How Great is Our God!

Let me just start by saying, I think this is going to be a long one. But I believe it will be worth it, so I hope you’ll stick with me until the end.

It’s funny how it doesn’t seem to matter how many times I come to Brazil – the day always arrives in which I just can’t take it and am ready to go home. I miss many of the luxuries of home – air conditioning, a car, internet at home, a wash machine and drier. Really, being without these things is more of a blessing than I realize at times, but it’s hard to keep that outlook when I’m drenched with sweat on a hot, muggy day as I walk to buy the few groceries I am able to handle for the 15-minute walk home.

I’ve been conditioned to expect luxury as the standard, and my lack of luxury (which is really no lack at all – even in the “unluxurious” state I find myself at the moment, I have way more luxuries than I need) right now has left me grumpy once or twice this weekend.

Today was a rough day. I couldn’t necessarily even tell you why. Yes, it had to do with feeling my lack of luxury, but there was more to it than that. I finally decided this evening that I just needed to spend some time with my Lord. So I packed up my Bible, journal, and a pen and went to a café. I had decided I would skip church this evening. I needed some alone time with God. Well, He had other plans…

On the way to the café, I was praying, asking God to meet with me. I even told Him where I was headed, just to be on the safe side. I wouldn’t want him to show up at my house and me not be there. I began reading my Bible, looking forward to a long evening of just me and the Lord. Five chapters later, I didn’t quite know what to read next – nor what exactly to pray at that. I decided maybe I would go to church after all, and timing was just right. I arrived just before the service began.

The message was on the armor of God – Ephesians 6:10-20. What a great reminder that our struggles are not against flesh and blood but against powers and the rulers of darkness. (I imagine they have something – ok, maybe everything – to do with my “down” state today.) The message was great, also a reminder that we must put on the full armor of God daily. But the best part actually came after the message was over…

Pastor Derli gave a testimony of something that had occurred this week. He went to Vitoria – where the other Hope Unlimited campus is located – for two days to do some work there, as he is currently director over both campuses. When he arrived on Wednesday, he noticed a new boy sitting at the entrance. He went up and introduced himself to the boy, “Hi, how are you?” “Terrible,” was the response. “I see you’re new here. My name is Pastor Derli. I hope you know you are very welcome here.” “Pastor! I don’t want to know anything about any ‘pastor!’ You don’t touch me. If you lay your hand on my head, I swear I’ll turn my life over and never stray.” Pastor Derli explained he knew at that moment that this was a challenge from the enemy. The boy said some cross words to Derli, and they soon parted ways.

That night, Pastor Derli was awakened. The enemy visited his room. Derli could feel his awful presence. The Spirit of the Lord woke Derli before the enemy could touch him, and in Jesus’ name he rebuked the spirit and it left. This happened three times. Thursday morning, Derli knew the day ahead of him was not going to be easy. But God had been preparing him during the night.

And during the night, the enemy had been working on the boy. He packed his bags and was ready leave. The psychologist spoke with him that morning. She didn’t get far, and he was still planning on leaving. Derli called and asked to speak with him, right as he was about to leave. He went to Derli’s office, and the battle begun. The boy was very hostile as Derli began speaking with him. He told him again not to lay his hand on his head. The boy told Derli that the last pastor who laid his hand on his head died. Whether or not that is true, he was clearly challenging Derli. The Lord was testing his faith, and the devil was tempting him to run away in fear.

Derli asked the boy why he was so adamant that he not lay his hand on the boy’s head. Marcos Venicius, now age 15, was baptized into an Afro-Brazilian religion known as Umbanda at the age of 3, consecrating his body to the devil. He told Pastor Derli that when a pastor lays his hand on his head, the devil comes and beats Marcos – and it is not nice. The conversation went on, and Marcos finally said, “Ok, you may lay your hand on my head.” Pastor Derli asked if he could call in the psychologist, and the boy said yes – and that he could call in more people. A small group formed in that room, and Pastor Derli laid his hand on Marcos Venicius’ head. The enemy began speaking through the boy, telling Derli he would kill him. They had pulled Marcos’ hands together so he could not use them. He began using his head to fight instead. Finally, through Marcos, the enemy told Derli, “Alright. I’m leaving today. But I’ll be back. And I’ll be back to kill you.” And in the name and almighty power of Jesus, he left.

After 12 years of being subject to the power of Satan, Marcos Venicius gave his life over to Christ and is now at the beginning of experiencing the freedom he has in Him.

God’s met with us tonight in our small church in downtown Campinas. He met with me. I felt His presence perhaps more strongly than I had ever felt it before. I felt Him wrap His arms around me. I was reminded, as I now remind you:

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm…pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints…that in proclaiming [the gospel we] may speak boldly, as [we] ought to speak.