Friday, February 27, 2009

The Witch Doctor


April 25, 2005

On my way to the doctor, I noticed beautiful sky and weather. I loved looking past the fields and on toward the mountains. They were a beautiful sight. For some reason, I started feeling a little emotional that day. My doctor’s visit went well. The swollen lymph node was gone and the glands had gone down as well. God was healing and delivering me from the sickness. We will wait now to see if they rise yet again. This is the first time in nine months they have totally gone away. Thank you Lord.

My emotions kept surfacing and I did not recognize that this was a need to pray. At noon I started to cry. I wept over and about an issue I thought was going on with me. Then my brother called. I cried even more when I spoke with him.

“What is the matter?” He said. “I think I am just sad today,” I responded. We did not speak long. After hanging up, as if the floodgates had opened up, I began to cry even more. I felt the strong urge to fall upon my face. I went into my room and fell to the floor crying uncontrollably. My lips began to move as the Holy Spirit came upon me.

I lay prostrate before the Lord with my face nestled deep into the carpet. The deep ache in my heart caused me to cry even more. “Lord, what is happening?” I whispered through the suffering. At that moment flashes of a picture came to my mind. I could see bits of it as if a puzzle.

“Please clear my thoughts Father,” I said. “May I only see what You want me to see Lord.”

Vision:

I first saw elephants. They were walking in a long line, one following the other. I watched as they walked in an open field towards the jungle. I saw a young man whom appeared to be in his twenties sitting upon one of the elephants. He was black in origin. I understood that I was seeing something in another country. I assumed it was Africa, but could not really get a clear picture of where it truly was.

I soon began to see flashes of some kind of mask. The mask was square with long hair surrounding it. The hair was made of hay or something similar. It looked as if someone were holding it up to there face. As God began to reveal a clearer picture, my heart began to ache even more. The intensity of my prayer increased, almost as if I had no control. There I was deep in the midst of it – I felt as if I were right there in the middle of the scene unfolding before my eyes. I could feel it. I could feel the emotion of it all.

The person wearing the mask was of great authority - I understood that. I could only see his arms and legs as his face was covered. It felt as if he were very strong and placed in high authority. I understood at that moment that God was showing me someone who was possibly a witch doctor. I felt a demonic spirit about him and began to feel sick. I wanted to throw up. The strength of it all scared me and I knew that I needed to call upon others to help pray.

I stood up and called for my husband. He came running and tried to calm me down. “You need to pray!” I said urgently. “Pray right now. We need to pray!”

I began to share briefly as the hold upon me was so strong that I could hardly keep myself from falling to the floor. I urged him to call some of my friends and ask them to pray too. He didn’t have to say anything. Just tell them that Tina needs them to pray.

Back on my face again the picture surfaced. I began to see more clearly. The masked man was in a jungle. The sky was dark as if night and he was dancing around. I watched as I continued to pray. I felt the strength of this man and knew that the battle was going to be tough. He was strong – very strong.

“Lord, I don’t know what to pray.” “He feels so strong.” I continued to cry. Suddenly, the battle became more in tense and I saw the man sway back and forth as if someone were pulling on him, though I could see anyone but him.

The Lord brought to my mind at that moment these words. “God sent His Son into the world so that others may have eternal life and that No One Should be Harmed.” I realized then that I was perhaps seeing a ritual being performed and felt as if someone were going to be harmed because of it. I started praying for safety. I prayed for protection for the one or ones being persecuted or cursed. I asked God to send His mightiest angels to protect whoever was targeted for harm.

I did not know what else to do. I just allowed God to use me as a vessel. My whole body hurt. My eyes swelled and the tears fell like a waterfall.

It felt as if the battle were never going to end. Suddenly, I started to pray that this man’s authority would be taken away. I prayed it over again. I then saw a great burst of fire shoot up from the ground. There in the fire were evil eyes staring at me. The eyes began to move towards me, closer and closer. I wanted to hide as I saw them zoom in so close that they could touch me. My body began to shake. I prayed even harder. The mask on the man’s face changed from the straw to a black demonic looking mask. It looked to of been made of iron. It was evil and scary. My body could not lie still as the force of it all took over.

“Help me father,” I cannot do this alone. “Others are praying too Tina,” He reminded me.

I continued to pray, “Lord, take away his authority.” I prayed God’s authority over the whole situation. I prayed God’s power and strength over whatever was happening. I prayed that God would be glorified and that His strength would come in and intervene.

“This man has no authority in Jesus name!” I spoke through my trembling body. I just kept repeating it as the battle raged on. My stomach would tense as if someone were hitting it. “This man has no authority in Jesus name!” I shouted again.

Then I saw something happen I have never seen before. The masked man began to slowly shrink. His body got smaller and smaller until a small cloud of dust arose and as if someone snapped their fingers - he disappeared.

I took in a deep breath and felt the anxiety leave. I stayed prostrate on the floor. God replaced that with joy. I began to laugh and cry at the same time. “It is over Lord,” I said. The tears came to a halt. It was gone. The battle was finished and God was the victor.


. . . Most of the time it just doesn’t make sense to me. I am still learning. I accepted the task the moment God called me. I lay on the floor and no matter how painful or scary I felt it could become, I trusted that God would intervene. I think the hardest part for me is the intensity of the prayers as well as the need to know more of what is going on. Even though I asked, God did not reveal any more to me than what I needed to know. I think there were several reasons why: I do not think I could have stood the emotion of it. The prayer is so intense that it sometimes really feels as if I am going to die. When I am shown the dark side it literally makes me physically sick. God reveals to us what we need to know. I had a glimpse of a picture that day. Who knows what country this was really happening in?

Follow Up:

Afterwards I spoke to a friend of mine who called because she had been praying as well. She reminded me of what was happening in India. I was curious so I got on line and looked up India. The very first story I came to was an article written about a husband who felt that his wife did not love him. After many beatings and trying everything else, he decided to go see a witch doctor or “tantric” as he was called. The tantric advised the man that his four year old son was not his own and that he should kill him if he ever wanted his wife to love him . So in the back yard, the man strangled his own four year old son and threw him down a well. He later confessed and ended up in jail, but the true murderer was the “tantric.”

I continued reading that the police were having a difficult time in India due to witch doctors sacrificing small children. It was an epidemic that had broken out and they were trying desperately to save these children.

Now I have no idea that this story is what I was praying about. I was suspicious that it did have something to do with it.

I also drew a picture of the mask and looked on line to see if I could identify the dark evil looking mask. I looked through hundreds of masks and thought I would never find it . . . but I did. I saw it. It was exactly the same mask that I saw in the vision. I read that it was a mask used hundreds of years ago. It was used by witch doctors during sacrificial ceremonies. I was speechless.

Thank you Lord, that you use even the weakest to intervene on Your behalf.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Intercession for Others

April 18, 2005

I felt tired all day today. I have been cranky as well. “I need rest Lord.” I need strength. On this particular day, because of how I was feeling, my husband decided to us out to dinner.

The rains poured and the sky darkened. No wonder I felt so tired. I immediately received strength and nourishment as we sat around the table and ate our meal. Conversation flowed and we enjoyed the company of one another.

Towards the end of the meal, I began to get a stirring in my heart. Something felt wrong. Tearful emotions swept over me. An anxious feeling crept in as I blurted out to my husband, “Something is wrong.”

“I need to pray,” I said to myself. I am still learning how to deal with the emotions that creep in during those moments when I am in public. "What do I do? Where do I go? Show me Lord."

I asked my husband to check on my oldest son who was at home. We received a call from him earlier stating that it was hailing and the electricity went off. My husband called and found that my son was fine.

The feeling intensified. I stirred in my seat. My heart hurt. Something was wrong. “Lord, please reveal to me what is going on,” I murmured beneath my breath.

A strong need to fall upon my face began to take control. I stood up and walked out side. I stood at the entrance waiting on the rest of my family. I inhaled slowly as to calm my nerves. “Okay relax,” I said peering out at the dark clouds. The smell of sweet fresh rain lingered in the air. Moistness fell upon my face. Even in the midst of tranquility, my heart beat a thousand times, as the rustling in my stomach echoed.

I began to pray as if I had no control. Words from the unknown language seeped through and it had begun. I was intervening for something or someone that God had not yet revealed. The emotion was real as I fought back the tears. I did not want to fall apart in front of everyone. “Hold it together!” I shouted to myself as I continued to pray. I took deep long breathes in to control it as I walked towards our car. My family stepped up right behind me and we entered the car to leave.

“Do you feel any better?” my husband asked.

“No its still there,” I told him.

It was but a moment on the road when my husband’s cell phone rang. At that moment, I could hold back the tears no longer. I closed my eyes and continued with prayer. A deep pain remained in the center of my stomach. "This is so draining!" I thought. The prayer intensified.

Something was wrong. I heard my husband‘s tone change and I knew that whatever I was praying about had to do with his phone conversation right then.

“Oh no,” I heard him say. “Well let’s pray right now,” He told the person on the other line.

I closed my eyes as the Holy Spirit came upon me. Tears flowed in the silence.

My husband prayed. As soon as he finished praying, I inhaled a deep breath and suddenly released every emotion that had hold of me. The emotion left as quickly as it came. It was over. The task was finished.


. . . Something was wrong that day. Someone called to share about a friend who at that very moment was going through strong withdrawals from alcohol. I believe this person was in a rehabilitation center at that very moment. This person cried out to a friend and the friend cried out to his pastor.

Thank you God, that we can be used in this way. Use us Lord.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Spiritual Discernment

April 17, 2005,

This particular spring morning the sun blazed a glorious glow as people gathered to worship. The early service went well and people seemed to lift their hearts to the Lord.

After the second service of worship, I sat in one of my regular seats toward the front. I felt tired but good. The pastor stepped up to preach and gave it a great start. Suddenly, I felt something brush past me. It is difficult to explain. It felt as if something were flying past me at a high speed. I could feel a brush of wind. It is an odd feeling – as if someone were running very fast and almost brushed against me. I could feel the movement yet there was no one visible.

After the brush, I became a little anxious. That is what I call it, but it is a stirring in my stomach as if something were wrong. My heart began to beat faster and I knew that God was calling me to pray.

I remember saying to myself, “Lord, I can pray but to fall upon my face and weep as usual is not a good time right now.” I knew that the sermon would end soon and I would need to lead our invitation song.

I could not sit still, I had to rise and go to the back. I called upon a friend who is strong in prayer. “Something is wrong,” I told him. “I feel as if something is happening.” The tears wanted to flow but I suppressed them.

“Well let us pray now,” He said as we bowed our heads in the kitchen. I took in slow breaths as if to calm my body and spirit, but God was calling me to pray. I needed to pray - there was a spiritual stirring.

As my friend headed back to share with the prayer team, I took my seat and continued to feel overwhelmed with the presence of God and the need to pray. I closed my eyes and the Holy Spirit began to pray through me. Under my breath, I began to pray in my prayer language. My body shook as my stomach continued to knot up. I don't think anyone at church noticed what I was doing.

There with my eyes closed I began to see a face. I knew this face. It was a face familiar at church. As I continued to pray, I saw the young teen in the vision God was revealing to me. I did not know his name. He was sitting in one of the burgundy chairs in our sanctuary. He was at church that day actually sitting across from me the very moment I felt the brush of something.

In the vision, I saw a black figure grabbing at him. The young teen would turn to the side as if to escape its hold but never left his seat. The figure kept picking and tugging. It appeared as if the young teen were being pestered. Every time the figure grabbed at the young teen the young teen would turn or move as if trying to get away from it. I felt as if I were praying against that hold right then. In fact, I felt strongly about having someone pray over this young man and the hold that he was struggling with, but at that moment we were entering into the alter call and I needed to get up and lead the music. I know I need to do what the Lord calls me to do no matter what it requires - I should have prayed over him anyway.

I felt it strange, now that I look back on the vision that day, that in the vision the young teen did not get up and leave or move away from the dark figure that was picking at him. Perhaps he was struggling with something or perhaps God was revealing to me that he was facing bullying? Maybe he was being tempted. Whatever it was I now can go back and pray for him. I can pray that he would be released from the dark figure and that God would provide the young teen with great strength to move away from that hold. I can pray that the pestering will end and that God would surround him with Godly friends who are strong in the Lord.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Satanic Curse

April 3rd 2005

I actually stepped out of bed feeling much better today. My aches were better. The first service in church went well – although everyone appeared sleepy – due to the time change –

During the later service, I started feeling sick again. My body began to ache – and my right arm felt extremely tight. I pressed on. I noticed a troubled teen had come that day - someone we have not seen in a long while. He looked angry as if he did not want to be there.

After church, I made a quick lunch and told my husband that I felt sick. He said, “I could tell that you were feeling sick during the service.”

After a nap, I decided to go downstairs and finish recovering an ottoman I had been working on. I started feeling sicker. My right leg hurt with pain. I slid my hand across the back of the knee and felt the large swollen knot that appeared a few days before. My whole leg felt weak as I walked to gather my things.

While concentrating on the project, suddenly I began to feel even sicker. A sickness came upon me causing my whole body to feel strange. I felt sick to my stomach and my arms and limbs began to hurt even more. I immediately called for my husband, “I have to stop, I feel sick.” I could hardly move. I walked up stairs to lie down as my whole body began to shake. I felt like crying, I knew what that meant. I felt almost too weak to fall on the floor and pray, but God was calling.

I walked back downstairs to get the box of tissues. “I feel sick!” I said trying to get down the stairs.

My husband met me at the stairs and said, “Okay show me what’s wrong.”

“I can’t talk right now,” I said through my tears. “I need to go and pray.”

The minute I walked through the door I fell on my face praying before I ever hit the floor in a language I do not understand.

I immediately began to see a vision:

I saw fire burning tall and a dark figure popped into the vision right in the midst of the fire. I had no idea what I was praying about at this point. As I continued, I felt that I was praying against a Spiritual warfare of some kind. My lips began to swell. I felt so strange. I prayed faster and with more intensity.

I then began to see a young man from our church. He was sitting with other teens his age, but I could not see their faces - I only saw his. They were out in a thick wooded area sitting on a large tree limb. Night had taken over but the fire gave off light – almost like a camp fire. Behind this scene a large fire blazed in the distance. Evil eyes pierced through at different times of the scene. The teen from our church had a thin stick in his hand. I watched as he took the stick and drew a large circle in the dirt. He then drew something inside of the circle, but I could not see what it was, I only felt it was satanic. God began to speak to my heart as I continued to pray and at that moment I felt as if God were telling me that the young teen was putting a curse on me and my family. I felt shocked and hurt. It saddened me. I had no idea how to pray against it – I cried out for help. I cried out for the Holy Spirit to come in and pray for me.

My heart ached again as my body shook and for a moment I saw flashes of fire as the dark figure appeared again off in the distance. My lips hurt from the swelling and I felt as if I were going to vomit. I heaved as if to throw up. I prayed with all my heart for God to send deliverance and help. The intensity of it all overwhelmed me. I couldn’t stand it but couldn’t stop it either. I was too deep in the prayer.

I called out for God to end this and bring deliverance. I cried out for victory and that whatever was happening God would stop the enemy from his plans and that He would get the victory. I did not see warriors or angels. I saw the young teen sitting at his place on the log with the stick in his hand when a great wind began to form. It looked like a funnel cloud that had touched down on the ground. It stirred and roared just like a tornado. I watched and prayed as it began to make its way around toward the teen and behind him. Everything began to stir and blow after the touch down. The tornado continued to move behind him making its way to the other side of him. Suddenly as it made its way in front of him, the wind took hold of the stick that was in the teen’s hand and carried it up toward the heavens - just like a tornado would do to something that it picked up. The dust blew just like a tornado and surrounding the circle drawn in the sand - erasing it from existence. It stirred the dirt as if to erase it and then it rose up into the sky and disappeared. I saw the teen jump up in anger thrusting his fist into the air as if to hit someone. There behind him blazed the fire and I saw the eyes of two individuals or demons and I felt they were glaring at me in anger.

I could feel their anger as my whole body shook. “Lord, help me,” I said.
I called out the teen’s name and said, “L – belongs to God!” “L – belongs to God!” “He was created with a purpose!” “He was created by God and for God!” “You have no authority over him. In the name of Jesus I pray that he be released from your hand.”

As if God had snapped His fingers the fire suddenly disappeared. I inhaled a deep breath and a peace came over me. I fell to the ground – limp and exhausted. It truly felt as if I were in a raging storm and the cloud had just lifted. I then felt joy. I even laughed for I knew at that very moment that the enemy fled. The enemy was gone. God won the battle.

I sat in the presence of the Holy Spirit for a while and allowed God to pour His love upon me and comfort me as if a small child. He did.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

A Moment of Fear and Healing

My fear of sharing this with you is that you will think I have completely lost my mind. If I had had someone who could have helped me understand this while going through it then it would have made all the difference in the world for me. I was not prepared. I didn't feel I could do any praying for God. I even cried out to God more than once with, "I can't do this Lord!" But somehow He helped me through it.

I want to help and I feel the need to share. If you are going through any of this perhaps my experiences will let you know that you are not alone and you are not absolutely out of your mind.

Diary - March 29, 2005
I was awakened at 5:30am. That is very unusual for me to rise so very early. I could not sleep. I got up after my husband got into the shower and poured myself a cup of coffee. I took it back to my bed and pulled out some books to read. I had been having trouble with a growth or swollen lymph node on the right side of my body under my arm. The swelling has increased. Although last week I had an MRI, I did not fear. The swelling caused me pain this morning.

The moment I settled into bed, an emotion came over me as it often does. I am learning that this is God calling me to pray. I recognize that the emotions that I experience during these times are very different from when I am sad or grieving about other things in life. While still in bed, I began to cry. I began to speak in a language that I do not understand. I am still in awe about that. I feel that it may be Latin for I sometimes hear myself saying the words, “Christu” – “Spiritu

Soon the Holy Spirit took over and I fell to my knees beside my bed. Tears flowed with such agony that I cannot contain myself. I asked God to clear my thoughts and my mind and reveal to me what was going on. I then began to take my own hand and touch the area of my body that is sore and sick. I understand that possibly the Holy Spirit was praying through me over that. I had a strange feeling that the Holy Spirit was interceding for me. Faces began to appear and flash before me. I saw a friend. She is a Nurse Practitioner. I do not understand what I am praying about yet. I just feel the emotion of it all.

When I am submerged in prayer the world disappears and I am some other place. Time passes and what so often seems to be but a minute becomes an hour - An hour becomes two and before I know it - three have passed.

Suddenly, in the deep midst of my prayer, a tormenting sound pierced my right ear. I felt a brush of hot air brush against my face and I am fearfully startled. A terror came over me as I have never known before. I am so taken back by it that I immediately began to scream. I felt a fear that I cannot explain. I will never ever forget the deep rustling voice growling in my ear as if to stop my praying. The crazy thing is – I seemed to understand what it was. I recognized that it was the enemy; a demon that has come forth to torment. I screamed with such force and terror. My whole body began to shake. I know that I should have no fear. I know that I have nothing to fear, but I was so caught off guard.

My husband who was downstairs at the time, came running up to me. He grabbed me to calm me down. “Shhhhhhh - Sarah, it’s okay.” My body shook as I cowered against the wall. I stood up, still sobbing with such depth that my body hurt. I could not speak at first, but found the words to shout, “Get away from me!” I was extremely frightened and shaken.

My pour husband said, “Okay, okay – he then began to step back away. “I grabbed him and said, “NO! There’s a demon in here!” “It screamed in my ear.” “I felt it’s breath upon my face.”

He tried hard to calm me. I stood against the wall holding on to him as hard as I could and said, “Get me out of here!” My body shook and tears streamed down my face as he escorted me out into the hallway.

He escorted me down stairs and I knew that he thought I was losing my mind. I felt it too. “What just happened to me?” I thought trying to regain some kind of control. But I knew. I really knew what it was.

We spoke about what had happened and he comforted me the best way he knew how. At some point I settled and the tears slowed to where I could actually speak with normalcy. He needed to get to work.

“You know when you leave, I have to finish praying.” I said to him. He tried to encourage me and remind me that the enemy has no control over our lives and that somehow I needed to get control over this. It is a difficult thing to explain. I was new with this and still trying to understand everything that has been happening to me. Sometimes it feels as if the Holy Spirit takes control and I have none. I am learning to yield to the Holy Spirit and allow God to use me as a vessel. I am only the vessel.

After I calmed down and my husband left for work. I again, felt the calling so strong to fall upon my face. I went into my office and fell upon my face, tears streamed before I could reach the floor. I began to pray in my language again. Still not understanding what I am saying.


Suddenly - a vision:

I saw before my eyes a flock of demons flying in the sky. They were circling like a flock of buzzards over my head. I prayed and spoke out loud, asking God to send his mightiest warriors to come and help me. At that moment, a light from the sky fell full force into the midst of the flock and then another and another. The lights turned into white clouds as the buzzard like flock turned into black clouds. The white clouds moved swiftly like lightning. The dark clouds immediately broke away, shooting out into the sky in different directions. The white clouds followed after. It was over, the sky was clear.

I continued to pray as my vision began to become clearer. I saw my friend once again. She was holding her right arm out and coming towards me, as if to lay her hands upon me and heal me. I remember saying in my thoughts, “But God, Lindsey cannot heal me, you can.” I just felt that she was praying for me.

I stood in a dim place as if I were in space. There were no other markings around me. Lindsey continued to come towards me with her hand stretched out towards me. When she finally reached me, she took my right arm, the one that is ill, and raised it up above my head. With her other arm she took her hand and opened up the area of the swollen lymph node. There was no bleeding or pain. I continued to pray and at that moment my heart hurt deeply and my tears intensified.

All of the sudden as if a vacuum were held in the skies above, I felt a strong pull from my arm. I saw a string of black, almost like a cloud, being pulled from my arm as Lindsey continued to hold it up. I felt as if God were sucking all the sickness out of me. The Holy Spirit continued to pray through me – I actually felt as if God Himself were praying over me. The black looking soot continued to be pulled from my body up towards the heavens like a vacuum. It seemed to go on forever as I prayed, but soon it came to a stop. When it was all over, I saw Lindsey take her hand and stitch the open area up. I began to cry tears of joy and happiness and praise God for what He was revealing to me. I thanked Him with all of my heart. I wept tears of thanksgiving and joy for His glorious work and love.

I can remember being so scared afterwards. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before that moment. I remember calling the only person I knew who had personal knowledge of these kinds of things happening as well as being a pastor who counseled people with this gift. He was well known, well traveled, and has many books out about this thing.

I needed to speak with him on the phone about it. I desperately needed a mentor. I needed someone who could teach me and share with me their experiences. I needed someone who could help me understand and who knew first hand about how I should respond and what I should do.

I felt reassured when I heard the man tell me on the phone that I was not losing my mind. He told me to consider myself lucky because not many people get a visit from a demon like that but it does happen and he has known it to happen. He also said that the next it happens I’ll be ready and say, “Give it your best shot!”

After that vision, I never had another problem with any swollen lymph nodes or any other sickness related to that area. Praise God!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

The White Knight

March 23rd 2005

One Wednesday evening, after my whole family left to go to an event, I felt a strong sensation to fall upon my knees and pray. I am beginning to recognize that my tears often mean that God is calling me into prayer. I fell upon my face in my room and sobbed. My heart hurt as usual. “God please reveal to me what I am praying about,” I cried out.

The Holy Spirit began to flow through me as I cried and prayed in a language unknown to me. It is as if my lips move by themselves. I know that seems strange. My body shivers as well as if I am in the cold.

God then began to reveal to me what I was praying about:

Vision:

I saw a woman leaning against the wall in her bedroom. I assumed it was her bedroom although I have never seen it. The room was dark. The shades were drawn. The bed was at the head against the west wall . There was a chest of drawers against the East wall – I could only see the corner of it. The woman stood on the right of the bed next to the small window. She kept looking at the chest of drawers - almost longing for something. I sensed the Lord telling me that she longed for something. I then saw what sat on the edge of the dresser - a bottle of pills. I could sense in my vision that she longed for the bottle of pills, but was trying to stay away from them.

Suddenly I saw an armored warrior riding on a white horse. The horse was traveling at a high speed. The knight traveled fast and I knew in the vision that he was coming to help this woman. The next scene took me to the woman walking over to the dresser to take the bottle. At the time she was about to grab hold of the bottle the white knight rushed through the door, grabbed hold of the bottle, and then drew his sword. It all happened so fast. He then quickly turned, raising his sword high in the air and came down hard casting a blow on the black knight standing before him. They fought diligently and with great intensity.

My heart pounded even more. While I am seeing this I am still praying. It felt as if I were right in the middle of the battle. I could feel the intensity. It is so difficult to explain. My emotions were a mess! My feet began to move up and down because of the intensity of it. My lips moved more rapidly as the battle became more intense. My words flowed more quickly. The two warriors fought with such strength and force. The battle seemed to of gone on for a while. Both of them moved quickly – one after another pushed each other away with their blows and the strikes of their swords. I could hear the clanging.

As the fight increased, I saw two beautiful angelic young women come down from heaven and take the woman - one on each arm. Together they carried her up towards the heavens as if to move her out of harms way. Neither one of them had wings. The battle continued as I prayed. Soon the white knight fought the dark knight out of the door. The dark knight was not killed - only defeated. It was a tough battle.

I then saw the angels bring the woman back down from the sky and place her on her bed. She lay down and slept peacefully. One of the young angels ascended back up to heaven while the other sat over the woman - stroking her hair. Suddenly I took in a deep breath and knew that it was over.




As I shared earlier, I am still learning about intercessory prayer. I could have left it at that, but I knew this woman and wanted to make sure everything was okay. I couldn’t stand it any longer - I called her. I knew that I was taking a chance of her thinking I had totally lost my mind, but I didn’t care. Something was wrong.

I took in a deep breath and shared with her what had just happened. A long pause on the other end of the line and then she spoke –

The first thing she said was that she couldn't believe that I had described her bedroom perfectly and as exactly as it was. She then opened up and shared that before she came to know Christ, she struggled with an addiction to alcohol and pain pills. Thank you Lord that her struggle with that had been over for quite some time. However, she recently had major surgery and was going through a long period of physical therapy. That night she shared that because of the physical therapy and surgery, it required that she take pain medication. She did not want to fall into the trap of years past and because she had a history of this addiction, she understood how dangerous it was for her to take any medication like that. She started noticing that she was taking the pain pills on a regular basis whether she needed them or not. She wasn't getting a high from the pills - she just noticed that she was taking them more than she needed. When God brought that to her attention, she decided not to take them anymore. That particular day she had physical therapy and was in a great deal of pain. She really needed something for her pain. Although she had taken Tylenol, there was a part of her that was longing for those pain pills that would help ease her suffering. She shared how she laid down on the couch longing and yearning for that medication – so much that she came really close to calling her doctor for the prescription. Then after a while the desire for it eased.
Thank you Lord for fighting our battles! Use us Lord - use us for Your glory!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

God Reveals

The dreams kept coming and I kept praying. Sometimes I would wake in the night. I would often wake with a heavy burden. The next day I would remember everything that I had dreamt. Each dream gave me a better understanding of God’s work, and how He was using me. My lessons kept coming although I was still growing in it all. God continued to call upon me. I really didn't know whether to act or pray. I would often act before stopping to pray. I would often jump and go to the person I dreamt about rather than keep it between the Lord and myself. I continued to learn.

One particular dream reached close to home. My sister and her family were Journey Missionaries in Mexico. They served as Agriculture Missionaries up in the mountains. I had heard from my mother that my nephew Braden had been ill, although I did not fully understand how serious it was.


Dream:

I saw my sister and brother-in-law come into my nephew’s room. In the dream I understood that it was late – around 10:00 pm. They were checking on him before bed. I saw the two of them reach down and look at him. They then started to wake him saying, “Braden, get up – we have to go to the doctor.” Something was seriously wrong. I saw that Braden had red spots on his face. They kept tugging at him to wake him. “Braden, we have to get up and go to the doctor
.”

Suddenly I awoke.

I looked at the alarm clock that read 6:00am. The burden lay heavy upon me - almost suffocating. I instinctively reached for the phone and started to call over seas. I then stopped, put the phone down, and asked, “God – what do I do?”


“Something is wrong.” I kept saying it over again - "Something is wrong." I could feel the urgency rise and my heart ached. Because it had to do with my family I wanted to call right away. I have learned today that my first reaction should not be to jump towards the phone. I need to pray. I couldn't help it - I yielded to the temptation to call. The phone rang as I paced the floor. “Pick up!” I said. There was no answer. I don’t know why, but I immediately hung up and started dialing the number again. “What time is it in Mexico?” I didn’t care, I just wanted to speak with my sister. An answer.
“Hello?” Came my brother-in-law’s voice.

“Josh!” “Are you guys okay?” I responded. “How is Braden?” I cried out.

“Here, I’ll let your sister tell you.”

“Emile! Why didn’t you answer the phone? I was worried sick!” I said.

“We were up really late last night and didn’t get to bed until a few hours ago," she responded

I told Emile that I had a disturbing dream about the family and wanted to make sure everyone was okay. I did not go into details. I asked her if anything was going on and this is what she said:

“Braden had Typhoid fever. We had taken him to the doctor in Mexico City that day to get medicine for him. The doctor told us to watch out for a reaction because if he has a reaction to the medicine he will break out and his throat will close up and he will not be able to breath. He could die before the one hour drive into Mexico City. Before bed, Josh and I went into his room to check on him – it was around 10:00pm. We noticed that he was having an allergic reaction. We saw the spots on his face and said, ‘Braden!- get up we have to go to the doctor!’ Thanks to the Lord, we got him to the doctor in time.”

I could not believe it when I heard her story! God revealed to me exactly what had happened the night before. I knew that times were difficult being away from family. All I could do was thank the Lord that He brought this to my attention. Our whole family continued to pray for Braden as well as his entire family. Braden did recover. After their two years, they returned to the states, had another child, and have recently moved back to serve as Career Missionaries to Mexico City.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009


October 2004

This would be the first time the Lord called upon me to intercede in prayer involving a stranger. I have dreamed dreams and burdened for friends, family, and church members but never have I had an experience as this one.
My husband was away for military training for two months. This October, in the middle of the night, I felt something brush against me as if the wind had swept over me. It caused me to wake up. I opened my eyes and then fell back asleep. It brushed again. I sat straight up in my bed and paused quietly. Amidst the silence, the beat of my heart filled the air and fear surrounded me. I pressed my ears against the night trying to hear any sound at all. I began to pray for my children. I prayed that God would keep them safe.

“What is it?” I asked the Lord. Something was happening. I knew something was stirring. I could feel it in my heart as well as in the air. Suddenly as if someone had turned on the television a man’s face appeared before my eyes. The stranger looked as if he were in his late fifties. His hair was of a salt and pepper color and cut into a long shag. I could see that he was sitting in either a bus station, train station, or an airport. He sat in one of the rows of chairs.

I watched as if I were taking in a movie. At first his back was towards me and then slowly he turned and looked at me. His eyes were glazed over and evil shot out. I knew this man - whoever he was - was evil. I immediately felt danger from him. I started to weep and fall to my face. I became so frightened at this point because I truly did not understand what was happening to me. I prayed against whatever I was seeing or was happening.
After praying for a while, the Lord allowed me to rest and so I fell back asleep.

The next day, I had a meeting at the church until noon. When I arrived back home at noon, I told my son that I was going to lie down a bit and get some rest.

The minute I closed my eyes, the man’s face appeared again. I rose up, jumped out of bed, and fell to the floor on my knees. "I accept this assignment Lord - though I do not understand it." I had been reading Beyond the Veil by Alice Smith. She shares that when God calls upon us to intercede for another He gives us a choice to accept the assignment or not. We can choose to turn away from those promptings from the Lord, those calls for intercession, and those whispers. We can choose to disregard those moments or we can say, "Here I am Lord."
Though I was truly afraid because of my lack of understanding, I chose to say - "I accept the assignment Lord." As soon as I said that, the vision became clearer.

Vision

I began to pray in my prayer language. The Holy Spirit took over and like a movie I watched the vision unfold before my eyes.

The man was in an airport. He began walking with a briefcase in hand towards one of the gates to board. Others were boarding as well. I could see two flight attendants taking the tickets. As the man approached the gate, I cried out in my own voice, “Don’t let him get on!” I seem to understand in my spirit that this man was dangerous and that he did not need to get on that plane.

I saw the man approach the attendants. My heart hurt, my stomach heaved, and tears fell to the floor. The two attendants stopped the man and took his ticket. I saw them speaking with him. I saw the attendants telling him that he could not board. I prayed hard. My body shook and hurt deeply as the scene unfolded.

The man stepped out as if to go around them and try to board anyway. “No!,” I shouted in my spirit. The male flight attendant held his arm out to stop the stranger while the other female attendant closed the boarding gate.

The man was not allowed to board the plane. Disgusted and angry, he picked up his briefcase walked away - looking back once at the attendants that stopped him.

Suddenly it was done and like a water faucet being turned off my tears stopped that abruptly, I took in a deep deep breath, and then sat up from the prayer. I had heard intercessors say that an intercessor must learn to leave the task at the alter. It was all so new to me that I had no idea how to do that. I became so upset about what had just happened that I started crying all over again. I could not stop crying. I cried the rest of the afternoon. I needed help. I needed someone to talk to. I needed to understand if this was normal. I felt as if I were losing my mind.

I have no idea if all of that was going on somewhere at that very moment, or if it was something that was going to happen in the future. Either way, God did not want that man to get on that plane. I will never ever forget his face or those dark piercing eyes.

I am amazed that God can take and use simple people to intercede on His behalf and that we can see through the eyes of the Lord and become a vessel for His ministry and work. I will continue to learn and grow in this area. Use me Lord.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Spiritual Gifts



One day not long after all of the previous things happened, I had another dream that I believed would be significant in what God was about to do in my life and how my life would move forward in serving God as an intercessor.


Dream

First Scene:

I came upon a friend who wanted to take me to see an amazing place. I had my two children with me at the time but decided to go anyway. It was a cave hidden and tucked away among shrubs. One would have to know it was there in order to get to it. I remember walking in and seeing all different kinds of levels - almost like cliffs hanging over the side of the cave wall. Everything was black except the light that lit up each cliff. On each cliff there was a piano - each piano was shaped differently and each piano was made of something else beside wood. It was either gold, silver, glass, or bronze - things like that. My friend told me that at night people would come to the cave to find gifts. The place was usually packed full of people.

Next Scene:

The next scene showed me walking into the cave without my children. The cave took on a different appearance. It was bright and had trees and flowers everywhere - unlike the first scene that really looked so much like a cave. I could hardly move because there were so many people there. Everyone was looking up towards the ceiling.

I asked - "What is everyone looking for?"

Someone said, "They are looking for prizes."

I looked up at that moment to find an envelop on the ceiling. I looked around and wondered why no one else could see it.

I said, "There's a gift right there on the ceiling."

I pointed to the envelop. I thought for sure that everyone would run to try and get the gift down from the ceiling but they did not. Something very strange happened after that. The people parted - helped me get on the table - and kept their hold on me so that I could reach up and grab the envelop full of gifts.

I never knew what the gifts were in the envelop but after several weeks of prayer and asking God to give me understanding and wisdom about the dream I felt that the Lord was trying to tell me that He was about to equip me with certain gifts - spiritual gifts - not physical gifts. After that dream stranger things began to happen and the spiritual gifts began - I just needed to learn what to do with them. Every day was a learning lesson and still is to this day.

Saturday, February 14, 2009


One day at the kitchen window I adored the beauty and the Lord's making of the red bird. It fluttered up to my window seal and sat there for a while. I could almost touch it. My hands were in the soapy water but my heart was focused on God. Something happened at that moment. I felt the Holy Spirit come upon me and tears swelled in my eyes - not because I was sad or anything like that - but because God's presence was so strong. Suddenly for a few moments my lips started moving and uttering something completely strange for me. It was foreign - like a foreign language. I did not understand the words I was uttering. I immediately stopped it and suppressed it. I got so scared that I took my hands out of the dish water and ran into the living room asking myself, "What was that?"

I grew up in the south as a Baptist and we were taught that things like that didn't happen and shouldn't! - - at least not in the Baptist church. I believe that moment in the kitchen was the beginning of a prayer language for me but I suppressed it and never allowed it to happen again for several years. I never told a sole about that moment - not even my husband. I was naive and ignorant about the Holy Spirit. I had so much to learn and no one to help me learn it except the Lord. Being a Baptist I also felt that I had no one to confide in about what was happening to me - I had no one to share my burden - and no one to help me learn about this gift. It was difficult - very difficult.

Though I tried sharing things with my husband he could not understand what I was going through because he did not have this gift. So I pressed on the only way I knew how. I started finding books I could read about Spiritual gifts and especially the Bible. I endured the feelings and need to pray, cry, grieve, dream dreams, see visions, and speak in a prayer language.
My passion is to share my experiences so that no one will have to endure these kind of changes alone.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Intercession 101

"According to Webster, intercede means "to go or pass between; to act between parties with a view to reconcile those who differ or contend; to interpose; to mediate or make intercession; mediation."

Mediate means "between two extremes; to interpose between parties as the equal friend of each; to negotiate between persons at variance with a view to reconciliation; to mediate a peace; intercession."


Dutch Sheets in his book Intercessory Prayer talks about how intercession happens in our lives every day.


"Intercession happens in our courts daily with lawyers interceding for clients.
"Intercession happens in contractual meetings daily with attorneys representing one party to another.
"Intercession happens in offices and business meetings daily as secretaries or other associates 'go between,' representing one to another. Nothing spiritual about it. It involves delegation. It involves authority. It boils down to representation. To represent means to re-present, or present again."


God created us to represent - to be intercessors - to go between - to do His work - to mediate - fight spiritual warfare - to come before the Lord on behalf of those struggling and suffering. We were created to take those issues people have given us and take note or write a list and come before the Lord on behalf of our friends and family members - We need to rise up and become attorneys and lawyers who plead their cases before the High Courts. We need to become mediators and pray for the renewal of marriages, families to come back together, homes to be restored. We need to take that person struggling and re-present them before the Lord daily - time and again - no matter how long it takes. We need and must become Intercessors.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Battle for Kacy

I answered the phone to hear Kacy on the other end -frantic and broken.

"I can't do this anymore!" "I need help."

" You can't do what anymore Kacy?" "What's going on?"

"CUT! I feel like cutting again but I don't want to!"

"I'll be right there!"

I rushed to sixteen year old Kacy to find her in the house with her younger brother. Kacy had been cutting for quite some time - no one knew and at this moment she decided to reach out.

Her parents were out of town on an event and would not be arriving home until late. I quickly made arrangements for her younger brother to stay with someone in our church. We grabbed some of Kacy's things - left a message for her parents - and then made our way to my house.
I spent that evening and late into the night crying with Kacy - holding her hand - hugging her - praying - and reading the Bible - but mostly listening to her story. She had a rough life and had fallen into cutting at an early age. She held a razor blade in one hand and the phone in another hand when she called for me. My heart ached. I had absolutely no idea how to minster to someone who had been cutting.

"Help me Lord, " I pleaded. "I really need to know what to do."

Just talking about it helped Kacy so much as well as give her a sense of freedom because it was now in the open and no longer a secret. At the closing of our day I sat in the extra bedroom along side Kacy and said goodnight. It must have been 1:00am. After leaving her I went to my room and settled in - still burdened. The only thing separating me and Kacy was the wall between us.

After lying there for a few minutes a strong urge to pray came over me. I raised up in bed trying not to wake my husband. I stretched my hand towards the wall that separated the two of us. My body began to shiver as if I were cold. The Holy Spirit came over me and I began to pray. I prayed in a way that I didn't usually pray - with authority. In the midst of the prayer the Lord opened my eyes to see what was happening. My body continued to shake and tears flowed -

Vision:

I saw the room just as it was. I saw Kacy sitting on the side of the bed just as I had left her - reading the Bible. Suddenly and quickly a bright light came from the heavens like a bolt of lightening and swept through the room at high speed. It looked almost like a flash of light. I then saw a dark cloud - almost like a dark dust ball. It bounced within the room from wall to wall - ricocheting here and there like a tiny ball that had gotten loose from a child. The bright light continued to chase the dark cloud as I continued to pray victory over Kacy's life. I prayed against the enemy - the hold - the affliction - I prayed and at times had no idea what I was saying because I was focused on the vision. Then the dark cloud shot out through the roof of the house and the chase was over. My tears and prayer immediately stopped at that moment but the vision continued. I saw Kacy still sitting on the side of the bed but she had an angel sitting beside her stroking her hair. Behind Kacy stood a massive large warrior angel with a sword in his hand. He stood as if he were guarding Kacy. He was strong and showed no emotion - just strength.

I must say that I am not an artist nor have I ever taken any art classes. I would like to and need to. Please do not judge my art work. Several years ago I started trying to sketch what I see during my prayer times. I only wish I could sketch what it truly looks like. It is amazing and I can't seem to bring it to life. I have decided to go ahead and share the art anyway. In this particular sketch I did not pay attention to what the sword looked like - I had to guess.




The next morning, after Kacy woke up, she entered the kitchen looking completely different. There was a glow around her - her burden had been lifted. It is almost too difficult to describe. Her over all appearance was somehow different. She was different. . . she was truly different.

Later that day I took Kacy home. She shared everything with her parents and they moved forward in finding her a counselor and a place of healing. As far as I know Kacy is doing very well today.

Thank You Lord!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Dream – A Call for Help

After that vision I began having dreams and other strange things happen to me. I didn't always understand them, sometimes they scared me, but I endured the best way I knew how.


Dream:
I saw a clear picture of our church. I was looking at the hallway. It was empty until one of our senior adults came walking around the corner. She appeared weak and frail. She was sick. She started to pass out and fall to the floor. At the same time she called out with a weak breath, “Sarah, help me I’m dying” I came running around the corner just in time to catch her and hold her neck in my arms as the rest of her body lay limp on the floor. At that moment, others came. I called for someone to call for an ambulance. And then I awoke from the dream.

When I awoke in the night, I did not understand what was happening to me. I felt a strong need to pray for Libby and so I did - I prayed. My prayer times today are very different from when I prayed back then. If I had experienced that dream today, I would have prayed differently. Now I seem to understand a little more.
The very next morning a team from our church gathered to drive to a VBS training event. Libby happened to of been one of the women on the van that day. She sat in the center while I sat in the front with the driver. Because of my lack of experience, I did not handle the dream with respect and privacy for the Lord or for Libby.
I called her name from the front seat, “Libby!" "I had a strange dream about you last night. Are you feeling okay?”

She answered, “No I am not well.” Everyone else in the van spoke among themselves and I do not believe anyone over heard our conversation.

She continued, “I have something really wrong with me and I need to get to the doctor, but I want to wait until after our VBS.”

“It is something on the inside of me,” she said.

Our VBS would not happen for another two months which meant Libby would not go to the doctor until then.

I realized at that moment that the dream was real and that the urgency I felt about it all was real. She asked me about the dream. “I’ll share it with you later,” I told her.

Later that day I shared the dream with her. I felt God urging me to encourage her to get to the doctor as soon as possible. I pleaded and told her that I felt in my dream that this was very very serious and God was allowing me to see this for a reason.

Libby did go to the doctor right away instead of waiting for two months. She ended up having surgery a week later. After it was all over, she shared with me that the doctor felt that if she had waited it could have been much more serious than it was.

That day the Lord opened my eyes as to how He can use His people as intercessors. I am learning when to speak and when not to speak. I am learning that the Lord gives us a piece of a puzzle sometimes and we don't always know how it will fit together. I am learning that He whispers to us in private - shares His secrets with us - and trusts us with His information. Though difficult to know what to do with it at times - the Lord still teaches. I continue to learn more about prayer and about becoming a great intercessor for God.

Monday, February 9, 2009

My First Vision

The sky looked clear as crystal and the ocean blue seemed to have no end. I could hardly keep my eyes upon the road while driving. The splendor of it swept me upward as if I too were a cloud and suddenly it was as if I were swimming in the heavens. I have no idea how I stayed on the road for at that moment I was truly in some other place. I wanted to stay and bask in the heavens with the Lord. I wanted to dance and fly before His loveliness.

The radio played my favorite Christian songs and I found my resting place. I began to sing aloud with the music and declare God’s beauty. I raised my hand in agreement with the song that said, "How beautiful - how beautiful."

"You are beautiful Lord,” I said out loud. “Look at this day!” “Thank you Father!” I boasted. “You are so beautiful God!” I said again as the song continued. Suddenly something strange began to happen to me. It was an odd feeling. With eyes were still fixed upon the road yet I was seeing something else at the very same time. I had heard of people having visions but I had not experienced that before this instant. I saw myself standing in a dark room. I was wearing a white dress that resembled a wedding dress. The sleeves were long and the trail of it flowed out ever so gently. My face turned upward looking towards the heavens as a strong white light shown down upon me. It looked as if I were standing in a spot light. Everything else around me was black.

Suddenly a large hand came down from heaven. It was masculine with creases and lines - aged like. It was weathered and worn from the tip to the end, yet appeared soft and gentle at the same time. The realness of it scared me. I truly felt as if I were in the hands of the Lord. I could not only see it, but feel it. The hand came down and tenderly scooped me up, lifting me towards the heavens. My long white dress flowed down below the over sized hand. It seemed as if I were but a tiny jewel as it continued to lift me higher up towards the light.

At that moment, I felt the Lord’s presence fall upon me. The presence was stronger than I had ever felt before. I gazed out at the vast sky and the endless land and wondered how I could continue to drive. His presence stretched as high as the blue sky and as wide as the land where the sun rises and sets. In my flesh, I wanted to hide my face because of my sinful nature. I wanted to pull the car over at that very moment and fall upon my knees before the Lord, for His presence was too great for me. Tears streamed down my cheeks and puddled in my lap.

I tried to concentrate on the road and make sense of what was happening. Then the vision stopped. I cried even more wondering what had just happened to me. I thought mebay God was trying to tell me that I was going to die - that He was going to take me home.

It wouldn't be until years later when I came to understand that God was trying to tell me that I was a bride of Christ and that He loved me as much and more than I could ever love Him. It was a moment I will never forget, for it was the moment of the beginning of my journey of intercessory with the Lord.