Preach and the demons come out!

So this Saturday Elena and I were both in different cities preaching.  Elena was sharing with the youth Sabbath school class about purity and Godly relationships and I was preaching about the three Elijah's (email me and I'll tell you about the three Elijah's).  It was such a wonderful opportunity for me to encourage a Nepali congregation, so I was quite eager to preach there.  It is really quite an experience to preach to people who are hungry for the Word of God.  Well, I made an appeal for re-dedication of their faithfulness to Jesus, living the life Christ would want, and my second appeal was to make disciples, preparing the way for the second coming of Jesus.  While people stood up for the appeal, (there is no isle to walk to, they all sit on the floor), they also then sang the final hymn.  After the hymn I prayed and then a women to my left in the front just started crying all of a sudden when I finished.  Her crying turned to sobbing, as if she had suffered some great loss.  Then, she started shaking, and making some strange sound with her mouth.  "What is going on," I was thinking to myself?  I and many others, including the main elder from the microphone started praying "IN Jesus name..." Then she calmed down and plopped to the floor.  She was possessed.  We all circled her and prayed again for her.  Someone put their Bible on her head, and I laid my hands on her head and prayed over her.  I believe that whatever was tormenting her left, but the grace of Jesus.

Such occurrences are not abnormal here in Nepal, actually they are normal in many churches.  This was my first experience with this.  The elder, told me jokingly that the a third of the fallen angels live in Nepal.  I wouldn't be surprised.  There is open rebellion against Christ, with idol worship, sacrificing animals to gods, uncontrolled crimes, paganism and shamanism.

Interestingly though, I believe Satan does a more sinister work in the Western world, where maybe not so much of these experiences happen regularly.  Satan traps us with amusements, worldly waste, anything to keep us from a daily walk with the Lord, business in work, school and home care, and whatever else he can muster.  Be faithful friends the time is coming near to the second coming, and we have to preach the blessedness of Christ sacrifice for us, the love He has for sinners, and His soon return.  Preach...and live a life aware of what is going on around you.  Keep us in your prayers...