Throughout their study, they looked at a series of questions that each lesson asked. God was at work. Ishmael couldn’t believe what was happening! His brother-in-law, who used to enjoy humiliating Christians, wanted to study Jesus. However, whilst studying the Truth Link program, Ishmael noticed that Steven was acting strange during their sessions. It was as if a small conflict was going on inside his mind. Steven was conversing with someone who was not even there. Something wasn’t quite right.
One Sunday during a Truth Link Bible study, Ishmael recounted to me our interview, Steven had just finished from church. He told Ishmael that he was feeling unusual and asked to be prayed for. Ishmael said, “It was unusual because Stephen did not ask for prayer from his congregation. Then when I began praying for him, he began to grow dizzy and speak in unfamiliar ways-as if his utterances were from someone else.” Stephen began speaking Swahili (his native tongue) in strange voices when he began to babble gibberish.
In a series of struggling utterances, the following words flowed from Steven’s mouth, “Do you know who we are? We are from Tanzania, from Kilimanjaro. We are many. You cannot manage us. You cannot deal with us. You cannot conquer us.”
Demons are frequently linked with mountains in Africa, and Ishmael knew he was up against forces much older than anything on Earth. Lesson four of Truth Link discusses the battle in heaven. In reality, an order of spiritual beings was taken from heaven and presently operates “within our world, largely unseen,” but it is “sometimes in visible form (Hebrews 1: 13; 2)” (Truth Link, lesson 4, pg 1). Thankfully, there is a far greater power available to us. Jesus came to our globe to ‘the works of the devil’ (1 John 3:8)”(Truth Link, Lesson 4 # p.g5).
“How do you feel at this point?” When Ishmael described the demon’s taunting, I inquired.
If you were sitting next to Ishmael that night, you would see Steven’s shifting expressions displaying rage more than anything else. Ishmael’s prayers had a significant effect.
“It felt like it was as if the man wanted to hit me.” Ishmael exclaimed.
What happened next will shock you. The demons began confessing that Ishmael had the true God with him.
Rest assured; it is! Return to the topic at hand, which describes Justin’s metamorphosis from being a worshiper to becoming an Ishmaelite.
Now, sitting next to Ishmael was Justin. Although Ishmael could comprehend Swahili, he wasn’t able to speak it. Justin spoke fluent Swahili and was translating for Ishmael as he prayed and spoke. “I continued to pray, pray! Ishmael’s voice was a whisper. “A voice told me to say, ‘Pack your belongings and leave.’ ” He repeated the command, and Justin interpreted it.
The voices responded, “This man has kept something that belongs to us, but now we’ll take it and go.” After those words, Steven leaned forward and awoke. Ishmael asked him how he was doing.
Steven responded to Ishmael, “These demons have been with me for three years. They told me they were with me to guide and protect me. They wanted me to become a witch doctor.”
Ishmael quickly said, “No! Demons cannot protect you. God will be your guide. He will protect you when you walk in His way!”
Steven was a devout Christian who had been learning about God. He was prepared to follow Jesus and lead others to him. He stated, “I know five more people who require this Truth Link. Again, as you may expect, Ishmael was excited to share!
After this experience, Justin, Ishmael’s brother-in-law, said to Ishmael, “I see that you serve the Most High God!”
Ishmael responded, “Yes, I do! And you must follow Him. You must accept Jesus as your Savior.”
Justin also promised to serve the Lord that night.
After finishing his account to me, Ishmael said, “Even this one from Tanzania [Steven] is still staying with me, working and worshiping. My brother-in-law no longer drinks! And yes, we all continue studying Truth Link together in my home.”
About the lessons, Ishmael said, “I find that Truth Link helps me plan and teach through a set procedure. I just distributed 15 copies of Truth Link to my congregation for a new evangelistic series we are about to do. They are excited to use it. I am thankful that I am still sharing Truth Link. I need more. I really hope they have more in this distribution.”
Jesus demonstrated the efficacy of a “simple” Bible study by bringing demons out of people possessed by them. To spread God’s Word, a Bible student in Zambia used God’s Word to remove demons from a man who believed there was no hope for recovery. Your financial gifts are used by Bible students like Ishmael and provide them with the tools they need to bring God’s Word to towns where few people have access to it.
Thank you for your participation in this story.
Original story: https://lightbearers.org/blog/by-the-grace-of-god-i-can-part-2/
