Recently for ministry, we visited a Hindu temple that is dedicated to the Hindu god of death (along with some other titles), Shiva. This temple is completely dedicated to death and dying. It seeps from every crack. It is located adjacent to the “holy” Bagmati River that they believe flows from the mouth of Shiva. At this temple, people are literally sent there to die. There is always an ambulance there, either containing a dead body or someone who is about to pass away. They then burn the bodies of the Hindu people who chose to die in this “holy” way, then cast their remains into the river. The ceremony consists of some graphic treatment of the bodies that they believe will remove their bad karma and possibly end the reincarnation process. The families go through a specific type of grieving ceremony that assists in sending their family members into death. There are several other relatively barbaric things that go on in this temple as well that are pretty disturbing.
This was one of the darkest places I’ve been in my life. You could tell that evil runs rampant throughout that place. It’s mind-blowing how the enemy has lied so much, for so many centuries, that it has created entirely new false religions and false gods that pull people far away from the Truth.
However, God was still there. Because we were there. And because those people are made in His image. They all have that hunger for “something more” that each of us have, but that can only be satisfied in Jesus Christ. We prayed over this temple. Knowing that just our presence there caused a celestial shift in the atmosphere. That we were shedding spiritual Light throughout that land. We prayed that the entire place would be torn down and would become a place of Christian worship. We prayed for a church to replace the temple where Satan seems to have such a stronghold!
Here’s the real truth; Jesus Christ defeated death when He rose from the grave.
God is so present! He is so good! He is moving like a mighty river. His Spirit is saving souls right and left. People want to know Jesus. People are hungry for Him. We can see it in their eyes. We can feel it in our being when the Spirit nudges us forward. It’s becoming second nature to ask “what do you know about my Jesus?”
Even though there is darkness, I’m overwhelmed by the Light I have seen. I’ve never felt so alive. The knowledge that these other religions have power because of the demonic forces that control them just gives me more assurance in the supreme authority of God. They have no place under His rule. He is freeing people daily! And freeing me alongside them! The Lord is giving me a love for ALL of His people. He’s allowing me to see through His eyes. I have chills while I’m writing this! There is constant revival. The Lord is fulfilling His promises. Wow, what a life.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (NLT)
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?[a]”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
