Visitors from the underworld Pt 2 of 2

When Anne left Juba for Yei, she was given eight days “holiday” by these evil spirits. But on arriving Yei, her family insisted she must not return to Juba. Her folks knew nothing of whom and what  she’d become and their instructions greatly annoyed her spirit husband and other spirits.

These spirits began to visit her in Yei and started oppressing her family members. Last week, they gave her an ultimatum to return to Juba by 4th November 2011.

At this time, a brother in church had a vision where he saw Anne and two other ladies in great danger. He shared the vision with me and I asked him to prayerfully pay Anne a visit and witness Jesus to her. He did and came back with a horrific story too long for this piece.

He encountered these evil spirits by the seductive spell that over-powered him when he was with Anne that evening. The demons told Anne right there that this preacher is weak. She confronted him with their views of him and he confessed that his mind was dirty as he struggled with lust for her, while ministering to her.

The brother was greatly jolted by Anne’s revelations and experiences with these evil spirits. He asked for prayer of protection for his family and himself. I encouraged him to go back and bring her. He did and our first session with Anne began.

She tried to be as brief as possible but it was clear from her responses and gesticulations that she was deeply involved, confused and afraid. However, we made her understand the following:

1. Those beings are fallen spirits, outcasts of heaven, and defeated enemies of God. To this she replied that the spirits always told her God was wicked and wanted to destroy her life. So she stopped praying to God and has not stepped into a church since meeting these creatures. We exposed their lies and she began to understand that even Satan can manifest himself as an angel of light (2Cor 11:4)

2. These spirits had prospered her business to get her attention and loyalty (Matt 4:8-9). She agreed with this too and told us that many young men are caught by these evil spirits because of their lust for wealth. She knows many other ladies in Yei that she meets on “the other side”.

But her questions were, “Why me?” “How did they make me disappear and reappear on this side?” “Why do these spirits hate God so much?” “Why are they afraid of Jesus and praying people?” “Can God still forgive me and prosper me?” The answers to these questions and others she asked made a way for Jesus into her life.

3. These spirits are doomed to hell fire and they know it (Matt 25:41) but their aim is to take her and as many as they can to hell too. She believed this and confessed they’d tormented her many times and threatened her life severally.

4. We made her understand that if she says her son died and was buried, he’ll never come back to her in this world. The child she meets as her son on the other side is NOT her’s but a demon that took on the image and personality of her son to deceive her (Gen 3:1-6). She was confused here. She claims the boy is growing up right like other kids, how can he not be her son?

Some of these things have no logical explanation, seeing that her experiences are as real to her as her name. But reality in the spirit world is a mystery to the ordinary man.

5. We presented a clear picture of God’s love for her. The Gospel rests on this one truth– God’s love for us is unconditional! (Rom 5:8) She saw that Jesus’ love was different from that of her spirit husband who forced himself on her and took her Son. Jesus was knocking at the door of her heart, asking politely to be let in.

Her struggles to remain part of that world was finally broken when she understood the gentle love of Jesus. She then agreed to invite the Lord into her life and we went to work.

After hours of ministering to this lady, God proved Himself again as JEHOVAH, the Man of War (Exodus 15:3). She was saved and totally delivered!! We’ve started a special discipleship class for her to run daily.

We covet your prayers for Anne and for us too; that Abba will perfect what He’s started within her, use her to save others trapped on “the other side” and strengthen us with might by His Spirit for His glory.

Visitors from the underworld Pt 1 of 2

I was quite surprised to witness and hear of increased
demonic activities here since my last visit. From demonic abductions of adults,
rape of ladies by unknown giant males, blatant seductions by teen girls,
there’s no telling what each day holds.

Barely 48hrs after I arrived here, my phone rang and one
of my disciples needed me to come for a deliverance session. It was 9:30pm. A young
girl in his neighborhood was manifesting and they can’t help or handle her. We’ve
seen much of these before in various shades but there’s an alarming upsurge.

The story of Anne (not her real name) is one of those
you hear and wonder. Her encounter with visitors from the underworld has raised
our concerns to new heights. She shared her ordeal with me and two brothers
before she was delivered yesterday.

Anne arrived Yei few weeks ago from Juba where she has
lived for the past three years. She hails from Yambio, a growing town south
west of South Sudan. She’s in her mid to late 20s and a single mum then.

Desperate for the good life, she roamed around Juba
seeking a breakthrough and one day, she picked Five Sudanese pounds ($2.50
then) along the road and instinctively invested it in the business of roasted
fresh corn and that day, she made a profit of Fifty-five Sudanese Pounds ($22.00).
She used that to buy a carton of beer (alcohol) the following day and sold a
total of Nine (9) cartons same day. She soon bought a bar and the business
exploded within weeks. It was a welcomed but unusual phenomenon.

One day, as business boomed, she returned home and
noticed that the single room she shared with her son was illuminated by a light
source from nowhere. There’s no single shadow in the room. She ran back and called
people to come see it, they came but saw nothing. She was the only one seeing
the wonder. As soon as she braved the presence of this indescribable light and
lay down to sleep, a huge and tall white man, glowing all over, appeared and
grabbed her son from her side and immediately the boy died.

After his burial, she began to see this mysterious man
more regularly. He told her if she wanted to see her son again, she should
follow him to “the other side”. She did and saw her son there. No
soul was to know what she’d seen and heard.

Her visits there became more frequent and in time, one
of the men there took her as a wife and she had three children for him; two
boys and a girl. She remarked that this man and others like him are very
jealous beings. He’ll not allow her to have sexual relations with any other man.
It’s been over two years now.

She said there are very many children “on the other
side” and many adults too. Her attempt to describe the beauty of the place
each time made her shudder and her amazement was troubling. She knew from the
first day that the place was not of this world, though it operated in similar
fashion.

I asked, “How do you go there?” She motioned
with her hands and said, “They open the gates for you. When one of them is
walking ahead and another behind, the gate opens and we enter. The chairs there
are made of gold, too many beautiful things and beautiful people with spotless
skin are there.”

How was she delivered?

Read the concluding part
tomorrow.

“The LORD shall go
forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall
cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.” Isaiah 42:13

Responding to darkness

As I followed this sad story of how orphans in Son of God orphanage were being starved and sold, I recalled a recent [rather ironic] horrific story of how a man deliberately locked his pregnant wife and kids inside his container kiosk, poured fuel and set them on fire. Jesus answered the Father’s call for issues like these.  He says, “…as the Father sent me, I now send you.” John 20:21

The interplay of affection, mercy and judgment demonstrated by God and Jesus illustrate the challenge posed by evil in this world as it is told in the scriptures from creation’s early days.

Just Google something like; “father kills children” or “mother kills her children” or “man kills wife” and you’ll discover such evils are not peculiar to a race or place.

Isaiah 60:2 declares that gross darkness is on the earth. Jesus foretold in Matthew 24:12 of this age. We are witnessing an avalanche of evil, few are reported and fewer still are resisted.

Children are being sacrificed on occult altars for money and power as you read this, some are being sold into slavery by people they once loved and trusted. Their new masters and madams may even be people we know. Orphans are being used as offering baskets to swindle many. Corruption sails smoothly with the good name of God.

But we can spend hours listing, listening and reading news of unspeakable things people do (some for God) and forget that our response to evil underscores our relevance as Kingdom people passing through a fallen world.

As I reflect on how Adventures In Missions (AIM) and six other Christian ministries dealt with the darkness that recently invaded their space via the despicable conduct of Son of God orphanage in Haiti, a ministry (rather business enterprise) they’d once pledged their support; I’m reminded of this text–

“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.” (Matt 5:13 The Message)

Imagine if AIM and their allies did nothing. It gave me joy to read the report— Haiti closes orphanage for neglect following complaints from US missionaries. Christians, US missionaries,  doing what is expected of them, seasoning a tasteless society and illuminating it with godliness. We live for this and more!!

Though what constitutes evil and wickedness continues to be redefined within evolving social structures, only our lives as representatives of the Kingdom of Christ will clearly expose sin in its true colours. Sadly though,  we don’t respond quick enough or at all because ours are not involved.

Jesus didn’t just call Himself the Light of the world (John 8:12), He also calls us light of the world (Matt 5:14), thus giving us an identity in Him and defining our responsibility to this evil world.

If men being evil know how to set lights and lamps on their proper stands to maximize their brightness, how much better will the Omniscient God do with you and I as lights lit by Him for a dark world?

You may be where you are now on account of God’s matchless wisdom and pleasure. I hope He’s getting His due.

Darkness and light are products of human activity. Let’s taste the pungency of your saltiness and let [allow] your light shine brightly enough before men… God has staked His glory at your location. Make Him proud!

Waiting to exhale: A parent’s worst nightmare

Four years ago while on vacation in the UK with my family, my wife and I had a most unforgettable experience. Ed, 6years old then and as active as most kids his age gave us a good reason to re-evaluate our duties as parents.

The rail network in the UK makes it quite a visitor friendly nation. But what do you do when your child exits the train at a station and it rolls off just before you could get your act together?
 
You have 60secs or less to exit, but with a dozen people disembarking from your coach and you are pulling on luggage in one hand and carrying a newborn babe in the other, how do you respond when the door slides shot and the train heads to the next station separating you from your son, who on sensing the problem is now running after the train on the platform?
 
well, that was our experience that faithful but unforgettable winter afternoon. The sight of Ed running after that train on the platform, shouting Daddy, Daddy, Mummy, Mummy, stop ,stop…, provoked a feeling inside me too hard to describe.

If the windows of that train could be opened, I’d have jumped off to be with my son. My dear wife freaked out as we pulled away and the tension in the coach was almost tangible. All chit-chats ceased and I guess most of us were trying to imagine what next.

Was Ed going to keep running, hoping the train will soon stop for his family to exit or for him to get back in? What if he keeps running and steps on the rail tracks? Was he going to get lost somewhere in the town or someone we don’t know pick him up and disappear?

Ed was taken to the station manager by a kind passenger and was picked up few minutes later by our host. Thanks to God and cell phone technology.
 
This same awkward feeling of loss and helplessness pervaded my mood again the last time I was in South Sudan. I left rather unceremoniously as issues on the home front demanded my presence. Just few days to South Sudan’s declaration of independence, I had to chose to either stay and celebrate the independence day with my friends in Yei or return home immediately to address pressing family matters.

I chose to return home sooner and weeks later, it proved to be the right discussion. The responsibilities I feel as a parent with the needs in South Sudan continues to stir my spirit. I have kids needing the grace of God I carry, both as a parent and a leader, but the train I come and go with seems to thunder-in and lightening-out often, leaving us limited time for deeper interaction.

As I depart again this morning to Yei via Kampala, discipleship is on my mind. Leaving my kids to go be with other kids and families is a big sacrifice for us. But we keep a level head by focusing on the goal.

In most parts of Africa, raising children is a communal responsibility. I’m looking forward to the day when this train will offload me and mine for good so that these kids won’t have to run after it in their minds.
Until then, I covet partners that will fill the gaps we leave behind each time we go.

Facing the enemies within

“When God plants a
dream in your heart there is invariably a period of patience producing lulls.
Not unlike the months leading up to a physical birth there are seasons of
doubt, discomfort and even denial. We often cannot see the progress we long
for. That is when every temptation hits us to forfeit the finality of our
promise. If you have lost hope…hold on with the help of a strong and gentle
Jesus and surround yourself with healthy and caring friends.” Butch Maltby

I received this beautiful article written by Jim
Rohn as an email from a dear friend this morning and knew I should share it
here. So much has been happening in and around me and people I know that makes this apt now.

We are not born with courage,
but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of your fears are brought on by
your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you’ve read in the
papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two
o’clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won’t
need to live in fear of it.

Fears, even the most basic ones,
can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy
relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of
the many enemies lurking inside us.

Let me tell you about five of
the other enemies we face from within. The
first enemy that you’ve got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference.
What a tragic disease this is. “Ho-hum, let it slide. I’ll just drift
along.” Here’s one problem with drifting: you can’t drift your way to the
top of the mountain.

The second enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise.
It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy.

The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure, there’s room for healthy skepticism. You can’t
believe everything. But you also can’t let doubt take over. Many people doubt
the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the
possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves.
I’m telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It
will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy Go after
it. Get rid of it.

The fourth enemy within is worry. We’ve all got to worry some. Just don’t let it conquer
you. Instead, let it alarm you. Worry can be useful. If you step off the curb
in New York City and a taxi is coming, you’ve got to worry. But you can’t let
worry loose like a mad dog that drives you into a small corner. Here’s what
you’ve got to do with your worries: drive them into a small corner. Whatever is
out to get you, you’ve got to get it. Whatever is pushing on you, you’ve got to
push back.

The fifth interior enemy is over-caution. It is the timid approach to life. Timidity is not a
virtue; it’s an illness. If you let it go, it’ll conquer you. Timid people
don’t get promoted. They don’t advance and grow and become powerful in the
marketplace. You’ve got to avoid over-caution.

Do battle with the enemy. Do
battle with your fears. Build your courage to fight what’s holding you back,
what’s keeping you from your goals and dreams. Be courageous in your life and
in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

If Boko Haram comes to church…

Boko Haram is a radical Islamic sect birth in Nigeria for Nigerians. Or how else can I define this group that has now become an embarrassment to Northern leaders and a nuisance to the Nigerian government?

It is gradually becoming a movement with ideologies that seem outrageous and nonsensical. They have claimed responsibility for many violent attacks in Northern Nigeria, resulting in many deaths. This group is a terrorist group and loves to be addressed as such. They claim to have links with Al Qaeda.

Since they’ve focused their terror on “their own people” in the North of Nigeria for now, most Christians in the South seem remotely perturbed.

But imagine Boko Haram sending a letter to your church today, notifying you all of an imminent attack, how will you respond? Will you say, “Don’t mind those rascals, they can’t do it Or will you skip church services for a season? Will their activities and threats weaken or strengthen the Nigerian Church?

Can Boko Haram “bless” the Nigerian Church with good doses of persecution and jolt us out of our slumber? Should they? Someone somewhere is marked for death today because of their faith in Christ. In that community, it is normal.

If this offends you, I understand. The quest for ease and gain has made persecution one of the most misunderstood, hated and debated topics in many Christian circles today. However, persecution for any true disciple of Christ is as sure as death.

“Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].” 2Timothy 3:12 Amp

If you don’t experience persecution regularly, it is probably because:  1) You live in a place where everyone is like you, comfortable with status quo; 2) You are a “Chameleon Christian” blending-in successfully everywhere, just minding “your own business”; or 3) People don’t recognize you as a disciple of Jesus because the light you shine is so weak, they can’t differentiate colors [sin] with it and like a grave without a sign, you are walked-over.

I’m of the view that if Boko Haram or any other group were to visit the Christians in Nigeria with persecution, our disposition to life and love for the Lord will be challenged and subsequently changed for better. We’ll be living each day as our last.

So should we go around looking for persecution? No! It will find us if we truly belong to Christ. Persecution purifies our faith. Our true spiritual state is revealed during such trying seasons.

Yet Jesus enjoins us to rejoice in persecution and look forward to our reward in heaven when we suffer for Him– Matthew 5:10-12 and we see Hebrews 10 ending with some very powerful remarks and reminders.  

To endure persecution with gladness, we must understand that our pain and/or losses are a testament to God’s victory and a manifestation of Satan’s defeat. We must see the big picture as God’s glory is displayed on account of our suffering as it was for Jesus. Oh when He says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15 He means it!!

My earnest prayer is that, when persecution comes, it will be for all the right reasons, and we will accept it as a gift from the heart and hands of a loving Savior who suffered greatly for all sinners (even those that crucified Him) because He loved them more than He loved Himself.

Please can you take a few minutes now and pray for beloved disciples of Jesus suffering on account of their faith, especially in lands where Jesus is defamed and rejected? It may be your turn tomorrow.

Don’t forget to pray for their persecutors. We will see some of them in heaven.

Made for adventure

As I think of how best to disciple the young people around me, the word– adventure and all it implies is pressing me towards a definite conclusion.

I looked up adventure in the dictionary and saw the following thesaurus: escapade, exploit, quest, venture, exploration, voyage, undertaking , journey. There’s a thrill I feel in these words, a sense of fun that’s filled with wonder and even danger.

Sweat, tears, laughter, fear, anger, ecstasy, pain all in various measures, and marinating in a big pot, waiting to be cooked and served with joy as we engage the life we are made for.

There’s something about the outdoors that connects quickly to our nature as humans. The Lord Jesus spent much time with His disciples outdoors; using all manner of outdoor activities to communicate His timeless lessons.

What would it be like to leave home for a season and spend time in a different culture, learning a new language, tasting new meals (fortifying one’s digestive capacity thereby), meeting new people, listening to them reason and discuss life issues and of course, make disciples of Christ among them?

As I plan for my return to South Sudan in a few weeks, the outdoors are on my mind. If you’ve experienced this thrill, you’ll agree it’s not only intoxicating but also profitable. You, therefore, owe the same to the young people around you. Seth Barnes said, “To saddle them [young people] with a career before they’ve experienced God’s glory in other cultures is often to have sinned against them.

I imagine that if Jesus were calling out His disciples today, he’d spend more than just a few hours a week with them helping them discover what it means to walk out their faith in a complicated and ruthless world. I’m certain He’d press them to the point where they’ll risk all for His sake.

When Jesus sent out His disciples in Matthew 10, He set before them a life of adventure, pure and simple. He said, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves… On my account, you will be brought before governors and Kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles… when they arrest you… when you are persecuted in one place, flee to another… don’t be afraid…”

He expected their first short-term mission experience to be packed with action, suspense, divine provision, surprises etc. They returned with amazing testimonies.

Some antonyms for adventure are avoidance, inaction, inactivity, passiveness, and stillness.

I hope these don’t define you in relation to God’s global cause on earth. Sooner or later, we’ll all discover that nothing matters more than what God is consumed within this world.

May you be that disciple for whom Christ’s glory and fame in all Nations has become the integrating and overriding priority, regardless of your profession and possessions. That’s what you are made for.

 

More lost boys and lost girls in the making

In South Sudan today, the celebration of independence is
over and the World’s attention has shifted to other issues like Libya, Somalia,
the weather, sport etc. The freshness we feel as the world’s newest State is
faded, in fact, some people in Sudan don’t know the difference between then and now.

The news out of South Sudan has been worrisome to me lately.
There’s an urgent call for intercession for the peoples in Southern Kordofan
and more recently, Blue Nile states in Sudan.

The border demarcation after independence of the South puts
these states in the north, though most of the people there feel more belonging
to the south; having fought alongside the Southern Army against the North
during the civil wars.

I have a handful of disciples in Yei from this strategic
region of Sudan. A region comprising of many unreached peoples dwelling on
hill-tops and mountain-sides; terrains difficult to access with the gospel.

Since late last year when the signs of fracas began to be
seen there, we’ve been praying and asking the Lord to intervene. I was moved by
the tears and sadness of these young kids as we prayed for their families and
friends, saying, “God not again!!”

Today, the numbers of the dead and the displaced shown in the
news media are speculative. Certainly, thousand are dead and hundreds of thousands
are displaced. Many women and children are once again running for dear life in
these mountainous region sandwiched by the north and south. Lost boys and girls
are once again in the making.

Emmanuel
Jal was a child soldier during the civil war. A lost boy. He made
a beautiful documentary of his life’s journeys called Warchild. He’s currently using music
to educate the world and draw attention to the needs in South Sudan.

I’m reflecting on his words as a 7year old boy in this documentary
and wondering how many kids are currently hiding in fox holes or lying down somewhere far from home with their empty bellies facing the sky. I’m wondering how the Church can help, beyond offering prayers. Any
ideas?

I’ve come to understand this war to be more than Muslims
versus Christians or Arabs against blacks. It’s a battle between the Kingdom of
light and that of darkness. It’s a battle for the loyalty of Peoples, Tribes
and families, to Christ or Satan. 

God still rules in the affairs of men. He’s in control!! It’s
just the wonder of how and why He, as the ultimate umpire, lets the enemy score
points that make the game seem unwinnable, that continued to baffle me until I understood another reason The Book of Revelation was given. Jesus won in the end. Halleuliah!!

Please can you educate a kid around you this week on the challenges faced by their peers in South Sudan? You can also get them to pray for those who’ve lost their parents to the new war in that area. You can gather a group this week to pray for the peace of Sudan (north and south).

More lost boys and lost girls are in the making again, but Abba’s seeking them out.

“Into the hovels of the poor, Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks: “I’ve had enough; I’m on my way To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.” Psalm 12:5 MSG

Who’s handling your private part?

If you’ve never been confused, broken, or messed up…

If you have no jagged edges in life, no disappointments, no deep questions, and are perfectly content with who you are, where you are, and what you’ve achieved…

Then maybe you don’t need a mentor.

But for the rest of us, Acts 16:1–3 offers a powerful illustration of mentorship that continues to shape my spiritual journey. It doesn’t answer every question on the subject, but it’s worth your study.

Timothy was a good disciple, well-spoken of by the believers. Yet when he came under Paul’s mentorship, he discovered that something was still missing.

That something… was circumcision.

I know this may sound crude or graphic, especially to modern ears, and clearly doesn’t apply literally to females. But if you lean in, you’ll find rich spiritual insight in this bold metaphor.

What are our “private parts”?

They represent the hidden places in our hearts, deep-seated issues, wounds, habits, and perspectives that remain untouched, unhealed, and unchallenged. These are the things that, if left unaddressed, can limit our effectiveness and ultimately alter our destiny.

Your “private part” might be:

• A longstanding pain or betrayal you’ve never released

• A decision made, or about to be made, that quietly undermines your calling

• A habit that quietly ridicules the power of the cross

• A belief rooted in fear, pride, or false motives

Whether what’s hidden in you seems good, bad, or just “not that serious”, the truth remains: you can’t handle it alone.

That’s where discipleship circumcision comes in. It’s a raw but redemptive image of what happens when a mentor helps shape you into who God called you to be. Here are some takeaways from that process:

The Principles of Discipleship Circumcision:

  1. It must be voluntary. Paul didn’t force Timothy. They both counted the cost. But ultimately, Timothy chose to undergo it. Mentorship cannot be imposed, it must be embraced. A forced circumcision can become a spiritual castration.
  2. There are two kinds of pain. The pain of the knife (change) and the pain of disclosure (confession). Sometimes, facing what happened to you, or what you did, is more painful than what you must do to heal.
  3. There must be vulnerability. Timothy had to strip completely. So must we. You must be able to “strip” before your mentor without shame, because trust exists. That’s non-negotiable.
  4. Nakedness and pain are sacred tools we handle poorly in the Church. Who wants to be the example? The guinea pig? But healing often begins where pride ends, in the willingness to be seen, emptied, and reshaped in places of pain.
  5. A sharp knife in the wrong hands is dangerous. Paul wasn’t a surgeon, yet Timothy entrusted him. You need a mentor who knows what they’re doing, one with discernment, not just zeal.
  6. Mentors must be willing and able. They must be able to take the most sensitive areas of your life in hand, cut where necessary, sit with your pain, listen to your groans, see your blood, and still not flinch or quit until the work is done.
  7. You’ll trust more when you know they’re also accountable. A mentor who regularly submits his/her own private parts for examination is one you can trust to steward yours.
  8. Healing takes time. If they cut you, they should also stay with you. A true mentor empathizes, walks with you, and celebrates your healing, not just your pain.
  9. Mentors inspire you to keep growing. Even in the mess, a good mentor sees your potential and motivates you to dream again, with spiritual maturity and God’s vision in view.

This ordinary Greek boy, Timothy, took a radical step by submitting to a Jewish custom for the sake of the gospel. But more than that, he and Paul needed each other to finish their race well, and what a legacy they left behind!

Maybe you’re due for a “circumcision” now.

Maybe you’ve withdrawn mid-process and are bleeding alone.

Please, don’t bleed to death, seek help. This isn’t a one-time procedure; it’s a life-long posture of humility and transformation.

May you find a Paul, someone you can’t outgrow.

And may your mentor handle the knife with wisdom and grace.

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for the mentors You’ve given me. And I pray for grace to fully engage the process of becoming whole.”

My last witchcraft encounter in Yei

You may not believe in the powers of witchcraft and occultism. I do
and the Bible isn’t silent on the subject either. Ever wondered how the magicians of
Pharaoh turned their sticks into live snakes? Exodus
7:10-12

During my last mission trip to now South Sudan; on the very first night of
my arrival, I had a most horrific and unforgettable midnight visitation.

Tired from the long road trip from Kampala, I was looking forward to a good
night’s sleep after unpacking my stuff, meeting a handful of friends and
disciples that came to welcome me.

That night, the weather was cool and my entire being needed rest. But just
before I dozed off around 1.30am, I heard something I imagined to be a big bird
land on my roof.

I knew I was not dreaming. Instinctively, I reached for my flashlight but
couldn’t find it. I’d not brought it out from the rest of my stuff. Night birds
like owls roam our area a lot and make very annoying sounds that steal some precious minutes of sleep. But I felt this
was something much bigger, something sinister.

As I lay still, trying to figure out what it was by the sounds it would make,
I began to hear scuffles on the roof. It was like a fight between creatures with claws and a tail. The scratching of claws
and flapping around of what I imagined to be a tail on the roof continued for over
15minutes that seemed like hours. Their movements told me these were big
creatures that could weigh at least 40kgs.

I live cautiously but rarely panicky. That night, I was terrified. The
struggle raged until the “creatures” fell off the roof and landed
hard on the ground beside my window, still “wrestling”.

Within the confines of my well netted bed, I was praying, speaking
in tongues and quoting scriptures. Suddenly, the scuffles ceased. There was a tense calm, so serene it seemed the crickets were silent too and all I
could hear was my heart hammering away.

Then I heard an audible voice I’ll never forget, “They
came for you. They want you but I have you. Nothing will harm or hurt you here.
You are mine.” This statement was repeated to my hearing five times. I don’t know when and how I slept off.

At dawn, I went by that window where the “creatures” fell, hoping
to see something lying dead but I saw nothing. No marks, no foot prints, nothing. I
spent more time than usual, praising and worshiping the Lord that morning.

A mixture of feelings trailed me that week; sometimes I felt like an
endangered species needing a “government decree” to
keep me from poachers [I
had it here]; at other times, I felt like an invincible warrior, destined
for victory [I
had it here too].

It evokes great joy and courage, knowing we have partners praying for our
welfare out there. Better still, acknowledging the unfailing promise of the
Lord’s power, presence and protection as we battle the hordes of hell should motivate us to dare more
boldly.

Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations …And surely I
am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew
28:18-20