“..What shall I choose? I know not” Paul writes, in his perplexed state of mind. Should I stay or should I go now? was the question pending for Paul. (Phil 1:22) He obviously had a choice. We all do. I believe all martyrs have a choice; some don’t understand that while others do and choose to die “not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection.” (Heb 11:35) ..and these all, having been {informed} through the faith, did not receive the promise(s), {even though} God  had provided for us something better (from YLT Heb 11:39). Yes God provided deliverance from all forms of death and suffering on the Cross, yet we do not all choose escape either by ignorance of this truth or by choosing to go Home with to be with Christ.

In light of the recent Oregon community college shooting, October 1, where young Christians died for their faith; true modern-day martyrs made their choice to admit they were Christians, when asked, and face the consequence. Although family misses loved ones, there is only glory for them, because as Paul wrote, “to die is gain.” (Phil 1:21)
These tragedies are often followed by sermons preparing church members to be ready to die for one’s faith; however faith has more to offer than the demise of helpless victims being subjected to the whims of demonized individuals. Thankfully though, it was no surprise to hear at my church Sunday, the message “Divine Protection Is Available” as our sermon subject, instead of the subject of dying for one’s faith. What a breath of fresh air to listen to the truth of the Gospel, that death is a choice, by faith, not an accident.
I surround myself with those of faith levels higher than my own, in hopes that I would be influenced by them; and one friend of ours has defied death several times, including a point-blank gunshot wound to his head. In 2008, in Nigeria, Seun was attacked by robbers breaking into his compound. The brutal attack ended with a direct gunshot to his skull which would have been fatal were it not for this man’s conscious application of faith to live and not die. Seun was offered death but He knew God’s plan for his life so he simply believed that he would survive and be fine, because “with God, nothing is impossible.” After a shot rang out, bloody from the injury and loss of co-ordination and balance, he miraculously made it to the neighbors. Upon presentation at the ER over an hour later, nurses and doctors did not believe he had been wounded by a gunshot even though he told them, until he insisted on an x-ray. The wound had closed (healed!) but the bullet was still inside! He is fine today, bullet still lodged inside as surgery would have been too risky. This picture is Seun, taken last Sunday, a man as able-bodied and sound in mind as anyone should be. Thank God we can choose life.
I know there are many people who have been raised from the dead by faith too. I personally know a couple who did this twice. The wife commanded her husband back to life both times. The paramedics were called afterward and confirmed that he had been, in fact dead, according to bodily symptoms. Many other accounts of raising the dead exist from public ministries today such as Andrew Wommack’s son of (Andrew Wommack Ministries.) Declared dead for five hours, his son was raised by faith in a morgue because Andrew knew the power of speaking life back into him based on God’s Word.

Curry Blake’s daughter, (of John G. Lake Ministries), was raised at an early age after falling out of a window. Curry heard Satan’s voice taunting him with this, the death of a second daughter. Curry would not have it and spoke ” you will live and not die” to his daughter’s dead body for 45 minutes, louder than the voice of Satan shouted in his head, until she breathed again and woke up hungry.

Jason Westerfield’s baby boy (YouTube evangelist.) drowned in a bathtub and was raised by his faith, declaring life over him and commanding death to leave until the boy breathed again.

Mel Bond (of Last Days Signs and Wonders) raised himself from the dead about August of 2014 in a parachuting accident. His plummet to the earth caused a few moments of death and out-of-body experience. Pastor Mel immediately chose to live and not die based on God’s promises. He claims to have made a conscious decision to get up instead of giving in to death, while he was already dead. And he arose!

The Christian church is alive and active, raising the dead, healing the sick and casting out demons. Climb aboard the faith train! All things are possible to him who believes.