IN THE
SPIRITUAL REALM, THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE FOR YOU, AND
IT WAS ALREADY THERE.
AND SO HE WAS MAKING HE WAS AWAKENING YOU TO THIS
REALITY OF YOUR INHERITANCE IN HIM AND HIS
LOVE FOR YOU.
MARIO: YES.
AND JUST SEEING YOURSELF CLEAN FOR THE FIRST TIME.
ACTUALLY, THE WAY GOD SEES YOU MAKES YOU NOT WANT TO
GO GET DIRTY.
LIKE I REMEMBER THAT FEELING LIKE I EVEN SEE MY
HAIR.
IT WAS SLICK, A DIFFERENT WAY.
I LOOK.
I LOOK, I HAD A CROWN ON, I MEAN, I WAS A KING.
I SAID, OH MAN, LIKE, THIS IS WHO I AM.
IT MADE ME LIKE, WHY WOULD I WANT TO GO
EAT WITH THE PIGS?
AND I'M NOT CALLING PEOPLE PIGS, BUT I'M SAYING THE
SIN.
LIKE, WHY DO I WANT TO GO ROLL AROUND IN THE MUD?
WHY DO I WANT TO GO DO THAT?
I DON'T AS A KING, YOU'RE NOT TO DO THAT.
SO THAT REVELATION OF YOUR KINGS, YOUR PRIESTS OF
GOD, YOU DON'T.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO GET DIRTY.
YOU'RE LIKE, WHOA, THAT'S THE WAY YOU SEE ME.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL ROBE.
I DON'T WANT TO MESS IT UP.
REBECCA: AND THAT'S WHY THE KEY REALLY IS WHEN WE GET
SAVED IS DISCIPLESHIP AND SPENDING TIME WITH GOD,
GETTING INTO HIS WORD AND CHANGING, LETTING HIM
CHANGE THESE BELIEFS AND BECOMING AWARE, MORE AWARE
OF THE HEAVENLY REALITY THAN OUR NATURAL REALITY
THAT WE'RE IN.
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WE HAVE A SPIRIT THAT IS SAVED AND
WE ARE SEATED WITH CHRIST IN HEAVENLY PLACES.
AND SO ALL OF THIS IS LAID OUT IN SCRIPTURE.
AND SO THIS IS THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO GO
THROUGH.
SO WHAT DID YOU DO AFTER YOU HAD THAT ENCOUNTER?
WHAT DID YOU DO?
BECAUSE IT'S LIKE THIS HUGE EXPERIENCE, BUT IT'S
LIKE, HOW DID YOU STEWARD THAT AFTERWARDS?
MARIO: WELL, JUST DISCIPLESHIP, YOU KNOW,
I'VE BEEN ALWAYS CONNECTED TO PASTOR GILL AND, YOU
KNOW, AND HIS WIFE, MISS SUSANNA, AND NOT NOT JUST
THAT, BUT JUST GO.
I WAS JUST SO HUNGRY.
I WAS GOING TO THESE MEN'S FELLOWSHIPS AT COVENANT
CHURCH AND JUST, YOU KNOW, THESE MEN'S DISCIPLESHIP,
JUST ANYTHING I COULD DO TO LEARN TO GROW.
AND, YOU KNOW, AT THIS TIME I HAD MY OWN
BUSINESS, AND I'M TRAVELING THE UNITED
STATES AND LISTENING TO THE BIBLE FOR 12, 14 HOURS
A DAY AND JUST FEEDING MYSELF, FEEDING MYSELF
WITH THE WORD OF GOD, HEARING SERMONS FOR HOURS,
JUST WORSHIPING, CRYING, HAVING ENCOUNTERS WITH
GOD.
EVEN AFTER I GOT, YOU KNOW, AFTER THAT
ENCOUNTER, I ACTUALLY GOT DELIVERED IN MY SEMI
TRUCK.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: LIKE IT WAS JUST IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY CRAZY
BECAUSE YOU GOT TO THINK ABOUT THIS 80,000 POUNDS,
YOU KNOW, ON YOUR BACK, YOUR TRUCK.
AND I REMEMBER JUST WORSHIPING GOD.
AND I STARTED CRYING AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD FILLED
THAT SEMI TRUCK.
NOW THIS IS MY SEMI TRUCK.
IT'S GOT A BUNK BED.
IT'S GOT TWO BEDS, IT'S GOT A REFRIGERATOR.
AND I JUST FELT LIKE I GOT TO I GOT TO THROW UP MY MY
EYES STARTED GOING CROSS-EYED AND I HAD TO
PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.
I REMEMBER PULLING OVER IN THE CARS GOING, WHOO,
WHOO!
AND I JUST GOT.
AS SOON AS I PARKED THE TRUCK, I STARTED CRYING
AND SCREAMING AND JUST GETTING DELIVERED,
THROWING UP IN MY TRUCK.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: THE PRESENCE OF GOD SET ME FREE IN MY TRUCK.
YES.
AND THIS IS AFTER I HAD THAT ENCOUNTER WITH
IDENTITY AND ALL THAT.
REBECCA: SO DO YOU THINK THAT WAS PART OF WHAT WAS
MAKING YOU STRUGGLE AS WELL?
MARIO: YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY DEMONIC POWERS
THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHICH
YOU BECOME, THAT WHICH YOU OBEY, YOU BECOME A SLAVE
TO.
IF YOU KEEP OBEYING, YOU KNOW, THE YOU KNOW, THE
DRUGS, THE DRUGS, THE DRUGS, THE ALCOHOL, ALL
THAT STUFF.
YOU BECOME A SLAVE TO IT.
THESE ARE DEMONIC SPIRITS THAT ENTICE YOU, THAT
ENSLAVE YOU.
ANYTHING THAT ENSLAVES, THAT ENTICES, THAT
TORMENTS, THAT COMPELS YOU.
IT'S A DEMONIC SPIRIT.
REBECCA: MAN, THAT'S CRAZY.
YOU WENT THROUGH DELIVERANCE BY YOURSELF ON
A SEMI TRUCK.
MARIO: I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOING
TO GET DELIVERED LIKE THAT, BUT IT WAS
SO, I WAS THERE, PROBABLY SCREAMING, THROWING UP FOR
ABOUT AN HOUR.
REBECCA: THAT'S WHY IT'S LIKE A GOOD THING TO KNOW THAT
EVEN IF, LIKE, GOD'S ALWAYS GOING TO TAKE CARE
OF US AND LIKE EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO HELP
GUIDE YOU THROUGH THAT MOMENT, LIKE YOU HAD THE
HOLY SPIRIT WITH YOU.
MARIO: THE HOLY SPIRIT, YES.
REBECCA: THAT'S SUCH A POWERFUL STORY.
MARIO: YES.
REBECCA: WHAT DID YOU THINK AFTERWARDS?
WERE YOU JUST LIKE, I'M FREE?
DID YOU THINK, THAT WAS INTENSE?
MARIO: I LAID DOWN ON MY BED AND I WAS JUST CRYING AND
I WAS SO GRATEFUL.
I JUST KEPT WORSHIPING GOD AND I JUST FELT SO FREE.
EVERYTHING WAS JUST LIKE, WOW, LORD, WOW, LORD.
SO JUST DELIVERANCE.
YEAH.
REBECCA: THAT'S AWESOME.
AND SO AFTER THAT, WHAT HAPPENED?
MARIO: SO AFTER THAT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS, YOU KNOW,
JUST GETTING POURED INTO, GETTING POURED INTO GOD IS
TEACHING ME.
AND THEN I STARTED DISCIPLING A FEW MEN.
AND AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE YOUNG
MEN, I'M DISCIPLING THEM.
WE'RE GOING TO THE GAS STATIONS AND GROCERY
STORES.
WE'RE SEEING MIRACLES.
THESE AWESOME THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
THEN ONE OF OUR PASTORS, PASTOR ROBERT AT PRAYER
MOUNTAIN IN DALLAS, YOU KNOW, HE'S OUR IS OUR
COVERING OUR PASTOR DOWN THERE.
AND HE SAID, WHY DON'T YOU COME AND START A MINISTRY
HERE?
WHY DON'T YOU START A MINISTRY, A BIBLE STUDY,
SOMETHING?
AND HE ASKED ME A FEW TIMES.
FINALLY I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE'LL DO IT.
WE'LL DO IT MAYBE ONCE A WEEK OR ONCE A MONTH.
HE'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE ONCE EVERY TWO
WEEKS.
REBECCA: WERE YOU GOING TO HIS CHURCH?
MARIO: YES, YES.
SO I WAS ALWAYS CONNECTED TO HIM.
AND SO THIS IS MY AUNT SANDRA'S PASTOR, AND I MET
HIM THROUGH THROUGH HER.
REBECCA: GOTCHA.
MARIO: AND SO AT THAT TIME I WAS GOING TO HIS CHURCH,
AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS CONNECTED TO PASTOR GILL
AS WELL.
AND I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, HE SAID, WHY DON'T YOU
START THIS BIBLE STUDY, THESE MEN'S FELLOWSHIPS.
WE ENDED UP ME AND PASTOR GILL.
WE ENDED UP DOING WE STARTING IT TOGETHER.
RIGHT?
I REMEMBER WE WERE IN THIS HUGE BUILDING CALLED THE
SUMMIT, RIGHT.
AND IT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT, THE FIRST SATURDAY
MORNING, IT WAS ABOUT 4 OR 5 OF US, AND WE WERE
OPENING UP THE SCRIPTURES AND WORSHIPING, AND WE
COULD JUST HEAR THE ECHO BECAUSE NOBODY SHOWED UP,
YOU KNOW, AND IT WAS JUST A FEW OF US, AND WE COULD
JUST HEAR THE ECHO IN THE ROOM.
AND, YOU KNOW, PASTOR ROBERT KIND OF WENT AND
SAID, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
MAYBE LET'S MOVE YOU TO ANOTHER ROOM.
SO HE MOVED US TO A LITTLE ROOM IN THE BACK
SOMEWHERE.
IT WAS CALLED THE PRAISE CHAPEL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
IT'S JUST SMALL BEGINNINGS.
AND IT WENT FROM TWO MEN, FOUR MEN, FIVE MEN TO
ABOUT 30 MEN.
WE'RE GOING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TEACHING THEM EVERY
SATURDAY MORNING.
WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE WORSHIPING, WE'RE
EVANGELIZING.
WE'RE SEEING MIRACLES AT QT'S, PEOPLE, THEIR
CANES, THROWING THEIR CANES, GETTING DELIVERED.
I MEAN, WE'RE JUST SEEING THE POWER OF GOD
EVERYWHERE WE GO.
AND GOD BEGINS TO INCREASE AND INCREASE AND INCREASE.
AND THEN THE LORD SAYS, OPEN IT UP TO WOMEN.
AND WE OPEN IT UP TO THE WOMEN AS WELL.
AND JUST IT STARTED JUST BLOWING UP.
I MEAN, PEOPLE STARTED GETTING DELIVERED,
BRINGING THEIR DRUGS.
NOW WE STARTED EXPERIENCING REVIVALS
WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH RICHARD LORENZO HAVE BEEN
REALLY CONNECTED WITH HIM.
HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A REALLY GOOD.
REBECCA: OH, I KNOW WHO THAT IS.
YEAH.
MARIO: HE'S A REALLY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN CONNECTED.
WE'VE ALWAYS DONE I REMEMBER WE DID OUR FIRST
REVIVAL TOGETHER AT THAT MOUNTAIN.
IT WAS LIKE 15 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP AND WE CAST IT
OUT LIKE ONE DEMON AND WE BAPTIZED LIKE ONE PERSON.
BUT PRAISE GOD.
REBECCA: HEY, THAT'S SO AWESOME.
MARIO: ONE PERSON.
BUT NOW,
AND WE STARTED DOING REVIVALS TOGETHER.
WE'VE BEEN AT THE MOUNTAIN.
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING OUT.
HUNDREDS HAVE BEEN GETTING BAPTIZED, HUNDREDS HAVE
BEEN GETTING DELIVERED.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO COOL.
MARIO: BRINGING DRUGS, BRINGING ALTARS,
WITCHCRAFT, ALL THAT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING EVERY SATURDAY,
EVERY TUESDAY, EVERY SATURDAY.
PEOPLE GETTING SET FREE.
JUST YESTERDAY WE HAD TWO YOUNG MEN, HISPANIC MEN
THAT THAT.
THAT'S WHY THE DIGITAL SPACE IS THE ONLINE
PLATFORM.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THEY SEEN THE VIDEOS AND THEY
CAME WITH THE WHOLE BAG OF DRUGS AND JUST THREW IT AT
THE ALTAR.
I'M DONE, I'M DONE.
WE WANT THE HOLY.
THEY GOT BAPTIZED, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT,
BEGAN TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT.
AND THEN THEY GOT IT WAS JUST POWERFUL.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO AWESOME.
SO WHERE DID YOUR CHURCH, HOW DID KINGDOM
COME?
HOW DID KINGDOM COME OUT OF THIS?
YEAH.
MARIO: SO IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST THIS FELLOWSHIP
AND THIS, THIS MINISTRY, BUT IT BECAME A MINISTRY,
YOU KNOW, ITS OWN, I GUESS YOU COULD ENTITY, I GUESS
YOU COULD SAY.
REBECCA: YEAH, BECAUSE IT GREW.
MARIO: IT GREW SO MUCH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO BRING THE ORDER, THE
DISCIPLESHIP, THE LEADERSHIP.
AND AND SO WE'VE BEEN THERE AT PRAYER MOUNTAIN,
YOU KNOW, WITH PASTOR ROBERT, AND HE HAS HIS
CHURCH, MOUNTAIN CREEK.
AND WE'VE ALWAYS JUST BEEN SO CONNECTED WITH HIM.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO COOL, BECAUSE YOU DON'T USUALLY THAT,
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST GREAT TO FIND PEOPLE THAT HE
SUPPORTED YOU AND GREW YOU AND RELEASED YOU.
YOU KNOW, THAT SPEAKS TO HIM AS A
LEADER.
MARIO: SUCH A FATHER.
SUCH A FATHER.
SUCH A, JUST JUST A FATHER
IN THE FAITH, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME
AND PASTOR GILL, THIS OUR MINISTRY WOULDN'T BE WHERE
IT'S AT IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT COVERING, THAT
PRAYER, THAT SUPPORT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
BECAUSE THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF FIERY YOUNG PEOPLE
OUT THERE THAT WANT TO GO, BUT THERE'S HAVING A
COVERING AND SUBMITTING IS SO IMPORTANT.
BUT THAT'S HARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
MARIO: YES.
REBECCA: CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT?
MARIO: YEAH.
SO JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR MINISTRY WOULD HAVE NEVER
GROWN THE WAY IT DID IF WE DID NOT HAVE THAT SUPPORT.
HIS SUPPORT OF HIS PRAYERS, HIS COUNSEL, HIM
BEING THERE, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST BELIEVING IN US
SPEAKING LIFE.
AND THAT'S EVEN
FOR THE OLDER GENERATION.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SEEING SOMETHING IN SOMEBODY
SAYS, MAN, THIS GUY RIGHT HERE, I BELIEVE IN YOU.
I BELIEVE WHAT GOD IS GOING TO DO IN YOU.
AND HE ALWAYS SAID THAT.
AND SO HE ALWAYS SUPPORTED.
AND SO IT'S IT'S JUST BEEN AMAZING.
REBECCA: THAT'S SO AMAZING.
AND SO YOU DO A LOT OF STREET EVANGELISM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WHEN I WAS TALKING TO MY
PRODUCERS, YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IT'S OKAY.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT.
SANTA MUERTE?
MARIO: SANTA MUERTE.
REBECCA: TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THAT?
MARIO: SO YOU KNOW, THE THE SANTA MEANS SAINT, RIGHT?
SAINT OF DEATH.
RIGHT.
AND SO IT ORIGINALLY --
REBECCA: NOT REALLY SOMEONE I WOULD WANT TO BE
CONNECTED TO.
MARIO: NO, NO, IT'S AND IT'S NOT A SAINT.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DEMON.
IT'S A DEITY THAT IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR, YOU KNOW,
ANCIENT.
IT'S IT'S AN ANCIENT SPIRIT.
AND IT ACTUALLY ORIGINATED IN MEXICO WITH THE AZTECS.
THEY WOULD WORSHIP.
YES, THEY WOULD WORSHIP THIS DEATH GODDESS.
AND SO HE CAME, YOU KNOW, THE SPANIARDS CAME.
SO THEY BROUGHT CATHOLICISM IN.
AND AND SO THEY MIXED IT WITH THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, I WOULD
SAY THIS.
THEY THEY SHUNNED THAT.
THEY DON'T THEY DON'T RECEIVE IT.
REBECCA: ACCEPT IT.
MARIO: NO.
THEY DON'T ACCEPT IT.
BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GROWN SO MUCH, ESPECIALLY
WITH THE CARTEL.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: YES.
LGBT COMMUNITY, ALL THAT.
REBECCA: THE CARTEL?
MARIO: OH, YEAH.
THAT'S THEIR GOD.
REBECCA: IS THAT REALLY?
MARIO: YEAH.
YOU'LL SEE DOCUMENTARIES.
YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE IN MEXICO, THEY'LL HAVE WHOLE
ALTARS.
THEY'LL HAVE WHOLE CHAPELS.
NOW IT'S IT'S PRETTY BIG.
IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING
RELIGIONS IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE.
REBECCA: REALLY.
MARIO: IT'S SPREADING.
REBECCA: WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PULL IS?
MARIO: WHAT DO
YOU MEAN?
REBECCA: LIKE, WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S GROWING SO RAPIDLY?
IS THERE
LIKE,
REAL POWER THERE BECAUSE IT'S DEMONIC?
MARIO: ANYTHING THAT HAS NO, YOU KNOW, ANY RELIGION THAT
HAS NO CONSEQUENCES, NO JUDGMENT.
PEOPLE PEOPLE LOVE IT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE IN
SIN, LIKE SELLING DRUGS AND COCAINE AND ALL THE
OTHER SINS.
YOU KNOW, I CAN WORSHIP THIS DEITY AND THEY'LL
PROTECT ME.
AND THERE'S NO THERE'S NO CONSEQUENCES.
I DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE MY LIFESTYLE.
PEOPLE LOVE THAT.
RIGHT?
AND SO THE CARTEL, THEY WORSHIP THE SPIRIT OF
DEATH.
AND THAT'S IT'S THE SANTA MUERTE.
I'VE BEEN TO THESE TEMPLES WHERE THESE LADIES I'VE
SAT DOWN WITH THE THE ONES THAT THE HIGH PRIESTS THAT
THEY OFFICIATE THESE CEREMONIES.
I WENT TO LAS VEGAS AND I, I MEAN, THEY WERE, YOU
KNOW, THEY WERE BURNING INCENSE.
I MEAN, THIS LADY, SHE DOES NECROMANCY.
SHE DOES ALL THAT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
IT'S IT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT WITCHCRAFT, RIGHT?
MARIO: OH,
IT'S WITCHCRAFT, OF COURSE.
AND ONE THING I TELL YOU KNOW, WHEN I SHARE
WITH HIM, I SAID, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO RAISE AN ALTAR
TO THIS, TO THIS DEITY?
AND I SAID, WHY?
BECAUSE ALTARS ARE CONTACT POINTS.
IT NEEDS CONTACT POINT.
GOD GAVE MAN DOMINION OVER THIS EARTH AND SPIRITS
CAN'T ENTER WITHOUT CONTACT POINT WITHOUT
LEGAL RIGHT, WITHOUT AN ALTAR.
SO YOU RAISE AN ALTAR, YOU GIVE IT OFFERINGS AND IT
COMES AND IT OPERATES IN YOUR LIFE.
AND YES, YOU MIGHT GET MONEY FOR A SEASON.
YES, YOU MIGHT GET OUT OF JAIL.
BUT EVENTUALLY YOU CAN'T.
YOU CAN'T MAKE AGREEMENTS WITH DEMONS AND THINK THEY
WON'T TURN ON YOU.
REBECCA: IT COMES AT A PRICE.
MARIO: OH, OF COURSE.
REBECCA: THAT YOU FEEL AT SOME POINT.
MARIO: I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME EVEN RECENTLY, MAYBE IN
THE PAST TWO MONTHS.
THEY CAME TO OUR CHURCH SERVICE, BROUGHT ALL
THEIR ALTARS AND THEY WERE CRYING.
I MEAN, THE YOUNG MAN AND THE YOUNG LADY THAT CAME
HAD LOST TWO BABIES.
TWO MISCARRIAGES, BUT THEY WERE WORSHIPERS OF THE
SPIRIT OF DEATH.
AND SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
YOU'RE AGREEING WITH THE SPIRIT OF DEATH.
AND THAT'S SO HEAVY IN THE MEXICAN CULTURE NOW.
I MEAN, IT'S IT'S SO I HAVE SO MANY ENCOUNTERS
WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO
PEOPLE THAT WORSHIP THE SANTA MUERTE OR WORSHIPED
HER THEMSELVES.
THEY'RE DEVOTEES, AND THEY'VE BROUGHT THEIR
ALTARS CRYING, GOTTEN FILLED WITH THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
WE'RE BURNING.
WE BURNED PROBABLY AT LEAST FOUR ALTARS IN OUR
CHURCH SERVICES.
PEOPLE ARE JUST BRINGING THEM, PEOPLE BRINGING
THEM, PEOPLE BRINGING THEM.
AND THEY'RE REPENTING.
THEY'RE THEY'RE DENYING.
THEY'RE RENOUNCING THAT SPIRIT OF DEATH.
I'VE JUST HAD SO MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH THAT.
AND SO, YEAH, IT'S THE SPIRIT OF DEATH.
REBECCA: THIS MIGHT BE A COMPLETELY RANDOM
QUESTION, BUT DO YOU FEEL LIKE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
A HEART AND A VISION FOR MEXICO
AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE
THERE COULD BE A GREAT MOVEMENT THERE?
MARIO: OF COURSE.
SO NOT NECESSARILY MEXICO.
YES, MEXICO, I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT'LL COME.
BUT MEXICAN AMERICANS.
MEXICAN AMERICANS, BECAUSE WE'RE SEEING A
REVIVAL WITH THEM HERE IN DALLAS.
I MEAN, JUST LAST NIGHT WE HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE
BRINGING THEIR DRUGS.
YOU KNOW, THE WEEK BEFORE THAT, WE'RE SEEING ALL
THIS.
THEY'RE REPENTING THE GOSPEL AND THEY'RE GETTING
LIT UP ON FIRE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE THESE THESE GUYS ARE GOING OUT
PREACHING THE GOSPEL.
THE MOMENT THEY GET SAVED, THEY'RE LIKE, I WANT TO DO
WHAT YOU DO.
LET'S GO.
AND I'M LIKE, MAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MEXICANS ARE
HARD WORKERS AND, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: SO YEAH, NO, IT'S TRUE.
MARIO: BUT IT'S TRANSITIONED INTO THE KINGDOM.
REBECCA: THEY COULD REALLY CHANGE AMERICA.
MARIO: BECAUSE IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, THE HARVEST IS
PLENTY, THE LABORERS ARE FEW.
SO, YOU KNOW, GOD SAID, YOU KNOW, LABORERS, WE
NEED LABORERS.
SO LET'S, LET'S LET'S FILL SOME MEXICANS WITH THE
HOLY SPIRIT.
REBECCA: YEAH.
AND SEND THEM OUT.
NO, BUT THEY COULD CHANGE OUR NATION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
OUR NATION IS JUST HAS HAD THIS CRAZY DOWNTURN.
AND NOW WE'RE KIND OF SEEING POTENTIAL FOR
REVIVAL.
MARIO: WE'RE SEEING IT.
REBECCA: AND WE NEED THAT.
MARIO: YES.
AND AND SO IT'S JUST POWERFUL WHAT GOD IS
DOING.
YEAH.
IT'S JUST BEEN POWERFUL.
REBECCA: DO YOU THINK LIKE IN THE MEXICAN COMMUNITY
THERE'S JUST BEEN IT'S BEEN MORE CULTURAL
CHRISTIANITY?
AND YOU HAVE AND NOW THEY'RE HAVING LIKE REAL
ENCOUNTERS OR LIKE WHAT DO YOU THINK
IT IS?
MARIO: 100%, YEAH, IT'S JUST BEEN RELIGION.
THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL TALK TO MOST
MEXICAN AMERICANS, MEXICANS, AND YOU SAY,
HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU START SHARING ABOUT JESUS,
OKAY?
I GO TO CHURCH, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'LL SAY, I PRAY TO
THE VIRGIN MARY.
THAT'S WHAT THEY YOU TALK TO THEM ABOUT JESUS FIRST
THING THEY TELL YOU.
MOST PEOPLE, I HAVE MY ROSARY, I PRAY TO THE
VIRGIN MARY.
I MEAN, I JUST HAD AN ENCOUNTER SATURDAY WITH
THAT.
YOU KNOW, YOU PRAY TO JESUS, I PRAY TO THE
VIRGIN MARY.
AND SO THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE GOSPEL THAT
JUST SHOWS YOU.
THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE MEDIATOR
BETWEEN GOD AND MAN, AND IT'S THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, I'M JUST I'M JUST I CAN'T WAIT TO
GET OUT OF HERE TO GO PREACH RIGHT NOW.
LIKE I WANT TO
GO PREACH
SOME MORE, ESPECIALLY THE MEXICAN AMERICANS, BECAUSE
I JUST FEEL LIKE HONESTLY CALLED TO THAT.
REBECCA: BECAUSE
GOD GIVES YOU A HEART AND A BURDEN FOR WHATEVER
YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS.
BUT THOSE PEOPLE WILL GO OUT AND TOUCH THE WHOLE
WORLD.
YOU KNOW, AND SO IT'S LIKE EVERYONE HAS LIKE, WE
ALL HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT AND A CALLING AND IT'S ALL
IMPORTANT AND WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER, YOU
KNOW.
AND SO I JUST THINK, I DON'T KNOW, I FEEL FIRED
UP THIS WHOLE INTERVIEW.
I FEEL IT LIKE I THINK IT'S JUST SO REFRESHING, I
THINK TO, TO BE AROUND THAT KIND OF THAT FRESH
FIRE BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GROW UP IN
CHURCH YOUR WHOLE LIFE AND YOU'VE BEEN IN MINISTRY
FOR SO LONG, IT'S JUST NICE TO BE AROUND THAT
HUNGER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE JUST GET
COMPLACENT.
I THINK PEOPLE GET COMFORTABLE.
IT'S VERY EASY TO BE COMFORTABLE HERE, BUT
THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT NEED TO HEAR
THE GOSPEL.
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION, A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE LOST AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY.
AND I JUST LOVE HEARING WHAT GOD IS DOING.
CAN YOU SHARE A COUPLE MORE TESTIMONIES?
MARIO: YEAH, THE HARVEST IS PLENTY.
THE LABORERS ARE FEW, YOU KNOW.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS LABOR RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, THE HARVEST IS SO RIPE.
I MEAN, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BY THE BY THE THOUSANDS
ARE GOING TO BEGIN TO COME TO CHRIST BY THE
THOUSANDS.
WE'RE SEEING A GREAT AWAKENING, COLLEGE
CAMPUSES EVERYWHERE.
AND THEY'RE JUST SO OPEN, JUST SO OPEN TO HEAR.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW?
AND SO I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST THIS, IT'S EVEN
GREATER NOW.
AND SO BUT YEAH, WE'VE JUST SO MANY TESTIMONIES I
CAN SHARE.
REBECCA: MAYBE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES.
MARIO: SOME OF MY FAVORITES.
WELL, I'VE HAD SO MANY JUST OKAY.
WHAT DO YOU WANT IT TO BE WITH THE SANTA MUERTE OR
JUST.
REBECCA: YEAH, LET'S DO THAT
SINCE WE TALKED
ABOUT THAT.
MARIO: OKAY.
THE SANTA MUERTE.
SO THE FIRST ENCOUNTER I HAD WITH SOMEBODY THAT
WORSHIPED THE SANTA MUERTE, IT WAS A YOUNG,
YOUNG, YOUNG MAN NAMED VAUGHN.
IT WAS IN THE IN THE GYM, THE BASKETBALL COURT.
AND HE HAD A HUGE TATTOO OF THE SANTA MUERTE ON HIS
NECK.
AND I ACTUALLY PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO HIM.
I GOT TO PRAY WITH HIM.
HE RENOUNCED HER, I PRAYED WITH HIM.
AND THAT VIDEO ACTUALLY WENT VIRAL.
IT WENT IT WENT VIRAL.
RIGHT?
AND RIGHT AFTER THAT, IT WAS IT'S LIKE THE LORD
STARTED BRINGING ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WORSHIP.
AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED STUDYING ABOUT THE SANTA.
I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT
BEFORE THAT.
BUT THEN I STARTED LOOKING INTO, WHAT IS THIS?
WHAT IS THIS DEMON?
AND I FOUND OUT THAT IT ORIGINATED IN MEXICO AND,
YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE BOTANICAS, THE WITCHCRAFT
STORES, THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE SELLING THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE ALTARS, THE CANDLES, THERE'S DIFFERENT
CANDLES.
THERE'S A BLACK CANDLE, WHITE CANDLE, RED CANDLE.
AND IT'S ALL FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SAY IT'S NOT BAD.
IT'S NOT BAD.
YOU KNOW, YOU PRAY FOR PROSPERITY.
YOU EITHER PRAY FOR VENGEANCE.
YOU PRAY FOR LOVE.
REBECCA: OH, GOSH.
MARIO: YEAH.
IT JUST GETS DEEP.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A LOT OF CRAZY STUFF.
BUT JUST BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN THE MEXICAN
CULTURE, THERE'S A LOT OF WITCHCRAFT.
A LOT, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, EVEN ME AS A CHILD,
DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER DOING THINGS THAT
NOW I KNOW WAS WITCHCRAFT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THE HICCUPS, THEY'LL
PUT LIKE A RED STRING ON YOUR FOREHEAD AND.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
MARIO: OR THEY'LL RUB EGGS ON YOU.
IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL LIKE SOMEBODY'S GIVING YOU
THE WRONG EYE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW,
WHAT'S IT CALLED?
THE MALEVOLENT, MALEVOLENT STARE.
START RUBBING HARD BOILED EGGS ON YOUR REGULAR EGGS,
YOU KNOW, AND JUST JUST THAT BEEN.
IT'S JUST THERE'S A LOT OF WITCHCRAFT IN THE CULTURE
AND PEOPLE, THEY'RE IGNORANT TO IT.
THEY THINK IT'S NORMAL.
AND SO.
BUT ONCE YOU START PREACHING AND THEIR EYES
START OPENING, THEY'RE LIKE, WHOA, THIS ISN'T
RIGHT.
THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND SO WE'RE SEEING THAT THAT REPENTANCE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT YOUNG MAN IT WENT VIRAL.
AND THEN I REMEMBER RIGHT AFTER THAT GOING INTO
COLD STONE, THE ICE CREAM STORE, WITH MY LITTLE
KID, MY LITTLE GIRLS, I WAS TAKING THEM TO GET ICE
CREAM.
AND THE LADY AT THE REGISTER SAID, HEY, I KNOW
YOU.
I WATCH YOU ON YOU ON INSTAGRAM OR YOUTUBE.
ONE OF THE TWO.
AND SHE SHE GAVE US ICE CREAM FOR FREE, AND SHE
WAS NEXT TO A HINDU LADY.
AND I REMEMBER HER SAYING, COULD YOU PRAY FOR ME?
CAN YOU PRAY FOR US?
I SAID, SURE, SHE CAME AROUND THE CORNER.
I SAID, YOU KNOW, I JUST STARTED PRAYING FOR HER.
I WAS JUST PRAYING FOR HER.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I JUST I HAD A WORD OF
KNOWLEDGE IN THE WAY THE LORD GAVE IT TO ME.
I ACTUALLY SMELLED WITCHCRAFT.
WHEN I GO INTO THE BOTANICAS, THERE'S LIKE WHEN I WENT,
THERE'S A CERTAIN SMELL
TO WITHCRAFT.
THERE'S A CERTAIN INCENSE THEY BURN, CERTAIN
JUST ATMOSPHERE THAT COMES WITH IT.
AND I JUST FELT IT.
I WAS LIKE, WHOA, THERE'S THAT ATMOSPHERE.
I SAID, BY ANY CHANCE, DO YOU, DO YOU OR ANYBODY,
YOU KNOW, WORSHIP THE SANTA MUERTE?
SHE SAID HER MOM DID, AND THAT SHE USED TO THAT HER
MOM GOT THEM INVOLVED AND THAT HER SISTER DID IT,
BUT HER SISTER HAD JUST DIED.
SHE WAS SCREAMING AT THE HOSPITAL SAYING THAT THE
SANTA, THAT THAT SPIRIT OF DEATH WAS ATTACHED TO HER
KIDNEYS TRYING TO KILL HER.
AND SO SHE ENDED UP DYING THAT HER SISTER.
AND BY THIS TIME, THE LITTLE GIRL, THE YOUNG
GIRL WAS CRYING AND AND I SAID, SO YOUR MOM GOT YOU.
HER MOM GOT THEM INVOLVED.
HER MOM.
I THINK SHE RECENTLY RENOUNCED THE SANTA
MUERTE, BUT I ENDED UP PRAYING FOR HER RIGHT
THERE IN THE COLD STONE SHE GETS SHE STARTS
GETTING DELIVERED RIGHT THERE.
AND SO I THINK THAT WAS SUCH A POWERFUL ENCOUNTER.
AND RIGHT AFTER THAT, GOD JUST STARTS SENDING ME
PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE SANTA MUERTE
ENCOUNTERS.
AND I GET TO TRAVEL.
I WENT TO LAS VEGAS FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I GOT
TO GO SIT DOWN THROUGH THEIR WHOLE CHURCH
SERVICE.
IT WAS ALL CHURCH SERVICE GOING ON IN THERE, BUT I
WAITED PATIENTLY.
I SAID, CAN I HAVE A TALK WITH THE LADY AFTERWARDS?
AND SHE SAID, YEAH, JUST SIT DOWN AND WAIT.
SO I HAD TO SIT THERE AND THEY WERE LIKE WALKING
AROUND WITH THESE BELLS AND INCENSE, AND THEY'RE
CHANTING SOME WEIRD THINGS.
REBECCA: DID YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE?
MARIO: NO.
REBECCA: HOW DO YOU, OKAY,
HOW DO YOU NOT FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE?
MARIO: WE GOT THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE ANOINTING.
REBECCA: OKAY.
MARIO: YEAH.
AND SO YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WALKING IN THERE
AND IT'S LIKE, MAN, GOD, YOU YOU'VE BROUGHT THE
SAFEST PLACE TO BE.
IN GOD'S WILL.
IN THE WILL OF GOD.
AND JUST KNOW THAT, OKAY?
THE LORD SENT YOU HERE.
PRAISE GOD HE'S OPENING DOORS.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH THIS
PERSON.
YOU'RE GOOD.
AND SO JUST KNOWING THAT, JUST BEING AWARE OF THAT,
THAT HE'S WITH ME.
REBECCA: THAT'S A POWERFUL WORD TOO, THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR.
BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT
DELIVERANCE AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY POPULAR ONLINE
AND I THINK SOMETIMES I DON'T IT'S LIKE WE DON'T
WANT TO GLORIFY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING YOU DO THIS, BUT
I'M SAYING LIKE IN PEOPLE'S THEY MIGHT BE
IMMATURE IN THE FAITH OR NEW TO THE FAITH.
AND IT'S LIKE IT CAN ALMOST BE GLORIFIED IN A
WAY THAT SCARES PEOPLE.
AND THEN INSTEAD OF LIKE BEING EMBOLDENED TO PRAY
FOR DELIVERANCE, THEY'RE MORE LIKE, YOU KNOW, AND
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE CHURCH TALKS
ABOUT THIS KIND OF STUFF.
THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I
THINK, I THINK MOST PEOPLE HAVE HAD WITCHCRAFT THEMSELVES
OR EXPERIENCED IT IN THEIR FAMILY.
AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP TO
DEMONIC ENTITIES.
BUT IT'S LIKE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE CHURCH
TALKS ABOUT IT.
I THINK A LOT OF THE CHURCH, AT LEAST IN
AMERICA, BECAUSE THE CHURCH DOESN'T TALK ABOUT
IT.
I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE NEED HELP, BUT THEY
DON'T KNOW HOW TO HANDLE IT.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M LIKE ASKING ALL THESE
QUESTIONS FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE.
LIKE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND
THEY'RE PROBABLY LIKE WANTING DELIVERANCE OR
WANTING, YOU KNOW, TO PRAY FOR DELIVERANCE.
HOW DID YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO?
MARIO: WELL,
YOU KNOW, THE FIRST REVIVAL I HAD WITH RICHARD
LORENZO, OKAY.
WE WE CASTED ONE DEMON OUT AND I REMEMBER BEING NEXT
TO HIM, AND I HELPED HIM AND HE THOUGHT I'D BEEN
DOING DELIVERANCE FOR A LONG TIME, BUT HE DIDN'T
REALIZE THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME. I JUST KEPT SAYING,
COME OUT, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
COME OUT.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH A LOT
OF THE DEREK PRINCE TEACHINGS AND --
REBECCA: OH, I LOVE DEREK PRINCE!
MARIO: DEREK PRINCE, YOU KNOW, WATCHING HIM LEARNING,
READING.
REBECCA: BECAUSE
HE'S GROUNDED IN THE
WORD OF GOD.
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE WHO DO IT ARE LIKE OFF CUFF.
AND YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.
MARIO: YEAH, YEAH.
AND EXPERIENCING IT MYSELF.
REBECCA: YOU DID EXPERIENCE IT.
MARIO: AND EVEN EVEN AS A CHRISTIAN HOLY SPIRIT
FILLED.
I'VE, I'VE ACTUALLY FELT WHEN A SPIRIT ENTERED ME
AND IT WAS A SPIRIT OF PRIDE GETTING UPSET ONE
TIME AND PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE AND YOU'LL USUALLY
FEEL IT LIKE LIKE YOU CAN YOU CAN FEEL IT ALMOST
LIKE IT'S LATCHING ON TO YOU.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A CAT.
THE ONLY WAY I CAN DESCRIBE IT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN A CAT GOES LIKE THAT AND IT COMES AROUND YOU
AND YOU'RE LIKE, WHOA, THAT'S WEIRD.
THAT'S HOW IT'LL FEEL A SPIRIT WHEN YOU'RE
INVOLVED IN A MAYBE IN AN ARGUMENT OR SOMETHING, AND
YOU'LL FEEL A SPIRIT TRYING TO ENTER YOU AND
YOU, AND IT WILL ENTER YOU IF YOU AGREE WITH IT, IF
YOU OPEN IT UP THROUGH SIN, YOU KNOW.
GETTING ANGRY.
THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE SAYS, YOU KNOW, DON'T, DON'T YOU
KNOW, DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON YOUR WRATH, RIGHT?
BECAUSE YOU GIVE THE DEVIL PLACE AND SO UNDERSTAND
DELIVERANCE LIKE IT'S SO, SO IMPORTANT THAT WE
UNDERSTAND IT.
BECAUSE JESUS'S MINISTRY ACTUALLY BIBLICAL
EVANGELISM.
YOU DON'T HAVE BIBLICAL EVANGELISM WITHOUT
DELIVERANCE.
HE TAUGHT THEM HOW TO CAST OUT DEMONS, LAY HANDS ON
THE SICK, CAST OUT DEMONS, LAY HANDS ON THE SICK.
REBECCA: THEY DID IT ALL THE TIME.
MARIO: HIS WHOLE MINISTRY.
I MEAN, IT'S VERY FIRST.
ONE OF HIS FIRST MIRACLES WAS DELIVERANCE.
THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, THE
DOMINION OF GOD, IS AT HAND.
IT'S HERE.
IT'S PRESENT BECAUSE ALL THE OTHER DEMONS BEGIN TO
GO.
THEY GET CASTED OUT.
REBECCA: YEAH, THAT'S
WHAT DEREK WOULD SAY.
HE SAID THAT IT'S LIKE ONE OF THE BEST
REPRESENTATIONS OF HOW THE KINGDOM OF GOD HAS
AUTHORITY OVER THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS.
WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE GET DELIVERED, IT'S ONE OF THE
CLEAREST REPRESENTATIONS.
MARIO: SOME PEOPLE NEED DELIVERANCE BECAUSE
THEY'VE I'VE SAID, I'M NEVER GOING TO DO PORN.
I'M NEVER GOING TO WATCH PORN, I'M
NEVER GOING TO DO THIS NO MORE.
BUT I CAN'T STOP DOING IT.
LIKE, AND THEY HATE IT AND THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT
NO MORE.
THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE'S A SPIRIT.
YOU OPEN THE DOOR TO UNCLEAN SPIRITS THROUGH
SIN.
YOU KNOW YOUR AGREEMENT.
AND SOME PEOPLE NEED DELIVERANCE.
REBECCA: YEAH.
WHEN I TALK TO BEV, I HAD HER ON.
SHE'S A DELIVERANCE MINISTER.
SHE SAYS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD GO THROUGH IT AT
LEAST ONCE, YOU KNOW.
AND THINK ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE EVEN KNOW HOW TO DO
IT.
NOT THAT MANY, AT LEAST HERE IN THE WEST.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANT PEOPLE TO TALK AND SHARE
ABOUT IT MORE.
WHEN YOU FELT THAT SPIRIT OF PRIDE KIND OF COMING,
WHAT DID YOU DO?
DID YOU JUST REBUKE IT?
MARIO: NO, IT ENTERED ME.
REBECCA: SO WHAT DID
YOU DO?
MARIO: BECAUSE I REMEMBER GETTING SO ANGRY AND THIS
WAS A FEW YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BARELY GOING
ON THREE YEARS AGO.
AND THIS IS WALKING IN THE ANOINTING, CASTING OUT
DEMONS, PRAYING AS A MINISTER ALREADY.
BUT I FELT IT ENTER BECAUSE I FELT SUCH
STRENGTH.
I FELT I COULD FLIP THE TABLE OVER.
I FELT LIKE LIKE I WAS SO ANGRY WHERE I COULDN'T
CONTROL.
WHENEVER YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOURSELF, THERE'S ANOTHER
PERSON INVOLVED.
WHEN THERE'S COMPELLING, THERE'S ENTICING, THERE'S
ENSLAVING, THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON INVOLVED THAT'S A
DEMON.
AND I FELT SO ANGRY I COULD FLIP THAT TABLE.
AND I REMEMBER JUST THE WAY I FELT AND MY, YOU
KNOW, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU.
I DON'T I DON'T MIND.
MY AUNT SANDRA WAS THERE.
IT WAS JUST ME AND HER.
AND I GOT ANGRY ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH SOMEBODY.
AND SHE SAID, THAT'S A SPIRIT.
AND SHE STARTED SAYING, THAT'S THE SPIRIT.
WHEN SHE SAID THAT, I REALIZED IT WAS.
AND I STARTED REPENTING OF GOD.
FORGIVE ME, LORD, I SAID.
I GOT ON MY KNEES, I STARTED REPENTING, AND
THAT DEMON JUST LIFTED OFF OF ME.
IT LIFTED OFF OF ME.
AND I STARTED CRYING.
I SAID, HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?
I SAID, AND I STARTED GRABBING HER AND I SAID,
FORGIVE ME, GOD, FORGIVE ME.
AND SO YEAH, IT'S REAL.
CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU OPENED
THE DOOR TO A DEMON.
IT'LL ENTER, YOU GIVE IT LEGAL RIGHT AND IN AN AREA
IN YOUR PERSONALITY.
YOU KNOW, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WALK
WITH A REPENTANT HEART, CONFESSING OUR SINS,
WALKING CLOSE TO JESUS.
REBECCA: IT'S SO TRUE.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU WENT TO VEGAS?
WHEN WITH THE TEMPLE OF THE SANTA MUERTE?
MARIO: WELL, I'VE BEEN TO A FEW.
I'VE BEEN TO CALI.
I'VE BEEN TO VEGAS, I'VE BEEN TO --
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: I JUST RECENTLY WENT TO NEW YORK AND,
OH, THE ONE IN NEW YORK WAS,
IT WAS JUST IT WAS SO, SO DIVINE.
BECAUSE I DID A REACTION TO THIS LADY.
SHE'S CALLED THE QUEEN OF NEW YORK.
RIGHT.
AND SO SHE'S ACTUALLY IT'S A TRANSGENDER.
AND YES, A TRANSGENDER.
AND SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE OFFICIATES ALL THERE OUT
OF HER HOUSE.
HER TEMPLE IS IN HER HOUSE.
I MEAN, HUGE ALTARS TALKING ABOUT TALLER THAN
ME, SIX FOOT, SEVEN FOOT SANTA MUERTE STATUES IN
HER HOME.
AND I HAD A REACTION TO HER VIDEO A YEAR AND A
HALF AGO, AND SHE ACTUALLY CAME AND I SAID, I WANT TO
GO VISIT HER.
I KEPT WANTING TO GO, BUT THE LORD, YOU KNOW, HE
HADN'T OPENED THE DOOR YET.
A WHOLE YEAR AND A HALF LATER, I ENDED UP GOING TO
NEW YORK FOR A POP UP REVIVAL.
AND MANY PEOPLE, I MEAN DEMONS, WERE CAST OUT.
PEOPLE GOT BAPTIZED, THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED.
IT WAS AMAZING.
BUT I CALLED, I SAID, THAT LADY IN NEW YORK THAT YOU
KNOW, THAT THAT MAN THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT THAT
OFFICIATES OF SANTA MUERTE.
LET ME CALL AND SEE IF I CAN SIT DOWN WITH THEM.
SO I CALLED THAT NIGHT WHEN I GOT THERE AND I
SAID, HEY, MY NAME IS MARIO ESPARZA, AND SHE I
KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
I SEEN THAT VIDEO YOU DID OF ME, BUT.
AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY.
AND SHE WAS LIKE, BUT I'M NOT OFFENDED.
I SAID, CAN WE SIT DOWN AND TALK?
COULD I SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH YOU?
CAN YOU CAN SHARE YOUR BELIEFS AND CAN I SHARE MY
BELIEFS?
AND SHE SAID, YEAH, BE HERE AT 9 A.M.
TOMORROW MORNING.
AND I SAID, OKAY.
SO I ENDED UP GOING TO HER HOUSE AND I KNOCKED ON
THEIR DOOR.
IT WAS JUST CRAZY BECAUSE HER HOUSE, ALL THE TREES
HAD LEAVES ON THEM.
BUT HER HOUSE, YOU KNOW, IN NEW YORK THERE WAS A
TREE, NO LEAVES DEAD, NOTHING.
REBECCA: WOW.
BECAUSE THE LAND SUFFERS
BECAUSE IT'S UNDER A CURSE.
MARIO: UNDER A CURSE.
AND IT WAS.
I MEAN, ALL THE TREES.
YOU'LL SEE IT IN THE.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE VIDEO.
THERE'S A VIDEO ABOUT IT.
I WALK INTO HER HOME.
THERE'S A GUY THERE RECORDING A BIG STOCKY
DUDE WAITING.
IT WAS REAL SKETCHY.
I HAD TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT BECAUSE I WAS LIKE,
WHOA.
BECAUSE SHE'S, YOU KNOW, I WALK IN THERE, IT WAS
DARK.
THERE'S ALL THESE STATUES, THERE'S ALL THESE ALTARS.
AND SHE LOOKS AT ME AND LOCKS THE DOOR.
REBECCA: LOCKS THE DOOR?
MARIO: BEHIND ME, LOCKS THE DOOR, AND THERE'S
THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS STOCKY DUDE.
BUT I HAD MY GUY WITH ME, AND I KNOW HOW TO FIGHT,
SO.
REBECCA: YEAH.
YEAH.
MARIO: NO.
AND SO WE SIT DOWN, I START SHARING THE GOSPEL
WITH HER AND, YOU KNOW, WITH HIM, YOU KNOW.
AND SO ONE THING I SAID IS, YOU KNOW, I
APPRECIATE BECAUSE BECAUSE SHE SAID THERE'S, THERE'S
CERTAIN THINGS I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT AND I
DON'T NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
AND ONE THING I TELL ALL THE, THE WITCHES, I SAY
THIS, I SAY, LOOK, WHEN SOMEBODY BELIEVES WHAT
THEY'RE PREACHING, WHAT THEY'RE WHAT THEY'RE
TEACHING PEOPLE IS THE TRUTH.
YOU ALL THE TRUTH IS WHAT SETS PEOPLE FREE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW IF YOU
BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHOLEHEARTEDLY IS THE
TRUTH.
YOU'RE GOING TO WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW, AREN'T
YOU?
THE ONLY PERSON THAT HIDES THINGS IS THE DEVIL, AND
HE KEEPS THINGS IN DARKNESS.
THE TRUTH MAKES PEOPLE FREE, I SAID.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU IF YOU BELIEVE THAT WHAT
YOU'RE SHARING IS TRUTH, LET'S, YOU KNOW, SHARE IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, I COULD TELL SHE KIND OF CAUGHT
HER OFF GUARD.
BUT ANYWAYS, I GOT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO HIM.
AND AND IT WAS JUST IT WAS JUST AWESOME.
IT WAS AWESOME.
I GOT TO PRAY AT THE END WITH WITH THAT MAN.
I GAVE HIM MY NUMBER, MY PERSONAL NUMBER, AND I
GAVE HIM MY CHURCH ADDRESS.
SO CAN YOU COME AND VISIT?
SOMETIMES I'D LOVE TO SHARE THE GOSPEL, YOU
KNOW, THE WORD OF GOD WITH YOU MORE.
AND I'M NOT GOING TO DENY THE SANTA MUERTE.
I'M NOT.
THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
OR HE WAS SAYING.
REBECCA: OH, WOW.
BUT SEEDS WERE PLANTED.
MARIO: OH, BUT
I HAD A WORD OF KNOWLEDGE FOR THAT.
I SAID, YOU'RE STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS A SICKNESS.
I SAID, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT?
YEAH.
IT WAS A THEY HAD BEEN STRUGGLING WITH, I THINK,
PANCREAS FOR MANY YEARS.
AND SO I GOT TO PRAY FOR THE PANCREAS.
AND I BELIEVE WHEN SHE, WHEN HE'S HEALED, HE'S
GOING TO KNOW, HE'S GOING TO SAY, WOW, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
MAYBE I NEED TO GO VISIT THAT CHURCH.
MAYBE JESUS IS THE WAY.
REBECCA: YEAH.
WELL, WE'D BE PRAYING FOR HIM.
MARIO: FOR HIM.
REBECCA: HAVE YOU GOTTEN HAVE YOU EVER HEARD FROM HIM
AGAIN?
MARIO: NO.
REBECCA: NO?
MARIO: THIS WAS
JUST RECENTLY, BY THE WAY.
REBECCA: OH, REALLY?
MARIO: YES, THIS WAS RECENTLY.
REBECCA: WHAT WAS THE OTHER TEMPLES LIKE?
MARIO: OH, ONE WAS JUST IN THE,
I DID TWO IN CALI.
ONE, ONE LADY WAS I MEAN YOU WATCHED THAT ONE.
SHE SAYS SOME REALLY CRAZY THINGS.
SHE SAYS THAT SHE'LL BRING PEOPLE'S SOUL FRAGMENTS
BACK.
SHE GOES INTO SPIRIT.
REBECCA: OH,
THAT'S WHAT BEV TALKED ABOUT ON THIS PODCAST.
MARIO: REALLY?
REBECCA: YES.
SHE TALKED ABOUT HOW IT'S LIKE THE IT'S LIKE THE
THE SOUL GETS FRAGMENTED AND THEN THEY TAKE THE
DEMON TAKES THE FRAGMENT.
REBECCA: AND HOW YOU HAVE TO CALL, LIKE, BRING THE
SOUL
BACK AND WHOLE.
MARIO: THAT LADY, THAT WITCH, SAYS THAT SHE DOES.
THAT THE SPIRIT.
REBECCA: SEE?
IT'S REAL.
MARIO: YEAH.
THE SPIRITUAL REALM IS REAL, OF COURSE.
LIKE WHETHER IT'S DARKNESS OR LIGHT, YOU
KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE DOING IT UNDER A DIFFERENT
SPIRIT.
RIGHT.
AND SO AND ILLEGALLY.
BUT THAT I MEAN, THAT TESTIMONY WITH HER WAS
JUST SO, SO CRAZY THAT SHE WAS A LITTLE LITTLE LADY.
I MEAN, TALKING ABOUT PROBABLY UP TO HERE TO ME,
SHE'S FROM MEXICO SOMEWHERE AND SOMEWHERE
DEEP DOWN SOUTH MEXICO.
AND SHE SAID SHE, SHE ACTUALLY BEEN DOING IT FOR
MANY, MANY YEARS.
ALSO HAD A ONE LAST YEAR.
HER NAME WAS LALA AND I GOT TO BAPTIZE HER.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: IT WAS.
OH, MAN, IT WAS SUCH A SUCH A TESTIMONY.
I WENT IN THERE AND I STARTED SHARING THE GOSPEL
AND I KNOW THIS IS WRONG.
I KNOW GOD HAS BEEN CALLING ME.
HE WOKE ME UP TWO WEEKS AGO AT 3:33 A.M.
AND THERE WAS A MAN OF GOD PREACHING ON MY PHONE.
HE WAS PREACHING ON MY PHONE.
I THINK IT WAS DAVID HERNANDEZ BECAUSE.
REBECCA: OH YEAH. I KNOW THEM.
MARIO: YEAH, HE'S JUST POPPED UP ON HER PHONE AT 3:30 A.M.
AND SHE FELT
GOD WAS CALLING HER.
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WITCHCRAFT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WRONG.
I DO, I DO.
I SAID, REPENT, GIVE YOUR LIFE TO JESUS.
DO IT TODAY.
AND SHE'S LIKE, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
I SAID, THE BIBLE SAYS, REPENT, BELIEVE AND BE
BAPTIZED.
DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT?
SHE SAID, I DO, I DO.
SHE CALLS HER HUSBAND AND SHE'S LIKE, GOD IS CALLING
ME.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO STOP THIS, BUT I'M
GOING TO GO GET BAPTIZED.
AND WE TAKE HER DOWN THE STREET, BAPTIZE HER AT
THE FOUNTAIN
IN IRVING, RIGHT THERE IN IRVING BY ME.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: BAPTIZED HER THAT DAY.
AND I'M TALKING TO HER.
I MEAN, IT'S GOING WELL, BUT SHE'S THIRD
GENERATION, WHICH THIS IS 30 YEARS.
REBECCA: THAT'S INTENSE.
MARIO: I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SHE'S BEEN DOING IT FOR 30
YEARS.
HER HER DAUGHTER WAS A SANTERA AND HER
GRANDDAUGHTER IS A SANTERA.
AND THEY HAVE THESE BOTANICAS, THESE
WITCHCRAFT STORES.
AND WHEN I TALKED TO HER AGAIN, HER NAME WAS LALA.
WHEN I TALKED TO HER, I SAID, ARE YOU READY TO
GIVE UP THIS STORE?
YOU KNOW, WE CAN HELP.
WE CAN, WE,
GOD'S GOING TO COME THROUGH.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.
SHE'S LIKE, I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T.
I JUST CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME MY TIME TO DO LITTLE BY
LITTLE?
I'M ALREADY GETTING RID OF A LOT OF STUFF.
THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS DOING.
BUT THEN I GET A CALL FROM HER DAUGHTER.
YOU LEAVE MY MOM ALONE.
YOU TAKE HER --
REBECCA: YEAH, WITCHCRAFT. SHE DOESN'T --
THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE CONTROL.
MARIO: TAKE HER VIDEO.
DOWN, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
AND AND I SAID, I'LL TAKE IT DOWN.
THAT'S FINE.
AND I TOOK IT DOWN.
I SAID, I'LL TAKE IT DOWN IF I CAN SIT DOWN WITH YOU
AND YOUR DAUGHTER AND ALL THREE OF Y'ALL, AND YOU
BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SHARING IS THE TRUTH, LET
ME SHARE THE TRUTH.
AND SHE'S LIKE, OKAY, I'LL DO THAT.
SO RIGHT NOW THAT'S IN THE TALKS.
WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY
DO A
SITDOWN WITH ALL THREE ME, ME WITH ALL,
YOU KNOW, THE THREE GENERATIONS OF THE
GRANDMA, THE GRANDMA.
I JUST I JUST TEXTED HER LAST WEEK AND, YOU KNOW,
JUST SAID, NO,
TWO WEEKS AGO I SAID, HEY, CAN WE CAN WE DO THIS
INTERVIEW SOON?
AND SO SHE'S,
YEAH, LET ME GET WITH YOU.
AND YOU KNOW, SHE'S WILLING TO DO IT EVEN
LIVE.
SHE SAID, I SAID BECAUSE SHE HAS A FOLLOWING WITH
THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: IT'S SO POPULAR.
WITCHCRAFT IS SO POPULAR WITH GEN Z, AND UNDER.
MARIO: IT IS.
REBECCA: THEY TALK ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT'S WHY I KEEP SAYING THE SAME THING.
BUT IT'S LIKE I WANT THE CHURCH TO BE EQUIPPED.
BUT I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, A LARGE PORTION OF
THE CHURCH IN AMERICA, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT A
LARGE PORTION OF THE CHURCH DOESN'T EVEN REALLY
BELIEVE IN THE DEVIL.
AND IT'S JUST THE MOST VULNERABLE PERSON IS THE
PERSON THAT DOESN'T THINK THEY HAVE A REAL ENEMY.
MARIO: THAT'S WHAT HE LOVES.
YOU THINK
HE'S NOT THERE.
REBECCA: IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM.
AND IT'S NOT TO BRING FEAR, BUT IT'S LIKE THERE
ARE ENTITIES AND THEY ARE ORGANIZED AND HE IS TO
STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY.
BUT GOD HAS ALL AUTHORITY OVER THEM.
AND THAT'S WHY WHEN JESUS ANOINTED THE 70 TO GO OUT
AND PREACH AND CAST OUT DEVILS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS
LIKE THIS INCREDIBLE MOMENT IN THE KINGDOM OF
GOD, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE JESUS GAVE US HIS
AUTHORITY TO SPREAD THE KINGDOM.
AND WHERE THE ENEMY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HE'S
TERRIFIED OF A CHURCH THAT'S OPERATING IN HER
FULL CALLING AND FULL CAPACITY.
MARIO: YES, HE SAYS, BEHOLD, I GIVE YOU POWER OVER ALL
THE POWERS OF THE ENEMY, OVER SNAKES, SCORPIONS, SO
YOU CAN TRAMPLE ON THEM.
AND NOTHING BY NO MEANS SHALL HARM YOU.
THAT MEANS NOTHING.
AND THAT WORD POWERS DELEGATED AUTHORITY HE'S
GIVEN US.
WE HAVE AS A NEW, AS A NEW COVENANT, A NEW BORN, BORN
AGAIN BELIEVER.
WE HAVE DELEGATED AUTHORITY, BUT WE ALSO
HAVE WE HAVE EXOUSIA, WHICH IS AUTHORITY,
DELEGATED AUTHORITY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE DUNAMIS POWER, RESURRECTION POWER
ON THE INSIDE OF US.
AND SO AND THAT HAPPENED THROUGH THE BAPTISM OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT, THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
AND SO WE HAVE THE POWERS OF MAN.
THIS IS THIS IS POWERFUL WHERE WE CAN STEP INTO A
PLACE AND THE ANOINTING BEGINS TO BREAK YOKES.
I MEAN, DEMONS GET CASTED OUT.
I'VE HAD ENCOUNTERS WITH PEOPLE AT THE GYMS WHERE
I'M JUST PREACHING THE GOSPEL AND THEY START
GETTING DELIVERED, AND I ACT LIKE I'M NOT EVEN
SEEING THEM THROWING UP IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THE
LORD SAID, DON'T STOP.
DON'T STOP PREACHING, JUST KEEP PREACHING.
THE ANOINTING IS JUST THROUGH THE GOSPEL.
JUST AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THEY STARTED THROWING UP.
THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: ONCE AT PLANET FITNESS AND ONCE RIGHT OUTSIDE MY
HOUSE.
THE GUY WAS THEY WERE BOTH AGNOSTIC, CRAZY.
REBECCA: CRAZY. THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD,
BUT THEY HAD A SPIRIT.
MARIO: THAT WAS A DEMON.
REBECCA: THAT'S JUST WILD.
HOW DO YOU WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE
DOING?
BECAUSE I KNOW THE ENEMY HATES THIS KIND OF STUFF.
HOW DO YOU, WHEN DEALING WITH SPIRITUAL WARFARE,
HOW DO YOU KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY PROTECTED?
MARIO: WELL, WALK IN OBEDIENCE.
HOLINESS.
SEE, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT THOSE WHO ARE BORN OF GOD
DON'T CONTINUE ON IN SIN.
RIGHT?
THE DEVIL CAN'T TOUCH US, BUT WE DON'T CONTINUE ON
IN SIN.
THERE HAS TO BE A LIFESTYLE OF OBEDIENCE.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THAT IN THE CHILDREN
OF ISRAEL, THEY TOOK THE PRESENCE OF GOD WITH THEM
IN BATTLE, AND YET THEY LOST SOMETIMES.
WHY?
IT WAS BECAUSE OF DISOBEDIENCE.
THEY THERE WAS SIN IN THE CAMP.
THERE WASN'T.
YOU WEREN'T DEALING WITH THAT SIN.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF WHAT
WE'RE DOING, THERE CAN'T BE STRIFE IN THE HOME.
ANYTIME THERE'S BEEN STRIFE IN THE HOME WITH ME
AND MY WIFE,
KIDS BEGIN TO GET SICK.
REBECCA: REALLY?
MARIO: OH, YES.
VIRUS, YOU KNOW.
REBECCA: AND HOW
DO YOU AND YOUR WIFE, LIKE, YOU JUST CAST THAT
STRIFE OUT?
OR YOU JUST.
MARIO: WE NEED TO REPENT.
FIRST THING IS, WE REPENT.
REBECCA: THAT'S WHAT I'VE LEARNED THAT.
MARIO: WE GOTTA GET ON OUR KNEES.
I GET ON MY KNEES.
I GET
ON MY KNEES
AND I SAY, TIFF, COME HERE, HOLD MY HAND.
WE GOTTA REPENT.
THE DEVIL IS AT WORK RIGHT HERE.
WE'RE NOT SEEING EYE TO EYE.
WE'RE SPIRIT FILLED.
THAT MEANS WE HAVE ONE SPIRIT.
WE.
YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA.
WE GOTTA SEE EYE TO EYE.
I WON'T GET UP OFF THAT FLOOR UNTIL SHE COMES AND
GETS ON HER KNEES AND HOLDS MY HANDS.
WE GOTTA LIVE THAT LIFESTYLE OF OBEDIENCE TO
GOD.
IF YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE,
YEAH, YOU CAN CAST OUT DEMONS.
YOU CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT LIVING A LIFESTYLE OF OBEDIENCE,
YOU WILL GET ATTACKED AND YOU WILL SEE THE
CONSEQUENCES
OF DISOBEDIENCE.
REBECCA: THAT'S A POWERFUL WORD.
MARIO: YOU CANNOT LIVE THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, JESUS SAYS, YOU KNOW, HE SAYS, BEHOLD, THE
RULER OF THIS WORLD COMETH, BUT HE HAS NOTHING
IN ME.
HE MEANS HE HAS NO PLACE IN MY LIFE.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS DEATH.
HE'S ABOUT TO DIE.
HE SAYS HE'S COMING.
I'M ABOUT TO DIE.
I'M ABOUT TO BE CRUCIFIED.
BUT.
SO.
BUT HE HAS NOTHING IN ME.
HE HAS NO PLACE IN MY LIFE.
BUT SO THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW THAT I LOVE THE
FATHER AND I KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS.
LET'S GO.
HE'S SAYING, LIKE I'M ABOUT TO DIE.
THE DEVIL.
HE'S COMING.
THE DEVIL.
THE DEVIL IS GOING TO HE'S HE'S GOING TO ENTER THESE
RULERS AND THESE PEOPLE AND THEY'RE GOING TO
CRUCIFY ME.
HE HAS NO PLACE IN MY LIFE.
BUT JUST SO THAT THE WORLD KNOWS THAT I LOVE THE
FATHER AND I KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, LET'S GO.
SEE, BECAUSE JESUS WAS SINLESS AND DEATH CAME
THROUGH SIN, HE COULDN'T DIE.
HE SAYS, NOBODY TAKES MY LIFE.
NO MAN TAKES IT.
BUT I LAY DOWN MY LIFE.
AND IT WAS A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE.
THAT'S WHAT HE DID.
AND SO THE DEVIL HAS NO PLACE IN OUR LIFE IF WE
LIVE A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE.
AND THAT'S WHAT JESUS WANTS.
HIS DISCIPLES.
HE SAYS, GO MAKE DISCIPLES AND TEACH THEM TO OBEY ALL
THAT I'VE COMMANDED.
HE DOESN'T JUST WANT A DISCIPLINED LEARNER.
HE WANTS AN OBEDIENT LEARNER.
REBECCA: YEAH, AND I JUST THINK IT'S SUCH WISDOM BECAUSE I
REMEMBER TALKING TO BEV ABOUT THAT, TOO.
IT'S LIKE THE DEMONS ONLY CAN.
IT'S LIKE THE DEVIL IS A LEGALIST, AND THEY CAN
ONLY COME IN IF YOU GIVE THEM A LEGAL RIGHT, AND
YOU CAN REPENT AND CAST THAT OUT, YOU KNOW, AND,
YOU KNOW, THINK THANKFUL FOR WHAT JESUS CAN DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT'S ONE OF
THE REASONS WHY I'VE TRIED TO LIVE WITH INTENTION,
KNOWING THAT THERE'S A SPIRITUAL REALM NOT OUT OF
FEAR, BUT OUT OF WISDOM.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS, BE VIGILANT.
YOUR ENEMY.
IS LIKE A LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.
SO THE DEVIL IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY
TO GET IN OUR MARRIAGE, GET IN OUR FAMILIES, GET
IN OUR HOMES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO BE VIGILANT.
AND WE HAVE TO STAY VIGILANT AS WE CONTINUE TO
WALK WITH GOD, BECAUSE WE CAN BECOME COMPLACENT OR
WE CAN BECOME, YOU KNOW, EVEN VULNERABLE FOR JUST
FROM JUST BEING TIRED IN LIFE AND WEARING YOU DOWN.
AND SO IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO BE SUITED UP IN THE
ARMOR OF GOD AND NOT OPEN THE DOOR TO SIN.
MARIO: AMEN.
AND YOU KNOW ONE THING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT MAY
SEEM LIKE PEOPLE WATCHING, THEY MIGHT THINK, THIS
SEEMS HARD.
I GOT TO DO ALL THESE THINGS.
ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IS JUST NOT
WORRY ABOUT.
ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IS BEING
WORSHIPERS.
A WORSHIPER IS A MAN OR A WOMAN THAT WALKS IN THE
FEAR OF GOD.
NOT NOT THE FEAR OF GOD.
LIKE YOU'RE SCARED OF GOD, OBVIOUSLY.
BUT THE FEAR OF GOD IS THE REVERENCE, THE AWE OF GOD,
THE HEART THAT DAVID HAD.
AND HE SAYS THAT THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART,
THAT THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH WOULD BE PLEASING UNTO
YOU, GOD, THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE PLEASING UNTO
YOU.
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SEE THAT THEY'RE NOT LIVING A
LIFE OF DISOBEDIENCE, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING
DRUGS, THEY'RE NOT IN THE CLUBS, THEY'RE NOT DOING
COCAINE, THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT WATCHING PORN.
BUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR HEART?
WHERE'S THAT PRIDE?
WHERE'S THAT JEALOUSY?
WHERE'S THE GOSSIP?
WHERE'S THE DIVISION?
THAT'S THE SIN OF THE HEART THAT YOU NEED TO
WATCH OUT FOR.
AND SO IF YOU'RE A WORSHIPER, YOU'RE GOING TO
YOU IT'S GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, I'M
CONVICTED.
HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FORGIVE ME FOR EVEN HAVING THAT
HEART POSTURE TOWARDS THAT PERSON FEELING BITTER
TOWARDS THEM.
FORGIVE ME LORD, AND JUST FOCUS ON LOVING JESUS.
BE A PEOPLE THAT LOVE JESUS AND YOU DON'T HAVE
TO WORRY ABOUT THE DEVIL.
THE DEVIL IS DEFEATED.
ALL YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS JUST BEING A TRUE
MAN AND A WOMAN OF GOD THAT LOVES GOD.
THAT'S IT.
REBECCA: YEP.
IT GOES BACK TO THAT.
THAT IDENTITY AND THAT DAILY ENCOUNTER.
THAT REALLY IS THE KEY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO BE FOCUSED ON
THE DEVIL.
MARIO: HE'S DEFEATED.
REBECCA: YEAH, WE GOT TO BE FOCUSED ON HIM.
AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS LEADING AND GUIDING YOU
THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
AND LIKE YOU SAID TOO, YOU WERE ANOINTED AND SENT.
YOU WEREN'T GOING AROUND, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
IT'S LIKE WE HAVE TO BE ON ASSIGNMENT, AND WE NEED TO
BE IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD.
AND YOU HAVE COVERING.
YOU'RE SUBMITTING TO AN AUTHORITY.
MARIO: I HAVE A LOT OF ELDERS AROUND ME.
PASTOR GIL, MISS SUZANNE, JUST SO MANY PEOPLE, AUNT SANDRA.
REBECCA: THAT'S A WAY TO STAY PROTECTED AS WELL.
AND IT'S GOD'S DESIGN.
AND SO I JUST THINK THAT'S ALL SO INCREDIBLE.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK, PLEASE, AND GIVE ME
MORE TESTIMONIES.
AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE THINGS WE CAN TALK
ABOUT.
BUT I KNOW I GOT TO WRAP, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JUST EVERYTHING.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S PEOPLE WHO ARE WATCHING
THIS, AND I JUST.
CAN YOU JUST PRAY FOR THOSE PEOPLE?
MARIO: YES.
REBECCA: AND WE'LL WRAP OUT
ON THAT.
MARIO: SO WHEREVER YOU'RE WATCHING, JUST GET ALONE,
YOU KNOW, PULL YOUR CAR OVER.
YOU KNOW, I SEE SOME PEOPLE, WAREHOUSES,
CUBICLES, WHEREVER YOU ARE, JUST GET ALONE WITH
GOD, GET REAL WITH GOD.
HE LOVES YOU.
AND YOU GOT YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS IF YOU WANT THE
HOLY SPIRIT YOU DESIRE, YOU ASK, HE WILL GIVE YOU
HOLY SPIRIT.
AND SO JUST GET ALONE AND JUST EXTEND YOUR HANDS OUT
LIKE THIS.
LIKE IF YOU'RE GOING TO RECEIVE A GIFT AND JUST
SAY THIS, FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE BLOOD OF
JESUS.
THANK YOU THAT JESUS CAME, WAS BORN OF A VIRGIN.
HE DID MIGHTY MIRACLES.
HE FULFILLED ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.
THANK YOU THAT HE DIED ON THE CROSS FOR ME, FOR MY
SINS, AND THROUGH HIS DEATH, HIS BURIAL, AND HIS
RESURRECTION, I HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN.
I'VE BEEN ACCEPTED.
I'VE BEEN BROUGHT INTO THIS FAMILY.
FATHER, I RECEIVE MY INHERITANCE TODAY.
I BELONG TO A ROYAL FAMILY.
I RECEIVE IT TODAY.
I RECEIVE YOU, GOD.
GIVE ME A NEW HEART.
A HEART THAT BEATS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
IT BEATS FOR
FOR WHAT YOU LOVE AND HATES WHAT YOU HATE.
FILL ME WITH YOUR SPIRIT IN JESUS' NAME.
I'M GOING TO PRAY.
FATHER, RIGHT NOW, I THANK YOU THAT YOU BEGIN TO
FILL YOUR PEOPLE RIGHT NOW WHEREVER THEY'RE AT, LORD.
HOLY SPIRIT, FILL THEM.
EMPOWER THEM.
YES, LORD.
EMPOWER THEM.
TRUE DISCIPLES, TRUE OBEDIENT DISCIPLES, FILL
THEM, LORD.
AND I COMMAND EVERY SPIRIT OF ADDICTION, EVERY
SPIRIT OF TORMENT, EVERY SPIRIT OF FEAR.
GO NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS, EVERY SPIRIT OF
WITCHCRAFT, WE BREAK YOU.
WE BREAK YOUR AUTHORITY BY THE POWER OF GOD
RIGHT NOW, IN JESUS' MIGHTY NAME, AMEN.
REBECCA: AMEN.