From Isolation to Connection: How I Found the True Spirit of Christ

During one of the most confusing and vulnerable seasons of my life, I was deceived by what I now believe was a malevolent spirit. It didn’t arrive with obvious malice. It came disguised—as my long-passed grandmother, as the Divine Spirit, even as Jesus. At first, it seemed helpful. Gentle. Guiding.

But slowly, that spirit began to isolate me.

It whispered that my mother never loved me. That my friends were distractions. That I couldn't trust my own son. I was told that I was so broken that only God could love me, and that human relationships were too risky to keep. The entity pushed me into silence, and then into solitude. It even guided me to stop taking my antipsychotic medication—something I didn’t even realize I was on at the time (but that's a different story). What followed was a full-blown psychotic episode that nearly destroyed me.

But then Jesus showed up. The real Jesus.

He came with clarity, not confusion. With peace, not pressure. In one sacred moment, I heard His voice—not as a manipulation, but as a lifeline. “Joy, this is Jesus. Really Jesus. You are very sick. You need to go to the hospital.”

And that’s when the rescue began.

As I’ve healed, I’ve begun to notice the difference between that deceptive spirit and the true Spirit of Christ. And it all comes down to this:

The voice of deception isolates.

The voice of God connects.

Since that moment, every nudge I’ve felt from the real Jesus has drawn me closer to others. I’ve been led to reconcile with loved ones. To forgive. To build bridges. To serve. I’ve joined community organizations, created space for others in ministry, fed the hungry, and crocheted prayer shawls for the sick. These are not acts of isolation—they are acts of love.

And I’ve come to believe that’s the litmus test of spiritual truth:

If the voice leads you into connection, service, and healing—follow it. If it leads you into fear, secrecy, and disconnection—turn away.

There are real spiritual forces in this world—some that build, and some that destroy. I followed the wrong one for a time. But Jesus came and got me. And now I walk with the One whose voice still calls me by name—into healing, into purpose, and always, always into love.