26. A Low Animal-Like Moan
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX A LOW ANIMAL-LIKE MOAN For nine years I taught in the Evangelical Seminary of Rio deJaneiro and Pedra Bible Institute, one institution, of Brazil’s oldest established evangelical denomination. During that time I had charge of the practical work assignments, and in the last two of the nine years our students numbered over eighty. In their practical work they were serving seventy-five localities all over Brazil’s Federal District.
While doing itinerant Bible conference work, I ran into a typical example of demon possession so common among the colored people of Brazil. As so often happens, when starting upon a series of Bible conferences one must begin by getting God’s people attuned to His will. Thus, after three nights in a Federal District church, I was seeing quite a number of unbelieving souls in the meetings. From the first night, a young colored woman had attended, accompanied by her mother. There was an intensity in her look and an evident reaction to what she was hearing without, however, any open manifestation. When this did come it was quite clear as to its origin - a demon. And on the fourth night, when I felt I should make a definite appeal for personal acceptance of Christ, no sooner had the congregation started singing the hymn of appeal than a devilish wave of opposition came over the gathering, and the young woman began in a low, almost animal-like moan, which developed into a high-pitched whistling. There was no doubt as to why such a phenomenon as this should take place, and at such a critical moment. Of all the things Satan hates most, the desertion from his kingdom of souls held captive by him at will, their coming to the Lord Jesus Christ must be the limit. Well, my appeal that night had no effect. The whole atmosphere was destroyed. Our unbelieving visitors, as well as most of the believers, were too disturbed to be able to concentrate on the appeal being made. The Brazilian pastor, a man of spiritual perception, with the help of four church officials, carried the young woman out bodily. She was now in a complete swoon, although still moaning and whistling. For almost two hours, both in prayer and with the Word of God, those believing people worked over this sad case, finally reaching the point of expelling the usurping demon in the all-sufficient name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the next night came the victory, when a goodly number of souls publicly confessed Christ, including this ex-slave of the demon. As I write this, one year later, I have in my possession a letter from the pastor that the young woman, now secure in her eternal salvation, has been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Uniao Evangelica Sul Americana Oliver M. Thomson Campinas, E. deSao Paulo, Brazil, South America ~ end of chapter 26 ~ http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/
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