Standing Strong Through the Storm

SPIRITUAL WEAPONS

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

Helen Berhane was imprisoned for almost three years in the shipping container prisons in Eritrea. She shares how a Muslim man with epilepsy was also imprisoned. She says in her testimonial book titled Song of the Nightingale:

I noticed that he wore two charms on his belt. I pointed at them, “Where did you get those charms from?” “I saw a witch doctor, before I was arrested, about my fits. He said that they would make me better, but I should never take them off.” “Jemal,” I said, ‘those charms cannot heal you. Only prayer to God can do that.”

As I spoke he began to have a fit, and so I prayed for him. I did this often until, miraculously, he agreed to take the charms off. I took them away and burnt them, but whatever was in them smelled awful, and the guards demanded to know what I had been doing, which gave me the opportunity to explain to them that only prayer can heal a person, not charms from a witch doctor.

Jemal’s health improved and his fits became less frequent. I was delighted but he was worried.

“Helen, if they know that I am feeling better they will keep me here, and I want to be released.”

“If you continue to trust in God, no one can keep you from going home, not if God wills that you should be released.” I was very pleased when he was released shortly afterwards.[1]

RESPONSE: Today I will live in the awareness that the spiritual battle rages all around me and I can be used to counter Satan’s bondage over people.

PRAYER: Lord, you have given me the spiritual weapons with which to demolish the strongholds of the spiritual battle that I find myself against today. Help me not to depend on the weapons of the world.

1. Berhane, p. 31.