Rio Missions - Day 5 - Spiritual Warfare

Several years ago I read Frank Peretii's book This Present Darkness. http://www.frankperetti.com/product/232.htm?parentid=1371

It really enhanced my view or understanding of spiritual warfare. I think he has some great insight about how the demons and the angels are at work all around us.

Lisa has a great testimony of spiritual warfare that she was a part of today. I wish she was here to tell it. (They have all gone to supper. Apparently someone let Montezuma out of Mexico and he found me in Rio. I didn't get to do much today. Well, I did get to lead a young boy to Christ before I couldn't go any further. His mother let us in and when she understood what I was saying she went to get her son so he could hear. cool!)

Anyway, I've distracted myself. The woman Lisa was talking to had been invovled in the "spirit world" and channled spirits. Oh my! So at first she was angry and argumentative, but Lisa and her translator and local church member kept talking to her. Then Lisa said all she could do was pray as the others talked. The lady kep arguing and Lisa said she could tell it was Satan or a demon talking and she prayed that God would stop Satan from talking. The lady stopped talking and - well, Lisa needs to tell the story - long story short, with a lot of details left out because I don't remember now - the lady gave her life to Christ and was changed! Happy and hugging and laughing and a new creation! How cool is that?

Other spiritual warfare.
There were a group of young guys, late teens, early twenties, at the same place where they were yesterday. Guns in hand or strapped to thier thighs. And today one of them had a handgrenade! Oh! Ray, our missionary, said the rival gang from the favela on the hill is causing problems with the gang in our favela so they are on the watch for them.

Each day we stop just after 4:00 so we can get to the church and try to leave not long after 4:30. As the day grows long the streets become very active and you can feel the darkness coming in. Today they stopped at 3:30. Ray brought his son's violin (it's a reallly nice one) and I was going to play at the corner just down from the church to draw a crowd so we could talk to people. Ray didn't feel like today was a good day. too much activity on the street. Perhaps we can do that tomorrow.

I need to sign off. I'm not sure if the medicine I have is making me fell better or worse. Pray for me to get well so our team is in full force. Pray for the favela that God's peace will reign so we can continue to share the Gospel. Pray for me too because I think I have to - or rather get to preach Sunday as well as play the violin. This has been a very good week. Many souls saved. Sorry, no pictures for my reading challenged friends (Hi Grandbabies!) Actually, don't read this to them. Too scary.