BATTLING THE UNSEEN
(A few days ago, the Lord instructed me to share this information.)
I don't do well in dark surroundings, and I don't care for unpleasant and ugly sights; so you can imagine that I am the last person who cares to see demonic presences.
Well, almost thirty years ago, on my first assignment to close down a "Christian" cult, the Lord woke me one night to be a witness to an "unseen" battle that was taking place at that very moment. The battle was taking place right there before my eyes in my room. Angels and demons were in a full fledged battle. I blinked and blinked, but the scene did not change. I was neither shaken nor frightened, but I do remember thinking that some cartoonists and some sci-fi artists had been privy to the darkside because I had seen some of these "beings" before. Well, as the angels won the battle, the scene disappeared.
I was not completely knowledgeable as to where I had been sent, but I became more alert when the Holy Spirit said to me on day, "Daniel prayed three times a day." I was already praying all of the time, and I even led the prayer ministry as that leader sort to use my gifts and anointings. But when that statement was made, I became reconnaisant of the depth of prayer in which I was being appointed to engage. Much later during that assignment, I realized that the enemy knew why I was there before it was revealed to me.
On another night, I was awakened by the feeling of something trying to take over my body. It felt like what I would image a stroke would feel. My face was twisting; my limbs were becoming stiff and contorting; and I couldn't speak. But I was very much alert! I immediately realized that I was under some kind of attack; so I calmly and forcefully began to "plead the Blood" and to rebuke this attack from within my spirit. Shortly, I felt something release me and leave my body. I became very angry and indignant and went into focused warfare for a number of days after the incident.
Many such attacks came against me during that time, especially when we began to close the cult down because a stronghold was being obliterated by vessels of God under the authority of God. I saw some horrible sights, but God strengthened me...spirit, soul and body. This is the work of the Kingdom which has been my life's work. ALL power is in God's hand; so who or what shall we fear!?
When that period was over, and I returned to my home state and home church, I tried to put all of that behind me and get back to a "normal" life. When I told the Lord that I preferred not to see those grotesque manifestations, He posed this question to me "Don't you think that you would fight an enemy more fiercely if you actually see it than you would if you just thought it was there?" Yes, you can sense their presence and even smell them sometimes, especially the presence of witchcraft. But you are even more indignant when you have to look at them. You feel as insulted and as aggravated as David did when he offered to bring down Goliath.
When I was in boot camp, the Lord informed me that warfare was a reality and that when I set myself to rebuke and to war against the "unseen" that I needed to be aware that I was engaging with an actual opponent which required my living a consecrated life, putting on the whole armor and irradicating that foe called fear.
I have had spirits to actually show themselves and confront me during meetings when I called them out to be evicted. At other times, I have seen them leaving by a side door after I was introduced, and the congregation never understood what I was saying good bye to nor why I was laughing. God reminds me that we must share this knowledge because warfare is real! We must live so that we can operate in Kingdom authority. Surely God's way is indeed a walk, and not a talk!
We love to quote Ephesians 6:11,12Amp "Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12)For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere."
With proper knowledge we can become effective in the Kingdom instead of creating more confusion than we found. We won't find ourselves opposing Matthew 12:28-30 "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. 29) Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. 30) He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." Without proper knowledge, we can cause a lot of confusion in Kingdom work.
I pray that this information blesses and enlightens someone in their labors for the Lord. I will share some further teachings and experiences at another time.
Blessings and Strength to You!
