
God is truly amazing, church!
Those who attended service on Wednesday, 3/4/20, witnessed first hand just how good He is.
At about 7:30, as church started, a pair of visitors arrived and were greeted by the parking lot staff. A woman (Ophelia) and her nephew (Charles), who had invited her to church that evening. As they arrived, the woman expressed that she was drunk, but felt in her heart that she needed to be in church that night. They were welcomed in, and joined us for service.
Things went routinely from there, we had some fantastic worship, and the spirit of God moved, followed by some wonderful anointed word by our own brother Kenny Smith. Bro. Kenny touched on the topic of light shining through the darkness and now isn’t the time for the church to be asleep! He then began to speak on Jesus Christ being the light of the world and that same light lives within us. So even in the darkest of situations we can find the light and hope in Jesus Christ. In the middle of Bro. Kenny’s preaching Ophelia made her way to the alter and Bro. Kenny noted the anger expressed on her face as she stood there staring at him preach. As service closed and altar call began, the spirit of God was present and working. Both of our guests that night made their way to the altar, and the spirit began a different work.
It was noted that Charles had visited the church before, and quickly connected with the spirit during alter call. As this was Ophelia’s first time, she had brought a burden with her that only the spirit knew.
As she came in contact with the Holy Ghost, she began to cry out and shriek, but not in worship. It quickly became clear that something was wrong, Bro. Wiley quickly responded requestiong for sisters of the church to gather around to assist him in praying over Ophelia. As a team of 25-30 saints began to respond and pray over her, it was clear that she was possessed by multiple spirits. By this time, the whole church had responded and gathered around, praying for her and rebuking the spirits in the name of Jesus. What followed was nearly an hour and a half of spiritual warfare as the saints travailed and prayed for her pledding the blood over her and confronted the devils within her. Some Saints were able to comfort Ophilia to give the names of some of the demons dwelling inside of her and she gave the names the church went to prayer and rebuked each demon by name.
She pushed and pulled in the spirit, throwing up one after another, shrieking and screaming and battling back and forth with the devils that filled her. Eventually she expressed that she was gripped by an overbearing spirit of fear, and felt that she could go no further. As we were coming towards a stand still it was evident that Ophelia was in a battle of control of her physical body as the saints would go back and forth in communication with her and that which filled her. At times she would plead for help saying, “Help, help, help, help me please!”, and at the drop of dime switch to a more agressive nature with vulgar language and motions towards those rebuking the demons within her. Sis. Tammy continuously attempted to have Ophelia proclaim “Jesus is Lord” and she would reply back with a desparate “I can’t it wont come out! Please help me!”. The saints then began to bind together in more prayer and continued to mightly call upon the name of Jesus to rebuke the spirit of fear, as the Demons inside looked directly into the eyes over the surranding saints looking for a place to escape, Bro. Mills responded bolding to them saying, “Demons you are looking for an escape, but we’ve binded together and have pled the blood of Jesus on every person here! You have no other place to go, but straight back to hell!” and as he said that the demenor of the enemy began to change tactics from aggression to decitfulness. Those within Ophilia then began to politely tell the saints that the time was getting late and that she didn’t want to take up any more of our time, but the saint refused to leave till they released Ophelia from bondage. As Ophelia would regain control of her body Bro. Mills, Bro. Wiley, Sis. Tammy, and Sis. Heidi kept consistantly asking if she wanted to be delivered that night. She eventually said yes, and was asked if she would be baptized in Jesus name. She agreed, and was taken up to the baptistry.
While being escorted to the baptistry the spirit of fear began to burden her again as she would continuously say, “I’m in trouble, they’re coming after me, they’re going to get me tonight in my sleep.”, but Ministers continued to encourage and pray over her All the way into the water. Even once in the baptistry she continued battling with spirits as she trembled and second guessed if she could do it. Sitting there in the water she began to ask, “am I in trouble?” and Bro. Mill and Bro. Wiley quickly responded, “The only one in trouble here is the devil”. Before being baptized Bro. Mills explained to Ophelia again on what was about to take place and then demanded to speak to the spirits within her saying, “Spirits I may not be strong enough in my flesh to take you on by myself, but He that is within me is greater than he that is in you! When this woman goes under the water you will release her and be cast out of this body!” and as quickly as Bro. Mills spoke it the demons responded right back with a chilling statement, saying to him, “WE WILL NOT.” As the spirits attempted to make one last argument Bro. Mills and Bro. Wiley quickly prepped her hands over her nose and mouth and BAPTIZED Ophelia in the NAME OF JESUS!
When she arose out of that water after an hour and a half of fear and spiritual struggle, she arose speaking in other tongues, praising the name of Jesus, and worshiping The Lord in the holy ghost. She was a whole different person, and she had been completely delivered!
It was an eye opening and spiritually intense experience, and while the whole church may not have been present, the church should know the incredible spiritual battles that are taking place within its walls. We attend a LIVING CHURCH and the same water baptisms that took place all those years ago STILL HAS POWER TODAY! The power of the NAME OF JESUS still and FOREVER MORE will have power over the enemy!
“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19
There are real evil spirits in the world around us, and we ought to surround ourselves in the Word of God and fill ourselves with His spirit so that we would have Christ’s authority over any unclean spirit. We are His children, and He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.
Let’s not allow ourselves to be discouraged in the darkness, but stregthened by the light that shines within us! Be encouraged today and let that light shine for the world to see.
God bless, church!