To begin this occurrence, I have to give you some background on what happened about a year ago. I received a telephone call from Magda from our Bible study. She began to tell me about Flex and his family who lives in El Cerrito. They had been experiencing some demonic activities in their upstairs apartment for some time and Magda wanted to know if I would go to their apartment and see if these demonic spirits could be forced to leave.

I said, yes! And I proceeded to Jose's house to meet her and some others from our Bible study. Once I got there, Flex was there with a few others and I told them some things I had experienced with these sort of spirits. We all agreed on going there to pray and see what could be done, for Flex's 7 year old son was just terrified and had been chased out of the bathroom several times and he was afraid to go to sleep at night. Things were getting so bad, they were all seeing and experiencing these demonic spirits and they felt something had to be done.

Well, I called Carl to see if he wanted to come also and to my surprise Ron was speaking to Carl and he said he wanted to come too. So Magda and I went to the store and purchased some communion items and left for Flex's apartment. We all got there about the same time. Once we were all settled in, we had communion and anointed everyone there. There must have been about fifteen people in the small apartment and it was packed with people. To cut down the story some, I will only say what happened toward the end of our almost two hour session. I had anointed Flex, his son and now Ron and I, were praying over his wife. Well, toward the end of this prayer I heard the window open several times and felt a breeze of cold air come into the room. I looked up and I saw several of the people moving around and talking to each other. What happened was that the people sitting across from the dining room saw the window open and close three times by itself. This did frighten a few of them, but we proceeded.

After discussing what had happened, I told Flex and his family that they had to seek the Lord, read the Bible and if possible go to church or our Bible study and they said they would. Well, for almost a year, I had heard from others in the Bible study, that they did none of the things I had suggested.

Well, to get to what happened this Monday night - as usual, I left for the Bible study about 7:45 PM. I took my Bible and jumped into my car and turned the key. Well, my car made one of the most unusual sounds I had ever heard. Then it popped and died and all the lights went out. I said to myself I guess no Bible study tonight, so then I opened my car door and the car lights came back on. So I tried the ignition again and nothing happened. So I called Jose and left a message that I couldn't go to the Bible study for my car was broken. He called me and said he would pick me up.

Well, within twenty minutes we were walking into Jose's house to begin the Bible study and guess who was sitting there on the couch, Flex, his wife and son. I had not seen them for almost a year. We had a good Bible study and during the study the Lord said to me, "That is why your car would not start. The demons killed it, but I will fix it tomorrow. They did not want you to be here!"

I gave you this occurrence to show how my week started and to show you something about these battles with demonic forces. And to show you how these spirits effect people that do not seek the Lord, study the Bible, and pray. Now I want to show you an occurrence that happened in church last night.

Carl called me tonight (the day after the Bible study). He wanted some prayer and he knew I was out of money and wanted to take me out to dinner. My real brother Ted has been buying my food for about two weeks now. So we prayed for both of our needs and he asked me if I wanted to go to a church service at a large church in Oakland for they were having some well-known prophet speaking for three nights and it was his last night there. I usually do not go to these sort of things, so we decided to pray about it. During the prayer the Lord gave me a vision of some letters and I did not catch all of them.

Vision:

Mes… (The ending maybe was an "e" or "a". The word could have had more letters but I could not remember them!)

This vision aroused my interest and I said to Carl, sure lets go! Besides, I was hungry! And if I wasted a night at least I ate.

When we arrived, the praise and worship had already started. The music was loud and moving. I could see people dancing, singing and worshipping with a fever. This made me think about what I saw in Israel at the Western Wall. The people there were dancing and worshipping in their way just like the people here. The only difference was, here they were Christians and there they were Jewish. I could also sense the Presence of the Lord here - where I did not sense it at the Western Wall at ALL!

This worship went on for maybe about an hour and during this time I thought it would be a good time to pray to the Lord. I asked the Lord, "What do you think about this worship service?"

The Lord said, "VERY, VERY GOOD!"

This is great, I said to myself and decided to pray some more. Since I am not very tall, I could not see too much because the people in front of me were all tall. So I decided to stay seated and pray. Well, during my prayer time, while being surrounded by standing people, I was very content in praying to the Lord and feeling His Presence. Then, without warning, I heard a strange voice at the microphone praising the Lord and he kept saying amen and amen and amen over and over. And the Presence of the Lord just left! As time proceeded, I saw the face to this voice and it was (I guess) the assistant pastor. Within ten minutes he had everyone bring their money up front as a worship offering. Then, they proceeded with the music after the offering, but I could not sense the Lord anymore. The Lord had left and it was just entertaining music.

So after another 15 minutes of music they introduced the prophet speaker. I had never heard of him, but he did try to teach. I do not know where he got his teaching from, but he was bordering on a mixture of a New Age doctrine and Christianity.

He got so bad I leaned over to Carl's ear and said as quietly as possible, "I don't believe this guy!"

With this guy speaking so loudly, I do not know how the people in front of me heard what I said into Carl's ear, but two of them turned around several times and gave me a hard look. As if I had blasphemed - all I said was that I did not believe this guy. Later in the car, Carl said, he had gotten caught up in the mood, and he was not REALLY listening to what he was teaching. He said, "Ray you are right! This guy is bordering on New Age and he is using the Bible to do it."

I guess what I am trying to show you is how I experienced demonic spirits in a home and in a church. This prophet was not teaching from the right spirit. He was teaching Christians to be prideful and to use man's righteousness to save man and the Lord's church. There was no mention of how the Holy Spirit was in charge! Only how it was up to man to straighten up the Body of Christ. Spirits come in many forms and go to different places and here are two that I experienced this week.

Kabla ya kuanza simulizi ya tukio hili itanibidi nitoe taarifa au historia fupi ya yale ambayo yaliyo nitokea yapata kiasi cha mwaka mmoja kabla ya mambo haya. Mimi nilipokea simu kutoka kwa Magda yule binti ambaye tuko naye kwenye kundi la kujifunza Biblia. Yeye alianza kunieleza habari kuhusu Flex pamoja na familia yake ambayo ilikuwa inaishi kwenye kitongoji cha El Cerrito. Wao walikuwa wanapatwa na vurugu ya kipepo au mashetani kwenye nyumba yao iliyokuwa kwenye ghorofa ya juu kwa muda mrefu kidogo na Magda alipenda kujua kama mimi nitaweza kwenda huko kwenye nyumba yao; ili kuwasaidia katika juhudi ya kuwatimua mapepo hao.

Mimi nikasema ndiyo! Nakisha nikaondoka kwenda kwenye nyumba ya Jose ili kukutana naye na wengine kutoka kwenye kikundi chetu cha kujifunza Biblia. Mara nilipofika hapo, Flex alikuwa yuko hapo nyumbani pamoja na wenzake wachache nami nikawaambia uzoefu wangu wa mapambano niliyo wahi kuwa nayo na mapepo wa aina hiyo. Sisi tukakubaliana kwa pamoja kuhusu ni nini tuende tukakifanye, kwa maana mwananwe Flex mwenye umri wa miaka 7 alikuwa ametishika sana kwa maana amewahi kufukuzwa kutoka ndani ya bafu mara nyingi na kwa hiyo yeye alikuwa anaogopa hata kwenda kulala usiku. Mambo yalikuwa yakienda vibaya kiasi ambacho; wao wote walikuwa wakiona na kuhisi mapepo hayo na walikuwa wameamua kuchukua hatua ya kukomesha matatizo hayo.

Naam, mimi nikampigia Carl simu ili kumwuliza kama naye angelipenda kuungana nasi pia, na kwa mshanago wangu; nilikuta Ron alikuwa akizungumza naye; na Carl akasema angelipenda kuja kuungana nasi. Kwa hiyo Magda na mimi tulienda dukani ili kununua vitu vya kutumika kwa ajili ya Komunio na kuelekea kwenye nyumba ya Flex. Sisi sote tulijumuika hapo kwa takriban muda ule ule mmoja. Mara tulipokuwa tumekaa na kutulia, sisi sote tulishiriki Komunio na kujiweka wakfu kwa mafuta. Nadhani kulikuwa na idadi ya watu wapatao kumi na tano katika nyumba ile mmoja ndogo, na ilikuwa imejaa watu kweli kweli. Kwa ufupi labda niseme tu kile ambacho kilitokea hapo mwishoni mwa kipindi chetu cha masaa yapatayo mawili. Mimi nilimpaka mafuta Flex, mwamawe na sasa mimi na Ron tulikuwa tukimwombea mke wake. Naam, kwenye mwishoni mwa maombi hayo mimi nikasikia dirisha likifunguliwa mara kadhaa na kusikia upepo baridi ukiingia kwenye chumba hicho. Mimi nikaangalia na kuona watu kadhaa wakiwa wanazunguka hapo na kuongea wenyewe kwa wenyewe. Kilicho tokea ni kuwa watu wale waliokuwa wamekaa kwenye nyumba hiyo kuanzia sebuleni hadi kwenye sehemu ya kulia chakula waliona dirisha likijifungua na kujifunga mara tatu yenyewe. Hili liliwatisha wengine wetu, lakini tuliendelea na maombi yetu.

Baada ya kujadili kile kilichotokea, mimi nilmwambia Flex na familia yake kuwa, inawabidi wakamtafute Bwana, wakasome Biblia na kama inawezekana waenda kanisani au kwenye kikundi chetu cha kusoma Biblia, nao wakasema kuwa watafanya hivyo. Naam, kwa takriban mwaka mmoja hivi, mimi nilipata taarifa kutoka kwa wenzangu kuwa, wao hawakufanya lolote la yale niliyo washauri.

Naam, kueleza kile kilichotokea usiku wa Jumatatu ya wiki hii – kama kawaida, mimi niliamua kuondoka kwenda kwenye kikundi chetu cha kujifunza Biblia kwenye muda wa kama saa 1:45 jioni, mimi nilichukua Biblia yangu na kuingia kwenye gari langu na kuanza kuwasha gari. Naam, gari langu likafanya mlio ambao sijawahi kuusikia. Na kisha mara ikanyamaza na kukataa kuwaka na hapo hapo nazo taa zote zikazimika. Mimi nikajisemea kuwa labda usiku wa leo sitaweza kufika kwenye kikundi cha kujifunzia Biblia, kwa hiyo, mimi nikafungua mlango wa gari langu na mara taa za gari zikawaka tena. Nilipo ona hivyo mimi nikajaribu kuiwasha gari langu tena, lakini gari halikuitikia. Kwa hiyo mimi nikampigia simu Jose na kumwachia ujumbe kuwa nisigeliweza kufika kwenye Kikundi chetu kile cha kujifunza Biblia; kwa maana gari langu lilikuwa limeharibika. Yeye akanipigia simu kuwa atanipitia na kunichukua kwa gari lake.

Naam, baada ya dakika ishirini hivi; sisi tulifika kwenye nyumba ya Jose ili kuanza kipindi chetu cha kujifunza Biblia na unaweza kubashiri tuliwakuta akina nani wamekaa kwenye kochi? Naam, walikuwa ni Flex, mke wake na mwanaye. Mimi nilikuwa sijawahi kuwaona kwa takriban mwaka mmoja. Sisi siku hiyo tulikuwa na kipindi kizuri, na wakati wa kujitafakari Biblia, Bwana aliniambia kuwa, "Hiyo ndiyo maana gari lako lilikataa kuwaka. Mapepo waliliua, lakini Mimi nitaitengeneza kesho. Wao hawakupenda wewe uende kule kwenye kipindi!"

Mimi nimewapeni tukio hilo kuonyesha ni jinsi gani wiki yangu ilivyoanza na kuonyesha kitu fulani kuhusu mapambano na majeshi ya mapepo wabaya. Na jinsi mapepo wabaya wanavyo wadhuru watu wasio mtafuta Bwana, kujifunza Biblia, na kuomba. Sasa nataka kuonyesha tukio ambayo lilinitokea kule kanisani usiku wa jana.

Carl alinipigia simu usiku huu wa kuamikia leo (siku mmoja baada ya siku ile ya kujifunza Biblia ya kikundi chetu). Yeye alitaka tufanye maombi ya pamoja naye na kwa kuwa yeye alikuwa akijua kuwa; mimi nilikuwa sina fedha hata ya chakula alitaka kisha anipeleke kwenye chakula cha jioni. Kaka yangu halisi Ted, alikuwa akininunulia chakula kwa muda wa wiki mbili sasa hivi sasa. Kwa hiyo sisi tulifanya maombi kwa ajili ya mahitaji yetu na akaniuliza kama nitapenda kwenda kanisani kwenye kanisa fulani kubwa lililoko sehemu za Oakland; kwa maana wao walikuwa wamemkaribisha mhubiri fulani maarufu ambaye ni nabii, ili kuwahutubia kwa muda wa siku tatu na siku ile ilikuwa ni siku yake ya Mwisho. Kwa kawaida yangu huwa mimi siendi kwenye mikutano ya aina hiyo, kwa hiyo sisi tukaamua kuomba kwa ajili ya kupata maelekezo. Wakati wa maombi Bwana alinipa Maono ya herufi fulani nami sikuweza kukariri herufi hizo zote.

Maono:

Mes… (Sehemu ya kula chakula)… (Mwisho wa neno hilo ambalo nilikuwa siikumbuki; na inawezekana kuwa ni "e" au "a". Neno lenyewe linaweza kuwa na herufi nyingi zaidi, lakini mimi sikumbuki herufi zote!)

Maono haya yaliamsha hisia kali ya njaa nami nikamwambia Carl, sawa ebu twende zetu! Zaidi ya yote mimi nilikuwa ninasikia njaa! Nami nilikuwa sijala kwa siku hiyo yote.

Sisi wakati tulipofika pale, kipindi cha kusifu na kuabudu kilikuwa kimekwisha anza. Muziki huo ulikuwa ni wa sauti kubwa na wa kuvutia. Mimi nilikuwa naona watu wakiwa wanacheza na kuimba huku wakiwa wanaabudu kwa nguvu. Hili lilinikumbusha kile mimi nilichokiona kule Israel kwenye ukuta wa Mangharibi. Watu kule kwenye ukuta ule walikuwa wakicheza na kuabudu kwenye maeneo yao kama wanavyo fanya watu hawa hapa. Tofauti pekee iliyoko hapa ni kuwa hawa walikuwa ni Wakristo na kule wao walikuwa ni Wayahudi. Mimi pia nilikuwa naweza kupata hisia ya uwepo wa Bwana hapa – Lakini pale kwenye Ukuta wa Mangharibi mimi nilikuwa si hisi KABISA Uwepo wa Bwana pale!

Ibaada hiyo iliendelea kwa kiasi cha saa mmoja na kwa wakati huo mimi nilifikiri kuwa labda ni wakati mzuri wa kumwomba Baba. Mimi nikamwuliza Bwana, "Je, unamaoni gani kuhusu ibaada hii?"

Bwana akasema, "NZURI, SANA SANA!"

Mimi nikadhania kuwa hili lilikuwa jambo nzuri kwa hiyo mimi nikaamua niendelee kuomba zaidi. Kwa vile mimi sikuwa mrefu sana, mimi nilikuwa sioni mbele vizuri kwa sababu wale walioko mbele yangu wote walikuwa warefu. Kwa hiyo mimi nikaamua kukaa na kuomba. Naam, wakati wa maombi yangu; huku nikiwa nimezungukwa na watu waliokuwa wamesimama, mimi nilikuwa nimezama na kuridhika na hali ya pale na pia maombi, na huku nikiwa ninahisi Uwepo Wake Bwana. Kisha bila ya onyo mimi nikaanza kusikia sauti ya ajabu ajabu ikiwa inatokea kwenye kipaaza sauti cha pale na ikiwa inamsifu Bwana. Sauti ambayo ilikuwa inaendelea kusema Amina, Amina tena na tena. Na mara uwepo wa Bwana ukaondoka! Na wakati ilipokuwa inaendelea mimi niliweza kuona uso wa yule aliyekuwa kwenye hicho kipaaza sauti, na alikuwa ni (nadhani) Mchungaji msaidizi. Katika muda wa dakika kumi tu hivi; akafanya kila mtu apeleke fedha zao kama matoleo ya sadaka ya ibaada. Kisha, wakaendelea na muziki baada ya matoleo, lakini mimi nilikuwa si hisi uwepo wa Bwana tena. Bwana alikuwa ameondoka na kulikuwa na muziki tu wa kujifurahisha.

Kwa hiyo baada ya dakika 15 hivi ya muziki; walimtambulisha Nabii muhubiri. Mimi huyo mhubiri nilikuwa sijawahi kumsikia, naye alijitahidi kufundisha. Mimi sielewi alipata wapi mafundisho yake, lakini alikuwa akifundisha nadharia ambayo iko mpakani mwa mambo ya Kizazi Kipya “New Age” na Ukristo.

Mimi nilianza kujisikia vibaya kutokana na mafundisho yake hayo; kiasi ambacho nikamnong’onezea Carl kuwa, "Mimi simwamini mtu huyu!"

Pamoja na kuwa huyo mhubiri alikuwa akizungumza kwa sauti kubwa sana, nami nikiwa nimenong’ona, sielewi jinsi watu fulani waliokuwa mbele yetu walivyo sikia kile nilicho mnongonezea Carl, lakini wawili wao wakanigeukia mimi mara kadhaa nakuniangalia kwa macho ya chuki. Kana kwamba mimi nilisema maneno ya kukufuru – ingawa yote niliyo sema ni kuwa mimi nilikuwa siamini anacho sema mtu huyo. Baadaye kwenye gari, Carl alisema yeye alikuwa amedakwa kwenye hali ile ya pale na KWA KWELI alikuwa hasikilizi kile huyo mtu alicho kuwa anakifundisha. Yeye alisema, "Ray naamini ulisema sawa kuwa mhubiri yule katika mafundisho yake yuko kati ya nadharia ya kizazi kipya “New Age” na ana tumia Biblia kufanya hivyo."

Nadhani kile mimi ninacho jaribu kuwaonyesheeni ni jinsi mimi nilivyo pambana na aina mbili ya mapepo nyumbani na kanisani. Huyu nabii naamini alikuwa hafundishi kutoka kwenye roho iliyo sahihi. Alikuwa anafundisha kuwa Wakristo wajisifu na watumie utukufu wa kibinadamu; ili kumwokoa binadamu pamoja na kanisa la Bwana. Hapakuwa na lolote linalotajwa kuhusu nafasi ya uongozi wa Roho Mtakatifu katika Kanisa!   Ila inatajwa kuwa ni wajibu wa binadamu kunyoosha Mwili wa Kristo. Mapepo huja kwa sura mbali mbali na wanaenda maeneo mbali mbali na hapa ni aina mbili ambayo nilikumbana nayo katika wiki hii.