Angels and Demons - waking to an African War Cry in the village

The New testament of the Bible retells several stories of Jesus casting out demons, and also of visitations by angels. The demonic is something that Christians in North America oft stay away from, and I have never written about my own experiences with seeing the power of God triumph over evil, although many have heard me tell at least one story of an encounter with the enemy, and seeing the power of God displayed with the Sword of the Spirit, which IS the Word of God…

Now that we have recently returned from Uganda, and we were retelling one story, I have decided to post some of the story here. This is not a theological debate, nor even the complete story (with all of its details), but is my own personal experience with a recent spiritual battle, and some of the truths of God’s Word which I was impressed to read during this battle.

It was late one evening, in our village home in Uganda. The children and I had gone to bed early compared to the rest of the family, who normally have supper after 9pm. Our extended family usually has a time of prayer and praise after supper, but the children and I were usually sleeping already, having been satisfied by millet porridge, and unable to stay awake.

We were already sleeping, safely tucked in under a large mosquito net, in our mud hut, with grass-thatched roof. I was completely unaware of the spiritual battle which had been going on for close to 2 hours already, on the other side of the compound (yard), in what we refer to as our “dining hut” (a small hut with a diameter of about 6 feet).

“Mulamo, Mulamo!”, I woke to the call of Samuel’s youngest sister Persis, calling me “sister-in-law”. I slowly crawled out of the net, and reached up to pull the iron sheet-door open. As I opened the door, the fog of sleep lifted, and I was surprised to hear the very loud sound of clapping, and singing –it sounded like drums and what one might imagine to be an “African war cry”. I don’t know how I couldn’t have heard it before.

“I need a Bible",  Persis expounded.

“English or Ateso?”, I asked.

“Umm…both!” she said.

As soon as the Bibles were in hand, she turned to march back to battle, calling back over her shoulder that, “the enemy is a liar!”

I closed the door, and sat back under the net. The sound of battle was so loud, that it sounded as if at least a hundred warriors were standing right outside of our hut. I thought to join them, but also wondered about my children sleeping there, and not wanting to leave them on the bed with such noise outside (although I hadn’t been aware of it in my deep sleep either).

I felt an urge to read a scripture, and picked up my phone (which was thankfully charged, as we have no electricity in the village for charging phones). I prayed that God would direct me, and opened up the Bible App (International Children’s Bible). The first scripture (Psalm 27) on the screen, seemed to jump out at me, and read:

“The Lord is my light and the one who saves me.
    So why should I fear anyone?
The Lord protects my life.
    So why should I be afraid?
² Evil people may try to destroy my body.
    My enemies and those who hate me attack me.
But they are overwhelmed and defeated.
³ If an army surrounds me,
    I will not be afraid.
If war breaks out,
    I will trust the Lord.

⁴ I ask only one thing from the Lord.
    This is what I want:
Let me live in the Lord’s house
    all my life.
Let me see the Lord’s beauty.
    Let me look around in his Temple.
⁵ During danger he will keep me safe in his shelter.
    He will hide me in his Holy Tent.
    Or he will keep me safe on a high mountain.
⁶ My head is higher
    than my enemies around me.
I will offer joyful sacrifices in his Holy Tent.
    I will sing and praise the Lord.

⁷ Lord, hear me when I call.
    Be kind and answer me.
⁸ My heart said of you, “Go, worship him.”
    So I come to worship you, Lord.
⁹ Do not turn away from me.
    Do not turn your servant away in anger.
    You have helped me.
Do not push me away or leave me alone,
    God, my Savior.
¹⁰ If my father and mother leave me,
    the Lord will take me in.
¹¹ Lord, teach me your ways.
    Guide me to do what is right
    because I have enemies.
¹² Do not let my enemies defeat me.
    They tell lies about me.
    They say they will hurt me.

¹³ I truly believe
    I will live to see the Lord’s goodness.
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord’s help.
    Be strong and brave
    and wait for the Lord’s help.

I felt compelled to walk over to the dining hut and read that scripture.

As I neared the hut, I could see that some close relatives were standing around the inside perimeter of the hut, and a young man (also a relative), was in the middle of them, acting strangely. He seemed to be almost thrown around by those standing around him–although no one touched him.

The “war cry” was of praise. The enemy could not stand the sound of worship to God, and wanted to escape.

Samuel read Psalm 91 as the song subsided.

The young man fell down, limp. It looked as if the enemy had left – a tactic that we had seen before. We would not be deceived. Samuel addressed the enemy and called him a liar. And the enemy answered back.

Now, the young man sat up, and his face was contorted and wrinkled. His appearance was disfigured, and the voice that spoke was harsh, and old –not that of the gentle young man who sat there.

Samuel asked if anyone had a scripture to read, and I stepped forward, out of the star-lit night and toward the torch-lit hut. As I read in English, Samuel read along in Ateso, and the enemy became enraged. Samuel demanded it to keep silent. Then it could only speak when asked a question.

A short discourse ensued, in which the enemy tried to claim a right to the young man, and also begged not to be sent out alone, but to take the young man’s spirit with him, and to be given a place to live in our property.

I stood outside of the hut, and also took my baby niece from my sister-in-law who stood inside. As I paced outside, I prayed. Most of what was being spoken was in Ateso, so I couldn’t understand the actual words, but I joined in by praying, and worshiping. At one point, I turned to address the enemy, and though I was a good 10 feet away, and outside of the noise of the hut, he turned and looked directly in my eyes as I spoke.

I felt urged to read Isaiah 52- Samuel translated.

Whenever God’s Word was read, the enemy raged –but Samuel demanded that he be silent –so he looked as if he was yelling, but there was no sound.

I went back and forth between standing outside of the hut, and checking on my children –who did wake up.

I wasn’t actually there when the enemy left, but after some arguing and begging, and pleading not to say, “that man’s name”, whenever “Jesus” was mentioned, the enemy had to obey –and was sent to the place prepared for him, to await judgement.

Everyone then sat down, opened God’s Word and began to read, pray, worship, and also to “test” the spirit of the young man, to see that the enemy had indeed left. We also read some verses from Revelations chapter 21...The young man had not been aware of anything that had happened... A short time of biblical counsel, and a prayer to end the evening, and then we all went to bed and slept in peace.

Back home in Canada this week, my mom was asking about the evening, and she asked who was all there. As I told her who all stood around the hut, I turned to Samuel to ask the name of the young man who stood beside him. He was standing in front of the torch, and I couldn’t see his face clearly. Samuel responded that there was no man beside him. He stood between his two sisters, and the only other men there (who I had also seen), were Papa and a pastor who was working on the house with us.

We called home to ask, no one else saw the man… I don’t know if I have ever seen an angel before, but there was definitely an angel standing, doing battle with us that day, and I don’t know why God allowed me to see him, but I am glad that He did.