January 21, 2014
By an Alliance worker serving in West Africa
‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor…to set the oppressed free.’ —Jesus
I’m currently living with an African family so I can learn their language. The family follows West Africa’s majority religion, and I feel blessed that they’ve welcomed me into their community.
Attack
During my first week in their home, an evil spirit attacked one of my African sisters three times while she was sweeping out our bedroom. (She’s a niece of my African parents and living here temporarily.) She didn’t exhibit the typical seizure symptoms, which I’ve witnessed as a medical professional.
When my African sister fell to the floor she cried out, fighting against something attacking her. I wept, seeing this beautiful, bright young woman in so much pain.
Each time the spirit seized her I laid hands on her and prayed in Jesus’ name. At the same time, my African father spit on her head and prayed over her the prayers of his religion. After the first two episodes, which rendered my sister unconscious, he talked about taking her to a healer who could “immediately rid her of the problem.”
I implored him not to, explaining that the healing would be temporary at best. I also shared my faith openly with him, and he was quite receptive. Except for this unusual situation, it would have been unimaginable to have that conversation in my first week with the family.
In Jesus’ Name
During the third episode my sister writhed and cried out in pain; it was as if the evil spirits were pulling her up from her ribcage. I felt led to lay my hand on her chest, push down forcefully, and command them to leave in Jesus’ name.
After I did this, she slowly came to. I then asked my African father for permission to pray in Jesus’ name over every room in the house. Normally quite stoic, he expressed great appreciation and agreed to this. “I’m so glad you were here and knew what to do,” he said.
I was absolutely shocked, because he had been praying as much as I had. What caused him to think that the turnaround was because of my prayers and not his? I believe that when I was crying out to Jesus, he somehow sensed His authority.
Care and Truth
My sister recently moved to another village. But before she left, I had the opportunity to share with her about Jesus and his authority over evil spirits. She said she knew that I cared about her and therefore believed I was telling her the truth.
Sensing her openness, my colleagues and I found a way to privately show her a film about Jesus’ life and ministry. Afterward, we were able to answer some of her questions.
Please pray that even though she is now in a distant village, this young woman will continue to seek and ultimately find the freedom available only in Christ.
What You Can Do
Pray
The prayers of God’s people empower Alliance workers to boldly take the liberating news of freedom in Christ to the whole world. Using the Alliance Weekly Prayer Requests, join other Alliance family members to pray for our workers around the world who are pouring themselves out to ensure that “all have heard.”
Give
- Give to the Great Commission Fund (GCF) and partner with Alliance workers, who devote themselves to fulfilling one of Jesus’ last directives: . . . “‘go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’” (Matthew 28:19–20a).
- Give now
Learn More
Read “To Seek and to Save,” an alife article about how the light of the gospel is entering a strong Buddhist country because of those who partner with Alliance workers through supporting the Great Commission Fund.