Even when doctors can’t help.
Davao City, Philippines
“We can’t help her. She is demon possessed. You can take her home now,” the doctor’s proclaimed. On the way home, in hopes to find help for their nanny, the young Filipino couple took 18 year old, Jasmine, by the Catholic church for the priest to pray over her. As they stood before the priest, the demon took control of Jasmine’s body and said out loud to the priest, “You are a liar!”
The next day is when we received the call requesting help to pray for Jasmine. Myself and a friend walked to the employer’s house where Jasmine was staying only a mile away. Jasmine’s father had just arrived from a remote village to take her back home, so we spent some time chatting with him before entering the house.
Less than a year ago Jasmine traveled from her remote village to work as a nanny for a Filipina lady in the city. The employer needed Jasmine to care for her 7 month old baby boy. Jasmine was integrating well into the family up until three days ago when she started uncontrollably convulsing. The doctors couldn’t help and the Catholic priest couldn’t help. Jasmine’s employer didn’t trust her to stay with her baby anymore, so her only choice was to send her back home.
Jasmine’s father shared, “The Catholic priest visited us a few hours ago to pray again to get rid of the demon. Still, it remains, so I’m taking her back home.” He continued to share as we asked questions about their family history, “Yes, we have a family history of seeking help from witchdoctors. About two years ago when my daughter was 16 years old, she went to a witch because her friends were doing it.” As we stood outside talking to the father, we could hear the demon screaming, growling and violently making noises inside the house.
Before we could pray with Jasmine, we needed to pray for the father. We explained generational sin and the curse that was upon their life due to their involvement in witchcraft. He understood, repented and renounced all involvement, power and curses that were upon him and his family.
What we saw next as we entered the home was sad.
Jasmine was tied to a wooden frame with strips of bed sheets. The demon was violently convulsing within her small frame. Her eyes were rolled back in her head as screams came fiercely out of her mouth. Jasmine had no control over her body any longer, the demon had fully possessed her and she was unable to speak to us. It seemed as if the demon’s behavior became more forceful as we entered the room. The demon obviously was not happy to see the presence of God walk in with us. It was trying to bite us and began to cleverly push the restraints around to attack us.
The employer explained how Jasmine had not eaten in days because they couldn’t remove the restraints from her hands and feet. Though she probably couldn’t harm anyone with her natural strength, the demon gave her power beyond that of 10 strong men.
After praying for Jasmine, the demon left and we were able to speak to her. She said, “They are gone. They went to the camp, but they told me they would return at 7:00 p.m.
The bible says, “When an evil spirit comes out of a (wo)man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go and live there. And the final condition of that (wo)man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” ~Matthew 12:43-45
Now that Jasmine was in control of her body we had to be sure she received Jesus as her Savior, which she did. We then began to share with her the authority and power she had in Jesus Christ to tell the demons not to return. She wasn’t convinced. She was so used to believing the lies the demons were telling her over God’s truth. Or conversation was interrupted at 6:30 pm, when the demon(s) took full control of Jasmine once again.
We asked the Lord what was preventing Jasmine from receiving her complete freedom. God revealed to us that there was something that was given to the family from a witchdoctor. It was in the room. This was the reason Jasmine was not able to be totally free of the demon(s) power. Soon, the father confessed that out of fear and panic, he had gone to a witchdoctor before coming to see his daughter. The witchdoctor said, “I cannot make the demon(s) leave, but I can give you these three things to help.” It was a piece of paper with a Latin curse written on it, a piece of an animal’s body with feathers on it and a cloth.
The other team member stayed with Jasmine to pray, as myself, the interpreter and the father went outside to burn the three items. He repented, and we broke the curses that came with them. As we returned in the house, everyone was so surprised at the three things that had changed…
The father looked like a new man. He had a smile on his face like he had been set free. (It’s normal for a person’s physically appearance to change after being delivered from the power of the enemy.)
The demon had silenced in Jasmine.
A new battle had started. The woman of the house was very mad because the father had burned the witchdoctor’s emblems. She was so mad that she sent for the witchdoctor.
Witchcraft in the Philippines is like television is in the USA. It’s so common. If you have never experienced the supernatural, and you go to a witchdoctor, then you quickly become a believer because of the power they receive from satan.
However, the power we possess as children of God is far greater than any power satan or his demons possess.
“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” ~ Luke 10:19
The father was a Christian but made a mistake by seeking the help of a witchdoctor out of fear for his daughter. He repented and broke the curses brought on his family as a result of his choices. Now, we asked him to pray over his daughter with us. Finally, Jasmine was set free from the demon(s) and she was able to speak. We took the restraints off of her and gave her something to drink and eat.
Thank you, Jesus!
The next day when we went to check on Jasmine, we found out that 30 minutes after we left, the witchdoctor showed up at the house. The owner of the house invited him in to get rid of the demon(s) in Jasmine. The witchdoctor said, “The demon(s) are gone.”
We explained to the Father and employer, who is a Christian, that the demon(s) will try to return. When they return, Jasmine has a right to tell it to leave in Jesus Name and it has to leave.
We found out the next day that the demon(s) did indeed try to return, but Jasmine told them to leave. Then she and her father left to return to their village. She was still free.
Mark 16:17 says, “And those who believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to force out demons. They will pick up snakes and drink poison without being hurt, they will touch the sick and the sick will be healed.” I give this same scripture to you today.
Be encouraged!! The same power that God has given us, He has given to you as a child of God. All you have to do is believe.
“And the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you…” ~ Romans 8:11
