One thing I have always been interested in was, seeing the manifestations of the promises of the Bible. Before becoming a Christian I used to be a criminal, and in the criminal world threats are carried out, promises are never broken and wishes do come through. All these happen because criminals have integrity up to certain extend. So to me the transition was very challenging because here I was reading the Bible, and it was speaking of better things, promising me actual power than the one I had back in the world. Before I got saved I was a gun smith. A gun smith is a gun mechanic. I gained this experience many years ago when I was still in the police force. I did border training followed by serving alongside the defence force at the borders, and that is where I learnt to strip and fix hand guns and rifles.
This experience came in quite handy in the streets of Soweto where I grew up and it soon secured me a place amongst the “elite criminals’. And this is what I have learnt in the streets: if you are not an asset no one wants you because the criminal world is very organized and has strict rules. One of them was once you’re in you can’t quit because when you came into the circles these guys literally invest into your life, bailing you out of your debts and entrusting you with their secrets. So it’s like you owe them your very life. It’s a one way road.
Now when you live in that environment long enough you learn to trust in others and take their word for real without questioning it.
When I became a Christian the first thing I realized was that the ‘spirit of family’ was lacking. These guys taught us to pray and read the Bible but that’s where it ended. For everything else you have to trust in God. Not that I see anything wrong in that but I believe that mentoring others in the things of God would make them better Christians faster than it would usually take them by themselves. So I came and realized that somehow I was alone even though I was going to Church ever week, and not only that but I was also attending all the weekly meetings, but the gap between me an these guys remained. They were too laid back for my liking. One other thing that I have realized was that when God saves you He does not take away some of your qualities that he would later build His work on. I was ruthless by nature, I shot at people, and I stabbed them with knives and did almost every kind of evil against others for survival. So when I read the bible for the first time I looked for stories of men like David killing Goliath, Joshua fighting with Jericho, Saul of Tarsus, and many others whom God used in the Book of Judges. These were my favourite stories. I was not attracted to anything else in the whole Bible. See my article: Who wants to see a demon?
So to me the thought of coming face to face with satan was not actually an issue and looking back I think that’s probably how God looked at things too. The confrontations we had at house number 1099 could have been in God’s permissive will. This thought kept me going all this time even though at times I would be slightly overwhelmed. I started doing things I could not explain in that house, every time I heard a funny sound somewhere in the house I would walk towards there in total darkness just trying to show the devil that I was not afraid. This exercise helped me to overcome most of the fear that I would have entertained. I would think to myself: if that demon is not afraid of the dark then why must I be?’
Whether we believe it or not fear is a powerful force that can take away our faith. satan knows this very well and that is why he does not even show up himself he just sends a few demons to frighten you out of your socks. A lot of Christians I know still fear mice, spiders, roaches, frogs, and the list goes on and on. The only thing I fear is fear itself. I’m afraid to fear lest I forget how to not fear again. I am a snake handler and I just like these creatures they don’t send shivers up my spine, instead they give me an adrenalin rush that is not like any other thing in this world.
During our first year of staying at house number 1099 some children at our Church came and stayed with us for two weeks. We could not refuse them even though we were concerned. The devil could no hold himself just for two weeks he showed up within five days. One night as these kids were sleeping they were woken up by something that felt like a whirlwind. The blankets were blown off their beds and they were attacked with stones by some unseen force right there in the bedroom. Joyce and I came running to their bedroom and these kids were very hysteric and some of them to a point of insanity. We switched on the light and took them out of the bed room, they were crying and talking at the same time. The presence in that room made our hair to stand and it felt like there was Frankenstein somewhere in there.
We told satan to get out of that room and picked up all the stones that came from nowhere and threw them outside. We checked and found out that the window was closed all this time so no one could have thrown those stones at the kids.
It took us the remaining part of night trying to give these kids assurance that nothing more was going to happen. I could just imagine what went through their minds, being attacked by ghosts in their Pastors house. satan has a way of embarrassing people, but its not a problem he still has his day in court coming up soon.
Sometimes I wish that I could taker a part of me and put it into the hearts of those Christians who are easily intimidated by the schemes of satan. Where I am today I have no fear for evil whatsoever. There is a portion of scripture in the book of Isaiah 54. Read it and think about it. There is a better deal in being joined to the Lord.
Isaiah 54:15-17 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord. NIV
To us this was just another battle and what mattered the most was that we were still standing and thanking God for yet another victory. Think about it, if you run you may never stop running. Rather stand on the word of God and on His integrity for He will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.
To be continued. MVK
This experience came in quite handy in the streets of Soweto where I grew up and it soon secured me a place amongst the “elite criminals’. And this is what I have learnt in the streets: if you are not an asset no one wants you because the criminal world is very organized and has strict rules. One of them was once you’re in you can’t quit because when you came into the circles these guys literally invest into your life, bailing you out of your debts and entrusting you with their secrets. So it’s like you owe them your very life. It’s a one way road.
Now when you live in that environment long enough you learn to trust in others and take their word for real without questioning it.
When I became a Christian the first thing I realized was that the ‘spirit of family’ was lacking. These guys taught us to pray and read the Bible but that’s where it ended. For everything else you have to trust in God. Not that I see anything wrong in that but I believe that mentoring others in the things of God would make them better Christians faster than it would usually take them by themselves. So I came and realized that somehow I was alone even though I was going to Church ever week, and not only that but I was also attending all the weekly meetings, but the gap between me an these guys remained. They were too laid back for my liking. One other thing that I have realized was that when God saves you He does not take away some of your qualities that he would later build His work on. I was ruthless by nature, I shot at people, and I stabbed them with knives and did almost every kind of evil against others for survival. So when I read the bible for the first time I looked for stories of men like David killing Goliath, Joshua fighting with Jericho, Saul of Tarsus, and many others whom God used in the Book of Judges. These were my favourite stories. I was not attracted to anything else in the whole Bible. See my article: Who wants to see a demon?
So to me the thought of coming face to face with satan was not actually an issue and looking back I think that’s probably how God looked at things too. The confrontations we had at house number 1099 could have been in God’s permissive will. This thought kept me going all this time even though at times I would be slightly overwhelmed. I started doing things I could not explain in that house, every time I heard a funny sound somewhere in the house I would walk towards there in total darkness just trying to show the devil that I was not afraid. This exercise helped me to overcome most of the fear that I would have entertained. I would think to myself: if that demon is not afraid of the dark then why must I be?’
Whether we believe it or not fear is a powerful force that can take away our faith. satan knows this very well and that is why he does not even show up himself he just sends a few demons to frighten you out of your socks. A lot of Christians I know still fear mice, spiders, roaches, frogs, and the list goes on and on. The only thing I fear is fear itself. I’m afraid to fear lest I forget how to not fear again. I am a snake handler and I just like these creatures they don’t send shivers up my spine, instead they give me an adrenalin rush that is not like any other thing in this world.
During our first year of staying at house number 1099 some children at our Church came and stayed with us for two weeks. We could not refuse them even though we were concerned. The devil could no hold himself just for two weeks he showed up within five days. One night as these kids were sleeping they were woken up by something that felt like a whirlwind. The blankets were blown off their beds and they were attacked with stones by some unseen force right there in the bedroom. Joyce and I came running to their bedroom and these kids were very hysteric and some of them to a point of insanity. We switched on the light and took them out of the bed room, they were crying and talking at the same time. The presence in that room made our hair to stand and it felt like there was Frankenstein somewhere in there.
We told satan to get out of that room and picked up all the stones that came from nowhere and threw them outside. We checked and found out that the window was closed all this time so no one could have thrown those stones at the kids.
It took us the remaining part of night trying to give these kids assurance that nothing more was going to happen. I could just imagine what went through their minds, being attacked by ghosts in their Pastors house. satan has a way of embarrassing people, but its not a problem he still has his day in court coming up soon.
Sometimes I wish that I could taker a part of me and put it into the hearts of those Christians who are easily intimidated by the schemes of satan. Where I am today I have no fear for evil whatsoever. There is a portion of scripture in the book of Isaiah 54. Read it and think about it. There is a better deal in being joined to the Lord.
Isaiah 54:15-17 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame
and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord. NIV
To us this was just another battle and what mattered the most was that we were still standing and thanking God for yet another victory. Think about it, if you run you may never stop running. Rather stand on the word of God and on His integrity for He will never allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear.
To be continued. MVK
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