A week ago, I was sitting down at the kitchen table like any other afternoon, sipping Rooibos and chatting with Anna about random things while she prepared dinner when the subject veered into what to do when you venture upon a demonic manifestation (a natural segue, you know). Anna redirected one of my [many] questions to Felito, who had strolled into the room casually checking up on the progress of dinner. He looked at me, chuckled, and said, “So, you want to cast out a demon?”
“Uh. Well. . . not exactly. . . . Yes?”
If I could write Felito’s resumé, “Casts out demons” would probably be on there, along with “makes amazing French fries.” The two skills rather complement each other. Soon, we were having a conversation about the art of casting out demons. He spoke about the matter so casually; it was as though he were describing to me the process of culturing cheese.
“Yeah, y’know, I was casting a demon out once, and it got really angry. It started slithering and writhing on the floor like a snake.”
Yeeeeeeah, no big deal.
NO BIG DEAL? Are we even talking about the same thing? I’m not picturing myself in some Ghostbuster uniform and a gigantic industrial-sized vacuum. I’m picturing rotating heads, inappropriate crucifix placement, and pea soup projectile vomit.
Clearly I needed a healthy dose of enlightenment, because I was mortified at the prospect of having to face a demon. Then again, it’s not like the concept was entirely foreign to me. . . you see, I’ve read this book, it’s really helpful and you might have heard of it. It’s called the Bible, and this dude in the New Testament called Jesus Christ casts out heaps of demons and He seemed to do it with the nonchalance of a professional weight lifter at the local gym. So, if you’re still with me, allow me to share with you a little of what I’ve learned. . .
First of all, understanding any of this requires one to set aside preconceptions. I mean, I may not be a very convincing case of what “sane” might look like – just talk to me before any promised trip to Disneyland, and you’ll see what I’m talking about, but for the most part, I feel like I’ve got a pretty level head about me (emphasis on pretty, heh ;)). With that being said, a lot of what I will say probably will not seem entirely within the range of human reason or logic . . . but I assure you, I really haven’t gone off the deep end. I’m also by no means an expert on Theology, nor do I have a degree in “God,” so I’m learning right alongside you.
What if I told you that angels and demons were real?
What if I told you that, like God Almighty, angels and demons don’t need you to believe that they exist in order for them to exist?
I’m not talking about little red pygmy type gremlins that hide in your shirt pocket or perch on your right shoulder. I’m not talking about naked babies with extensive plumage growing out of their backs or Nicolas Cage in a long black trench coat in the movie City of Angels (such a tearjerker). Hollywood has got this, as it has with most things, a little distorted. I’m talking about a real spiritual realm.
Before you dismiss the idea entirely, explore with me a little bit deeper. You must know what it feels like, even as a child, to fear darkness, and how comforting it was to see your nightlight glimmering in the corner or for you to open up your eyes to the light of the first rays of the morning Sun. You must know what it feels like to be hit, hurt, or even abused – and that feels drastically different than a loving embrace or an affectionate touch. You must know the way a smile can light up a room and the way a frown or a furrowed brow can make it tense. You must know the way “I love you” can change a person’s life the same way “I hate you” can. We have all experienced goodness in light of darkness. We have all celebrated with joy and sobbed in misery. Would you agree that joy always overpowers misery or that where there is light there cannot be darkness? The very existence of light drowns out darkness. This is what the spiritual realm looks like.
Put away assumptions that “spiritual” means fog machines and mystic incantations. A secular dictionary would define the “spirit” as “the nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character.” Therefore, if you apply the “spirit,” to the world, along with the physical world, there is also a nonphysical part of the world: the spiritual realm.
“Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12
The spiritual realm of good and evil is a perpetual battle. Before I scare you out of not being able to go to the bathroom late at night unless you flush the toilet three times and say Bloody Mary, you should know that these “evil spirits” that I talk about have no power over you unless you allow them to. Just like we have the choice to love and the choice to hate, we have the choice of goodness and the choice of evil. Because we have freedom of choice, we are placed above angels and demons, who have no choice in whom they serve.
Still skeptical?
Now it’s story time.
A week ago, we were preparing to go to an outreach in a community that was farther away and we were already behind schedule. The truck wouldn’t start, we left two hours later than planned, and a team member had come down with something we thought was Malaria, so she went to a hospital in town for a test. Our team was split and there was a sense of panic and frustration in the air.
“Guys, something big’s going to happen tonight,” I said, as we clenched our teeth and prayed that our bodies would not be flung over the thin railings of the truck that was travelling what seemed like 50 mph along the pothole-ridden roads.
“What makes you say that?”
“Well. . . Obviously someone doesn’t want to make it easy for us to get there.”
Once we pulled up to the location, I looked over the dirt clearing we had claimed and the surrounding homes deteriorating under the stress of weather. The children ran around with mud on their faces and eight-year-olds carrying two-year-olds. Their parents stayed sober enough to beckon their children to run and purchase them more alcohol. One of the Mozambiquans who had come along on the outreach with us exclaimed outright as she was shutting the car door, “I hate this place.”
The men set up the equipment: the stage, the speakers, and soon the music played and some of us danced. The children danced along with us, and for a while I wondered if Felito was going to have anyone to speak to, because the locals walked by without blinking an eye. During the altar call however, a crowd of people seemingly came out of nowhere and answered. Afterward, worship music was playing, people were dancing, and people were praying. A woman approached me, specifically, and kissed me on both cheeks. I had never seen her before in my life. She continued on, kissing also Maria, who was standing next to me, and the women standing near her. I gave Maria a strange look, and she turned to me and said, “Well, I guess she’s just friendly.” I nodded and looked away, prepared to dismiss what happened, but then I heard a thud. The same woman had fallen face-first into the dirt before my feet. There were, immediately, hands laid on her arms and her head, and prayers being shouted. I followed suit, but to be completely honest. . . I had no idea what I was doing. The woman was convulsing, beating at her chest and head, screaming “NAO! NAO! NAO! (which means “no”)” as well as “F*CK OFF! F*CK YOU!” The praying continued for a good 10 minutes before she had quieted, and sat on the floor in what seemed like a daze. She was helped to her feet by the people who had prayed for her and she stood next to Maria.
By the third song, the crowd had gotten a little more rowdy and people were singing and clapping. With absolutely no warning, the same woman fell to the ground. This time, there was no one else around. Maria and I glanced at one another and hesitated for a brief moment. I shrugged, and we laid hands on her. Almost immediately upon contact, the woman began thrashing. She became violent and bit into Maria’s arm, twice. This woman looked as though she weighed a total of 95 pounds with the physique of a twelve-year-old, but her strength was enough to pull Maria and I to the ground with her, screaming. I cut my knee from the impact of the course dirt beneath us. This demon was not joking around. We were wrestling. Before I had time to look around for more experienced recruits, Felito rushed in and gripped her wrists to keep her from bashing our heads in. She continued to flail. As we prayed, she screamed and ran. She picked up a bottle in the dirt and smashed it against the brick wall.
She held it to her neck and screamed something, which Felito translated into, “I’m going to slit this woman’s throat, do you see what you’re making me do? Because you prayed for her, I will slit her throat.”
His reply was, “The angels of the Lord will not allow you to do such a thing. Leave, now, because she is protected by the blood of Jesus.”
The woman let go of the bottle.
While this was happening, an older woman had inched closer to me from behind. I was unaware because I was distracted, and once I looked behind me, I was startled by her proximity. I moved aside to let her pass me, but all of a sudden, she began to fall on top of me. I held her arms from behind to steady her, but her entire body had given way, and she was limp, resting her weight until I couldn’t hold her anymore. I began praying and four others surrounded her. She convulsed, but when she stopped, I heard a horrible sound reverberate – like croaking or a guttural moan. She was gnashing her teeth. The sound sent chills down to my very bones – but I was convinced that whatever had power over her had no power over me. God granted me boldness to say, “Leave. Silence. In Jesus’ name.”
It would be foolish of me to say that this was all imaginary. These things happened before my very eyes, and after we prayed for these women, they didn’t even recall what happened. When Jesus is tempted by the devil in Luke, chapter 4, He acknowledges the power of the Enemy:
“Then the devil took Him up and revealed to Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” Luke 4:5-6
But there is a power that is even stronger.
A light that is stronger than darkness, and an eternal kingdom that Satan has no power over.
“And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:2
I asked Felito if demons go away after you cast them out, and he responded with, “No, it is not their time yet.” As long as we live on this Earth, we will continue to be subject to the spiritual realm that also inhabits it. Scary to think about. . . but really, not so scary knowing that you are protected by Jesus and. . .“with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. And we believers have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.” Romans 8:20 -22