Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina - My Catholic Roots are showing

Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina, Missionary Outreach

Satan and His Minions

October 11, 2016 1 Comment

This maybe an uncomfortable subject matter but after reading and an article about the death of Father Gabriel Amorth, the exorcist of Diocese of Rome. I feel we need to be aware of Satan and how he operates. In his life time Father Gabriel Amorth performed more than 70,000 exorcisms rites. “As a Christian I fight the beast spiritually,” Fr. Amorth said. “Biblically speaking we are in the last days and the beast is working furiously, the beast is Satan himself and he is working through ISIS.” Father Amorth stated “ISIS is Satan.” He added that “things first happen in the spiritual realms, then they are made concrete on this earth,” he said that “evil is disgusted in various political, cultural and religious ways, with one source of inspiration in the devil.”

Our country is fighting so many of Satan’s minions that we have to keep our families covered in prayer. Until this battle is over we continue to intercede in hopes that people will turn to the Lord for direction; we need the power of the Holy Spirit to constantly guide our every path.

If you are following this blog, on a recent trip to Croatia we had an encounter with Satan. This demon manifested itself on a beautiful young lady. It was after midnight when our prayer session was over and Joanne (our group leader) was still praying. Suddenly a loud crashing sound filled the basketball gymnasium, I looked over to catch the sight of a chair landing on the wood floors followed by a body. This was not a natural occurrence, the young lady’s body was tossed high in the air and when she landed it was hard. Her body was now the property of Satan and it was something I have never witnessed. The tormented soul’s movements were unnatural and at one point the evil spirit was strangling her, she fought by kicking but it was not until Robert, (a team member) removed her hands from her neck did she get relief. We formed a circled around her and prayed in the spirit but when Joanne called for these demons to leave, the response was Nunca! Nunca! in a growling manly voice, nunca means never in Spanish. Every one of my senses were on high alert, sending shivers up and down my spine and making the hair on my arms rise with goose bumps at the sound of the diabolical voice. I was shaken and knew that it was going to get worst as the demon was not wanting to vacate her body. The voice of the demon was definitely that of a strong male with venting anger. The young lady’s body was twisting and curving her spine like a startled cat, with these turns came body slams. Joanne asked me to get a bag; I quickly ran to the trash and find a discarded one, I was uncertain as to why she needed the bag, by the time I got back someone else had already provided the plastic sack. Joanne asked it to placed by the young lady’s mouth because she was about to vomit, no one wanted to get the close to the demons because they were in full force and it could physically attack any of us by biting. Just then a priest from Serbia gently made his way to the girl; sprinking holy water on her. This only ignited the demons as the main demon screamed in a shrieking voice “NO!NO! She’s mine! She’s mine! This went on for for some time. The demons spoke in Croatian, Spanish and English (Luke 8:30). No one from either team left their station, we stood united and back up the priest in prayer until the young lady returned to a state of normality. The priest from Serbia must have been an exorcises because he was equipped with some type of thick oil and when he anointed her forehead it calmed the spirits. The young lady sat on a chair as Joanne asked her how she was. Her amber colored hair was disheveled, she had dark circles under her eyes, she simply answered “I’m so tired.” I could not help but feel compassion for her and her boyfriend as they walked away.

Why was she possessed? She shared with Joanne that her mother put a curse on her. There are many other ways that demons come on people. Many time we innocently invite them by reading horoscopes, or allowing children to read books with witches/warlocks and curses and play video games with demons, zombies and or any thing having to do with the occult. These are all open doors for demons to come in, we give them permission.

Any New Age beliefs, curses brought on by others and curses in the bloodline are other means for demons to come in. Fortune telling, and of course the abuse of drug and alcohol and pornography are avenues that demons come in, an open door and welcome mat, they don’t need much.

The Bible is very clear on the use of horoscopes:

“All the counsel you have received has only worn you out! Let the astrologers come forward, those who make predictions month by month, let them save you from what is coming upon you. Surely they are like stubbles; the fire will burn them up. They cannot save themselves from the power of the flame.” Is. 47:13-14

What the Bible says about fortune telling, witchcraft and curses:

“I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them and I will cut him off from my people.” Lev. 20:6

“Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him in anger” 2 Kings 21:6.

“Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.” Lev 19:31

“They sacrificed there sons and their daughters to demons” Ps 106:37

When someone abuses drug and alcohol their mind is altered and are no longer in control, this is when spirits come in and take over. These are called familiar spirits because they know when to surface and they can be very combative and controlling. These spirits are dangerous because it leads to deep sin. In my experience with the homeless for 15 years, it is evident many homeless people are filled with these type of spirits from drug and alcohol abuse, they have allowed the spirits to live comfortably in them, they believe the lie of the enemy and therefore live a life of recluse.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear the Lord, and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:7-8

Pray for the lost and leave the exorcisms to the experts. God Bless!

Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina

Home or Rome

August 30, 2016 3 Comments

Joanne celebrated her 82nd birthday praying for people in Bosnia. Kristofori was only expecting 300 but there were more than 600 at the seminar; not a single person was denied prayer.

We go our separate ways today, the rest of the team to Rome for the canonization of Mother Teresa. Jane, Liggett and I are heading home. Both Danijel and Marko drove us to Dubrovnik to catch our connecting flight home; the two and a half hour drive through a mountain road at 2:30 AM required a lot of conversation to keep Danijel awake, Marko slept most of the way so poor Danijel had to endure all my cat stories.

We will miss the company of these two, they were instrumental in coordinating all these events, drove us, translated for us and shared the love of Christ; the fire they have for God is unquenchable.

Our teams were in unity, after long services, sleepless nights, swollen feet, together with Kristofori we moved a few mountains.

In the main conference room of Hotel Mogorjelo is a crucifix for all to view.

Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina

Medugorje, Where I Met Him

August 30, 2016 3 Comments

We drove 6 hours from Zagreb to Medugorje; eating what the rest of world does on road trips, junk food, Croatian cookies, Trail Mix, candy.

It was 6AM Tuesday by the time Josip drove us to the holy mountain called Christ Redemption Hill. Within a first few minutes the incline got the best of me and I was huffing and puffing. Take smaller steps and slow down was the advice given by Jim. I borrowed a walking stick from the hotel and thank God for this cane saved me from many missed steps. The rugged path never changed it’s topography and all I could do was look to where I was going to place my next step. There are bronze depiction the joyous and sorrowful mysteries on the way up; we stopped to pray at each one.

When we reached the cross we sat and I interceded for my friends and family, it is here where Jesus met me. He allowed a special time of solitude and breathed a cool breeze on me. I never felt His love in this way; He seemed to be pleased with me and I rejoiced in the private visitation. There are many people on this path but at this special hour we were undisturbed, just Him. How holy are you Lord to allow me, a simple grain of sand this time.

Then You introduced us to your Mother, she was surrounded my many pilgrims kneeling and asking your intercession.

Many do not understand Mary’s role, she is the Mother of God and He honors her. The fourth commandment is the only one that comes with a promise. “Honor your father and mother , so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. ” Ex 20:12 Jesus honors His Mother.