The noise of the crowd leaving church grew louder as they approached our campsite. I was forced behind from worship tonight after jamming my leg, and was eager to hear how it went. The first news we hear from church was that they had cast out a demon.
First let me back for a minute, and share with you our preparation for this moment. The first question our pastor/host for the month asked us when we arrived was, “How many of you have ever cast out a demon?” Literally, only one of us. In sight of the crusade we would be doing this month, he wanted to brace us for the fact that it will most likely be an occurrence to happen.
However, due to the inability to bring the sound system across the border into Mozambique because of the corruption among border officiants, our crusade for the month has been cancelled. Therefore, everyone’s hopes and prayers to experience crazy things things this month have seemed unanswered.
Two thoughts ran through my head the moment I heard the action that has just taken place at church: 1. God is answering our prayers to be taken into deeper waters, even without a crusade. 2. Why is He leaving me out of it?
The realization that He distinctly took me away from church tonight by allowing the pain in my leg, despite hours of praying for healing over it by many people, made me question why He had chosen others for this task over me. Why were my prayers to be a part of deeper spiritual things being unanswered despite my boldness and obedience in stepping out in them?
Fighting these thoughts, I joined everyone around the bonfire to hear the detailed story of the event. The graphic details almost scared me enough into being glad I wasn’t a part of it.
During dinner, one of my teammates notices a man sitting in the dark whom has been working on the property for the past week. She invites him to join us in fellowship. He pulls his chair into the circle, right next to me. Instantly I begin asking him questions to make him feel welcome and better get to know him. I could feel Jesus’s love for him radiating from my eyes. Ten minutes into our conversation, someone asks me “you know that’s the man from tonight, right?” They are telling me that my new friend sitting to my left was the man I’d just heard horrific stories of. My demeanor instantly changes. I feel awkward and suddenly don’t know what to say. I didn’t know this was the same man. As I try to push away the fear and act normal I hear a small whisper from the Lord “Love Him.” In that moment I had so many questions: “how did he become possessed if he was already a Christian? What has he done to open himself up to this? Has this man been sleeping right here on the property with us every night? Am I safe here? How did no one notice he had a demon until now?” I feel the tendency to poke and prod him until his answers could bring my uneasy spirit some rest. However, once again I hear the voice: “just love him Kimberly.” In this moment I realize, God allowed me to meet Edilson before I knew he was the “demon possessed man” for one sole purpose: to love him.
That night I was challenged in two ways. I was challenged to trust the Lord’s good intentions and perfect plan for me to experience miracles. When everyone around you seems to be experiencing new depths with the Lord, it can bring out the root of comparison. However, God questioned if I trust that He hasn’t turned a deaf ear to my prayers. “Keep praying. Keep asking for healing. Keep stepping out in faith. Knock and the door will be opened to you.” I have to continue choosing to live by faith, not by sight.
I was also challenged to to see Edilson through unfiltered eyes, as a man instead of a label. Once I found out his true identity, I had the choice to view him for who he was instead of what he had done. The Lord gave me the opportunity to view him through His eyes instead of my own. As we leave Mozambique, I’m so thankful for the love I was able to build for my friend Edilson.
I’m also thankful for the Lord’s patience in teaching me, even when I must learn the same things over and over again.
It’s not about me. Glory to the King of Kings for setting his son Edilson free!!!
Oh, what a win for the Kingdom we all experienced that night.
*To read an inside story of what took place at church this night, visit (jackiehalyard.theworldrace.org).
— KP
