Turn off the lights.
Allow yourself the chance to escape and have a sip of momentary grace.
Did it happen?
Yeah, me either.
Truth be told it’s more hell than grace.
Darkness sure has a funny tendency to subdue our joy, doesn’t it?
For some, the darkness that we let live inside us crawls around and may come from worshipping a Hindu ‘god’ for the last fourteen years. For others it may come from events that were always out of our control. And then some come from the constant lies the world feeds us each and every single day that we’re alive.
You know them…
Look at everybody else … you’re the only one struggling.
You’re 26 and going absolutely nowhere.
Do you think you really have what it takes?
You’re a failure.
From the moment we’re able to comprehend life and all the inevitable up and down’s that it brings, it’s woven into our heart and soul that we have to masquerade our true selves and never let anybody see the mess that we’re hiding behind our eyes.
After all, would you really want anyone to see your demons?
Wait a second…
You thought ‘demons’ were fictional?
Think again.
I have them.
And so do you.
Demons hide in the places we’re too afraid to show those around us. The places we can’t let people go for the fear of how they’ll see and react to the real us.
Demons only reside in the places where we don’t have hope. We let them manifest and take control in our lives despite them having zero authority at all over us.
Why? Why? Why?
Why do we let darkness win when we already have victory?
Remember when Jesus came and died on the cross for us? Remember when he uttered "It is finished" ?
That. Was. Victory.
Despite how hard it is for us to conceive it at times – because of Christ – we’ve already defeated everything we’re ever going to have to.
Even our own demons.
We just have to be willing to shed light on our mess.
And yes, sometimes that means having people see the true you. The messy you. The you that the enemy tells you nobody wants.
But it’s worth it.
It’s worth experiencing the freedom that only the Holy Spirit can give you. That moment…that split second when it comes on you and literally fills you up with something out of this world. The weight being lifted off your heart as the chains fall to the ground. It’s the single most amazing feeling one can have. And not even the fanciest words can sum it up any better than that.
When I started writing this, I wanted it to be completely different. I wanted to share the stories of my month and casting out demons from my time in the village. I wanted to tell you all about the night a woman's haunting cackle shook everything in me only to be defeated twenty minutes later by the power of Jesus Christ. I wanted you to get a glimpse at the realness of the war that is going on each and every day all around us. Even in America. I wanted to write something that would stir your emotions and prompt you to take action. Truth though? I can’t prompt you to do that. I can just mention it. Like a wonderful lady once told me, I'm not in the business of changing hearts — but Jesus is.
It’s been one of the hardest lessons I’ve had on the Race. That as much as I want to, I can’t be everything for everybody. Sometimes they need more. They don't need me, they need Him.
They need to be freed of their own demons.
So I pray vertebrally for love and freedom.
And then I wait…
I wait for my demons to flee…
…and yours too.
I can't begin to express my thanks and gratitude to everybody who has made this journey possible. Without your prayers, financial support, and the most genuine love I've ever experienced none of this would have been possible. You helped make this year the best of my life and I hope that over the course of the year you've seen the Lord move through the blogs and pictures I've posted. You guys [and gals] were with me every step of the way.
I'll be posting another blog later on, but I've got another incredible opportunity coming up to keep serving the Lord abroad — if you'd be interested in helping me get a head start on that, you can hit the 'Support Me!' tab on the left of the page!
Thanks again.
Be blessed.
– kent
