My first foreign mission trip was to Mexico. We were building a small home next to a house where a young family with three small children lived. At lunch, the interpreter told us the woman next door had been previously living with a man who was involved in witchcraft. When she left him, he put a curse on the middle child who was about four and as a result, the child couldn’t speak.
We decided to ask the couple if they would be open to being prayed for and they agreed. We prayed for them and also read many Bible verses and the power of God came on them. They wept and repented of their sins as they confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We also prayed over their children. The child who could not speak was now able to speak. All the teenagers and adults on the mission team witnessed the power of the name of Jesus over the enemy. The captives were set free and a child’s tongue was loosened. All involved had a newfound hope in Jesus they had never had before.
The Apostle Paul also confronted the spiritual realm in battle.
Acts 16: 16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a slave girl who had a spirit that enabled her to tell the future. She earned a lot of money for her masters by telling fortunes. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. [1]
What does this tell us about the spiritual battle we are engaged in?
- We are often confronted when we least expect it because the enemy does not play fair. Paul was on his way to prayer. On our mission trip we were building a house.
- Our enemy satan uses people under his control to carry out his plans of disruption and harassment.
- The slave girl was telling the truth how to be saved. Why? The enemy was looking to tell the truth for a moment to draw people in and then fill them with lies. The enemy will mix truth with lies to confuse and deceive people. This is an old tactic that was used on Eve in the garden.
- The Apostle Paul used discernment from the Holy Spirit to recognize the demon in the slave girl. Then through the power of God cast the demon out in the name of Jesus Christ.
- The woman was set free from the demon.
As believers in Jesus we have the authority of Jesus, this gives us hope in our life’s journey. Luke 10:19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” [2]
To hear more about Paul and his spiritual battle, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/hope-in-prison
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.