071 | From Fear to Faith: The Night Jim Chapin Met Jesus Face to Face

What happens when darkness tries to claim your life but grace refuses to let go?

For this GPS episode, I sat down with Jim Chapin—a nurse, chaplain, and faculty member at The Well Conference for Creatives—to hear his extraordinary story of redemption. From growing up in church without mentorship to descending into addiction and fear, Jim’s journey reminds us how relentlessly God pursues His children.

At the age of nineteen, a night of compromise led to a confrontation with darkness that nearly killed him. Dragged under a car, left unconscious, and haunted by a demonic encounter, Jim shouldn't have survived. But God had already written a different story. Two months later, on his twentieth birthday, he found himself at a Christian roller‑skating party (yes, really!) and then a church service where he saw Jesus standing before him, with his arms open wide. That encounter changed everything.

Through each twist of rebellion, redemption, and revelation, Jim learned what it means to be seen, known, and loved by God—and how obedience brings peace beyond fear.

🔑 Key Takeaways

1. The Enemy Sets Traps, But God Sets the Rescue. Spiritual authority begins with recognizing who’s pursuing your life.
2. No Past Is Too Dark for God’s Light. Jim’s testimony proves grace can heal the deepest wounds.
3. Encounters with God Aren’t Always in Church Pews. Sometimes they happen on roller skates or in near‑death  silence.
4. When Jesus Sees you, It Changes Everything. When you realize He sees and and still loves you, the hiding ends and the healing begins. 
5. Our Stories Are God’s Evidence of Mercy. When we share what God has brought us through, someone finds hope to live again. 

🌿 Key Themes

Redemption • Faith Through Fear • Spiritual Deliverance • God’s Pursuit • Testimony of Grace • Healing After Addiction • Near‑Death Experience • Supernatural Encounter • Transformation in Christ • Purpose After Pain • Chaplain Ministry • Miracle Stories • The Well Conference for Creatives

🤍 Who Will Benefit From This Episode

• Listeners who feel haunted by their past mistakes or addictions
• People struggling to believe they’re worthy of God’s forgiveness
• Those curious about encounters with Jesus or spiritual warfare
• Anyone in ministry needing a reminder that God still saves the lost
• Creatives attending the Well Conference seeking spiritual renewal and purpose

No situation is too dark for God to rewrite. Jim’s journey from drug use and demonic fear to divine encounter isn’t just his story. It's a mirror of mercy for all of us who’ve wandered away, only to be found again.

Keep believing, friend, that the Light can always finds you, no matter how dark things appear around you.

Until next time...

Mentions (all Scripture references are from the NIV version):

• The Well Conference for Creatives. Use our savings code GPS50 to save $50 off your registration!
• Luke 15:4
• Proverbs 14:12
• Hebrews 11:6
• Psalm 23
• Colossians 1:14
• II Corinthians 5:19
• Romans 8:1

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