| MY STORYTime and again, I hear from
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| | ended, the congregation milled about,
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| Christian people of all denominations,
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| | talked, laughed and specialized. I
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| ministers included - men and women who
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| | noticed a young man who remained seated,
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| love Jesus and are bearing much fruit as
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| | head bowed, elbows on his knees, hands
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| Believers - who express that they are
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| | folded as if praying. I walked over and
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| totally uninformed or just plain fearful
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| | asked if I could pray with him. No
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| when it comes to dealing with demons.Many
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| | answer. I asked, this time, if I could
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| years ago, I attended a very large church
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| | pray FOR him. When he did not answer, I
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| in Texas with several thousand people on
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| | placed my hand on his back. At that
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| the role. Quite often I prayed that all
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| | instant, he bolted upright, hands on his
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| the things Jesus wanted me to have in
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| | knees, elbows locked, and began swaying
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| order to be the most effective "Omega
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| | back and forth like a cobra. He then
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| Warrior" I could be would be entrusted to
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| | scooted his chair a good 15 feet backward
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| me. From speaking in tongues to healing
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| | and started growling, "I hate this
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| the sick to casting out demons, I wanted
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| | church! I hate him! I hate her! I hate
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| a double portion of it all!Occasionally,
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| | you!"There were 30-some individuals
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| I found myself in the vicinity whenever
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| | remaining and they were stunned. Some
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| something "strange" would manifest itself
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| | whipped out their cell phones and asked,
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| in a church service or seminar setting.
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| | "Do we call 911?" Others asked him
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| In one case, a man directly behind me
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| | directly, "Do you take medication,
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| stood shouting at the pastor and stormed
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| | brother?"I realized that there was no
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| out of the assembly. What caused this
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| | faith in the room (You may recall that
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| outburst? The pastor was preaching
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| | even Jesus had to clear the room to get
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| against homosexuality. A friend of mine
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| | anywhere with Jairus's dead daughter).
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| who followed the man and ministered to
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| | Well, although I didn't clear the room, I
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| him in an office off the foyer later told
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| | did ask the man if Jesus was his Lord.
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| me the man had no idea what "possessed"
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| | When he tried but could not answer, I
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| him to shout like that.In another
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| | commanded the demon to release his
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| instance, a woman who had quite a Haitian
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| | tongue. I asked again, "Is Jesus your
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| or Jamaican look about her, stood and
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| | Lord?" He whispered, as if panting,
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| began doing a strange, somewhat seductive
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| | "Yes." It was then that I leaned in
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| dance in the aisle with no music playing.
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| | closer and told him that I would help him
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| I ministered to her - along with another
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| | but that I couldn't do it there. I
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| woman who knew something of these things
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| | reminded him that this experience was
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| - the best I knew how.Another time, as I
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| | "it" for him as a Christian. "This IS
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| was praying for someone, I felt something
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| | your Christian life and it WILL happen
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| down at my feet. Imagine my surprise when
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| | again without help."The young man never
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| I looked down and saw an attractive woman
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| | did seek my help. Instead, he disappeared
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| in a blue suit, twisted like a pretzel,
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| | from town. In the days ahead, I was
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| her eyes rolled back in her head, face
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| | sought out and asked questions about what
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| contorted, while a mature Christian lady
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| | happened that day. "Why did you do this?"
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| minister prayed with her. I was all ears.
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| | and "Why did you do that?" I was invited
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| Afterward and from then on, that woman
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| | to dinner and taken to lunch. When I saw
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| was joyful, productive, transformed.From
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| | the Pastor the next day, he responded,
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| the woman who growled like a cat to the
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| | "Man, I'm glad you were there...they
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| high schooler with bite marks on her
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| | don't teach that stuff in
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| body, the day came when I had to ask my
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| | seminary."WHAT'S THE POINT?My point in
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| pastor, "why is it I'm always around when
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| | sharing these stories? There are three.
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| these demonic manifestations take place?"
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| | First, simply put, Christians - even
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| This former missionary, a seasoned
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| | ministers of ALL denominations - aren't
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| veteran of the South African mission
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| | taught much more than how to perform
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| field during the height of Apartheid,
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| | rituals and ceremonies in a religious
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| reached for his old, leather Bible that
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| | setting. This renders us virtually
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| lay upon his desk and turned its
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| | powerless and having no distinguishable
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| well-worn pages to Mark 16:17. He read
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| | influence upon the real needs of society.
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| this part: "And these signs will follow
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| | When it comes to people like the man that
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| those who believe: In My name they will
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| | recently executed a bunch of Amish girls
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| cast out demons..." He looked up at me
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| | in Pennsylvania, as long as folks "seem
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| and smiled, knowingly, "I'd say the Lord
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| | nice" and even know the routine of
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| sees in you a willing heart and that He's
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| | church, we're fine with them. They are
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| preparing you for the kind of ministry
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| | socially acceptable. Spiritually
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| that He'd like us all to be part of."Was
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| | acceptable,too, as far as most Christians
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| I ever encouraged! I was ready to charge
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| | are concerned. We REALLY don't have time
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| Hell with a squirt gun! As the years went
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| | or training to assist people in truly
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| by, the Lord allowed me to participate in
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| | becoming overcomers. As long as the
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| other aspects of Spiritual Warfare
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| | outside behavior meets church approval,
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| (request my article, "The Battle of
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| | those demons you're dealing with
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| Caelum Moor"), showing me the right and
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| | are...well, YOUR demons.My second point
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| wrong ways to engage the enemy at this
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| | is that when we know that Jesus WANTS us
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| level.In time, a couple with a great deal
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| | to do things like casting out devils,
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| of experience in Deliverance came and
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| | etc., why is it we prefer manmade
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| attended our non-denominational,
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| | religion?When Jesus said, I came as an
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| Charismatic church. An ordained Baptist
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| | example," why do we ignore what He did
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| minister, they decided to trust Jesus to
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| | and choose rituals and routines
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| actually heal sicknesses and diseases
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| | instead?When Jesus declared "I am the
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| and, as an extension of that ministry,
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| | Way," why do we prefer manmade doctrine
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| found themselves involved in Deliverance.
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| | and dogmas?When it is written that God no
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| Quite often, this ministry included the
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| | longer lives in building made of stone,
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| casting out of demonic entities, better
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| | why do we choose to hunker down in the
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| known as exorcisms.After several weeks of
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| | friendly confines of our edifices, never
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| training, we who were interested in
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| | looking to see that example portrayed
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| pursuing this ministry were led through
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| | anywhere in Scripture?My final point is
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| deliverance ourselves. In time, we were
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| | that anyone, yourself included, is suited
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| placed in teams and grew to love one
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| | for this ministry. How so? Because ALL
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| another and minister really well
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| | believers have authority in Jesus' Name
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| together. Something unexpected began to
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| | to cast out these tormenting demons and
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| take place: A clipboard was placed in our
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| | set the captives free. No human being, in
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| church office and people would actually
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| | themselves, is any match for the devil.
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| make appointments for Deliverance
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| | So, we must NOT resist him in our own
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| ministry. Even people who were not part
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| | ability, manmade rituals or any other
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| of our church would sign up. Our six
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| | name. We can't do that. Remember, we are
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| well-trained teams of 5-6 ministers were
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| | talking about authority over the devil,
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| kept busy with Deliverance whether at the
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| | not power over him. We are not more
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| church or at the afflicted people's
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| | powerful than the devil, but we do have
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| personal homes. Many of those who were
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| | more authority as believers in Jesus
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| healed and set free from their demonic
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| | Christ.Look at it this way: Just as a
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| oppressions later joined teams
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| | policeman has the backing of the
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| themselves.My own team had its share of
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| | government to stop oncoming traffic
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| very odd, demonic encounters. We learned
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| | merely by lifting his hand, so Believers
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| early on to forbid any spiritual
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| | have the backing of God when we stand
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| manifestations before we ever got
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| | against the devil in Jesus' Name. Romans
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| started. Nevertheless, every so often,
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| | 8:11 reveals that the same Spirit that
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| we'd catch a glimpse of an entity that
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| | raised Jesus from the grave dwells within
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| simply did not want to go. There was
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| | you. God gave you all authority and
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| trembling, vomiting, demons hanging on
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| | expects you to use it.Friends, this fight
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| for dear life as the afflicted person
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| | has been "fixed"!The series you're about
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| fought and strained against the spirits
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| | to receive is based upon my experiences
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| they wanted to be free of as we commanded
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| | and may or may not jive with what you've
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| them to go in Jesus' Name.THE DEVIL WENT
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| | read or been taught. Regardless of the
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| DOWN TO TEXASIn 2001, I moved to another
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| | techniques, one thing I CAN promise is
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| town some 2 hours away. My first Easter
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| | this: Demons will NOT leave for any other
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| service here I attended a Baptist Church
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| | reason than that a child of God commanded
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| located over a bar. I was still new,
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| | them to do so in Jesus' Name.SUBSCRIBE TO
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| walking with a cane and single, though my
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| | THE REST OF THIS SERIES BY WRITING and
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| son was with me that day. As the service
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| | typing "DEVIL" in the SUBJECT Bar.
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