A few days after Greenville pastor John Gray opened up about his suicidal thoughts on New Year's Eve, pastor T.D. Jakes said he would remove Gray's "spirit of suicide."

Gray had closed out 2018 with a New Year's Eve service to an over-capacity congregation at his Relentless Church in Greenville. His message began with his clothes, an all-black ensemble Gray called his funeral outfit.

"I literally thought about how I could end my life and still get to heaven, and somehow my kids could not be scarred, and there was no way I could figure out how to do that," Gray said on Dec. 31.

A few days later, at a leadership and revival event Jan. 3 at Potter Church in Dallas, Pastor T.D. Jakes walked over to Gray, saying he was reluctant to talk about Gray's pain in public but felt compelled.

"You said it in a joking way but especially with the spirit of suicide hangs around your house trying to get you back. Oh! Oh! I call it out,” Jakes said, touching Gray’s head.

Gray collapsed to the floor, his face in his hands. Jakes asks the men kneeling beside and touching Gray to stand him up.

"You always wanted God to make a man out of you and he’s using the stage to make a man out of you," Jakes said. "He’s using the building to make a man out of you. He’s using the opportunity to make a man out of you.”

In a statement emailed Wednesday, Gray's spokeswoman told The Greenville News the pastor never actively sought to end his life but had thoughts during a time of trouble and he wanted to share those thoughts to help reach the community, especially the black community.

"Sometimes faith alone is not equipped to deal with everything life throws at you and he advocates that mental health and faith are not enemies," spokeswoman Holly Baird said.

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In the service Dec. 31, Gray said he has worked with counselors and urged people to treat mental health seriously. He said 2019 would be a year of success for himself and others, from spiritual to physical to romantic and financial areas of life.

"I’m not going anywhere," Gray said to the congregation. "It's only the beginning."

If you or anyone you know needs help, please reach out to the The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).