Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!
DEMONIC CONFRONTATION
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Traveling through a land of spiritual darkness like Java, it was inevitable that Lester would face demonic spirits protesting the message of Jesus Christ. Still a young man, he really wasn’t prepared for such intense spiritual warfare.
Acts 10:38 says, “Jesus...went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil.” At a revival service one evening in Java, Lester had his first encounter with demon possession.
As the song service proceeded, a young girl about twelve years old slipped away from the front pew, where she had been sitting with her family, got on the floor, laid on her belly, and “began to writhe on the floor like a snake foaming at the mouth.” Her tongue would flick in and out like a serpent’s as she slithered back and forth in the front of the church. Lester was horrified at what he saw, but the Javanese pastor continued on with worship as though nothing unusual was happening.
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Lester had never been a shy man. When he stood in the pulpit to speak, righteous anger rose up in his spirit. He pointed at the young lady, who understood no English, and commanded her, “Get back in your seat!” Immediately, she sat back in her seat and remained there, sitting as still as a statue, for the entire sermon.
As Lester preached, he was also having a private conversation with the Lord. He asked God to take care of the problem of the little, demon-possessed girl. He didn’t know what to do with her. The Lord answered him clearly, “This is your problem. You take care of it!” Never having dealt with the occult before, but knowing that, in Christ, he had authority, Lester finished his sermon. Immediately afterward, he leaned over the pulpit, looked at the young girl sitting rigidly before him, and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Now come out of her!”
Lester never touched the little girl or had any conversation with the demons wrestling within her. But, in a moment, the Spirit of the Lord descended on her. Her eyes became clear, and a sweet smile lit up her face. She was unaware of where she was or what had happened. As the Javanese pastor explained to her that she had just been freed from an evil spirit, she danced around with joy.
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As if on cue, hundreds of people in the congregation stood up and streamed to the altar, trusting in the God of power for salvation, healing, and deliverance. For hours, Lester prayed with those at the altar, but he was still shaken by what had happened.
Howard Carter had been teaching at another church and had not been present at Lester’s meeting. Back in Lester’s room later that night, Howard reassured him that he had handled the entire situation well, according to the Word of God. Just the same, Lester hoped with all his heart that it would never happen again!
Unfortunately for him, there were other demonic conflicts in Java before they left. Lester remarked afterward, “The greatest thing I learned was that I was not personally in the conflict. It was Christ in me. Also, it was not the person who caused the battle, but the devil within him or her.”
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When Lester and Howard ministered together in Java, the results were powerful. Thousands of Javanese were saved and received the baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of Howard’s hands. When Lester ministered to them, many would be instantly healed of their diseases and would give their hearts to Christ. Like Paul and Timothy, this duo of ministers made an impression for Christ wherever they walked.
Pastor F. Van Abkoude summed up the success of Lester Sumrall and Howard Carter’s three months of ministry in Java, saying, “We prayed God to send a messenger, and Brother Carter came to Java with Brother Sumrall....Souls have been saved, healed, and baptized with the Holy Spirit. The result of their ministry will be seen in eternity.”
- God’s Generals ( The Healing Evangelists)
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