A Stronger Faith

He Didn’t Believe in Jesus — Until He Saw Him - #157 Josh Smallwood

For 37 years, Josh Smallwood didn’t reject God — he just couldn’t believe that Jesus was the answer. Raised with a general belief in God but deeply skeptical of Christianity, Josh searched for truth through reason, history, and evidence. Jesus felt too simple. Too easy. Too unlikely to be real. Josh’s journey began intellectually. As an agnostic, he started studying near-death experiences from people all over the world — skeptics, believers, people of different faiths — and noticed something he couldn’t explain. Their stories were remarkably consistent. The deeper he looked, the harder it became to dismiss the idea that there was more beyond this life. That search led him to examine the historical evidence for Jesus Himself. For the first time, Josh seriously considered whether Jesus was not just a good teacher or moral figure, but real — crucified, resurrected, and alive. As the evidence mounted, something unexpected happened. While reading about Jesus, Josh experienced a sudden, overwhelming encounter with the Holy Spirit — marked by uncontrollable emotion, repentance, and a deep sense that God was real and present. But the most profound moment came later. In a quiet, ordinary moment, Josh had a vision of Jesus that forever altered his understanding of God. He didn’t see condemnation. He didn’t hear judgment. What he encountered was love — a love so intense and personal that it left him undone. A love that felt closer than any human relationship he had ever known. A love that reframed his past pain, his grief, and even the moments when he wasn’t walking with God at all. In this conversation, Josh shares: • Why he couldn’t believe in Jesus for most of his life• How evidence and reason led him to faith • What it felt like to experience the Holy Spirit for the first time • The vision of Jesus that changed how he understands God’s love • Why Christianity became personal — not religious • How his faith continues to shape his daily life -------------- Link to More Than a Carpenter, the book that influenced Josh to Jesus - https://amzn.to/4sXY0dn ------------------------ ✟ Donate to A Stronger Faith here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/give -------------------------- ✟ Recommend a guest for us here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/contact -------------------------- ✟ CONNECT WITH US! ⇨ Website: https://www.astrongerfaith.org/ ⇨ YouTube: https://bit.ly/asfmyoutube ⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrongerfaith/ ⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astrongerfaith ⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astrongerfaith ------------------------------------ ✟ If you need prayer or deliverance, or if you would like to join us as a prayer partner, please visit our prayer resources page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/prayer. ✟ If you are looking for a good faith-building book, visit our recommended books page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/books.

He Walks in God’s Power—and Teaches Others to Do the Same - #156 Howard Olsen

God spoke Howard Olsen’s name—and that moment didn’t just change his life, it commissioned it. After a season of crushing loss, depression, and suicidal despair, Howard had an encounter with God that launched him into a life marked by authority, healing, and miracles that continue to this day. In this powerful conversation, Howard shares how God intervened at the darkest point of his life—through unmistakable encounters, hearing God’s voice, and a supernatural commissioning that reshaped his purpose. But this episode doesn’t stop at testimony. Howard now walks in the authority God gave him, regularly witnessing healing, freedom, and transformation—and he explains how that same authority is available to every believer. This episode explores: - What it means to be commissioned by God, not just comforted - How authority in Christ is learned, practiced, and lived out - Why miracles and healing are not reserved for a select few - How obedience and intimacy with God lead to tangible fruit REACH HOWARD OLSEN HERE: https://howardolsen.com/ ------------------------ ✟ Donate to A Stronger Faith here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/give -------------------------- ✟ Recommend a guest for us here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/contact -------------------------- ✟ CONNECT WITH US! ⇨ Website: https://www.astrongerfaith.org/ ⇨ YouTube: https://bit.ly/asfmyoutube ⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrongerfaith/ ⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astrongerfaith ⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astrongerfaith ------------------------------------ ✟ If you need prayer or deliverance, or if you would like to join us as a prayer partner, please visit our prayer resources page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/prayer. ✟ If you are looking for a good faith-building book, visit our recommended books page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/books.

How the Holy Spirit SHATTERED Everything I Believed - #155 Emanda Rosen

For more than 25 years, Emanda Rosen followed Jesus faithfully, trusted Scripture, and built her life around the Christian faith. She believed in the Holy Spirit — but she also believed that the gifts of the Spirit were no longer something everyday Christians experienced. Prophecy. Healing. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. Those were biblical… but not for her. Or so she thought. Everything changed when God gently confronted that belief and invited her into something she never expected. In this episode, Emanda shares how God awakened her to the reality of the Holy Spirit in a deeply personal way — first by exposing her to the gifts she didn’t think were available today, and then through a powerful, tangible baptism in the Holy Spirit marked by overwhelming peace, joy, freedom, and a transformed prayer life and relationship with God. This is not a story of rebellion, emotionalism, or chasing experiences. It’s the story of a devoted Christian who loved Jesus sincerely — and discovered that God had more than she ever imagined. In this conversation, we explore: • Loving Jesus faithfully while believing the gifts of the Holy Spirit had ceased • How God awakens believers gently, not forcefully • The difference between believing in the Holy Spirit and being filled with Him • What the baptism of the Holy Spirit can look like today If you love Jesus, honor Scripture, and have ever wondered whether there might be more available in your walk with God — this conversation is for you. Get Emanda’s book The Husband, The Housewife and the Holy Spirit here ⇨ https://amzn.to/45mDLvE Connect with Emanda: Website: https://www.emandarosen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emanda_rosen_official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Emanda-Rosen-Official/61573420358277/# ------------------------ ✟ Donate to A Stronger Faith here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/give -------------------------- ✟ Recommend a guest for us here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/contact -------------------------- ✟ CONNECT WITH US! ⇨ Website: https://www.astrongerfaith.org/ ⇨ YouTube: https://bit.ly/asfmyoutube ⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrongerfaith/ ⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astrongerfaith ⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astrongerfaith ------------------------------------ ✟ If you need prayer or deliverance, or if you would like to join us as a prayer partner, please visit our prayer resources page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/prayer. ✟ If you are looking for a good faith-building book, visit our recommended books page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/books.

She Opposed Christianity — Until God Broke Through - #154 Nicole Coppola

Nicole Coppola didn’t grow up searching for Jesus. She actively rejected Christianity, mocked it, and wanted nothing to do with God. What happened next wasn’t emotional, trendy, or explainable — it was personal, specific, and impossible for her to dismiss. Raised around spirituality but deeply opposed to Christianity, Nicole spent years pushing back against faith, questioning truth, and resisting the idea of a personal God. After losing her mother at a young age and her sister shortly after, she searched for meaning, certainty, and purpose — but found only frustration, unanswered questions, and resistance where faith was concerned. Then, unexpectedly, everything began to shift. In this conversation, Nicole shares how God broke through her opposition in ways she never anticipated — through moments she couldn’t explain away, a sudden spiritual awakening, and a series of deeply personal encounters that forced her to confront the reality of a God who is not distant, symbolic, or passive, but present, personal, and willing to meet people even when they are standing in opposition. This is not a story about becoming religious. It’s a story about awakening — about discovering that God is real, personal, and able to reach people who never intended to believe. If you’ve ever questioned Christianity, dismissed faith because of religious tradition, or felt resistance toward God — or if you know someone who has — this conversation may speak directly to where you are. --------------------------- Follow Nicole's Instagram here ⇨ https://www.instagram.com/carrideswithchrist/ -------------------------- ✟ Donate to A Stronger Faith here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/give -------------------------- ✟ Recommend a guest for us here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/contact -------------------------- ✟ CONNECT WITH US! ⇨ Website: https://www.astrongerfaith.org/ ⇨ YouTube: https://bit.ly/asfmyoutube ⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrongerfaith/ ⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astrongerfaith ⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astrongerfaith ------------------------------------ ✟ If you need prayer or deliverance, or if you would like to join us as a prayer partner, please visit our prayer resources page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/prayer. ✟ If you are looking for a good faith-building book, visit our recommended books page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/books.

Jesus Pulled Me Out of Darkness I Couldn’t Escape - #153 Matthew Sutherlin

Matthew Sutherlin didn’t just struggle with addiction — he was trapped in a darkness he couldn’t escape. Raised in the shadow of generational crime, prostitution, and addiction, Matthew’s life spiraled into IV meth use, sexual addiction, and deep New Age deception. Searching for freedom, he tried everything — yoga, manifestation, altered states, and radical sexual liberation — but the deeper he went, the more he realized something unsettling. This wasn’t just psychological. Something was controlling him. In this raw and honest conversation, Matthew shares how addiction became a doorway into spiritual oppression, how “losing inhibitions” only tightened the grip of darkness, and what it felt like to reach a place where he truly couldn’t stop. What followed wasn’t religion — it was a personal encounter that changed everything. In this episode, you’ll hear: ⇨ How generational darkness affected his life in ways he didn’t understand at first ⇨ Why New Age spirituality and self-mastery failed to bring freedom ⇨ The moment God broke through and began restoring what was lost ⇨ What real intimacy with Jesus looks like beyond church and belief ⇨ And how his wife was later healed from stage-4 cancer after doctors said there was no hope This isn’t a polished testimony. It’s the story of a man who lost everything — and found the One who could actually set him free. If you’ve ever wondered whether darkness is real…If you’ve questioned whether addiction is more than habit…Or if you’re searching for a God who doesn’t just forgive, but delivers — this conversation matters. ------------------------- ✟ Donate to A Stronger Faith here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/give -------------------------- ✟ Recommend a guest for us here ⇨ https://www.astrongerfaith.org/contact -------------------------- ✟ CONNECT WITH US! ⇨ Website: https://www.astrongerfaith.org/ ⇨ YouTube: https://bit.ly/asfmyoutube ⇨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrongerfaith/ ⇨ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@astrongerfaith ⇨ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astrongerfaith ------------------------------------ ✟ If you need prayer or deliverance, or if you would like to join us as a prayer partner, please visit our prayer resources page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/prayer. ✟ If you are looking for a good faith-building book, visit our recommended books page at https://www.astrongerfaith.org/books.