Augustine inquired of Simon about a woman who was recently saved and then became demon possessed. Her family demanded she take a goat to a witch doctor to be cured…so she did. Women in villages are not as empowered to do their own will as they ought to be. Augustine and Simon determined to visit her soon and not to write her off because of having lost faith. Just then Jane arrived.
Jane said that she was demon possessed and that her family cursed her and told her to take a goat to the witch doctor to be cured. Jane was NOT the women Augustine was just inquiring about…but how funny that she should appear just then. She came to us for prayer and proceeded to describe her horrible visions or imaginings. She said it was sometimes difficult to tell the difference between what really happened and what she feared would happen.
Jane described her family as rejecting her and her fear of going home again. She said her husband and neighbors were troubling her as well and that she overheard them saying that someone should just chop her up with a panga (like a machete). We’ll never know if this was in Jane’s imagination or not, but she was absolutely afraid.
The three of us prayed for Jane. We demanded that the enemy leave her and that the spirit of fear would depart in Jesus’ name. We prayed for a sound mind and for strength and courage to call on Jesus when she felt the enemy interfering with her mind. The prayer time went on for several minutes and then the guys were preparing to send her home. But wait, I had this sense that we were sending her back to a place that may be causing the problems in the first place. I wasn’t talking about the people as much as the spirits dwelling in her home.
Once again we prayed for Jane. We prayed that the enemy would leave her home in Jesus’ name and that the home would be holy and safe and free from disturbance. At this Jane burst into tears – an unusual display of emotion for African women. Both Augustine and Simon escorted Jane home and prayed for her there as well. At least for tonight, Jane would be safe. We’ll visit with her again the next day and purify that house once more. In the name of Jesus let it be so!