Photos taken in the neighborhood I write about in this blog.
Out of all the places we’ve been, there is something different about the spiritual climate of Uganda. It seems darker in some way. It seems more volatile or aggressive somehow. I can’t place my finger on it exactly, but it’s different. More intense maybe. For instance…in the first 3 to 4 days we were here I was simply overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with the level of poverty and my lack of ability to fix it. But that was just the start, as I began to be overwhelmed about being a Christian in a fallen world and the responsibility that comes with that. I became overwhelmed in thinking how hard it will be to follow Christ the rest of my life, giving to others before myself, not seeking money to solve my financial woes, living on faith day in and day out, serving, giving up my life in order to find it. I was simply overwhelmed…
Then I began to realize I normally don’t think this way. Something was wrong. I was being influenced. The enemy was trying to take me out, to get me worrying and stressing out on the sidelines. I believe I was being intentionally attacked. And then I prayed against it, and broke free, back into joy and freedom and delight in Christ.
That is just a quick example, and not even the best one. I am writing this because I want people back home to know that when you decide to bring the kingdom and the good news and power of Christ to those who are lost, there truly is opposition. I don’t think we encounter it much in The States (I know I never really did…or maybe we encounter it in very different ways) but it is still very real. And we need to know that, and to not be afraid or intimidated. We need to have a firm foundation in Christ, not for the sake of our own salvation, but for the sake of standing firm and confident, that we may operate in our full authority in Christ, in order to bring the kingdom to those in need.
Christ has told us to take care of widows and orphans, but also to preach the gospel, to heal the sick and tocast out demons. He has given us a mission and a purpose, to TRULY BRING HIS KINGDOM HERE AND NOW. And if we do not know we’re opposed, we’ll be blindsided, or intimidated when we come upon that opposition. I don’t want that to happen. So, I now want to share with you what I’ve experienced in the past two days.
Quick story 1: I was with three members of the church we’re working with, and we sat down to speak with 3 women in an incredibly poor area of town. I sat on the dirt, sharing some of my testimony, along with the Truth of Jesus with them, and tried to answer the questions they had. One woman wanted to accept Christ, and just as I was explaining that all she must do is believe in Him, and in what He did, and confess it, then she would be rescued by Him. Just as she was about to, a guy came out of nowhere, furious that we were there speaking Truth. He was yelling at us, and pushing us, demanding me for i.d. and telling me to go. He did not want me to pray with that woman. As he argued with the translator, I snuck around to quickly pray with the woman as she accepted Jesus. The angry guy quickly pulled me away from her and pushed us away. Our contact told me that guy was a witch in the area (he displayed a number of characteristics of someone practicing the occult, it wasn’t just a judgement)…and I believe him because that guy was angry spiritually. I believe our opposition alerted him to what was happening and used him to bring conflict to the situation. Holy Spirit didn’t give him the victory though as the woman accepted Christ, and we were finally able to leave in peace.
Quick story 2: We were at the church and began to worship. It was awesome…God’s presence was really thick, and it was beautiful and powerful and holy. We stayed in that place for 15 minutes, at which point Pastor Joseph was hearing from Holy Spirit that He wanted to do something in a woman I’ll call Linda. Linda came forward willingly, believing the pastor….as we continued to worship, the pastor asked some of us to lay hands on her and pray…and as we did, Linda began to manifest a demon…and with crazy strength, broke away from us and ran away, church members jumped up and grabbed her, and brought her back. Pastor Joseph began to speak to the demon…then Linda tried to run again. At this point she was being held by three or four people…some holding her upper body, and some holding her feet. She was writhing and crying out in pain and the pastor began to speak with authority like I’ve never seen and asked Holy Spirit to bring the fire of God in her to remove the demon….and it happened. Linda fell limp, was set down on the ground…and people began to thank and praise God.
During all that Pastor Joseph asked me to take photos…and I would like to share them with you now.
**DISCLAIMER! I am not showing you these to exploit this woman. Nor to scare you (they aren’t really frightening). I am showing them in an effort to help you see that the enemy is real…and that WE NEED NOT BE AFRAID OR INTIMIDATED. Nothing, absolutely nothing can compare with or overwhelm our power in Jesus Christ.**
You can clearly see the torture our sister in Christ is experiencing. As this was all happening, I had to remember that it wasn't the woman acting this way…it was the enemy. Our enemy who comes to torture, wound, hurt, kill and destroy. And after seeing it first hand…after having my hand on someone experiencing this type of torture, I came to a new understanding of what it is to bring God's Kingdom, to bring healing, to set captives free in the name of Christ. I came to a new understanding of my authority in Christ, a new compassion for those experiencing oppression and possession by the enemy and a new understanding of the importance of seeking a holy and sanctified life for the sake of those who are in desperate, desperate need of the LOVE and POWER of Jesus.
So please believe that God's Kingdom needs you. You're needed to bring real healing, restoration, freedom, help and truth. You are needed to know and walking in Christ's power and authority in YOU through His Holy Spirit. You are needed to not be afraid, to walk in joy and confidence in your identity in Christ. You are so desperately needed…and not even here in Uganda, but wherever you are.
Through Jesus you are so powerful, you have so much hope and love to pour out…hope and love that are effective and truly bring change and can break down walls and break off chains. Hope and love that rescue people who are lost, confused or overwhelmed. Hope and love that will change the lives that encounter it.
Through Christ, you are a powerful, powerful force of change…and you are not limited to simple prayer or simple giving. YOU ARE SO POWERFUL!
