New Experience at Church

So church today seemed to be as normal as ever, or as normal as church gets in India. We were worshiping and people were praying. A few started speaking in tongues - normal, though still strange to me.

Suddenly a woman began screaming and thrashing about. People and chairs were moved out of the way and several men and women rushed to her to contain her. Worship continued though prayers grew louder and louder calling, I assumed, for her deliverance from whatever was tormenting her.

She continued to scream and flail her arms and was held to the ground as men and women lay hands on her and prayed for her. I couldn't tell if she was saying anything - in Hindi or otherwise.

Worship didn't stop and everyone in the church cried out for her deliverance. I closed my eyes and prayed with them. I had heard dozens of stories just like this from ministry leaders and our church pastor himself, but was not expecting to see anything like it. I don't know if it was shock or fear or the Spirit but I could sense a strange presence and all I could do was cry out to God for this woman to be saved.

For nearly 15 minutes, or at least that's how long I thought, the intensity grew as she continued to scream. Tears came to my eyes as I pleaded with God for Him to move in the place and to destroy the power of whatever evil in the room. I admit it was a strange prayer, but I can't deny the reality I faced.

She quieted and when I opened my eyes again she was back in her seat. People returned to theirs and worship continued for another song. Everyone sat down and church resumed.

This is the sort of thing I expected only to talk about, all the while stating "I'm not sure where to fit this in my box." Spirits - evil ones at that - are not even whispered about in our Western circles. We've heard stories like this, but they are always heard upon skeptical ears.

I know what I saw and I know this was not the random outburst of a confused woman. It was something far deeper than that.

While she was on the ground one of my friends noticed the pastor taking off her rings. And in the process of it all her plastic bangles shattered into many small pieces. This was very interesting to me because the pastor shared with me a few weeks ago about a woman tormented by a demon who claimed to live in her nose ring. And it wasn't until they removed the ring (with great effort) that the woman was delivered and in a right mind!

It will be interesting to chat with the pastor tomorrow and ask him what he felt and heard and experienced as he prayed with the others over her.