warfare in the place we were staying in Beswick. We found more
connections regarding the spiritual stuff we were encountering, as well
as an incredible redemption story in a man who showed up about a week
before we left Beswick. His name is Justin. He’s a muscular and tough
looking Australian, but he also exuded a compassion and love that was
rare in the place we were staying. The first night we met him he asked
us, “Have you lot been bothered by that woman? You know there’s a spirit
around here..” We looked at each other for a second and I turned to him
and said, “Oh, we got rid of her. Jesus is bigger.” We had been
sleeping great to that point but starting that day we encountered more
spiritual darkness in the night. Images, strange dreams, random fear.
When I talked to Justin a little more about it another day he seemed
nervous about us leaving. “You guys are going soon and I’ll be all alone
in there,” he said as we talked about the spiritual darkness there. I
offered to share more with him about how we got rid of the spirit and he
seemed genuinely interested. From the moment I met him I? know God
wanted Justin. I’ve encountered that feeling only one other timer, which
happens to be the last time I led someone to Christ. I began praying
for Justin daily but didn’t get another chance to talk to him until the
night before we left. Our squad leader, Robby Riggs, came to hang with
us for our final 3 days and Robby blogged the story of what happened
next with our encounter with Justin. Read below for an amazing story
that wrapped up our time in Australia with a miracle of the kind that
only God can do.
His
soul screamed desperately for real love…
But
first, I need to backtrack and tell you my journey in meeting him.
Here
in Australia, Tara and I chose to travel the month and spend quality
time with each of our teams in the locations they were stationed
through the Territories.
I
have been witnessing God tearing down the walls of the hurt in these men
and women, I have seen Him pouring His blood of purity over the
un-pure areas of hearts that were closed off and screaming to be set
free and it becoming white as snow. I have seen moments of joy spill
over in these lives and Him romance them in it. Many are walking in a
new freedom, and the Lord is doing an incredible thing with each
individual.
My
last team to visit this month was Team Glo. They are amazing men and
women of God, and I had an amazing time with them. While there, God
showed up and BLEW me out of the water with only 2 days in Beeswick.
This
is the Outback, and it is the place where the Aboriginal people dwell.
It is a place where you can smile and sweat pours forth from every
place of your body. This is a place where the spiritual climate is
freakin’ intense…this is the place that I met Justin, age 36.
Justin
is not aboriginal. He has a mixture of Peruvian, Aussi, and Kiwi. A
unique mixture of cultures creating such a unique heart.
I
have not had headaches in a while… but as I drove closer to Beeswick
my head became a ticking time bomb it seemed. It was getting pretty
ugly, and I knew that I needed some meds, prayer, and rest. Little did I
realize, I was entering a crazy war zone (spiritually), and it was
having a direct effect on me…
Upon
arriving with team Glo, I walked into the kitchen and there stood
Justin who was colossal and looked like he could easily smash my skull
in with one fist. What I saw, though, was his smile, and what I felt
was his love and joy. It seeped from him, but what I felt the Spirit
speaking was that he wasn’t a believer…interesting because of the
love he had for people.
The
next day, David and I had some great talks with men throughout the
community about the Lord and encouraged them to live out their faith
boldly, and I enjoyed every minute of it…later that evening we saw
Justin, and He was holding his lung and looked like he was in pain. I
asked what was up, and he said that it was from smoking for 10 years.
It was killing him little by little. In those moments I felt the Spirit
of the Lord tell me to lay my hands on him for healing. I didn’t do it.
I still am learning. So…
It
was Friday night and we were leaving early the next morning, and I knew
that I still needed to talk with him…the reason was unknown, but the
Lord just kept pressing that He needed Justin now. The night was
drawing to an end, but God was just getting started- Justin walked in
and came straight to David and I… He sat down and started to share
his life…sharing the secrets of his heart that he had never told
anyone…he mentioned how tired he was of being surrounded by darkness.
He even wanted to end his life a few times. He was shameful, guilty,
addicted to an assortment of things, etc…and now he was screaming
inside for help. He had actually mentioned seeing a spirit around his
room…yeah that’s right- he even had asked the spirit her name and she
said…”Jezebel” and get this… Justin had no clue she was mentioned
in the bible-he was yearning for rescue.
As
David shared the gospel, I knew more and more I had to pray with this
man- it was heavy on me.
Desiring
to be more personable, we moved into his bedroom to pray hard core
prayers over him…continuing the conversation with Him about the Lord,
he looked at us and said, “I know my problem-I have never accepted the
Lord because I have been addicted to such and such-the “pleasures of
the world”… So, I just went into talking about addictions and the
freedom we have in Christ-the power of Christ. As we spoke about these
things, it became apparent it was the time to make the choice to get
rid of addictions and darkness and let the light come in and break
years and years of darkness off of him. He wanted it, and so we prayed!
We
prayed with Him for an hour or more…we went through some tough
spiritual warfare, but we encouraged Him to speak out and plead the
blood of Jesus over himself. We encouraged Him to tell Christ how he
felt…it was REDEEMING…it was POWERFUL…it was ALL GOD! Through the
end I felt the Lord pressing for me to place my hands on his lungs and
pray for complete healing- and this time, I didn’t hesitate.
That
night was special, Justin accepted the Lord as HIS personal
savior/Father. It was beautiful.
When
we finished praying- he said, “I feel lighter, I don’t feel/see that
spirit here anymore, my mind is clearer, my lungs don’t hurt, and I can
also breath deeper and more.” This was incredible to witness. I loved
every minute of it- seeing a man literally leave the lies and walk into
the truth of Christ…
Justin
is now my brother in the Lord- I don’t know if I will ever speak or see
him on this earth again- but I can tell you that I will rejoice the
day when I see his face in eternity. I can tell you that He will bring
the Kingdom of God to Beeswick and will be a LIGHT that shines out of
the darkness that hovers there. I will testify boldly that the seed
fell on good soil and that it will grow and multiply into hundreds. My
faith says so.
This
is what I love…the dead coming alive in Christ- the savior redeeming a
man.
God
needed Justin. Justin needed God.
Grace
and Peace to you in these moments…
Robby
