Gideon Nussy went through a lot in his childhood: his parents were arrested and as a soccer hooligan he came into contact with Ecstasy at an early age. In the end, only a touch from God could save his life. “I have now started a kickboxing school, and almost every day I see miracles happen.”
“I grew up in a broken home,” Gideon says. “My father was a drug dealer and I myself came into contact with drugs at an early age. My parents argued a lot and I often cried myself to sleep at night. Yet as a child I also experienced a lot from God.”
Angel
“I remember that when I was five years old I used to sing the Name of Jesus and then feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. I also went to Sunday school at that time. Once when I cried myself to sleep, I saw a bright light. It was as if someone came to me to comfort me. When I told my mother that, she said, ‘That must have been an angel!’ ”
Arrested
Then one day Gideon’s parents were arrested. Gideon was in a soccer team and every Saturday his father used to come with him, but now he was suddenly in jail. “When I went to soccer that Saturday, my mother said to me: ‘If they ask where your father is, just tell them he’s on a holiday’.
So as an innocent little kid I did that, but what I didn’t realize was that everyone already knew about my father. So when I said he was on a holiday, everyone laughed.” That was the moment that something snapped inside of Gideon. “I started to develop a deep hatred inside. I no longer trusted anyone and became a fighter. In the end I was sent to a school for disadvantaged children, while there was really nothing wrong with me.”
Ecstasy
At the age of fifteen he started going out at night. “I went to rave parties and took Ecstasy pills. Later on I started selling drugs. I even sold Ecstasy pills for my father.”
Battle of Beverwijk
At his 18th Gideon becomes involved in soccer hooliganism. “I became part of the core of the Ajax hooligans, which was unusual at such a young age. In 1997 I was also at the battle of Beverwijk. It was there that the second person ever died in the Netherlands as a result of violence related to soccer hooliganism. It felt like I had accomplished something by being part of that group. But it didn’t satisfy me.”
Moluccan people
He then begins to look into the background of his people; the Moluccan people. In that time Gideon learns to use Moluccan spells from an uncle. “Those spells allowed you to summon ancestors. I learned to use those spells in fights, for example.
When I was on holiday in Spain one time, I got into an argument in a bar with rival supporters. The moment one of them wanted to kick me, he did a somersault (without being able to touch me), after which he lay flat on the floor. I felt inviolable. It gave me a sense of power.”
There was a sense of power, but Gideon also had to pay a heavy price. He became increasingly aggressive and “one night I was grabbed by the side, but no one was there. I turned on the light and in Malay I heard a voice say: ‘Commit suicide.’ ”
Jesus is Lord
“The next day a Christian friend came by. I told him what had happened and he said: ‘To get rid of that, you must burn all the spells and accept Jesus as Lord’. Earlier my uncle had said that if I lost those spells, I would be cursed. But my friend said: ‘Jesus is greater’. So I burned everything and gave my life to God.”
At that moment I was overwhelmed by the breath of God and all darkness left.”
The elders prayed for Gideon, but demons still attacked him. “Then the pastor, Henk Karelse, prayed with me and just said: ‘Thank you Holy Spirit for being here and touching Gideon’. At that moment I was overwhelmed by the breath of God and all darkness left. I experienced so much light and peace. After that he drove the demons out of me. I literally felt them leave. I got so hungry for God and remember thinking: I want to know everything.”
Higher power
At one point his uncle calls him and asks Gideon to come to his house. “He said, ‘The ancestors told me in a dream that you burned the spells!’ I answered him, ‘That’s right, I have discovered a higher power; I have accepted Jesus as my Lord.” My uncle knew I was telling the truth and it touched him.”
Conversion
In 2009, Gideon’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer. At that time Gideon had many conversations with him about faith and even took him to a service of a well known healing evangelist. In 2010, his father passed away, “but the most beautiful and most important thing is that he gave his life to Jesus before he had passed away. I also got to lead one of my uncles to Jesus on his deathbed – the one that had given me the spells before.”
I see injuries heal and people give their lives to Jesus when I pray for them.”
Kickboxing gym
Now, 21 years later, Gideon felt from the Lord to start a kickboxing gym where he sees many miracles from God. “Over the years I have grown a lot in my relationship with God and longed to see miracles, signs and wonders. I started stepping out and people got healed, both believers and unbelievers. At my school, I pray for members almost on a daily basis. I see injuries heal and people give their lives to Jesus when I pray for them.”
When the pandemic broke out, Gideon noticed that the young people that came to Jesus through him had an increasing hunger to gather together. “Churches were closed, there was a lot of loneliness and depression among young people. Some were about to leave the church. I then felt the Lord say: ‘Invite them’.”
Jesus People
This eventually led to the start of ‘Jesus People’, a group of young people whom Gideon disciples and who he teaches how to step out in praying for people. They see many miracles happening. “We have started growing like crazy. We have services focused on young people. We like to work with different churches and experience such a strong presence of the Holy Spirit. There is a lot of hunger among young people. Revival has begun.”
