It was the day I had been dreading - the day that our kids witnessed demon possessed people. That is to say, the manifestation of demons in people. I know that we interact with people everyday who have demons but who act perfectly normally and no one would know until those demons were rebuked.
In all our years in Malawi only David saw them when he went out to the village for long evangelistic meetings. We just didn't see them on Sunday mornings in church. But Sunday morning seems to be the norm here. I had my first experience a few months ago. The kids' had their first yesterday.
We went to a church that is not actually Kuria. It is Luo, but still in our same association and so a part of our group. Pastor Mwita from Remagwe (leh-mah-gway) visited our church in Shirati (sheer-ah-tee) to teach for the weekend. We took the kids out Sunday morning to join him.
It was a fun day - though, when you go to the Luo churches you have to put aside all concerns of time and agenda. Things happen very slowly and no one really knows what to expect. But their singing is very different from the Kuria. It is lively and joyous (not saying that the Kuria singing isn't) and then a few will come forward and form a tight circle clapping their hands faster and faster. When the circle breaks there just seems to be a feeling of victory in the air.
David did a great job preaching (in Kiswahili with translation into Kijaluo). The Luo are not as reticent as the Kuria seem to be so it is a little easier to joke and interact with them. At the end of the service people came forward for prayer. This is a normal part of church - it is a time when people who wish to be prayed for come to the front. David, the pastors, and I laid hands on them in prayer.
As I was returning to my seat, two of the ladies fell down. When a demon decides to rear its ugly head, the person often becomes violent, thrashing about and trying to run away. They will moan and hiss and sometimes yell. Blessedly, these ladies were fairly quiet. They were surrounded by the pastors, church leaders, David, and I - and we prayed.
The kids were concerned and felt very much out of their depth, but were not scared. We were able to talk to them quietly and explain what we knew of these things and encourage them to pray. Abby said that one thing kept running through her mind: Jesus is power. Jesus is power. Jesus is power. When faced with something frightening, Christ filled her with Himself.
These things can also take a long time, but was, again blessedly, brief. We finished the service, had a great village "lunch" (it was past 3pm), and went home. We have talked with the kids and they have not been disturbed by the experience overly much, but their eyes were certainly opened.
We tend to hear these stories and we have visions of the Christian being filled with power and confidence and the demons immediately obeying and running in fear. But that is not how it always happens. It is disturbing and difficult, even though we are assured of the victory. And I have learned that demons do not immediately run away. They fight to stay. And if the person has willingly invited them into their lives it takes more than just rebuking. The person has to admit to the act in order to break the covenant made. Not what we are taught, is it? It's a lot more complicated than we are led to believe.
But God always proves Himself Good and Faithful. He always takes care of our children. We were together as a whole family, a unit, when my young ones were introduced to this part of the spirit world. And together we are strong. It was a quiet casting, as casting outs go. And it was a short one. It was calm and orderly and life went on as usual afterwards. There were no other difficulties to upset the spirits within us.
I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. Isaiah 49:25b
I love my God.
Blessings to you all.
