Before I share, I'd like to first state that GOD IS IN CONTROL! None of this is out of His knowledge or power.
Last week, Mr. K & I showed up for the Sunday afternoon gathering, but none of the other members came. While we were talking outside, Sow-pe-uh, a sister and member of the morning fellowship, who also lives next door to were the churches meet, came outside. She wanted to talk to Mr. K and get some advice. While they talked, I sat 5 feet away and watched the neighbors.
Finally, Mr. K asked if he and I could go in and pray for Sow-pe-uh's friend who was sick. I was surprised when this girl came down and seemed completely okay. We talked for a little while, I found out that she was having problems because of evil spirits, we started to pray, then the girl who was sick, So-pahn, went into a convulsion. I don't know that she was "possessed," but there was certainly evil spirits doing something.
(This is where most Americans will be like, "Wait a minute" and not believe. Just because we may not see or understand spirits or angels, does not mean they don't exist. The Bible is clear that they certainly exist.)
Anyways, when we stopped praying, she stopped convulsing (hitting, kicking, trying to throw her body - it took 4-5 people to hold her down) and woke up smiling as if everything was normal. We talked more, then prayed a second time. As we prayed for God to show His power over the evil spirits, she started convulsing. Again, when we stopped, she stopped. Then Mr. K encouraged her and us to repent of sin, then we read John 10:28-29 (below) & studied Acts 19:11-20 (about the seven sons of Sceva).
"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."
We then prayed a third time and it happened just the same. This time as we prayed, I was really convicted of my sin and declared that "it's not worth it!" I often think my sin is only between me and God, but it's not that simple. God demands that we be holy as He is holy. God deserves to be first in my life. I should run to Him when I'm not satisfied (not food or people ...) I should run to Him when I am tired (not movies or sleep ...) Like the other two times we prayed against the evil spirits and when we stopped praying, So-pahn stopped convulsing.
We talked again. Then we prayed one more time. This time we simply prayed for her to have good relationships with friends and family, and that God would give her strength and courage to tell her family that she follows Jesus. (I'm not sure exactly how long she's believed, but she felt as if she was lying to her family by not telling them - confessing Jesus as Lord to them). This time we did not pray against the spirits and she was completely normal.
Many evil spirits have been cast out of her. She sees them leave. One's even talked, saying that it's been here for 20 years (her whole life) and is not leaving. It plans to kill her when she's 28 years old. Like many Cambodians, her family took her to mediums who would do things (maybe give her spirits to protect her...) I don't fully understand. She's never had any incident of the spirits doing things. It may be because she's started to proclaim Jesus as Lord. This is also hard to understand. If she is a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in her, therefore she can not be possessed by evil spirits, but it doesn't mean that she can't be oppressed by evil spirits (demonized).
Throughout the week, she (the evil spirits) have tried to do different things to hurt her (cutting, falling down stairs, choking, clawing at her eyes, hitting her head on the floor, ...) She also passes out many times throughout each day. Sometimes she's out for only a few seconds, and others it's for a long period of time. She went to the doctor and ran tests twice, but they've both said there is nothing medically wrong with her. It's very clear that we are dealing with darkness.
My team and most of our national brothers and sisters have never seen this before. Cambodians are raised to fear and try to please the spirits, but many have never had an encounter. We don't understand why this has happened or why it is continuing to happen, but we do know that our Lord is in control. He has power over evil spirits. He is allowing this to go on and He will use this for His glory.
Pray for So-pahn to continue to rely on the Lord and if there is anything that she's hiding or not giving completely to God that she will. Also pray that God will give her strength and free her from this!
Pray for Sow-pe-uh to seek and trust God. Also pray for her to be strengthened and comforted. She is with So-pahn 24-7 and is acting like a mother in this situation.
Pray for So-pahn's family. Her mother died when she was born or very young. She didn't grow up with her dad, but he and her uncle are wanting her to come back to the countryside. (They are not believers)
Pray for LS church leaders and members, and all of us who are involved. Pray that we would humble ourselves before our Holy God, that we would repent of our sin, and that He would bring about revival through all of this.
God's desire, throughout the OT and NT, is that we would repent and turn to Him!
We talked again. Then we prayed one more time. This time we simply prayed for her to have good relationships with friends and family, and that God would give her strength and courage to tell her family that she follows Jesus. (I'm not sure exactly how long she's believed, but she felt as if she was lying to her family by not telling them - confessing Jesus as Lord to them). This time we did not pray against the spirits and she was completely normal.
Many evil spirits have been cast out of her. She sees them leave. One's even talked, saying that it's been here for 20 years (her whole life) and is not leaving. It plans to kill her when she's 28 years old. Like many Cambodians, her family took her to mediums who would do things (maybe give her spirits to protect her...) I don't fully understand. She's never had any incident of the spirits doing things. It may be because she's started to proclaim Jesus as Lord. This is also hard to understand. If she is a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in her, therefore she can not be possessed by evil spirits, but it doesn't mean that she can't be oppressed by evil spirits (demonized).
Throughout the week, she (the evil spirits) have tried to do different things to hurt her (cutting, falling down stairs, choking, clawing at her eyes, hitting her head on the floor, ...) She also passes out many times throughout each day. Sometimes she's out for only a few seconds, and others it's for a long period of time. She went to the doctor and ran tests twice, but they've both said there is nothing medically wrong with her. It's very clear that we are dealing with darkness.
My team and most of our national brothers and sisters have never seen this before. Cambodians are raised to fear and try to please the spirits, but many have never had an encounter. We don't understand why this has happened or why it is continuing to happen, but we do know that our Lord is in control. He has power over evil spirits. He is allowing this to go on and He will use this for His glory.
Pray for So-pahn to continue to rely on the Lord and if there is anything that she's hiding or not giving completely to God that she will. Also pray that God will give her strength and free her from this!
Pray for Sow-pe-uh to seek and trust God. Also pray for her to be strengthened and comforted. She is with So-pahn 24-7 and is acting like a mother in this situation.
Pray for So-pahn's family. Her mother died when she was born or very young. She didn't grow up with her dad, but he and her uncle are wanting her to come back to the countryside. (They are not believers)
Pray for LS church leaders and members, and all of us who are involved. Pray that we would humble ourselves before our Holy God, that we would repent of our sin, and that He would bring about revival through all of this.
God's desire, throughout the OT and NT, is that we would repent and turn to Him!
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