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On any given night, hundreds of persons flock Kareem Thomas' live sessions on social media.

Some of the viewers visit out of curiosity while others are in need of a blessing and healing. According to the 26-year-old, who has 30,000 followers on TikTok, God has blessed him with the power of healing since his baptism in 2017.

"After I got baptised, I began having some strange encounters with God and [I saw] that he had given me the power to pray for people and they would be healed. There was always a prompting in my heart to just go and pray for people with all types of sickness, and instantly persons would be healed and not a day after. They would go back to their doctor and he would give them reports that they are healed," Thomas said.

SQUEAKY CLEAN

But the Trelawny-based man said his path was not always squeaky clean and he spent a portion of his teenage years behind bars. He said he did not complete studies at William Knibb High School but managed to score four passes in English language, social studies, biology and principles of business while he was incarcerated at Hilltop Juvenile Detention Centre.

"I was 16 years old when I got sentenced. I was charged with illegal possession of firearm and I was involved in gang activities also. My mother was a police officer at the time, so that in itself was a great embarrassment for her. During the time when I was behind bars, I spent time at the station that she was working, so that took a serious toll on her. It was a lot for her but she kept praying for me and believing God. When she would come and look for me, the lady mawga down. She got so thin as she was stressing, fasting and praying at the same time," he said.

Thomas said he began having visions and promised the Almighty that if he made it safely out of prison he would dedicate his entire life to Him.

"During my time there I would have seen men got stab up and all kind of stuff. I beg God to bring mi out scotch free and I came out and really didn't want to keep it, and wanted to do my own thing. Then I had another encounter with God and He reminded me of my promise. That's when I surrendered my life to Jesus," Thomas said.

He started out at Divine Inspiration Ministry in Martha Brae, Trelawny, before the Lord - who he believed wanted him trained and discipled - led him to God Family Ministry in Montego Bay, St James.

PROPHET

"He then led me to another ministry where I am presently at, named Shekinah Intercessors Outreach Ministries, located on Red Hills Road in St Andrew. The church is headed by Glenford and Angella Thompson and they were the ones who ordained me as a prophet," he added

There are a number of testimonials on Thomas' social media pages from persons who said they overcame life-threatening illnesses. But there are still naysayers.

"People will always say these things until they encounter the real thing. There are several persons who came on my ministry platform because they were wondering if this is fake. The moment that they realised that the condition that they have disappeared after I prayed for them, they came back and repent. The power of God cannot be denied. What God is doing cannot be hidden," Thomas said.

He told THE STAR that he decided to share his story as he wanted to show that there is redemption for the unruly.

"When it comes on to youth, most people tend to stereotype us. There are youth who are scamming and in gangs and are killers but then there are youth who God redeemed," he said. His mother remains his biggest supporter.

"Mommy is extremely proud of me and she doesn't miss my service each night. I have had officers coming to me that condemn me during my unruly times who have apologised to me. Even now, the same jail that I was locked up, I am called back to have devotion with the officers there. God has turned my life around," he said.