Originally this was a letter written to a missionary in Haiti. 2/17/95

To My Family “The Church”,

Many times we are confronted with mysterious, chronic, health problems and though we pray and believe the Word, nothing seems to happen. This story is a testimony of such a time in my life. Though the manifestation of illness was in my flesh, the root of the illness was somewhere else. Satan is a master of deception and diversion. It’s time we grow wise in this spiritual war and overthrow his strategies against our lives. Consider this story before the Lord and see what he shows you.

From the years 1982 - 1987 I visited the country of Haiti many times. I am a preacher. I would come in and hold meetings, minister to the people, and try to encourage the local men of God in Port Au Prince and outlying areas. Early in 1983 I began to have severe health problems and was hospitalized. I was diagnosed with gall bladder problems. I was treated and released, no surgery. My problems grew increasingly worse with time and yet my doctors could not agree on the cause. One said pancreas and the other said gall bladder. Over a three year period I was hospitalized six times, near to death many of those times. Much of the time I was not hospitalized I was immobilized at home, vomiting and full of pain. I felt as though a stake had been driven through my chest. I slept between my recliner and a hospital bed that had been moved into our dining room.

In 1985 a preacher friend in Seattle called me. He wanted my family and I to come for vacation to his house. He new of my malady and believed somehow this trip would help. After prayer we decided to go. Now this Brother is also an engineer for Boeing. So the day we flew into Seattle and got settled in, this Brother was required to fly to Washington, DC. He had to help with a problem in one of their plants there. We were very disappointed. However, God knows what's best. While in Washington, this Brother prayed and fasted for me for five days. When he came back to Seattle he announced to me that God had revealed the source of my problem to him. He said that I had, had a curse placed on me in Haiti. He said that the Lord instructed him to bring me before the congregation on Sunday and break the curse over my life. To say the least, this theory did not fit my theology. I didn't believe a Christian could be cursed, but I was desperate. I had been constantly prayed for. I had been anointed with oil. I had people lay hands on me. I had exhausted my resources and lost confidence in the medical profession. I was at this time very weak and quite sick. I didn't try to debate the theology of the idea. I just said, "OK." Sunday morning by a simple prayer, before a small congregation in Seattle, I was delivered of the curse. The symptoms that had plagued me, immediately left my body. All the preacher did was take authority over the curse in the name of Jesus. He bound it off my body, commanded it to leave me in Jesus name, and immediately I was released of its power.

Some time later, I was searching. I did not have any idea how I had gotten under the curse and I was constantly asking God to show me the door, the cause. One afternoon I was studying a book by Lester Sumrall which had a chapter on “emblems of demonic power”. The spirit of the Lord spoke to me and said, "You have one." I said, “Where?" He said, "Go get your little man." On my first trip to Haiti I became very excited about the bargaining that constantly goes on in the street. At that time I pressed and haggled with a young man for a carving of a Haitian man. That was the item the Spirit of the Lord was speaking about. I went downstairs and picked up the 2 1/2 ft. tall carving. The Lord said, "What do you have in your hand?" I said, “A carving of an old Haitian sugar cane cutter." He said, "No, you have a graven image of Haitian poverty that you have given a place of honor in your home." He said, “Now, look closer." As I began to look at it, I saw a deep crack in the middle of the chest and when I turned it over I could see that it went all the way through. For months my wife and her cousin (who had been living with us) had been experiencing severe chronic neck problems. Constant stiffening of the neck muscles. We call them “cricks” in Texas. As I turned the little man over, I saw that a deep crack had developed in its neck. I asked the Lord, "What should I do with this?" He said, "Destroy it." So I took it into the back yard, took my double bit ax and chopped it up. Then I cremated him. I believe this item to be the door by which Satan afflicted my household.

In 1988 I had another physical attack. I was hospitalized ten days and continued my recovery at home for another 20 to 25 days. This illness was similar but not the same at before.

From that day I have only had one other recurrence. It lasted about 5 minutes. I was leaving Haiti to come home. I had been there 7 days. As I walked across the airport floor, every symptom returned, I was immediately sick. I stopped in my tracks and said, "Oh no Satan. I know who you are now. You have no right to me. The power of your curse is broken. I bind this curse and stop its power over my life in The Name of Jesus!” The curse and every physical symptom left, never to return. All glory to the Lamb of God, “The Lord Jesus Christ”.

From that time until this present hour I am constantly aware of a different plane upon which we fight. Take time to search your heart and house for things that may give entrance to the minions of darkness.

I have found gifts from believers and unbelievers, given in good times with right hearts, to become doors by which a “curse of words” has come against our lives. Gifts represent relational bonds we call “soul ties”. When a relationship goes sour, these can become inlets to hostile missiles launched from the mouths of “old friends”. There have been times I have found an area of church ministry affected and quenched by the spoken curses of a disgruntled ex-leader. Many times an oppressive heaviness or a wall of resistance is perceived in the Spirit. Until there is a strong and often a public stand taken against the power of these words, the church will labor under them.

I encourage you to do a spiritual and natural inventory. Trust the Spirit to help you discern truth and clean your house and fellowships accordingly.

I have been a licensed Baptist preacher since January of 1972. I was ordained in 1975. I now function as an apostle, helping and encouraging the Church as he has connected me. I hope my story will help strengthen you in your fight of faith. I pray this gives you insight into one of satans strategies and another weapon in your conflict with the realm of darkness.

Grace, peace, and health be to you, your family, and those who labor with you. May the Lord reward your efforts with many souls for His kingdom. If you should need me for any reason my address is:

Cleve Sharp

PO Box 1462

Buna, Texas 77612

E-mail: wordlion@aol.com