Is there a spiritual realm, an unseen dimension to what happens here on earth? Is spiritual warfare just our imagination? Does what we do spiritually make any difference to what happens here on earth?
Understanding the reality of an unseen dimension that affects what goes on here on earth jolts us out of religious complacency and a legalistic, religious Christianity.
For many years we were involved in a church plant in the East End of London in the UK. At that point in time, the area was not the gentrified place it has since become. It was a very run-down, neglected area of around 120,000 people, and 93% government housing. The unemployment rate, if I remember rightly, was about 17%. Within our church, (effectively a network of home groups) we had maybe 10 or 12 people who had been out of work for some considerable time with no prospect of employment.
As a fellowship we decided that this wasn't just a natural problem but it had a spiritual component to it. So in one particular gathering, we put all the people who were looking for a job in the center of the room, while the rest of us prayed for them. Someone suggested that we treat it like the battle of Jericho, so we actually marched round them 7 times, shouting praise to God the final time. Then we prayed for each person individually.
Were we crazy? It must have looked crazy to any outsider. But over the next few weeks, every one of those people found a job.
The spiritual realm is real! Understanding this helped set me free from legalism and a guilt-based religion.
More stories to come:
I'd love to hear some of your stories too.
7 replies on “The spiritual realm is real: a story”
That is a really cool story. Thanks for sharing. I’ve been sharing some things on my blog lately about the happenings in our life. I’m sure there are spiritual implications to them.
Definitely. Although i’m always aware we focus on the Lord, and seek him in every new battle.
I wonder what the solution is to Britain’s long term unemployment issues right now. It is on a national scale now. We are in and out of employment, are unable to build, plan etc So are many others around us. Very bleak
About 10 years ago, I was returning from a Christian businessmen’s meeting with my wife. I was traveling along a country road which I knew very well. It was about 10pm and raining. The road was quite busy and I was behind a long line of cars doing about 50 to 60 mph.
Suddenly I heard the quietest whisper in my spirit.
“Pull back, pull back, pull back!”
Instantly, I was alert, and took my foot off the accelerator, and held it over the brake. The gap between my car and all the others widened as I scanned ahead totally perplexed.
Suddenly a massive black monster heaved out of the hedge and launched across the front of the car with a huge bang as I violently wrenched the wheel over and skidded to a halt.
Glancing at my shocked but unhurt wife, and her smashed side window, I leapt out of the car in time to see a totally black cow behind the car, lurch drunkenly to its feet and stagger away bellowing.
By this time cars were all over the place along with a herd of cows which had followed the leader through the now flattened hedge and fence.
I know that a demon was behind it, with spiritual goad of some sort, waiting till we came by. I know that we had massive demonic opposition to the work we were doing as a Christian business. I know that Satan is a murderer.
At the jab of the demonic goad, the cow had leapt through the barbed wire fence. I was driving a Renault Espace which has a very wedge shaped front. The cow’s muddy impact marks were right beyond the centre line, and all over the screen. The shape of the car swept it off its feet and tossed it right over the screen. The damage was minimal because my speed had totally dropped at the warning of the Holy Spirit.
When I called the farmer the next day, he was at a total loss as to why it had happened. There was only one black cow in a herd of mixed white cattle. This is the one which had been used.
Thank God for the Holy Spirit.
Thank God that we can learn to hear his voice if we choose to.
Thank God he loves me.
Bobby,
Enjoyed your blog.
Obedience to the Spirit, even when it seems silly to the flesh, is very powerful! Thanks for sharing that story.
Laura,
I remember living through that in the UK in the late 70s/early 80s, and London’s East End always seemed to have a poverty/welfare mentality. However, I’m convinced that if Christians will get together and do some warfare about it, they would see personal breakthroughs. It doesn’t answer the national situation though, except that if believers start businesses they can employ more people.
Maybe this is an opportunity for the believers in the UK to demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom to the world around them. What do you think?
Frank, this story is amazing. I’ve already tweeted, suggesting that others read it. God is so faithful!!