I Want to Be a Sheep (Part 3 of 5)

So, where were we? Oh yeah. People were fainting over the democratic candidate and he said something about creating a Kingdom on earth, both of which prompted me to begin discussing politics and other important issues with friends, which led me to wonder, “Am I really just an old stick in the mud for believing in absolute truth?” To answer my own question, I turned to my pal Google and researched moral relativism, New Age, and some book called “A Course in Miracles”, which led me to ask, “How do I know the Jesus I worship is not some dusty out-dated version that’s just plain wrong. What if the ‘Jesus’ in ‘A Course in Miracles’ in the right one?” Then, I smelled a rat and I named him Satan.

But then I had another thought: “How do I even know true Jesus exists?”

What if there is no true Jesus, no false Jesus? No Jesus at all? What if the “Jesus” and the spirits that are talking to all these mediums are not spirits at all? What if the spirits are no more than figments of their imaginations who happen to be named Jesus now and again because…well…it’s sort of a well known name? So I googled some more.

As I was researching “A Course in Miracles” I ran across the testimony of a man named Warren Smith who had immersed himself in its teaching. In his book, “The Light That Was Dark”, Warren explains how his wife, Joy, was being harassed by a man who was highly proficient in astral projection. To combat this harassment, they applied the teachings they’d learned from “A Course in Miracles”, including visualization, surrounding the entire situation in light, sending the harasser blessings. Nothing worked.

With his wife under continued spiritual attack, Warren began to seek alternative solutions. He picked up a book called “The Beautiful Side of Evil” by Johanna Michaelsen. He read it and decided to apply some of its teaching. One day when his wife was under siege by the unwelcome spirit, he quoted directly from Michaelsen’s book: “Satan, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you to be gone! I forbid your presence here. I claim the protection of the blood of Jesus upon us. Go where Jesus sends you!” Immediately, the oppressive spirit left Joy. Warren says the uninvited spirit left Joy whenever they called on the name of Jesus Christ.

Admittedly, the above paragraph creeps me out a bit. The only time I have messed with the spirit world on purpose was via a Ouija board, and I’ve grown to regret even that. I’ve never “seen a ghost”, never talked to a spirit, and I don’t want to experience either of those things. So, I really don’t even enjoy writing about this, but I am because I think it is important.

Warren and Joy Smith are not the only people to be delivered from spiritual harassment by calling on the name of Jesus. Others have tried this method with good results. Google led me to an article by woman named Sharon Beekman. It originally appeared in “Today’s Christian” magazine in 1997, and is now archived online. I will summarize her article and quote a portion of it; however, the entire article is well worth the read.

Interested in the spirit realm, Sharon learned how to contact and channel her “spirit guides”. After awhile, however, she no longer wanted to engage in this activity and she let her spirit guides know. All but one of the guides respected her wishes and left her alone. The remaining guide was not ready to leave. In fact, he informed her he was going to start controlling her instead. Sharon endured this spirit’s uninvited presence for quite some time, trying repeatedly, but failing to rid herself of it. Finally, she went to talk to a Christian pastor.

A week later I met with a Presbyterian minister, David Stark, and one of his prayer ministers, Carrie. After praying for God to bless our time together, David began explaining a tiny pamphlet, "Steps to Peace with God," by Billy Graham.

"This recounts what God did for us," David explained. "He intended for us to know peace, but the Bible tells us …"

Suddenly, the demons unleashed their scorn of the Bible inside me: "Naive, simple-minded, unthinking people read that book! The final word from God?" I strained to hear the pastor through their vulgar expletives and finally asked, "Would you repeat what you just said again, please?"

"Yes, I'd be happy to. Are they bothering you?"

"Yes, but please go on."

(. . .)

"Confess your sins and ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior."

I prayed, "Lord Jesus Christ, I confess that I have sinned against you. Please forgive me. I want you to be Lord and Savior of my life. Amen."

I knew I was free. Although the demons still had the ability to harass my mind and body, they no longer controlled me. Jesus Christ lived within me and promised to protect and restore me. When or how he would do this no longer concerned me; I just knew he would as I followed him.

I cried my relief—I had found the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. Now I could fight back using the weaponry supplied by God: prayer and Scripture. I belonged to Jesus Christ now, and in time the demons' harassment would cease.

Now, that makes me stop and think. Pretty heavy reading and sobering stuff.

So. Does Jesus exist? Is He real? Is He truly divine? I know what I think, but what do you think?

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” James 2:19 NIV

“When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.” Matthew 8:16 NIV

Part 4 won’t be this creepy. Or this long. And I might even talk about sheep.