My story

Nothing happened by chance in my life. Before me, my parents had 3 daughters and my mum knew that daddy wanted a boy. So she prayed. And God gave her a son. My parents were so happy...

I was not a “good” baby. I used to cry a lot. They brought me to the doctor and the doctor said that I was simply “mean” and I would just cry, and cry, and cry… Back from the doctor’s a neighbour stopped my mummy and promised her that she would help us. She poured oil over me and she started to recite charms. Mummy didn’t know her neighbour was an occult witch. After that ritual she assured mummy that her baby would sleep without any problems.

I spent my whole childhood in tears. I felt a burden over me, over my soul and feelings. I felt like rejected. Because of this status of the soul I stuttered. I started to speak fluently only at the age of 15. Despite everything, I sensed that there was a way out.

Between the second and third year of my life, a brother from our fellowship saw me crying in the street and asked me: “Why are you crying Alexander?” I am crying because they don’t want me to be a preacher. That brother remembered about such scene, but he didn’t think that my wish could be fulfilled. Indeed, as a child, I was quite stubborn and disobedient... That’s why my mother used to punish me, and sometimes she also beat me, as it was common use back in the years of my childhood. She just wanted to educate a good and honest man.

One day of my puberty, I stopped her hand and I told her: “You are not going to beat me anymore”. She replied: “If I don’t beat you, life will do it for me”.

Through occult experiences I happened to know a couple of things in advance. I did know that my wife’s name would be Zuzana. I also revealed it to my mother. And today I can confirm that it is true…

I had a friend who used to lead me in all kinds of bad adventures. One day he came to visit me and he told me to get well dressed. He brought me to the church community. I was surprised, but I went with him.

Once arrived in the community church, something beautiful happened. The Holy Spirit descended on earth. Our brother Ján Kriška was holding his speech. Everything he spoke about referred to my person. His words were so concrete and concerned my own life. I felt I was alone (instead of being in the midst of a relatively huge crowd). God was speaking to me by means of that man. I was sitting there, frozen… I was just watching, listening, and waiting...

God was there. All evil spirits were jumping out of me. From that time on, I started to feel the presence of God in my life. Ján Kriška ended his preach and urged people to go ahead towards the stage, if they wanted to receive Christ. I didn’t do it. I felt unworthy. I still thought that if I handed my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I would still be too weak before temptation and could possibly do something bad just ten minutes later. Inside me I felt I would never forget about this experience and I would follow Christ.

A couple of days later I met a brother. He brought me to another brother who said: “Alexander accepted Jesus as his Lord on Sunday”. I was surprised. How could he know? I didn’t reveal it to anyone. Whence does he know about it? I confirmed: “It is true”.

KBack home, I fell on my knees and I prayed God to take my life in His hands, to be faithful, even when I’ll be unfaithful, and to search me when I’ll get lost. I also told him an important thing: “I take Your most Holy Spirit upon me”. Then I spent 17 years fighting for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, I was influenced by wrong teachings and I thought that people get the fullness of the Holy Spirit only when they start to speak new tongues. It was not true. I was filled with the Holy Spirit since the moment I handed my life to Jesus and I said that I accept the Holy Spirit into my life.

PThen I asked the fellowship to hire me in the ministry. My mum was shocked more than everybody else. She noticed I was a different person. She repeatedly asked me what the matter was with me. She used to work regularly and very hard in the fields. I used to pray mostly with my aunt (mummy’s sister), who was home because of a malformation on her back. My aunt prayed a lot for my conversion. They suddenly noticed that I was a new man and that I don’t do bad things like in the past. They asked me what happened. I answered that I had given my heart to Jesus Christ our Lord.

They cried, and cried, and cried… They were completely shocked and couldn’t stop crying of joy.

It was time for me to look for a girl. I liked Marienka, but she liked somebody else. I thought I’d stay by myself. The Lord had different plans for me. He revealed to Zuzana that she was going to be my wife. I wasn’t really interested in that girl. I just kept praying for a good woman from the Lord.

One day an older brother came to our community. He was 80 or 90 years old. I talked to him and opened up my heart with all my problems, issues, and desires. He asked me: “What is your problem?” I said: “I am 20 and I would like to find a wife.” I said I wanted a wife according to God’s will. He asked me whether there was a girl I like in a particular way. I replied: “Yes, she exists.” He asked me whether this girl would be amongst those who were going to celebrate my birthday. I replied: “I hope so.” Then he said: “Today, when youth come to your house, the girl who will first open your house door, she will be your wife…” Then he started to pray intensively for the true will of God to be revealed to him. I was just thinking inside my mind: “I hope that girl has all teeth in their place…” Then he said: “Amen!”, he hugged me and added: “Go in peace; God will help you.”

I stared at the gate of our house. Three girls were coming closer. I said: “My God, I just want one woman, what am I going to do with three women… ”

What happened? A miracle of God. Both Zuzana’s friends stopped before the gate and said that they decided not to come in anymore. Zuzana was embarrassed, but eventually she came in alone. Today she is my fantastic wife and I have lived with her for 37 years.

When we got married I used to work as a tinsmith, but I didn’t have too much money. We moved to Banská Bystrica. I asked God: “Will you be with me if I start to build a house”. Through the Holy Scriptures God revealed me that he would not abandon me in this project. I was so enthusiast and I soon told Zuzana about it. She was surprised. I told her about God’s promise. She had great faith; so she agreed. God really blessed us in this. The works lasted 6 years and in the seventh year we moved to our new house. At that time God taught me how to listen to His Word. No theology, but “knee-ology” . I experienced so many miracles by kneeling.

After 10 years of marriage, the Lord told me it was time for ministry. We prayed and fasted with Zuzana for six months, because in our community there was spiritual aridity. We prayed for the awakening of our community. We were living under the Communist regime. The expected awakening finally occurred in our community, but the secret police did not appreciate it. They started to monitor us. Once, secret agents climbed up the roof of our house to take pictures of people gathering there. That day, nobody had come to see us.

One day, a police officer came to my workplace. He told me that I should educate youth in the spirit of communist principles. Instead, he heard I am a fervent Christian. I had tears in my eyes and I said: “It is not true. I should be more fervent than I am”. Then I started to tell him something about myself.

He stopped me and said: “Don’t tell me anything about you. I already know everything”. And I replied: “Then you know that I pray everyday on my knees for people, because I love people and I love God. I also pray for people like you, because I know you also need the Lord Jesus. You are also people who need love”.

He turned red and started to weep. Then he said: “Can I ask you a favour? Keep praying for me, because I need your prayers. Pray for me to remain in my function. As long as I will be in charge of this function, you will not have any problems”.

Since then I was no more contacted by anyone. That officer helped me open the doors of preaching ministry. I was called to help our Baptist brothers and sisters in Tekovské Lužany, where I served for 4 years. Some people from that community practiced occultism. Weird things were happening and I had to fight against it. I started to preach against occultism and superstition. One day, after preaching I saw an older brother walking towards me with such a mean glance, as though he was pointing a gun against me. I asked God what to do. When he was close to me I hugged him. He said: “We will talk about it in another occasion.” Since then he became one of my closest friends and he defended me in several occasions.

People were coming to me and I helped them. Zuzana and the children were becoming less important matter and she was disappointed. She said her life was not the one she had thought of. I didn’t know what to say. I went to our bedroom. I knelt down and I experienced one of my first big breakthroughs. My heart was broken before God. I realised I was missing my target.

I told God the only reason I wanted to live was Jesus, our Lord. He answered: “You’ve finally understood it”.

I started to live without claims. The Lord kept sending people to me and these people were converting. At the same time I understood that I had to love my wife who experienced such a big disappointment. I practically came out of myself and I started to give myself to others, just like bread. It was my first moment in which I understood that I have to give myself to others like bread. When you distribute bread, you have to cut it. It is always a painful operation. God taught me how to be humble and dedicated to others: just serve the others and don’t expect anything for you. It took a long time before I realised all this. I live for the Lord Jesus, for my family, and for people. The kernel of wheat dies and produces many seeds. It is a blessed mystery. We need to arrive to that moment when our only supporting point is Jesus.

Zuzana saw, experienced, and believed that I was changed. It brought great joy and blessings to our family.

Many dear friends from the Baptist Church proposed me as chairman of their Church. Different opinions started gradually to spread, according to which it was necessary to have a preacher with teaching competences, not just an evangelizer like me. Eventually, when I saw that they were no longer interested in my service, I thanked them for cooperation and departed. I ministered 10 years in that Church.

I went back home with my heart broken and cried. Zuzana was smiling. I said it was the end. She said everything was still to begin. I felt like the whole world fell on me and that it was the end of my spiritual ministry.

The following day, in the morning, I received a call from a man from a missionary community. He asked me whether he could come to visit me. I agreed. When he came he told me: “Alexander, I came here to call you for evangelization service”.

I asked him whether he knew what happened yesterday. He said he didn’t know anything about it. He didn’t really know what happened to me. He just said he prayed and he received a word from God to call on brother Alexander and encourage him to start evangelization ministry. The Lord Jesus didn’t let me wait; not even 24 hours.

Today, I sincerely thank my Baptist brothers because the Lord used them to sharpen my egoism and pride. The Lord wanted me to be free for His aims.

A couple of months after my call for evangelization a big horn appeared on my head. I went to the doctor and said I needed one more The doctor said it was not the case to make fun. The problem was quite serious and I needed to undergo a critical surgical operation with the risk of spending the rest of my life on a wheelchair or also getting a brain haemorrhage. I understood things were quite serious.

Before operation the Lord Jesus told me he had further plans for me here on earth.

Shortly before operation a health worker asked me: “Who are you Mr. Barkóci?” I replied I am a servant of God. He started to shave my head, but before he finished he repented and hand over his life to Jesus. I didn’t even need to preach anything. He was pouring tears on my head and he said: “I really want to come back to Jesus”.

I underwent a surgical operation of the cranium. The doctors took away what they thought should not be there. The following day, I woke up and I saw around me plenty of hoses and machines. I had to go to the toilet. So I disconnected all that equipment, I stood up and went to the toilet. A nurse saw I was not at bed and started to cry: “Mr. Barkóci, where are you?” “In the toilet” I answered She was frightened and she said: “Mr. Barkóci, you cannot do that. It’s too dangerous…”

The doctor asked me: “How are you?” I said: “I’m fine” He didn’t trust me: “How can you feel good with a hole in your head, after anaesthesia?” I confirmed that I felt very good.

The following night, the Lord Jesus came to visit me. I don’t know if it was a vision, ecstasy, or what. I only know it was a living experience. Jesus wanted to show me something. I agreed and I followed him along the way up to a big valley. The valley was full of people and looked like an amphitheatre. All were smiling and full of joy. I thought Jesus brought me there for preaching. I left my hands and started to pray: “Dear Lord, thank You for Your Son Jesus” My prayer changed in a celestial tongue (not speaking new tongues, but just a celestial tongue). I was not able to change it. I noticed all other people were also praying in that celestial language. Then I heard a huge roar, like waterfalls. Then that roar started to change its height and depth. The person who was close to me told me: and now we are going to sing the Song of the Lamb. I started to sing with even more enthusiasm than before. I started to lift up from the place where I was. I was floating towards the throne. The throne was surrounded by fog. It was the glory of God. The Lord impeded me to get closer to the throne. Then I woke up in a hospital room.

I woke up at once and I heard patients crying and equipment beeping. I was sad. I asked Jesus to bring me back to that place in which I was before. I didn’t want to be on earth anymore. I prayed Jesus to bring me back there. In that very moment I forgot about my wife and children. I just wanted to get back there, to the Lord. While I was crying, the Lord Jesus stood in front of my bed and said: “I have purified and healed you”

I cried one whole week. I wanted to get back there. It was such a great beatitude. I am not able to describe it.

The doctors were quite surprised. I was almost immediately healed. On the fifth day after a very serious operation they sent me home. The normal procedure would be one week in intensive care and two weeks under monitoring.

Since then my service was multiplied. More and more people were coming to me. My ministry reached an international, worldwide dimension. I have invitations in several European countries. My timetable is full 3 and a half years in advance.

Today I am focusing only on two things: (i) a living relation with the Lord; (ii) never claiming new rights, new plans. I just want to love the Lord and people.