Dealing with Spirits in the Philippines

Dealing with Spirits: 

Dealing with Spirits Spiritual Warfare and Folk Religions No Laughing Matter Not a TV story! No place for glory – just messy!

Location of Topic in our Spiritual Pilgrimage: 

Location of Topic in our Spiritual Pilgrimage In our first session on the spiritual journey, one of the elements is that we are at war with the world (Rom 12:1,2; 1 John 2:15-17), the flesh (Rom 7) and the Devil (1 John 4:4). The world: in modern terminology would be equivalent to human culture – the falleness of humanity reflected in collective structure, values, authorities. The flesh: a Greek term that Paul uses as the basis for discussion of our internal struggle with sin The Devil: an ancient enemy, classically understood to be a fallen archangel of great power, under whom are other angels. The phrase may mean the Devil himself or one of the lesser demons. Each of these battles is different, requiring different weapons and strategies.

The Mandate: 

The Mandate Evil spirits exist (read Jesus, watch Hollywood, read anthropology and folk religions) Satan was vanquished at the cross, but before the full number come in to the Kingdom, the Lord delays, so a cosmic warfare continues. He and his spirits wait to go to the place prepared for them. They prefer to remain and hide and to dwell in people and places. They can be cast out, and as we go preaching we are commanded to do so. They can be sent to the place prepared for them

A Gospel Presentation: 

A Gospel Presentation How do you move from being subject to the Spirits to freedom and power over the spirits?

Filipino Levels of Spiritual Power: 

Filipino Levels of Spiritual Power Cultural A high God, inaccessible, capricious Mediating Powers Spirits that can be appeased Aswang Mediums , albularyos who can appease and protect through particular powers granted by spirits Human Beings living in fear Duwende (Dwarves), Elfs , Trolls who trouble or help as they determine, but need to be appeased Spirits in nature – trees, buildings, rivers

Filipino Catholic Synthesis of Power: 

Filipino Catholic Synthesis of Power Cultural Catholic A high God, inaccessible, capricious Mediating Powers Mary Saints A dead Christ Spirits that can be appeased Aswang Mediums , albularyos who can appease and protect through particular powers granted by spirits Human Beings living in fear Dwarfs, Elfs , Trolls who trouble or help as they determine Wattah Wattah festival for St John the Baptist

Filipino Levels of Spiritual Power: 

Filipino Levels of Spiritual Power Kingdom of God God is over all, external to all, Christ is mediator between man and God Archangels: Michael, Gabriel Orders of Angels Human Beings in Christ, victorious Fallen Angels, Demons, Spirits Satan is fallen archangel Aswang Duwende Human Beings without Christ Cultural A high God, inaccessible, capricious Mediating Powers Mary Saints , Christ Spirits that can be appeased Aswang Mediums , albularyos who can appease and protect through particular powers granted by spirits Human Beings living in fear Dwarfs, Elfs , Trolls who trouble or help as they determine Mary Saints were holy but have no power

A Gospel Presentation: 

A Gospel Presentation How do you move from being subject to the Spirits to freedom and power over the spirits? Trust that in the cross Jesus blood vanquished Satan 1 John 4:4 Receive Christ’s spirit who overcomes the world Repent of any dealings with the Spirits Put away any charms, amulets, bracelets, idols Renounce any dedication to the Spirits Command any spirits to depart from house, family, self

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Transforming Cultural Beliefs About God Now apply this to some beliefs on next slide

PowerPoint Presentation: 

Filipino Value Systems - How do you define spiritual growth from within these values?

How is Authority Transmitted: 

How is Authority Transmitted Inherent in Conversion? Laying on of Hands? Divine Choice? Divine Encounter in Prayer and Fasting ?

Simple Steps in Deliverance: 

Simple Steps in Deliverance Discernment Teamwork – some have discernment, some have authority Authority – invite the Holy Spirit’s presence and power, ask him to show you what to do, listen to the Spirit speaking through each one. Process There is no magical formula or process However these are usual steps Discern the nature of the spirit (may be from the person himself or others, or through the manifestation) Ask the Lord’s presence Bind the spirit (so it will do no harm and be quiet) Ask the victim to renounce it and to repent of anything that has caused its entrance Command the Spirit by name (its nature) to depart to the place prepared for it. (Rev 20:2,10). Absolution: Confirming to the victim their forgiveness and their victory in Christ Training in Resistance: Using the Word. Resisting the Devil with commands (James 4:7). Its messy

Power Encounters: 

Power Encounters A missions anthropology theory developed by Alan Tippett at Fuller Seminary, expanded by Kraft, Wagner and others. In the conversions of people groups there is often a point where the ruling deity or spirit over the people is challenged by the apostle in a public confrontation. The defeat of that Spirit, opens the door for the whole people to then turn to follow Christ, the vanquishing power. The Biblical story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal is a classic example. Acts 19 is an interesting chapter that shows various dynamics of power encounters, yet does not end with a clear outcome. Similar dramatic turnings of whole peoples to Christ may occur at dramatic points of cultural reconcillation (See John Dawson’s work), or pubic repentance – at times sparked by an economic or natural catastrophe Read the articles on: Tippett , A. (1971). People Movements in Southern Polynesia . Chicago, Moody Bible Institute. Dawson, J. (1996). The Massacre. Healing America's Wounds . Ventura, Regal Books.

A Shepherd in the Mist: 

A Shepherd in the Mist It was Christmas in Calcutta. We were celebrating. I had given lights to this bustee family. As Hindu neighbors came to see the lights, we would tell them a little of the Christmas story. I asked a 78-year-old man: “How do you know God? I mean really know God?” I knew that there were many nominal Christians who have never really known God, and I wanted to discover more about this man’s faith. “Let me tell you a story,” he said. “Eighteen years ago, I was climbing a mountain with my baby daughter in my arms. Some mist came, and in the mist I became trapped, unable to move up or down. “Suddenly in the mist a big man appeared, leaning on a staff. He helped me put my foot on the next step and then the next until we arrived at the top of the mountain where the rest of my family was watching. I reached into my pocket to give him two rupees for his help, but when I looked up, suddenly . . . .he was gone!” “From that time,” he said, “I have known the Shepherd.” God had reached into the slums and revealed himself. But nobody in the 18 years since had come to tell more about how to follow that Shepherd!

The Spirit and Justice for the Poor: 

The Spirit and Justice for the Poor In the last phrase of Luke 4:18, we find Jesus speaking of bringing in an age of justice, the age of the kingdom—a time when equality will reign, when the poor will be uplifted and the rich brought low. He had been cursed by a tribal enemy. As he died, he had a conversation with Jesus, who told him to go back to the living, for it was not his time yet. He must go and minister to the poor. He began to pray for the sick. Lame, deaf, and blind were healed. Once, he raised a man from the dead. During a rebellion, the leaders of both sides would come to him, for he had become known as a holy man. He encouraged the police not to fire, not to use real bullets. He encouraged negotiations. He helped develop trade unions to deal with the fundamental cause of the rebellion — the loss of the people’s ecological environment through open-caste copper mining. The man or woman who knows the Spirit will often be the man or woman whom God chooses to effect justice.

A STORY OF THE SPIRIT'S WORK: 

A STORY OF THE SPIRIT'S WORK Two weeks ago, I went to call Dtoey , BuRuam , and Maidtrii to come join us for the Monday meal and to sing " malaam " music with us. They and some other men were sitting around drinking in BuRuam's house. They asked if we had whiskey at my house. I said, "No, but we've got oysters, fish, sticky rice, papaya salad and a kan and a glong ( Isaan music instruments)." They refused to come on the grounds that we didn't have any whiskey. After I left and went back to the house, BuRuam later came and joined us. He shared a testimony of how after I had left him, he couldn't drink anymore. He would try to, but whenever he would take a sip, he would just cough it up. He felt God must have supernaturally inhibited him from drinking anymore because he wanted him to come to this meeting. He said he got goose bumps all over as he entered the meeting and knew something was up here. I've never know him to be particularly open to the gospel (in fact, they had just organized a big party out front of the community the night before for the occasion of his son's entering the Buddhist monkhood for 3 months), but he praised God effusively then. Last week, he was the first adult to show up to our gathering. Dave von Stroh, Bangkok

References: 

References Wimber , John, Power Evangelism, San Franciso : Harper and Row, 1993 Boa, K. (2001). Warfare with the Flesh and the World. Conformed to his Image . Grand Rapids, Zondervan : 325-338. Grigg, V. (1993). "Intercessors and Cosmic Urban Spiritual Warfare." International Journal of Frontier Missions 10:4(Oct 1993). Herbert, P. G. Spiritual Warfare and Worldview-chapter 11. Incarnational Ministry : pp 163-177 Chapter 11. ---- The Flaw of the Excluded Middle. Jocano , F. L. (1969). The Coming of the Gods. Outline of Philippine Mythology . Philippines, Capitol Publishing House. Koch, K. (1967). Between Christ and Satan . 7501 Burghausen Blvd, Western Germany, Evangelization Publishers. --- (1994a). Black and White Magic. Christian Counselling and Occultism . Grand Rapids, Kregel . --- (1994b). Christian Counselling and Occultism . Grand Rapids, Kregel . Murphy, E. (1996). Six Sin Areas and the Possible Demonization of Christians. The Handbook for Spiritual Warfare . Nashville, TN, Thomas Nelson. Nee, W. (1972). Spiritual Authority . NY, Christian Fellowship Publishers. Wagner, C. P. (1992). Warfare Prayer . Ventura, Regal.