(Every year I spend 3 to 5 weeks in India leading pastors’ conferences and ministering to people and churches. I teach about spiritual warfare, which is very real in India, as this blog shows. Prayers for my ministry there would be greatly appreciated. For more information see India.ChristianTrainingOnline.org) Spiritual Warfare in India 2
After the afternoon youth service today some people came for prayer again and that was nice. At the end they brought an old woman who had come to the youth program for some reason. I noticed she was barking, especially when I prayed with them to commit their lives to God. They told me she got an evil spirit in her about 5 years ago and it was making life miserable for her. I laid hands on her and really went after it, feeling great boldness and power from God. She growled and growled when I commanded them to be gone but didn’t seem to go. Then I looked right in her eyes where they were clearly visible but, totally filled and controlled by God, I had a holy boldness to aggressively go after them. David B. was in a hurry to leave and felt we had prayed for her so we should go. Unfortunately I didn’t see any change. They growled the second time as well. I’ll keep praying for her and possibly see her next Sunday when the whole group comes here for a children’s rally during the worship service. I pray God will continue to work in her. One thing that hit me really hard is this session on spiritual warfare I’ll be doing tomorrow. I was wondering how applicable it would be for them and how believing they would be in demons. This episode clearly removed any doubt about that! (Sunday, January 8, 2006)
(The next week) After teaching the children this morning I joined the adult service at the close of the service and prayed for some people afterwards. The lady who was barking came and asked me to pray for her. I did, thinking I knew better how to approach it this time – go for the ruler (death, then darkness and suffering). I did but they barked and growled anyway. The pastor said she has been this way a long time but always comes faithfully every service. She is very, very poor and lives in one of the ‘slums’ we see. I gave the pastor 100 rupees to give her. It’s only $2 to me but a week’s wages for her. (Sunday, January 8, 2006)
Acts 16:16-18 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
What would you do if confronted by someone who was demonized? Would you remember that God is greater (I John 4:4) and you have authority in His name to command the demons to be gone (Luke 9:1; 10:19-20)? Of course the person has a free will and if there is sin in their lives that allows the demons to remain they will stay.
(If I can answer questions or offer personal counsel, or if you would like a free copy of my Spiritual Warfare Handbook, email me at Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org or download it from http://sw.christiantrainingonline.org/. My next book, Spiritual Warfare in the Bible, which is a more advanced treatment of spiritual warfare, is also available for free.)