The Awkward Altar Call That Turned Into Freedom

A sudden wave of grief hits during worship and it doesn’t feel comforting. It feels like an alarm. Linda Budd tells the story of walking into a Wednesday night service ready to preach, only to be interrupted by a strong inner knowing that something is wrong and that the message isn’t for her. What happens next is a vivid look at discernment, a word of knowledge, and the kind of courage it takes to speak when you could be mistaken.

We talk through the moment she identifies the person in the room, waits for the right time, and then names the struggle out loud: depression. The tension spikes when the woman leaves, then returns, and the whole room has to decide what to do with the weight of the moment. From there, the conversation moves into salvation and prayer, as Linda asks a simple but life-changing question: has she ever asked Jesus into her life? The response leads into a clear sinner’s prayer, public confession, and the hope of having your name written in the book of life.

Then we go deeper into Christian deliverance ministry and healing prayer, commanding heaviness, depression, and trauma to leave in Jesus’ name, and asking God for restoration that reaches mind and body. We also point toward the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, grounding it in the book of Acts and inviting hungry believers to seek more. If you care about spiritual gifts, Christian testimony, depression and faith, and what real ministry can look like in a church service, you’ll find plenty to wrestle with here. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Transcript

Linda Budd 0:00

I walked into a Wednesday night service that I was going to preach. The worship started, and I felt like I wanted to cry. And it wasn't Holy Ghost crying, it was crying like something's wrong. And it was not good. And I just wanted to go home. And I thought, what am I going to do? And because and I thought, this is so weird because I'm not like that. Then suddenly I recognized that it was a word of knowledge. And so I was like, oh yes. So I looked around and I saw a person and I knew it was for that person. So I decided that I would do it at

An Uneasy Moment During Worship

Linda Budd 0:44

the end of my sermon. So we did worship and I preached. And while I was preaching, that person got up and walked out. And I thought, oh no, I guess I missed it. Well, a couple minutes later she came back in. And I was so happy about that. So when I got done preaching the word, I said something to the effect of, there's a person here, and uh, I'm

Realising It’s A Word Of Knowledge

Linda Budd 1:11

going to give you an opportunity to identify yourself, but I know who you are. I said, You are struggling with depression. And I was looking at this woman and she began to squirm. And but she wasn't going to raise her hand, but she just was squirming and she said something to the person beside her and it looked like she was guilty, you know. And finally I said, Ma'am, it's you, isn't it? And I'd never met her before, I'd never seen her before. And she said yes. And I said, if you'll walk up here, you'll get free of that. Well, she didn't want to walk up, and I said, just come on, it'll be worth it. So she walked up there and as she was walking up there, I suddenly knew that she didn't know the Lord. So I said, Have you ever asked Jesus into your life? And she said

Calling Out Depression With Compassion

Linda Budd 2:00

no. And I said, Would you like to do that tonight? Would you like to be a Christian? Would you like to know the Lord? Would you like to know that when you pass from this life to the next life that you're going to have? She said, Yes. So I led her in the sinner's prayer and she repeated everything after me, and the whole congregation did too. Everybody was so excited, they couldn't stop clapping. And then I said, All right, you're dealing with a spirit of depression. I said, I want to do some deliverance on you. Would you be willing to do that? And she said yes. So I commanded several things to come up and out. I commanded

From Depression To Salvation Prayer

Linda Budd 2:39

a spirit of heaviness and depression and trauma and a few other things I can't remember now. And I said, tell each one of these things to get out of you in the name of Jesus. And she did. And as she was doing that, her face cleared up. She began to look different. She began to look brighter in the eyes. And then I said, Now, these things are gone. They've

Deliverance And A Prayer For Healing

Linda Budd 3:05

left in the name of Jesus. I said, Do you believe it? She says, Yes, I do. And I said, So now, Lord, I ask that you would just release into her the right chemicals in her brain and all throughout her body that she will no longer be a person of depression. And I laid my hand upon her shoulder. And then I said, Turn to the congregation now and tell them that you've asked Jesus into your heart. And she did so very quietly and shyly, but she did it. And you know the Bible says that if you confess me before men, I'll confess you before the Father in heaven. And I told her that there's a book of life in heaven and that her name just got written in it. And when it's her time to come to heaven, Jesus is gonna look in that book and he's gonna see her name. And he's gonna say, Come on in. If you need to ask Jesus in your heart today, please do so. Just repent of your sin. Tell Jesus that you're sorry, tell him that you want to live for him. You say, Well, I'm not good enough.

Confession Before People And New Assurance

Linda Budd 4:08

I mean, you know what? That's exactly why he died for you, because you are not good enough. You can't do anything to be good enough. So he died on the cross for your sins, but you have to acknowledge it. And you have to say, Dear Jesus, please come into my life. And when you do that through faith, he will come in, he will forgive you, and he will come in, and um, you will become the temple of the Holy Spirit. You will become born again. And then I just want to tell you that there's another gift after salvation,

How To Respond Today And Receive More

Linda Budd 4:40

and it's called the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, and you can read about that in the book of Acts. And so if you would like to receive that today, just receive it. Just open your mouth and begin to make baby sounds and let your tongue just go loose and wild, and you'll receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues. And by the way, your depression is leaving now. I command that spirit of heaviness up and out of you in the name of Jesus.