Facing my attacker, an evening of victory in God

On the 7th of August 2024, Rosalia was walking home after a gym session when her life suddenly shifted.

Rosalia explains what happened: “I got attacked by a mugger. Two guys were walking in front of me. One turned around to face me, he had a knife and was ready to attack me. He asked for my gym bag.”

In that split second the Holy Spirit said ‘Be still’. So, I remained still, just that, still. At last, the man turned and walked away!”

Protected in the Midst of Danger

Though the attacker walked away, Rosalia noticed moments later that she had, in fact, been stabbed.

She explains, “I could see that his eyes were weird. I sensed that he was in bondage. But he couldn’t take anything. (I believe the Lord’s angel army prevented him). He had to walk away. He was, somehow miraculously, re-directed! Then I noticed, oh no, this guy did stab me…there were two wounds on my arm.”

“I was also protected during the incident, you see, I didn’t register the physicality that obviously was involved, so I did not experience a trauma re-action then.”

Realising she needed medical attention, Rosalia phoned her boss, whose husband immediately came to take her to the hospital. “I heard the Holy Spirit saying don’t go to the private hospital, go to Kraaifontein day hospital.”

She expected a quick in-and-out visit, however that’s not how it unfolded. 

While waiting, the Holy Spirit began nudging her to pray for a young girl named Ava, who was suffering from severe stomach pain. Rosalia prayed and later received a message from Ava’s grandmother that Ava had been completely healed.

“How Do You Want to Use Me?”

Finally, they tended my wounds. By now it was well past 10pm. I prayed and said to God, I am going to stay here for the night, how do you want to use me?  The Holy Spirit answered with “evangelise”.  But I didn’t ask how or to whom. So I walked outside only to notice a wounded man entering that looked exactly like my attacker!

Surprisingly I felt no hatred. I just went to him and started sharing with him and asked if he wanted to pray with me and if I could pray with him. So, I did the ‘sinners’ prayer with him.

Then the security guard asked me to go inside – I remembered being a bit annoyed as I thought well how am I going to evangelise stuck inside?”

The waiting room was packed with nowhere for Rosalia to sit and the mood was heavy.

“Again, I heard the Holy Spirit with the words, ‘don’t sit, speak’! I started speaking to the room full of people. At first it was slow, but I tried again and as I continued I noticed the mood lifting and the light coming in. The heaviness left the room. It was quite amazing! We prayed together and when I said amen – you know what? There was a seat available for me!”

She spent the night in the clinic — cold, hungry, with a dead phone, and no one knowing what had happened. Yet God had been present in every moment.

Healing the Aftermath

Rosalia later felt the anxiety that naturally follows trauma, especially walking through certain neighbourhoods where she felt less safe. “I knew that I have to surrender the fear to God, otherwise it will rule me.”

God gave her Isaiah 41:10:

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

She says, “I can honestly say that I suffer from no residual trauma, both physical or emotional, from this incident.

God will take what the enemy means for evil and turn it to good. It wasn’t God’s plan for me to be attacked. But good came out of it, good overcame evil.

I had no training for any of this. I am a trainee educare teacher! So, I would like to say, trust God. Don’t worry about your own ability so much. The Holy Spirit will tell you and guide you. And if God says He will, you can trust Him, He will!”