Confronting the demonic in Africa
Those of us who follow Jesus need to recognize the degree to which our western mindset has colored our worldview. You have been given all authority to cast out demons. Do you know how to do this? It’s as real here in America as it is in Africa. We need to learn from the church there. This is from Brian Swanson’s blog:
In Africa one of the most prominent issues- spiritually speaking- is witchcraft. In my experience here in Tanzania I have witnessed the effects of the Africans’ involvement in witchcraft. My first encounter was a few weeks ago when we were doing door to door evangelism. Pastor took us to the home of a woman who is a member of our church. The woman called Pastor to cast out a demon that she thought was in her daughter.
The daughter, “Grace”, came into the room with a deep sadness in her eyes. Her grandmother played a significant role in teaching Grace to rely on witch doctors and to send demons to other people. We spent three days talking to Grace, speaking truth into her life, getting to know her story, and showing her love. Grace had a painful problem in her stomach which felt like something was moving up and down her insides. On the third day Grace returned with trinkets that she wanted us to destroy. She had been given the trinkets by the witch doctor to use for witchcraft activities. Grace accepted the Lord and the next thing I know Grace is writhing on the floor and Pastor is casting out a demon from her. Her body lost complete control, even to the point that she urinated on the floor. It took two of us to hold her legs down. A few moments later, Grace stands up, set free from the demon that influenced her. She smiled, gave us huge hugs, and returned home with her mother after offering us enthusiastic gratitude. After she left, Pastor looked at me, “Amanda, you have many questions, yes?” “Pastor, you have no idea.”
Two weeks later we were brought to an open-air crusade meeting that we would be watching over the next six days. While we were there I noticed a line of about twenty men and women who were dancing with long robes and waving flags that said “Pray for Africa”. I leaned over to Pastor and told him that I thought it would be so much fun to be a flag girl. The next thing I know I was in a bright colored robe, dancing with a flag around the crusade in a line of Africans. I loved every minute of it!
At the end of the crusade we were mixed into the crowd listening to the preacher call for those who needed healing to come to the front. All of a sudden a girl in front of me fell back on top of me, writhing and flailing the same way Grace did. I stood in shock until the crowds
yelled at me, “Take her to the tent! You take her!” In that moment I realized that part of my job description as a “flag girl” was also bringing demon-influenced people into the big blue tent where the demons were being cast out. I was kicked in the nose several times, clawed, hit, etc.., as I carried these individuals who were manifesting the demon that was influencing their bodies.
yelled at me, “Take her to the tent! You take her!” In that moment I realized that part of my job description as a “flag girl” was also bringing demon-influenced people into the big blue tent where the demons were being cast out. I was kicked in the nose several times, clawed, hit, etc.., as I carried these individuals who were manifesting the demon that was influencing their bodies.
At the end of the week I attended church. In the middle of the service, Pastor asked the congregation to come to the front to be prayed over. In the middle of his prayer a girl in front of me fell back rigidly on top of me. Four other men helped me carry her to the back as her body flailed and flung all over the place. At the back of the church I held Esther in my lap tightly making sure her head did not hit the concrete floor. I wiped the foam from her mouth and tried to avoid her fists. At one point she grabbed my arms so tightly I could not remove her grip without help from Lisa. After about thirty minutes, Esther was no longer influenced by a demon, and she accepted the Lord into her life.
I am one of the world’s biggest skeptics. It was terribly difficult for me to actually accept what I saw with my own eyes. By the end of the month, however, I found so much purpose in my experience with the demon-influenced. I saw these individuals as the people that they are, not the demon who influenced them. I felt so strongly that they needed
to walk away deeply loved.
to walk away deeply loved.
When people cast out demons, there is a lot of shouting and addressing the demon. I found my purpose in loving and ministering to the person inside. By the end of the month I really enjoyed caring for these people. I have a whole new understanding in how to love and minister people in general from my month experiencing spiritual warfare in a new capacity. Love the person.
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Well that’s an eye opener. I wonder how the demons are manifest here in the USA, and what “trinkets” are indicators of demonic possession in our slick culture.
‘So happy to hear of the deliverance and freedom for these women. The best lesson from this story? We must BOTH love the person inside AND address the demons. Jesus showed love in delivering the possessed from torment. And Cary, I think the question of how the demons manifest here is very worthy of seeking real answers. I believe manifestations are cloaked here, because a major strategy of the enemy here is to make people believe they don’t exist. We determine the problem is biological, psychological, etc., etc. We’re just so advanced and knowledgeable here. (sarcasm) We have a name (syndrome) for a lot of manifestations. Years ago, I had a man on my team who was thrown into a deliverance session and experienced the power of the demons physically. He still came away saying, “It depends on what your theology allows you to believe.” I pray for every “Amanda” to believe the realities that God is revealing. All for the sake of love!
I agree with Kathy, the demons in America are all “syndromes” or labeled as dis-eases which remember Jesus went around healing ALL of and commissioned, sending the disciplined ones out to do and even told them not to rejoice that the demons were subject to them but that their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. This is real and we need to start walking in doing it.
To be honest, this freaks me out a little. I’ve cast out demonic spirits but never had them manifest in these wild ways. But I know different cultures – even different people – experience different things. And Jesus has given us authority over it all. May we skeptical Westerners learn how to recognize this very real demonic activity in our own culture as well as when abroad so we can be the disciples He calls us to be…
There is no doubt in my mind that God intended for me to read your post this morning. I just spent the last 30 minutes reading many other posts under this heading. I am still processing it, but it helped remove some confusion for me about my role as a Christian. I KNOW and have known about the realities of the devil and his minnion and I have an understanding about my spiritual authority but I haven’t completely understood what is expected of me as a follower of Christ. Trying to think of an analogy, it feels like I have been in the bleechers watching the game but where I really want to be is on the court.
Even before I read the post this morning, I was thinking about a friend who has a severe and unacknowledged drinking problem. We had dinner last night for the first time in over a year and this morning I was thinking about the bondage he is in. This is some one I care about but I haven’t known how to relate to him because I don’t feel like I really know who he is because of the alcohol.
Lots is going through my head, but the one thing I want to say is that I really appreciate the leadership you provide, Seth, through these posts. Because of the confidence and authority you demonstrate, I feel more confidence about some fuzzy questions that I have had. Over the past few weeks, I have thanked God more than once for connecting us.
May God continue to bless you and the work that He is doing through you.
Andrea
Thanks Andrea. God bless you as you exercise your spiritual authority!