Kathie Lee Gifford is sharing some of the most personal moments of her spiritual journey, revealing encounters she says have strengthened her faith in Jesus Christ and confirmed the reality of the spiritual world.

Appearing on the Blurry Creatures Podcast to discuss her new book, Nero and Paul: How the Gospel of Grace Defeated the Ruler of Rome (Ancient Evil, Living Hope), the 72-year-old singer, actress, author, and former Today show co-host reflected on experiences ranging from a childhood vision of Jesus to frightening moments she believes involved demonic activity.

Gifford said her earliest encounter came when she was just 6 years old.

“I was raking leaves with my daddy, and I looked up, and there was Jesus sitting on a cloud,” she recalled. “He had His legs folded… making a fire with wood.”

She said Jesus looked down, smiled, and simply called her by name.

Years later, around the age of 13, Gifford made a personal commitment to follow Christ after watching evangelist Billy Graham’s film The Restless Ones.

Looking back, she laughed that the movie may seem dated today, but said its message spoke directly to her heart.

During the invitation to receive Christ, Gifford believes Jesus spoke to her personally.

“‘Kathie, I love you, and if you’ll trust me, I want to make something beautiful out of your life,'” she remembered hearing.

Gifford also recounted several unsettling experiences that she believes revealed the reality of spiritual warfare.

One occurred during a teenage trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, when a group of surfers offered marijuana to her and her friends. After she declined and mentioned the name of Jesus, she said the atmosphere changed immediately.

According to Gifford, the group’s demeanor became hostile, and she believed their appearance changed after she invoked Christ’s name. She and her friends quickly left, saying the group followed them for several blocks before suddenly disappearing.

Another experience came during a trip to Israel when she was 17 years old. While visiting a church in Bethlehem with her mother, Gifford said they encountered a cloaked monk after realizing they had left their purses on the tour bus and could not leave a monetary offering.

“All of a sudden, the cloak comes back, and the teeth got orange, the eyes blood red,” she recalled. “You know it when you see it. It’s not subtle.”

While she said she has sensed demonic oppression at various times throughout her life, Gifford noted that such dramatic manifestations have been rare.

Rather than leaving her fearful, she said those experiences ultimately strengthened her confidence in the truth of Scripture.

“They confirmed everything Jesus ever said,” she explained.

Gifford also shared examples of what she believes are God’s miraculous powers at work. After suffering a fractured pelvis, she said she experienced divine healing that reinforced her trust in God’s ability to intervene.

“God is still in the miracle business,” she said. “He’s just waiting for us to ask.”

For Gifford, both the joyful and difficult moments of her spiritual journey have pointed to the same conclusion: that Jesus is real, the spiritual battle described in the Bible is real, and God’s grace remains greater than any darkness believers may encounter.