Tag: Spiritual darkness

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A Christian in Thailand

I had been wanting to go to Thailand since forever! I can remember as a child, it seemed as if every product, toy or candy was labeled, made in Thailand. I envisioned a tropical island with colorful flowers, sandy beaches, and people lounging on hammocks all day, sipping fruity drinks out of coconuts. Thailand…it sounded so exotic! And, it was very fascinating to me that these products came all the way from across the world to my local stores.  

Thai coconut ice cream
             

Fast forward to now as an adult. Because of the foodie in me, and a penchant to try foods from different countries, I was reacquainted with Thailand. The first Thai dish I tried is still my favorite: Pad Thai! It was love at first bite!  Moreover, Thailand has become quite the popular tourist destination in recent years. Many of my friends have made the trek some 8,000 miles or so across the world, and they’ve all come back telling me how fun, lively and exciting it was! Not to mention all the shopping they’d done and all the great deals they found at rocket bottom prices! It’s settled, I’m going one day, I quipped! 

A few years later, the time, or shall I say times came, but both trips fell through. Quite disappointed, I thought Ok, am I ever going to get to go to Thailand. While complaining to God over the mishaps, a thought came to me, did you ask God should you go. What? Ask God? As a Christian, it didn’t even dawn on me to ask God should I take a trip. I’m so used to taking off and running when I make a decision about something, without first ensuring if it is God’s will. I was then reminded of the Buddhist culture there and the many temples and idol worship in Thailand.

God has taught me over the years, that there are different hierarchies of spirits reigning over different regions of the world. If you pay close attention you will notice that different cities, states, countries have strongholds presiding over it. Whether it’s terrorist groups, abject poverty, violence, drug smuggling etc. I believe that behind the scenes of these problems are demonic entities. I have discerned many different spirits at work over many places I have traveled. And, some places the spiritual warfare was so heavy, I was very uncomfortable and miserable the whole time I was there and it required deep prayer! 
Beloved, no two Christian walks are the same. I had a Christian friend who went to Thailand, and like others, she came back with nothing but rave reviews! That made me even more excited to go! Well, another opportunity came last month for me to make the voyage. So I began to pray over my Thailand trip and asked God for direction, protection and guidance. After enduring 21 plus hour flights, I was finally on Thai soil! We were met at the airport with warm greetings and welcoming smiles. The Thai people are very hospitable, and only in Thailand am I regarded a Ma-damme! Ha! We arrived at our hotel in Sukhumvit, downtown Bangkok close to midnight. Exhausted and in search of food, the streets were alive and full of action. There were so many people out and about in the wee hours of the morning, it reminded me of Times Square in New York City! There was an excess of bars, clubs, restaurants, and to my surprise, street food vendors. Needless to say I had my first sampling of authentic Thai food, and I was not disappointed!  

 


Upon taking the MRT metro train back that night to the area we were staying in, I wondered had we taken a wrong turn, or went down the wrong street. There seemed to be prostitutes on every corner, including a plethora of transgender sex workers, genitalia statues, T-shirts, key rings, and magnets. There were legalized (or so I was told) sexual enhancement pills sold by street vendors, condoms and, sex toys were openly displayed on vendors’ tables…What?! Either I was too hungry or too tired the night before when we arrived, and didn’t notice this. My whole time in Thailand, this was synonymous everywhere we went. As I continued walking down the crowded street, I felt a hand straddle the small of my back and backside, you’ve got to be kidding me! I turned around and yelled! It was a septuagenarian Westerner claiming to be shielding me from getting bumped into! Yea right! He profusely apologized. 

Which segue’s me into the ubiquity of the many older Caucasian men with very young looking Thai women. There was one couple checking into a hotel, and the girl looked like she was no more than 14-years-old! My heart wept. The culture shock had finally hit me! I did not expect to see an explosion of this type of activity in the central part of Bangkok, but in the more infamous Nana Red Light District, which I’ve  heard so much about. 
That night at the hotel, I just couldn’t stop thinking about what I had seen. It made me realize how blessed I am to be born in a country with a flourishing economy, where a woman has many opportunities to provide for herself and her family in a way that does not demoralize, demean, or devalue her. 
The next few days consisted of touring the country. One of our stops along the way was in Damneon Saduak in Ratchaburi province. We stopped by the elephant riding, Chang Puak camp.  

 Beloved, I have watched many videos and have read about how these elephants are taken away from its families at a very young age in order to be trained to entertain tourists. The training is conducted by the elephants being savagely beaten with bullhooks on the forehead, limbs, and shoulders, and being chained up by themselves for hours at a time for the luxury of tourists wanting pictures riding on them. This cruel and inhumane treatment causes the animals physical ailments, and some literally go crazy.  
Chang Puak Camp
I do not condone animal cruelty, so I choose to feed it instead of ride on it. Later, on a boat ride through the floating market we stopped at a temple. As a Christian, I could not assign myself to go inside the temple, so I admired its history and architecture from afar. At the trip’s end, my friend’s and I discussed the aforementioned, and we all agreed that some of it was a bit unsettling.  

In summation, there was a reason my first two trips didn’t pan out. I thought I was going to Thailand to have fun and share good times with friends. But God had a different plan. He had to prepare me for what I was about to experience. As a person on a spiritual journey, how often do I forget that God direct’s my path for His will. God allowed me to see through the eyes of the spirit, as opposed to eyes of the flesh. I realized that’s why my trip was so different from the people who had gone to Thailand before me. And, I am most thankful for that! It brings me from a place of subjection to objection, from selfishness, to selflessness. To be open to the concerns of our brothers and sisters globally. There are strongholds over this beautiful country that need to be broken: fishing slavery business, idol worship, mammon, child sex trafficking and the remanent of the sex trade, birthed by American soldiers during World War II, that grew exponentially during the Vietnam war; and sadly, remains perpetuated by Westerners to this day. 

In contrast, I love the genuine and sincere hospitality of the people of Thailand. However, like any other city or country there are a few people who may try to take advantage of you. More, I love the architecture, the shopping; spending wisely, you can get more bang for your buck in Thailand! I love the exotic foods and desserts, and being able to have access to organic, locally grown fresh fruits and veggies! You can literally taste the freshness in each bite!     

  
According to Operation World’s (A Global evangelical organization) statistical data, the percentage of Christians in Thailand is 1.10%. That is a very low number. Beloved, the laborers are few but the harvest is plenty. Luke 10:2

There is a spiritual need in Thailand. You may be asking, “what can I do?” Pray! What I love about prayer is that it reaches the far ends of the world without you ever having to leave the comforts of your home! Won’t you join me? In your prayer time please remember to pray for Thailand. Please pray that God sends the laborers. 

-Puja Nagual
 
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Christians in the church consulting psychics

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? (1 Corinthians 10:21, 22)

When I first met *Tina she seemed very eager and hungry for the word of God. She was promptly at every church service, Bible study and workshop; Bible in hand, ears as alert as a dog anxiously awaiting its masters command. I must say I was quite impressed with her fervor to know the word of the Lord. Tina was very humble, and personable and her joy for the Lord easily led to our fellowshipping after church. Being a “babe” in Christ, as time went on I found myself offering counsel to Tina in areas of her life that she was struggling with. Some of those areas we covered meticulously in the word and prayer; others fasting was suggested and scripture was given to study. But for some reason Tina was not getting a breakthrough. One night Tina started talking about problems concerning her health, and went on to say that it was spoken to her that she would suffer years of sickness. Baffled, asked her to elaborate. She then confided in me that she had sought out psychics earlier on in her life. I reassured her with the word of God then told her that there is no condemnation regarding mistakes she made in her past, reiterating Romans 8:1. She was still unsettled. Her anxiousness emanated from across the table as that of a child needing to tell a bad secret. “Ya know, I have been seeing psychics up until recently she said firmly, and they all tell me the same thing: that I’m destined to a life of sickness and suffering.” I shouted, “don’t believe it! That’s a lie from the enemy!” He comes to lie, kill and steal! But she kept saying if it’s not true how can they possibly all tell me the same thing? I said because even though you are seeing a physical person, it is the same spirit operating from person to person; the spirit of death sent from satan himself to try to convince you to believe you are going to die. And he is doing that by confirmation. My heart went out to Tina. All these years she was believing this lie. Saints, sometimes we can worry ourselves sick albeit we are perfectly healthy, because of a word of death spoken over our lives. Don’t believe it! Who’s report will you believe, God’s or satan’s? I was so overwhelmed with Tina’s story I felt compelled to write her a visual guide, lined up with the word of God, to study whenever she starts to think that way. Furthermore, I reprimanded her to cease immediately from consulting any form of psychics or soothsayers. I reminded her of the commandment God gave to Moses regarding the Israelites In Leviticus 19:31 “Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.” I advised Lisa to study Romans 8:1-6, and the following is an outline that was given:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

**When we came to Christ all our sins were washed away by His blood! Moreover, the packs/curses that were made against our life were broken. Hallelujah! God does not condemn us with guilt, that’s satan’s tactic. Furthermore, God would never speak damnation over our life .

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

**Through the death of Jesus Christ who was crucified on the cross we have been delivered from the former sins (in this case consulting psychics) that condemned us and that was leading us to death. Through Jesus’ death we are no longer under the curse of the law; worldly laws as well as religious laws. The only requirement for a believer is to accept His grace by Faith! He has freed our spirits from all demonic, generational curses and from death perpetuated by the enemy. (Satan’s lies of sickness, disease, physical death). However, we have to apply this FAITH and really believe we are free and we MUST speak it over our life!

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh,

**Worldy law cannot appease the spirit man. When we operate in worldly law and follow after/worship its idols we are left with feelings of emptiness, desperation and hopelessness. Worldly law operates in the flesh. In contrast, spiritual law operates in the supernatural realm, edifying the soul.

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

**When we give our life to GOD He determines His will for us. Therefore satan’s ordered plans and assignments on our life are null and void! Hallelujah! Its God who has the ultimate say over our life and breaks the curse of darkness! That His kingdom work will be carried out through us. We must walk according to what God & His word says, not according to satan’s cunning lies and the workers of his kingdom whom he uses to deliver his messages. He is the ultimate deceiver! Anything that doesn’t come from God/Bible/Christian Kingdom, DO NOT BELIEVE IT! DO NOT ACCEPT IT/ENTERTAIN IT IN YOUR SPIRIT! It is all lies from the master of darkness. He assigns the same spirits to different workers in his kingdom to try to make you believe it’s the truth because it’s the same message, but always remember what source it’s coming from! His goal is to slowly weaken God’s people to destroy their faith with lies so he can wipe out God’s servants

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

**When you are in the flesh, because of fear, impatience, despair you consult psychics/fortune tellers. We have to repent of our sins and pray and ask God to deliver us from dependence on man and carnal ways of thinking. We have to pray and ask God for an intimate relationship with Him. Our minds have to be renewed in His spirit! Amen! God speaks directly to us, we do not have to go to any out side source!

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
**Seeking after fortune tellers brings death: spiritual, emotional, and even financial death. Many people spend thousands of dollars seeking out these mediums often leaving more disturbed then when they first arrived. It’s a spirit of torment and restlessness, and you are entering into soul ties with the powers of darkness. You are dancing with the devil, allowing him to pour forth any lie to you that he wants. It’s not your future that’s being predicted, it’s his lie that he is trying to get you to believe. Unfortunately many people believe it and accept it as truth, even some christians! It’s a scheme, a hoax designed by the enemy to keep you coming back, spending more and more money while bankrupting your soul! Only God can give us the fruits of the spirit which are love, joy, peace.
*Name changed to protect identity

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