Demonized Man Speaks “Jesus!”

Demonized Man Speaks “Jesus!”

A demonized man came and sat down at the table beyond us. He was young, cropped with black hair, and dark in complexion. In fact, darkness seemed the aura around him. With face contorted, he appeared angry and slightly unkempt. He walked uprightly supported by a cane. An older man, who we later learned was his father, accompanied the demonized man.

Before the Demonized Man Entered the Restaurant

We were seated at a table in an open door restaurant in Bernal, Mexico. My wife and I, along with our friends, Lino and Cathy Padilla, were enjoying a meal and catching up on the news when the man and his father appeared. Something tugged on my mind to go over and pray for this man. As I continued to discreetly observe his dark demeanor, I became increasingly convinced he was oppressed by demons.

Being rather quiet and reserved by nature, I resisted the impulse to minister with the fellow. We kept visiting with our friends, but the prompting to pray with the demonized man didn’t leave.

I was Scared

To say I was scared is accurate. It is not my nature do do what I kept thinking God wanted me to do. Further, I didn’t know what would happen. Hesitation prevailed, and that was OK with me. At least for a while. But the Holy Spirit is relentless . . . .

The Tipping Point

Our meal was over. I knew I had to go one way or the other: Get up and get out — or get up and go over and talk with the demonized man. The tipping point came when I realized our friend Lino was a native-born Spanish-speaker. He is also a gifted evangelist who may have even seen someone rise from the dead as he prayed for a girl on a street. With Lino around, I decided to go for it.

What Happened as We Began to Pray for the Demonized Man

“May we pray with you?” (That’s a common question for Chicken Evangelists.) I addressed him, more as an announcement than a question. He looked startled, but something in his response suggested openness. We immediately began to proclaim the blood of Jesus over the demonized man.

The War

Some might say, “All hell broke loose.” I prefer to say, “All heaven broke loose!”  I was loud. The neighboring tables emptied quickly. We said to the man, “Say, ‘Jesus!’” The demonized man began to say “Jesus!” as best he could. The young man contorted his mouth and began to try with utmost effort to speak. His one word sounded like, “Jash-sus.” But he was smiling, shouting this one word loudly with mighty effort.

What Happened with the Man?

I don’t altogether know what actually happened with the young man. Was he  delivered in total or in part?  I’m not sure. He spoke only the one word — the name of Jesus. What I do know is a major change took place. He became jubilant! He was happy and excited!

God was glorified in at least 3 ways. I obeyed God. The man became grateful and exuberantly joyful. God chased away a demon.  Moreover, the young man spoke “Jesus!”

I wish we could follow up on this young man. There’s more, but he had made a start. Better, God had made a start.

Why talk with strangers? Why practice chicken evangelism? Because Jesus did. As a matter of fact, nearly all of Jesus’ outreach was with strangers. Check it out. How many times can you think of where Jesus evangelized His friends? Christ is in us, and we’re in Him. By His grace (and it takes grace) we do what He does.