The following is an article by a marketplace ministries worker, a new mom who serves with her husband in a bustling African city center. Here, the spiritual bondage of the region’s predominant religion has prevailed for more than a millennium.
My son is nine months old. I am no stranger to being woken up in the middle of the night. But last night was different. As I paced the room with him at about 3 a.m., I didn’t feel the tiredness and fatigue weighing me down. I felt a quiet peace, like an invitation. So I accepted.
An Honest Question
I walked over to the sliding glass doors that have a view of our neighborhood and joined God in a conversation. Lately that conversation has been circling back to one question: “Why am I here?”
With these sleepless nights and crazy days adjusting to this new mom-life, I don’t feel like I’m able to do much of anything that could be filed under ‘ministry’. “So why am I here, God?”
It’s not an angry question. It’s an honest one. And last night, God honored it with an honest answer.
Facing Down the Enemy
As I looked out over the rooftops of houses and the façades of apartment buildings, God opened my eyes to see beyond the physical. I saw five or six huge creatures, like vultures, perched on the rooftops. Each one was about 10 feet tall with sharp, gnarled claws and beady eyes.
One of the creatures lifted its wings and rearranged them against his dark body, as if he was uncomfortable or something was bothering him. Another looked over my way with irritation and annoyance.
I realized that the two creatures wanted to come over to our building, but they couldn’t. Something was stopping them. And they didn’t like it.
I’m new at this whole vision thing, but it doesn’t take a theology degree to understand the significance.
We live in an area where territorial demons that have long had the run of the land are being kicked off of their perches as the light of Christ overcomes the darkness.
Isaiah 61:1
This kind of glimpse into the spiritual realm isn’t something we’re used to in the American Church—or at least not in my experiences.
It is common knowledge here that these spirits not only exist—they have power. They have names. They have personalities. They have weapons. And every last one of these spirits has been defeated by Christ’s death and Resurrection.
As I held my son in my arms and looked out over the rooftops, I didn’t feel fear. I felt I was seeing the answer to why I am here. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. (Isaiah 61:1, NLT).
What You Can Do
Pray
- Pray that the strongholds in this African nation will be broken and that places these demons once claimed would become beacons of Christ’s light.
- Pray for wisdom, discernment, and boldness for Alliance workers who bear the weight of living in spiritually dark places. Pray for protection over their families, marriages, relationships, health, and ministries.
- Pray that Jesus followers will continue to see more of the reality in which we live and understand the power of the blood of Christ—there is a very real battle, but victory has already been attained.
Give
- Learn about the Great Commission Fund and how your gift is used
- Make an online donation to the GCF