Let me begin by making a formal announcement:
We will be traveling and at a crusade/retreat next week (10-hour train ride each way…traveling evening and night, of course, since it’s much cooler at that time). As the Lord directs you, please be praying for the Lord’s presence to be in and among the people attending (mostly Christians but obviously many non-Christians as well since it will be in a large “village”). Pastor David will be a speaker; there is a likelihood that we will also be speaking at a women’s session or more, though we are mostly there to observe …and probably be observed (*Sigh*). All of that to say: “DO NOT PANIC!” We are absent from our correspondence by design, not foul play :)
These past few days have been a strange mix of relaxation and high-intensity work; mostly the former, though — and "Yahoha stotrum" (Praise the Lord) for that considering our schedule for today (Sunday) and the coming week.
All today and yesterday we have been rocking out to the sound of the ultimate garage band. HBA’s “RON Band” has been practicing (across the street, in the church building, with the sound cranked way up) for a concert they’ll be doing on Monday. They’re a very talented group of men and we pray that their giftings will draw people in to hear the message of the gospel through their witness. We will not be able to attend this concert since we’ll be hours away. In addition to the band, we have also been listening to teachings on Biblical history and culture in order to understand the style of thinking which influenced the writings and actions of the Biblical writers and historical figures. As we are studying the roots of our heritage and especially the earthly life of our risen Lord, we are being challenged and inspired in our own lives. This training of our own lives is providing fuel for our witness and preaching to those around us. It is wonderful to be poured into in order to be poured out of again! I would recommend to you that whenever you study the Bible and are taught new life lessons, you immediately look for a person or group with whom you can share. Without this outlet, I would often forget many of the important lessons which have been given to me.
Mmmmmmm……………
I’m going to go out of order here and jump back to Tuesday night. We had a first-time experience for both Chelsea and me. I’m going to include snippets of our journal entries to tell the story:
“Tuesday afternoon we went to a village that had an established HBA church with a building. One of the two Pastor/Evangelists can speak halted English which is a bit of a relief for me. We were greeted by a dozen or so kids who were singing for us. What a joy and eagerness these believers have. In this place we also felt a great spiritual tension [side note: I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a place where you feel a wrestling that is separate from emotion or thought; I don’t know if I’m being technically correct, but that’s kinda what it was like for me]. The Lord had laid on me to speak from John 17 about eternal life in Christ—the knowledge and communion with Him is what gives value to eternity. While we were all still singing Telugu songs, a slightly odd-looking man walked in. He was very tired with a worn red shirt and uncombed hair—the look of someone who had worked in the fields for several long days, living on “smoke weed” and cleaning up in the nearby pond. He seemed a little dazed and began talking quietly to the room of people. Suddenly, his eyes began to grow wider and wider. His voice got louder and faster and he began pointing and shouting. It was in Telugu so we could not understand what was being said. [We found out later he was essentially shouting “I know Jesus, I am Jesus, worship me!”] …I had watched him as though it were someone outside me observing it all and pouring into me greater understanding then I myself could get. I saw the evangelists—not moving from their seats—speak quietly to the man, instructing him to calm down and sit; which he slowly did. He stayed through my entire explanation of eternal life in Christ Jesus but would cover his ears whenever I specifically spoke about knowing Jesus as our Lord while we are on this earth. Chelsea said she felt like an angel was behind her keeping the man in his place …I did not pay much more attention to that man specifically; my words were for the believers, to encourage and teach them. But as I was speaking, I also wanted the evil spirit in him to have to hear the true words about our Lord Jesus Christ that are so offensive to it; and I wanted the man’s spirit—which was made by God in His likeness—to receive these words of life. Lord, may you set him free!” – from Bethany’s Journal
“Last night a demon possessed man came into the meeting. I was sitting facing the front door and I first saw him just walk passed and I knew there was something not right about him. He came back a little later and came inside. As soon as he walked in all my attention shifted to him and I started praying. I didn’t know exactly why for a few seconds. He took a few steps into the room and then his eyes got really big and he started to shout in Telugu in a deep voice. When I asked David later, he said that the demon had been shouting, “I am Jesus.” As soon as his eyes got big, I knew he was demon possessed and I started praying for real. I could feel the Spirit rising inside of me as he was yelling louder. I felt the Spirit reach His fullness inside of me and just as I was about to stand, the man stopped yelling and one of the evangelists told him to sit down. I don’t have anything to back this up, but I sense that the reason the spirit quieted was because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in me, and probably in others, became too strong for him. The entire rest of the time he was there, the man kept staring at me and staring passed me. Bethany was speaking and he would watch her or David for a short time and then he would look back toward me and his eyes would get bigger. I think there was an angel standing behind my seat, presiding over the meeting and keeping the spirits in line. …Again I have nothing to support these feelings. At any rate, I am going to be praying much more for our protection and filling with the Spirit as we travel out to the villages.” – from Chelsea’s Journal
We write all of these things not because we want to make a big deal of the spiritual realm, but because we know that most of you—like us—probably have never witnessed a physical display of spirits. We hope this both clears away some of the mystical aspects and opens your eyes to the reality of the presence of spiritual beings and activities. May the Lord grow us in maturity and keep us from foolish thinking in these interactions.
Whew! Let us not let such conversation make us weary for these aren’t our battles and the Lord is our joy and strength. :) Continue with me in reminiscing over the past few days.
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...
Very exciting (for us): we have spent much time cleaning our rooms—especially the bedroom—and decided to rearrange the beds and such to create a lovely sitting area. Do you like it? Isn’t it peaceful?! We sure are enjoying our “breakfast-nook/music-room/study-hall/dinning-room/media-center/etc.” The family keeps teasing us that they should act as our room service: “What may I get for you, ma’ams?” Pah! If they’d let us wait on them then we’d let them sit at our table more often :)
And, lastly, on Friday evening we had a lengthy prayer meeting at the church. It was absolutely wonderful to spend so much time in prayer with other believers from the fellowship here. We spent some time in worship and a little bit of teaching and then prayed until just after midnight. We spoke from Ephesians 1:7 about Paul’s prayer that the believers would be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation…( an amazing blessing to receive; what could it be for?)…so that we may know HIM better! It requires this great Spirit in order for us to comprehend even a little more of the greatness of our Lord. I, for one, gladly accept the request made to God that I as a believer would receive this great Spirit. Please, Lord; I want to know You better!
We look forward to connecting with you again next weekend!
Andariki Vandenalu
(Thank you all so much for listening)
We will be traveling and at a crusade/retreat next week (10-hour train ride each way…traveling evening and night, of course, since it’s much cooler at that time). As the Lord directs you, please be praying for the Lord’s presence to be in and among the people attending (mostly Christians but obviously many non-Christians as well since it will be in a large “village”). Pastor David will be a speaker; there is a likelihood that we will also be speaking at a women’s session or more, though we are mostly there to observe …and probably be observed (*Sigh*). All of that to say: “DO NOT PANIC!” We are absent from our correspondence by design, not foul play :)
These past few days have been a strange mix of relaxation and high-intensity work; mostly the former, though — and "Yahoha stotrum" (Praise the Lord) for that considering our schedule for today (Sunday) and the coming week.
All today and yesterday we have been rocking out to the sound of the ultimate garage band. HBA’s “RON Band” has been practicing (across the street, in the church building, with the sound cranked way up) for a concert they’ll be doing on Monday. They’re a very talented group of men and we pray that their giftings will draw people in to hear the message of the gospel through their witness. We will not be able to attend this concert since we’ll be hours away. In addition to the band, we have also been listening to teachings on Biblical history and culture in order to understand the style of thinking which influenced the writings and actions of the Biblical writers and historical figures. As we are studying the roots of our heritage and especially the earthly life of our risen Lord, we are being challenged and inspired in our own lives. This training of our own lives is providing fuel for our witness and preaching to those around us. It is wonderful to be poured into in order to be poured out of again! I would recommend to you that whenever you study the Bible and are taught new life lessons, you immediately look for a person or group with whom you can share. Without this outlet, I would often forget many of the important lessons which have been given to me.
Mmmmmmm……………
I’m going to go out of order here and jump back to Tuesday night. We had a first-time experience for both Chelsea and me. I’m going to include snippets of our journal entries to tell the story:
“Tuesday afternoon we went to a village that had an established HBA church with a building. One of the two Pastor/Evangelists can speak halted English which is a bit of a relief for me. We were greeted by a dozen or so kids who were singing for us. What a joy and eagerness these believers have. In this place we also felt a great spiritual tension [side note: I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a place where you feel a wrestling that is separate from emotion or thought; I don’t know if I’m being technically correct, but that’s kinda what it was like for me]. The Lord had laid on me to speak from John 17 about eternal life in Christ—the knowledge and communion with Him is what gives value to eternity. While we were all still singing Telugu songs, a slightly odd-looking man walked in. He was very tired with a worn red shirt and uncombed hair—the look of someone who had worked in the fields for several long days, living on “smoke weed” and cleaning up in the nearby pond. He seemed a little dazed and began talking quietly to the room of people. Suddenly, his eyes began to grow wider and wider. His voice got louder and faster and he began pointing and shouting. It was in Telugu so we could not understand what was being said. [We found out later he was essentially shouting “I know Jesus, I am Jesus, worship me!”] …I had watched him as though it were someone outside me observing it all and pouring into me greater understanding then I myself could get. I saw the evangelists—not moving from their seats—speak quietly to the man, instructing him to calm down and sit; which he slowly did. He stayed through my entire explanation of eternal life in Christ Jesus but would cover his ears whenever I specifically spoke about knowing Jesus as our Lord while we are on this earth. Chelsea said she felt like an angel was behind her keeping the man in his place …I did not pay much more attention to that man specifically; my words were for the believers, to encourage and teach them. But as I was speaking, I also wanted the evil spirit in him to have to hear the true words about our Lord Jesus Christ that are so offensive to it; and I wanted the man’s spirit—which was made by God in His likeness—to receive these words of life. Lord, may you set him free!” – from Bethany’s Journal
“Last night a demon possessed man came into the meeting. I was sitting facing the front door and I first saw him just walk passed and I knew there was something not right about him. He came back a little later and came inside. As soon as he walked in all my attention shifted to him and I started praying. I didn’t know exactly why for a few seconds. He took a few steps into the room and then his eyes got really big and he started to shout in Telugu in a deep voice. When I asked David later, he said that the demon had been shouting, “I am Jesus.” As soon as his eyes got big, I knew he was demon possessed and I started praying for real. I could feel the Spirit rising inside of me as he was yelling louder. I felt the Spirit reach His fullness inside of me and just as I was about to stand, the man stopped yelling and one of the evangelists told him to sit down. I don’t have anything to back this up, but I sense that the reason the spirit quieted was because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in me, and probably in others, became too strong for him. The entire rest of the time he was there, the man kept staring at me and staring passed me. Bethany was speaking and he would watch her or David for a short time and then he would look back toward me and his eyes would get bigger. I think there was an angel standing behind my seat, presiding over the meeting and keeping the spirits in line. …Again I have nothing to support these feelings. At any rate, I am going to be praying much more for our protection and filling with the Spirit as we travel out to the villages.” – from Chelsea’s Journal
We write all of these things not because we want to make a big deal of the spiritual realm, but because we know that most of you—like us—probably have never witnessed a physical display of spirits. We hope this both clears away some of the mystical aspects and opens your eyes to the reality of the presence of spiritual beings and activities. May the Lord grow us in maturity and keep us from foolish thinking in these interactions.
Whew! Let us not let such conversation make us weary for these aren’t our battles and the Lord is our joy and strength. :) Continue with me in reminiscing over the past few days.
...
...
Very exciting (for us): we have spent much time cleaning our rooms—especially the bedroom—and decided to rearrange the beds and such to create a lovely sitting area. Do you like it? Isn’t it peaceful?! We sure are enjoying our “breakfast-nook/music-room/study-hall/dinning-room/media-center/etc.” The family keeps teasing us that they should act as our room service: “What may I get for you, ma’ams?” Pah! If they’d let us wait on them then we’d let them sit at our table more often :)
And, lastly, on Friday evening we had a lengthy prayer meeting at the church. It was absolutely wonderful to spend so much time in prayer with other believers from the fellowship here. We spent some time in worship and a little bit of teaching and then prayed until just after midnight. We spoke from Ephesians 1:7 about Paul’s prayer that the believers would be given the Spirit of wisdom and revelation…( an amazing blessing to receive; what could it be for?)…so that we may know HIM better! It requires this great Spirit in order for us to comprehend even a little more of the greatness of our Lord. I, for one, gladly accept the request made to God that I as a believer would receive this great Spirit. Please, Lord; I want to know You better!
We look forward to connecting with you again next weekend!
Andariki Vandenalu
(Thank you all so much for listening)
I am glad to hear you guys are growing in your experience in the spiritual realm. May our Lord continue to empower you (and all of us back home) to continue to train our spiritual eyes to see what is happening in the unseen realm. We have the Spirit who teaches us all truth (John 16:13) as we read the word and commune with Him (1 Cor 2:10-12). Spirit, we praise You and intentionally, purposefully lean on Your voice and on Your leading in our lives!
ReplyDeleteGreat Job ladies for journaling about your experiences!