Our Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
This morning Deb and I were up at 3.30AM to get ready for visitors who arrived at 4.30AM. Udi and Micho were the visitors and they had to get up at 2AM in order to arrive here at 4.30AM. So very early mornings.
Udi (our son in law) and Micho are both from the Dulangan region and along with 6 other men they are reaching into a lot areas in the Lantod area. There are quite a few shamans/witch-doctors who are currently listening to God’s word as these men teach each week. Several of these shamans are possessed by evil spirits and it is very evident. One in particular sweats profusely as he listens to God’s word which opposes the spirits within his body.
These groups of people in Lantod are very much into demon worship and they do whatever the demons tell them to do as the demons communicate with them by possessing the Shamans/Medians/Witch-Doctors and speaking through them. IT is very much the same situation as Cauyunan was when Deb and I arrived there back in 1989. Demon possession and control of the people being such a big thing. Deb and I have seen this many times and we have seen literally scores of Shamans accept Christ as their Savior over the years. Our experience is to teach and pray and commit these people to the Lord as as they continue to expose themselves to God’s Word and the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives causes the Spirits to leave but they person remains at the end – secure in Jesus.
Jesus is called the “Morning Star” (Rev 22:16, Rev 2:28, 2 Pet 1:19) and the morning star expels darkness as he illuminates and causes darkness to flee. The Spiritual battle rages! Light expelling darkness – as both light and darkness can not live together in one person’s body.
When the light enters a person the darkness has to flee. How many times we have seen this. And our Morning Star is currently working in the hearts of these Lantod people. Deb and I will go there to visit in the first week of January. These people are extremely poor (and I mean extremely literally – many so thin and malnourished children) as so many are who are involved in this demon worship — and we look forward greatly with hope and faith that the Holy Spirit is going to draw all of these (or most of) people to himself. There are 154 of them in all being taught God’s word each week.
Please pray for Udi and the guys as they continue to work and pray that God’s mighty hand will be evident and strong on their behalfs,
Udi and the guys begin their outreach each week on Thursdays by being up at 2AM to leave and they do not return home until about 12 midnight on Saturday night. It is a tough gig — BUT — Jesus!
Again Merry Christmas and love from us to you at this time of the year, Paul and Deb