Abundant Life Worship Center
3001 Roosevelt Highway
Manchester, GA 31816
16 Hours Under the Attack of Death
Matthew 12:29; Psalms 23:4
Intro: In hindsight I suppose I have never really known the magnitude or the involvement of God in our personal lives as well as I do after April 13, 2003. Throughout my ministry I have antagonized the enemy and challenged him many times in order to clearly present a true picture of his inability to affect our lives. Peter stated, “He is a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour,” but always unable to bag his prey.
In Matthew 12:29, Jesus gave us a valuable lesson about our security system which He Himself paid for and, by the way, installed. “How can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man?” Only then will he be able to spoil his goods.
In my challenges I have many times demanded the devil to show his authority. “Come right in,” I would say during many of my messages, “and take me out. If you are so powerful,” I would continue, “walk into this church, come up to this podium, and destroy me.” Thus, you have the background which took me on a trip April 13, 2003, that few have ever taken. I’ll get back to this background in a moment, and explain what I mean.
It was the beginning of an incredible journey that began as any other ordinary day, without any advance warning, or any sign that April 12, 2003, would be a day wedged in my memory forever. It was just a normal Saturday morning, and I would leave for work like millions of others, like I had done so many times in the past. The mail that day was heavy, and the unusual pain in my left arm made the day stressful and exacting.
After getting home, I cut grass for myself and my dad, but above the roaring of the lawnmower motor, something began to happen. The house of clay began to feel the intrusion of something different. At first, the pain was just a come and go pain, similar to a guerilla warfare attack that continued to worsen throughout the day. I had invited my two sons, Joseph and Vance, over for supper, and managed to grill porkchops for them as I had planned. No one at this time was aware of the intrusion I was feeling.
Later that evening, I mentioned to Mildred the pain that now seemed to be more difficult and frequent. It was not unbearable, but mentally I realized that it was having an effect upon me. “I’ll be better in the morning,” I thought, and would continue my plans to preach in the 11 o’clock morning worship service.
As I preached, I noticed the pain had intensified, but I completed my sermon and left for home. Again, I convinced Mildred that I was ok, and was just stressed out over the work schedule that I had encountered over the last few months.
I rested all afternoon, until it was time for Mildred to go to choir practice. I would go to church later, as I normally do, for the 6 o’clock evening service, and be prepared to preach.
Shortly after Mildred left, I took a bath, which was my normal Sunday afternoon procedure. As I was bathing, I noticed that suddenly my left arm was hurting continuously and no longer intermittently. I finished my bath and went to the living room to rest for a few moments. As I sat on the sofa, my hands dangling in front of me, I noticed I had great drops of sweat dripping from my fingertips. It was then I realized that I was in big trouble. It seemed as if a full physical attack was being waged. The commander of hell was clear about his mission: Take Sanford out.
But in the house of clay that was alone in the house, I knew a Stronger than he was present, and according to Revelations 1:18, it is He who has the keys to death. The house of clay was under an incredible attack and no longer had control, like a boat rushing down a mighty river with no power of its own.
As I tried to focus and control my emotions, I knew I must get to the phone, which was in a nearby room. I managed to get off the sofa, but fell in the floor. I got up again, fell again, and this time I started crawling to the phone. I crawled a few feet, and was so sick, vomiting, nauseous, and sick at my stomach, that I crawled instead to the bathroom next to the phone room. My chest was tight, my left arm was aching almost unbearably, and I knew I must get help immediately.
Of course, I prayed as I crawled to the phone, while remembering that my mother may not have gone to choir yet, and I would call her. I was thinking clearly enough to know that I must not alarm her, or let her know that anything was wrong. “Mom,” I said, “Are you going to church?” “Yes,” she replied, as I knew she would. “Would you tell Mildred to come home for a minute? I need her.” “OK,” she said.
I hung up the phone, crawled to the bedroom, and pulled myself onto the bed, waiting. It must have been about 10 minutes before Mildred and Carol, a friend from church, came in. Mildred took one look at me, and told Carol to stay with me while she called 911.
“I’ll be alright in a few minutes,” I insisted, as well as I could insist. After all, I was lying on my bed with nothing on but boxers, and I was a little embarrassed for another woman to be in there. But I lost that battle; they did not listen. My opinion did not matter, the ambulance was on the way.
It arrived shortly, with two EMTs, who immediately said, “Let’s get this man to the hospital.” One was a friend of mine, Mr. Chapman, who I had known for years, as well as his family. I was glad he was there, but I was still not sure I wanted to go.
“Sanford,” he said, “I’ve seen a lot of people look like you, and believe me, you have a choice. You can ride in my Ford, or you can ride in a Cadillac.” The choice was mine, and his point was made very clearly, and accepted.
They took me from home to the Warm Springs Hospital, to be stabilized, since it was nearby. From there, they carried me to St. Francis Hospital, with lights flashing. It was quite a ride, I remember.
Suddenly, in the ambulance, the assurance of God came to me as He spoke to my heart. “I saw you this morning as you struggled through your sermon for Me. And tonight, I’m here for you.” According to my daughter, Mandy, I smiled and looked up at her, because of those comforting words that I knew had been spoken by the Master to my spirit. Mandy asked me later why I was smiling during the ambulance ride, and I was glad to share with her the comfort that had been provided during this time of crisis by God. There can be no greater comfort during a time like this than to know that God is a very present help in time of trouble. That’s what made me smile; and that still makes me smile.
We arrived at the hospital with the doctors and nurses rushing around, getting ready for my arrival. When the commotion settled just a little, I asked the cardiologist that had been summonsed, was he going to do a cath in the morning. He looked at me strangely, and said, “No sir, we’re going right now.” As he spoke the nurses were coming to carry me out for the test. “You’re having an on-going heart attack, and if I don’t stop it, it will stop you.”
A 30-minute procedure turned into a two-and-a-half hour ordeal. As I was in the cath lab, with the doctor and the nurses around me, suddenly I left their presence. I was unaware until days later that my heart had stopped. When I came to, the first thing I remembered was the nurse screaming, “He’s back, doctor, he’s back!” The doctor responded, “Inflate, Inflate now!” I was unaware I had been anywhere, except I had entered into a chamber, a dark chamber. From the walls voices as calm as I’ve ever heard, were coming from every wall. They were saying, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” Over and over these voices echoed these comforting words, and they were right, I was not afraid. Something bigger than me had entered into the arena, and now not only had I challenged the enemy, but I believe God Himself had challenged the enemy, just as the Angel and the devil disputed over the body of Moses. (Later, Dr. Mewar would tell the family gathered at the hospital, that he had almost lost me. Electrical paddles had been used to start my heart back to beating, and I had a 100% blockage and a 90% blockage in the main arteries. One stint was all that could be done that night. I would need to return in 60 days for another stint.)
All night, my specially appointed nurse, kept a vigil by my bedside. All night long, she sat there, and every time I would move, she would tell me, “You must be still, you can’t move. I am just trying to keep you alive.” I was told I was quite impossible to deal with. Having such a loving nature, that was hard for me to believe, as I could not remember it. My outlook was grim, and I was not looking very good to my family. In fact, I was looking very pale and sick, and they were extremely worried.
My daughter, Heather, asked if anyone had anointed me. That was at 6 o’clock the next morning, April 14. So, Mildred and my sister Sandra, at the request of Heather and Michelle, came in and layed hands on me and they both prayed. I don’t remember much about that, but Mildred said later that that was the one time she was not sure that I would make it. She had reassurance all along that I was going to be alright, but after seeing me she was beginning to doubt that assurance.
It would be 8 o’clock before anyone would be allowed back in to visit me, and only for a few minutes. My son, Vance, and my sister, Susan, came in. I told them I was ready to go home. They went to the waiting room, and told everyone how good I looked, and I was talking good, and was ready to leave the hospital. No one could believe this. They had to see for themselves. Sometime between 6 a.m. (the prayer time) and 8 a.m. (the visiting time), God did a marvelous work. I knew what He meant then, when He said to me in the ambulance, “I’m here with you now.” God allowed me to understand that behind all this, was the intention of Satan to try to do what I have challenged him to do for years, to take me out while I was preaching God’s word. But God had spoken, “I will not allow it.”
This is my story that I’m telling now for the Glory of God. Yes, it’s true, God is dependable and you can count on Him. I am still pastoring the church, working 5 days a week. I wish to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Mewar (cardiologist), nurses, my friends, congregation, and family for all their prayers, but most of all thanks to God for directing and being in charge of this inspiring event in my life.
This is not the only time God has intervened and saved my life. I will go into this in another chapter.
Pastor Sanford Colquitt
Abundant Life Worship Center
Manchester, GA 31816
