March 24, 2006
By Rollo Royle, Alliance missionary to Burkina Faso
As I opened the gate, he sheepishly greeted me. He had problems that were difficult to talk about. He was troubled by les genies—spirits. They would cause him to fall on the ground and shake. “Can you help me?” he pleaded.
Kaleb* had returned to Burkina Faso after many years in Côte d’Ivoire. He was well schooled and had a good job in a bakery. But his employer asked him to return home to for help. His seizures were getting in the way of his work.
Nobody back home had any answers for Kaleb. His mother spoke of the “Protestants” and suggested that he see us about his problems. So he stood before me with fear in his eyes and begged me to help. “What have you done to get help?” I asked. His answers unveiled a desire to follow the traditional religion, which gave him no help.
“We can pray for you, but if Jesus Christ is not Lord of your life, more spirits will come back than you have now, and it will be worse! You must make a decision to follow Jesus completely, and we will pray for you,” I said. After I gave him some money for food, he asked for permission to leave. It was hard to let him go, but I knew he must be very serious about this matter or it would not go well.
On Sunday, about one week later, Kaleb attended church. He asked for prayer after the service. So I invited several leaders in the group to join us. We talked—frankly. Kaleb pleaded with us, “I do want to follow Jesus. I am so troubled. Tell me what to do!” We led him in a prayer of faith, in which he renounced the evil powers that had dominated his life. After that he asked Jesus to take control of his life and reside in his heart. We took authority over the spirits by the power of the blood of Jesus and commanded them to leave.
Kaleb has been delivered . . . completely! He dropped by to chat last week as I was departing for two villages, where I teach [the Bible] to a village chief and some village elders. “I’m going with you,” Kaleb declared. What a day! He listened intently and gave his own testimony to prove the veracity of what these men were hearing. Kaleb has found Jesus and is delighted to know Him!
Kaleb is not alone. Katie was brought to church delirious. She pointed everywhere, cried, and babbled incessantly. Now, she and her husband faithfully attend church. And so goes a ministry that is shaking the foundations of animism in Burkina Faso. Praise God with us for the power of the blood of Jesus Christ!
Please pray for Kaleb, Katie and others like them.
*names changed to protect identities