“I’M GONNA FCKIN KILL YOU ” Screamed Homeless Derek At Me, As He Was Putting A Knuckle Duster On

On Saturday 5th June 2021, I took our 3 daughters and one of their friends to Blackpool for a day out.

The weather was beautiful and it ended up being packed with people of all ages.

During our wonderful day I shared the Good News with various people, although as soon as I’d chatted to one person or one family or one homeless person, I’d look up and see many more people who need to hear about Jesus.

As the day went on, balancing family time with sharing about Jesus with people I’d never met before, I became increasingly burdened with just how many people so clearly need saving.

We came home very late, dropped off my daughters friend then got off to sleep at home.

The following morning after waking up, knowing that I’ll be taking our daughters to their mums as is usual for a Sunday, the Lord spoke to me and said:

“I am sending you back to Blackpool today.”

I told the girls what I will be doing, bearing in mind it is about a 1.45hr drive to Blackpool each way.

I started to imagine me walking up and down the piers and the seafront, telling hundreds of people about Jesus!

I got lots of ministry handouts ready to take with me.

I dropped our daughters off around lunchtime and began my drive to Blackpool. On my drive the Spirit of the Lord led me to pull over around 3 times, each time to go in to someone’s life to tell them about Jesus.

On one stop at a small supermarket I stayed there for around 2 hours as I was sharing the Good News with quite a few people with quite incredible divine encounters.

It was around 7.15pm when I was about half an hour away from Blackpool.

The Spirit was leading me to pray for me to have experiences in Blackpool which were going to take my faith to a completely new level. I voice recorded my prayer. I had this vision of me seeing miracle healings take place on the streets of Blackpool.

“Lord, take my faith to a whole new level” I asked

The Spirit led me to a car park near the centre of Blackpool. There were quite a few cars still parked on there. As I got out of my car I saw a couple of men sat in a white van. I went over to share the Good News with them.

Following this my attention was drawn to a few people screaming at each other. As I looked over at them I got a sense they were homeless and likely drug addicts.

As I was watching them I saw two women walking across the car park. The Lord asked me to go over to them to share His love with them. They were parked not too far away from the homeless people fighting.

As I got to them I started to share God’s love. They were open to hearing, but I could see they were starting to feel a bit uncomfortable because of the homeless people fighting.

As I looked over at them screaming, one of the men had come towards me, and as I looked at him he looked at me with absolute venom and vitriol in his face.

The two women drive off after I gave them a piece of paper with the ministry website on.

As I looked back over at the arguing homeless people, filled with love and empathy for each of them, the Lord asked me to go over and share His love with them.

As I walked towards them they saw me and started to look at me. I shared with them that “Jesus loves you” and as I was coming towards them, one of the two men and the woman started walking away from me. The man said something disrespectful and the woman, clearly on drugs, said something about “believing in a higher power.”

I was now just with the remaining man. It was the man who had looked at me with venomous anger minutes earlier.

He was looking at me perplexed.

I told him again:

“Jesus loves you. Do you know?”

He put his head down, he couldn’t really look at me.

I asked him his name.

Derek.

I said “Can I pray for you?”

Derek replied “Ok yes”.

I put my hand on Derek’s shoulder and began to pray as the Spirit led.

When I finished the prayer, I opened my eyes and Derek had tears coming down his cheeks.

Derek looked at me and said:

“Is this real? Is this actually happening?”

I said:

“Yes it is. I was here in Blackpool yesterday with my daughters, and this morning God asked me to come back to Blackpool again today. Derek, God has brought me to Blackpool for you because He loves you.”

Derek started to open up a little bit. He looked at me and said:

“You know, in this last few days I have been planning to commit suicide. I was planning to do it tomorrow.”

The Lord asked me to invite him in to my car so we can continue talking.

We ended up in my car for around an hour talking. I told Derek about how Jesus saved my life. Derek shared some of his eye opening life experiences. I asked how long he had been homeless. It had been about 3 months.

He hadn’t had a hot meal in weeks.

I used Facebook to try and find a homeless shelter in Blackpool. I tried a couple but there was no answer.

The Spirit led me to take Derek to a local McDonald’s. Derek ate and then fell asleep due to absolute exhaustion at the table.

With my heart so strong for Derek’s welfare, and with no option available of where I can take him, the Lord said to me:

“Bring him home with you so he can have a good nights sleep and a shower.”

After waiting a little while I woke Derek up and told him what I’m doing. He humbly accepted what I was proposing.

We got in the car and drove the approx 1hr 45mins home. Derek slept most of the way. By this time it was about 12am at night.

We went in my home and got a hot drink. We stayed up talking for a few hours and then Derek fell asleep in the kitchen on a chair.

I started to plan what we would do the following day. I had this desire on my heart to buy Derek some new clothes from Primark so he can look and feel fresh and in some ways reborn. I wrote in a Bible for me to give to Derek and got some scriptures printed out.

I went to bed and woke up in the morning and Derek was sat in the back garden. It was another beautiful day with the sun shining.

I set up our summer house for Derek to stay in for however long for him to continue recuperating. I put scriptures up in there to make it a kind of “Biblical healing room”.

Derek went in there and fell asleep. He was absolutely shattered.

I told Derek we are going to get him some new clothes, then he can have a shower and put on his new clothes feeling fresh and clean.

Derek and I in our back garden before going to Primark to get him some new clothese

We drove out to a shopping park and went shopping in Primark.

There were certainly a few looks from people watching me walk around with a man who was quite clearly homeless.

I spent about £90 of God’s money on Derek for new t-shirts, jumper, pants, underwear and footwear. It was worth every penny.

We drove back to my home and Derek had a shower. He came down wearing some of his new clothes. It almost made me cry seeing Derek washed and looking like a new man.

I went and picked my daughters up and then they met Derek. I explained to them how I’d met Derek and what God was doing for him through me.

A while later I spoke to my daughters mum to share with her about Derek. She wasn’t comfortable with her daughters being around a homeless man she didn’t know, so she came and picked our daughters up. I understood given the unique circumstances - this was the 1st time a homeless person had come to our home.

That night Derek and I had a fire in the back garden. I was led to call one of my sisters in Christ who herself has been homeless and had been a drug addict.

We had a long video call with Derek, who began to open up about how he had started taking drugs in his early teenage years, and how he’s been on most drugs.

I had a whiteboard and I was led to write on this board the breakdown of when Derek started taking certain drugs, going back to his early childhood years.

It was very deep. Derek was hearing more about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Derek shared how he didn’t have any drugs on him in his bag, but he does have his bag of equipment.

We asked Derek if he wanted to be set free by Jesus of his addictions, and he wanted to. We asked him if he wanted to put his bag of equipment on the fire.

Derek said yes. Before he did we were praying for him to be delivered and set free.

Derek threw his little bag of equipment on the fire. He was crying. It was very deep.

I started to plan what we would do over the next few days, like going for country walks and seeing Derek continue to be revitalised by the Holy Spirit.

Derek went to sleep absolutely shattered about 11pm.

I was in my kitchen reflecting on all what God was doing. I was in tears. My heart for Derek was so strong, to see him truly set free from all the pains and suffering of his past.

The Spirit led me to record a video alongside playing the song “To You” by Maverick City.

During this video I showed the whiteboard where earlier I had wrote down at what age Derek had started taking different drugs.

Following this I went to sleep.

Derek woke me up suddenly when he came in my bedroom about 7am the next morning.

He was looking at me with a different look, a negative look, whilst saying to me:

“Will you take me home. I just want to go home. Take me back to Blackpool.”

I was just waking up. I told Derek what I am planning today, for us to go for a nice walk and continue his transformation.

Derek wasn’t happy. He just wanted to go home. He said he will get a train himself if I don’t take him.

He didn’t know where I lived or where he was.

I told him to wait downstairs and I’ll get changed then we can chat about today.

He went downstairs and I got changed.

When I went downstairs he was nowhere to be seen.

I looked out the front and I couldn’t see him anywhere.

I started praying and I got my car keys and started driving to the local train stop.

He wasn’t there.

I was praying as my heart was racing not knowing where Derek had gone to.

The Lord told me to go back home.

As I was arriving Derek was stood on the driveway.

As I pulled up Derek was getting angry, telling me he just wants to go back to Blackpool. He threatened me by saying if I don’t take him, he will just walk off and find his own way.

I was taken aback by his sudden mood change. I asked him what would he do back in Blackpool as I don’t want him to just go back on the streets.

Derek told me that he will go and see his mum.

I immediately thought this will be an opportunity for me to talk to his mum about Jesus to help her in her own personal life circumstances and challenges.

I said to Derek ok I will take him back this morning, but lets jus go inside and get a bit of food to take with us and some water.

We did this and then started the drive back to Blackpool.

On our drive, Derek opened up even more about some of the suffering he has been through. He shared with me how he and other boys were raped by a local man when he was a teenager. He shared with me how his family abandoned him. He shared how recently he has been set on fire and on another occasion he was stabbed.

Derek shared how he has attempted suicide a number of times before.

Derek was crying as he was opening up to me.

With about half an hour to go to get back in to Blackpool, Derek told me he needs the toilet. I was also going to need some petrol.

I asked Derek for directions to his mums as were coming in to Blackpool. As we got in the outskirts of the town, away from the main tourist area, I saw a petrol station. I pulled in and told Derek I will go and ask if they have a toilet.

As I was getting out of my car, Derek suddenly started getting out too. He opened the rear door to get his rucksack out. I asked him what he was doing.

“I’m GOING!! Leave me ALONE!!” he snarled at me.

Derek had suddenly changed. He had hatred in his eyes.

“No Derek. I am taking you to your mums. Get back in the car. Stop it.”

As he was walking away from the car Derek shouted back at me:

“I’M GOING!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!”

The thought of Derek going right back in the darkness he came from only 2 days ago, with everything God had been doing in his life, was absolutely devastating for me. I love Derek, he is a precious child of God, absolutely broken due to the suffering in his life.

Derek started storming away from the petrol station with his rucksack on his back.

I got in my car and drove out of the petrol station. I drove towards where Derek was storming off to. I saw one car park space amongst 3-4 cars and the Lord said to me:

“Park in there so you can get out and go after Derek”

I parked up and started going after Derek.

“Derek stop!!” I shouted.

“NO!! LEAVE ME ALONE” snarled Derek as he looked back at me with absolute venom in his eyes.

I carried on following him. He started to run. I started to run. Derek was shouting abuse at me.

He went round a corner. When I got to the corner I looked down this street and I couldn’t see Derek. There was a white van parked up further down the street.

The Lord said to me:

“He is hiding behind that van.”

I ran to the van and saw Derek trying to play hide and seek behind the van.

He stormed off again, turning back at me screaming abuse and threatening me.

I carried on after him, saying:

“Derek Jesus loves you. I won’t leave you alone”

Derek stormed in to a corner shop. I went in.

“Call the police!! This man won’t leave me alone. He keeps following me!!” shouted Derek to the shopkeeper.

Looking scared the shopkeeper looked at me.

I told him Derek is a homeless man I’ve been looking after.

The shopkeeper tells us to leave his shop.

Derek storms past me with absolute vitriol in his face.

Derek crosses the road and screams at me “I’M CALLING THE POLICE!!!!” as he storms towards a phone box.

I stand a couple of yards away as Derek calls 999.

At this point, I’m started to think how I’ve had the police knocking on my door over previous months following people making false accusations about me.

Derek starts talking to the police. He tells them that there’s a man who keeps following him that won’t leave him alone. The police must of asked Derek to describe me and give my name.

As Derek is speaking he keeps looking at me with absolute venom and evil in his face.

The police must have asked Derek if they can speak to me. Derek says:

“They want to talk to you”

I reply:

“No Derek, you tell them the truth of why I am here with you.”

Derek snarled at me and told the police:

“He won’t talk to you.”

The conversation continued as I’m still stood near to the phone box.

Derek looks at me again and snarls:

“They want to talk to you”.

I reply saying:

“No Derek. You tell them that you were going to commit suicide, and how I came in to your life 2 nights ago.”

Derek errupted in a violent rage:

“AAAARRRGGGG!!!!!” Derek screamed whilst looking at me, as he slammed the phone down on the police.

Derek, filled with absolute venomous rage, started crossing over the road as he was opening his rucksack up to get something out.

“I’M GONNA FCKIN KILL YOU!!!” screamed Derek, as he pulled out a knuckle duster out of his rucksack.

I was about a yard away from Derek as he was putting the knuckle duster on his right hand.

I raise both my hands towards Derek and I declared:

“In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, Derek, JESUS LOVES YOU!!!”

Derek, in a fit of venomous rage, with the knuckle duster on his right hand, screams at me as he is just about to swing at me:

“AAAAARRRGGGG!!!!”

As Derek goes to punch me in my face, all of a sudden it was like all the strength in his right arm had gone. His right fist came towards my left hand that was facing him, but his fist merely touched my hand, without any power or strength at all.

Derek was unable to punch me and do what he was desperate to do, to kill me.

“LEAVE ME A FCKIN ALONE!!!!!” Derek screamed.

He started to turn away and as he was walking away Derek screamed:

“IF YOU’VE NOT LEFT ME ALONE IN THE NEXT 60 SECONDS YOU ARE GOING TO DIE!!!!”

I couldn’t leave Derek. My love for Derek meant I couldn’t leave him.

I started following him again.

He kept turning round screaming and snarling at me.

He went down a back alley and as he was walking past 2 homeless men he shouted:

“Get this man away from me. He is deranged, he won’t leave me alone!!”

As I got to the 2 homeless men who were looking perplexed, I asked them:

“Do you know that Jesus loves you?”.

One man responded disrespectfully and the other man said “I pray to God”. I gave them a piece of paper with the ministry website on and carried on following after Derek.

He had just gone through a large 8 foot tall metal gate with spikes on the top.

As I got to the gate I realised that I couldn’t open it from my side. I looked up and was just about to start climbing over the metal spiked gate and the Lord suddenly says to me:

“My son Paul, STOP. Enough. Let Derek go. Leave him, it is OK.”

Suddenly the sheer intensity of the last 45 minutes subsided.

I was sweating heavily.

My heart was racing.

I had never faced being killed before.

I had never experienced anything like that before.

God had just saved my life.

Panting, I called my sister in Christ whom I’d done the video call with the night before with Derek.

She was shocked at what I’d just experienced.

As we’re talking I walked towards the phone box where Derek had called the police.

I sat on a bench next to the phone box as I carried on talking on the phone.

Shortly after a policeman turned up. I explained what had been going on. He ran checks on me, then put out a call to try and find Derek as he is clearly a danger to himself and others

The policeman told me how rough this area is, and that in future he doesn’t recommend I come round there on my own.

The policeman went on his way. I started walking whilst still on the phone to try and find where I’d parked my car. I found my car and told my sister that I will call again so we can pray, after I’ve found a toilet and parked back up again.

Shortly after I found a toilet and then went and parked up on Blackpool promenade, facing the Big One.

I called my sister back on video call and shortly in to our call we started to pray. I was sweating.

As I was praying the Lord said to me:

“Go to 2 Chronicles 20. In this, you have been King Jehoshaphat. The armies that have been coming against you have been social services, the police, mental health, your own family and friends, people on Facebook. Now read through this chapter to know what I am doing in your life.”

As I was reading through 2 Chronicles 20 I was crying my eyes out. It was one of the most profound prayers I had experienced.

At the end of me reading and declaring 2 Chronicles 20 over myself, the Lord said to me:

“My son. Today you have shown me that you were willing to die for Derek. You were willing to surrender your life for another person. You don’t have anything more to show me. I won’t allow you to experience this again.”

I was crying my eyes out.

I give God all the glory for my life and for every single battle that Jesus has fought and won in my life.

I thank God for stopping Derek killing me that morning in Blackpool.

I thank God for using me to be His hands and feet upon the earth.

I thank God that no weapons formed against me will prosper.

I thank God that greater is the Spirit that is in me than the spirit that is in the world.

I thank God for bringing you to read this testimony.

A few hours after God saved my life in Blackpool on 8th June 2021