I was talking with him in the hospital. This missionary had been hospitalized for anxiety. "I don't know what's wrong with me, I can't stop worrying and shaking. My insides just feel like they are made of jello."
This missionary had been on the mission field for several years and had much success at bringing the gospel to an indigenous people in a country in South America. However, now, he was having emotional issues that have taken him out of his ministry. We discussed his past, his calling, his mission and he was truly a remarkable man. We discussed his spiritual life and all seemed in place, with one exception: he had been cursed by the local "bruja". This witch had performed a ceremony to bring down Christ's influence among "her people." Her home was within site of the church that had been established in this community. He had seen her performing her "brujeria" during one of his sermons in his church.
Somehow, this witch's "power" had gotten to him and he began to worry, doubting God's ability to protect him from such brujeria. We prayed at every session asking God to protect him and show us what He wanted us to do. One time, while praying, the missionary stopped praying and yelled, "that is it!" A big smile spread across his face and he said, "I now know what's been going on!" He proceeded to tell me he had heard a cryptic story that a few of the church members told him about a "service" that the bruja held just outside the church in the middle of the nite. From that point on, the missionary became stronger and much less anxious. He began to talk about "taking the church back from the witch." Within less than two weeks after his epiphany, he was discharged and returned to his mission field.
About a month later, I received a terrific letter of explanation and testimony from this missionary. Evidently, what had happened, when he returned to the church, he told his congregation about his feelings about this bruja and told them he was determined to not let her win this spiritual battle. During prayer with his congregation, it was revealed to them that they should dig in the dirt of the northwest corner, just outside the church. Several members and the missionary went outside and started digging. After a bit, they found a talisman buried there. One of the members, who used to be into brujeria identified the object as something used to curse people. The missionary promptly continued the service where the talisman was burned in a fire. In his letter, he proceeded to tell me how he felt as if there was a new freedom in the church after that.
However, what was most interesting, is that he wrote me, "I was foolish to believe that satan had any power over me and the church. I was fighting to defeat the devil and I had no need to do so. A talisman is just that, a talisman. It has no power and no ability to hurt me. I learned from that experience that I didn't need to fight, I just needed to relax and let God fight for me. I was being a missionary under my own power. Now, Jesus is running this mission field."
This story was a real faith builder for me and I hope it is for you. We don't need to fear, we need to trust God and count on His faithfulness. Satan can't do anything except try to intimidate and scare. His power lies in his ability to spread fear and doubt. Satan is full of bluster and bluff and has no power over us. As long as we stay connected to God's Holy Spirit, we are victorious.
This missionary had been on the mission field for several years and had much success at bringing the gospel to an indigenous people in a country in South America. However, now, he was having emotional issues that have taken him out of his ministry. We discussed his past, his calling, his mission and he was truly a remarkable man. We discussed his spiritual life and all seemed in place, with one exception: he had been cursed by the local "bruja". This witch had performed a ceremony to bring down Christ's influence among "her people." Her home was within site of the church that had been established in this community. He had seen her performing her "brujeria" during one of his sermons in his church.
Somehow, this witch's "power" had gotten to him and he began to worry, doubting God's ability to protect him from such brujeria. We prayed at every session asking God to protect him and show us what He wanted us to do. One time, while praying, the missionary stopped praying and yelled, "that is it!" A big smile spread across his face and he said, "I now know what's been going on!" He proceeded to tell me he had heard a cryptic story that a few of the church members told him about a "service" that the bruja held just outside the church in the middle of the nite. From that point on, the missionary became stronger and much less anxious. He began to talk about "taking the church back from the witch." Within less than two weeks after his epiphany, he was discharged and returned to his mission field.
About a month later, I received a terrific letter of explanation and testimony from this missionary. Evidently, what had happened, when he returned to the church, he told his congregation about his feelings about this bruja and told them he was determined to not let her win this spiritual battle. During prayer with his congregation, it was revealed to them that they should dig in the dirt of the northwest corner, just outside the church. Several members and the missionary went outside and started digging. After a bit, they found a talisman buried there. One of the members, who used to be into brujeria identified the object as something used to curse people. The missionary promptly continued the service where the talisman was burned in a fire. In his letter, he proceeded to tell me how he felt as if there was a new freedom in the church after that.
However, what was most interesting, is that he wrote me, "I was foolish to believe that satan had any power over me and the church. I was fighting to defeat the devil and I had no need to do so. A talisman is just that, a talisman. It has no power and no ability to hurt me. I learned from that experience that I didn't need to fight, I just needed to relax and let God fight for me. I was being a missionary under my own power. Now, Jesus is running this mission field."
This story was a real faith builder for me and I hope it is for you. We don't need to fear, we need to trust God and count on His faithfulness. Satan can't do anything except try to intimidate and scare. His power lies in his ability to spread fear and doubt. Satan is full of bluster and bluff and has no power over us. As long as we stay connected to God's Holy Spirit, we are victorious.
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