As a missionary I am often asked: what kind of spiritual challenges do we face on a foreign field?  And that is a difficult question to answer because there are spiritual battlefields everywhere… including the United States of America!  The difference is found however, in the fact there little (zero!) Apostolic heritage on a foreign field.  That makes the battle “zone” much more vicious than usual.

To exemplify, please allow me to tell you about a recent battlefield report I received from our pastor in Santa Maria.

A filthy, unkempt woman stumbled into Pastor Gesse’s congregation this last week.  She was visibly bound by Satan.  The signs of such demonic possession was written all over her body and soul.  For example, she was clinching a cloth bag in her hand with such vigor that it was obviously a curse that had been placed on her life.  Something was in that bag that was binding her whole soul.  She refused to raise that hand in prayer and viciously push everyone away.  She was devil possessed!

After much prayer and hard altar work, everyone seemed to feel some spiritual relief and the service came to a close.  That was when Pastor Gesse began talking will the woman.    

He found out that bag contained some clothing of her missing child and that some warlock told her that she could not release the bag… EVER… otherwise her son would NEVER return.    

According to her statements, she had not released the bag for over two or three years (she was somewhat lost in time).  The bag stank; she too was unclean and filthy.    

Pastor Gesse offered to go to her house to rebuke the demons out of her life.  She accepted the offer!

What they did not expect to see was the intensity of the demon of filthiness that had taken over her life!

Her house was inhabited by filthy spirits of all strips.  Much like the Bible description of a demon inviting seven other devils to come into the house with them… that actually happened in this woman’s house!

Because of the bag bound to her hand, the house had not been cleaned for over two years.  She had not had a bath for over two years.  The sheets had not been changed, nor the pots and dishes washed.  She was literally eating maggots with her food!

However, God is Lord over all maggots and devil possessed souls!  Pastor Gesse and his team began rebuking the demon in the woman and the spirits that lurked in the house.    

She was delivered!  She released the bag and her missing son into God’s care!

All the neighbors came out to see the miracle.  According to them, even when the city sanitation department came out to intern her in an asylum, her violence was greater than the willingness of the officials to fight her… so they just let the situation ride…and ride it did… until and Apostolic preacher showed up in her life!    

Then it was clean up time.  It took most of the day and a full team of Apostolic workers to put the house into livable order.