A couple of Sundays later Sarah’s
mother caught me in the hall behind the platform. It was obvious she had been
crying. “Something must be done about Sarah. I can’t take what is happening to
her and our home.”
While I had not met again with
Sarah since out last visit, I was doing something — praying. I had to pray. I
didn’t know what else to do. I had tried to find help but could find none. I
read through my college notes and tried to do some research with limited
success. Mostly I was praying that God would lift this cup from me. I was
absolutely convinced that I was the wrong man for the job, but God seemed to be
saying I was the right man. I had taken a few leadership and spiritual gifting
tests and casting out demons was never on my gifting list. I wasn’t sure I was
hearing God right. I put mom off.
She found me again the following
Sunday evening and she had Sarah in tow. This time Sarah asked for help. “Will
you pray with me that I can feel God?” I answered immediately that I would. How
could I turn her down!
Della had stayed home that evening
with the children. Rhonda had been fussy all day. I was grateful I would not be
holding her and the kids up. Not knowing what was going to happen I took her
and her mother into my office to pray. I began to pray asking God to remove the
blocks in Sarah’s life so she could talk to Him. Almost immediately a harsh,
deep guttural sounding noise replaced her normally very normally sounds. I had
to open my eyes to see what was happening. I wasn’t even sure that sound was
coming from her. It seemed to rattle around the room. Her mother started crying
and got up and left the office.
I was stunned and unsure of my
next move. Her head was swaying from side to side and the sound continued to
come — softer now, but still there. She gave no indication of even knowing I
was there. She began rocking and I was worried she might flop on the floor, but
she never did.
I started praying out loud for
wisdom. “God what do I do?” I prayed for myself. I asked for all sin to be to
be forgiven. And then began to pray for Sarah. I asked that the demon name its
self and tell me its purpose. That is what my notes said. That was all I knew.
The demon gave a name. It had a foreign sound maybe even mythological ring to
it. Certainly one I would never remember, I wasn’t even sure I could pronounce.
It said it was there to confuse. Well that was certainly happening.
She immediately stopped rocking as
I prayed that the demon be casted to the pit forever and never return to bother
her again. “Be bound.” I never again closed my eyes when I was with Sarah. She
became calm, controlled, at ease. She stood up, thanked me and walked out of my
office where her mother was standing at the door. They embraced and left.
I sat at my desk for 15-20 minutes
staring into space and asking God what had just happened. Was it over? Was that
all there was to it? If that was it, I sure worried a long time before tackling
the problem. But God was talking to me and I had the very strong sense that the
door had just cracked open and I didn’t even have my foot in the door yet. I
began to cry — sob. I knew God understood my moans and groans. I was frightened
for my future. I was frightened for Sarah. I was frightened for all who may
become touched for this confusion. More was coming but I still questioned if I
was the man.
Before I left I prayed for the
rest of the youth who would be exposed to this girl. They needed to be
protected what whatever was going to happen. I did not want any of them to be
hurt. I wanted her to stop pin poking people who sat near her. I prayed for
understanding for everyone who may get caught up in this and I prayed for an
early end. This had to stop. “God, please stop this confusion.”
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