Deliverance at Lunch Time

'Hey, I feel like I need to talk to you! When can we catch up? I'm only in the country for another week, so it'd need to be soon.'

'Ok, cool. How about we grab lunch together?'

What started as a simple invitation to reconnect turned into a life changing deliverance session. 

I hadn't seen Rachel* in almost two years and just out of the blue, we 'randomly' ran into each other in a different city than we met in! We both happened to be doing a Community Development Seminar based on biblical principles of 'Helping without Hurting in Africa'. (I highly recommend it)

Beyond this seminar, God had a divine moment waiting for both of us. 

For me, a moment of beautiful confirmation that this is what I'm called to do with my life and that God has instilled the skills in me to facilitate people encountering him in a life changing way.

For Rachel, a moment of instant freedom & deliverance where she feels like she can 'finally live again'- her words, not mine. 

It's moments like this that I realise the Kingdom of God lived out looks like making time & space for intimate conversations so that the Father can bring freedom to one of His kids.

I won't go into all of the details because it was an intense 2 hour long session full of vulnerability, tears and the presence of Jesus BUT I will share a couple wild bits with you.

My friend had fallen in love with a Christian guy... who's family was steeped in witchcraft. She shared story after story from the last 2 years of demonic visitation, physical symptoms of voodoo style witchcraft, and of hectic spiritual torment that she desperately wanted freedom from, but didn't know what to do. 

Cue Shelly & the Holy Spirit.

As Rachel is pouring out her heart, Holy Spirit is giving me insight into what's been operating in the spiritual realm and dropping into my mind the questions to ask in order to bring things into the light.

After 2 years of not knowing how to bring separation between her and this guy... we prayed through some soul ties- emotional, physical, spiritual connections they made, broke off the influence of witchcraft over her life and declared the blood of Jesus over her. 

It was wild. 

It was peaceful. 

It was the freedom Jesus died for. 

With swollen eyes, she just looked at me and said, 

'Wow- I feel like I can finally live again. I feel so light, so FREE. Just WOW!'

This is the power of Christ.

2 weeks later I followed up with Rachel to see how she was doing and to get her permission to share this incredible story of freedom and I was sooo encouraged by what she said! 

'After what happened, there was a freedom and deliverance but the story didn't end there. 

It's the end of what's been happening to me the last 2 years!' 

-Rachel

Luke 9:1-2

'Now Jesus called together the twelve [disciples] and gave them [the right to exercise] power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 

Then He sent them out [on a brief journey] to preach the kingdom of God and to perform healing.' (AMP)

*My friend's name has been changed out of respect and privacy of those involved. 

This Girl Has Changed!

This Girl.

This Girl has CHANGED.

At the beginning of the year, I met this beautiful, gentle, shy, kind-hearted girl. She was sweet and timid but with an attitude that said she has what it takes to take on the world!

She would always be the one lingering. You'd know she's around but she would MELT if all the attention was put on her.  

Exhibit A:

   February 2, 2023 One of our devotional sets in the YWAM Muiz Prayer Room here in Cape Town. 

But let me ask you this real quick. Did you even see the stunning girl at the back of the prayer room? As far back as she could be? Black dress, tan sweater. Right next to the door.

That's Kaylin. 

Kaylin came to do the School of Worship and Prayer with us in Jan 2023. What a hidden gem!

During the school we had this wild moment of absolute trust in Jesus when we all had to do something to step out of the fear of man, a 'freedom exercise'. 

For Kaylin, that meant singing in public. 

Where other people would hear her, see her, be focused on her. 

What an absolute nightmare!

BUT

She chose to STEP OUT OF FEAR! 

...Out of Fear of man, Fear of what others think of her, Fear of what her voice sounds like, Fear of making mistakes, Fear of being seen, the list could go on.  

As I started this freedom exercise with the school, with absolute trepidation, Kaylin grabbed the microphone out of my hand and said,

'If I don't go first, I'm never going to do this!' 

She is the one that took the first step to lead our whole school into this exercise of freedom.

And TONIGHT, she lead our entire community in worship!

Singing her heart out for all to hear, see and know how good our God truly is!

I have been blessed to be a part of her journey, her growth, her adventure in following Jesus and I am proud to see the woman she is becoming. 

Kaylin, YOU inspire me!

Exhibit B:

 November 2, 2023 - YWAM Muiz Base Worship / Community Night

Do you see her now? At the front of the stage, wearing a plaid shirt, arms lifted to Jesus and the sweetest song flowing from her very being? 

Yeah, that's Kaylin. 

An Altercation

'If you don’t get out of my parking space right now- you’ll regret it!’

‘This guys gotta be joking.’ I think to myself as I’m walking away from my car. 

‘Did you not hear me? I PROMISE YOU, if you don’t move your vehicle, it won’t be here when you come back.’

I’m clearly dumbfounded as I turn to the parking attendant who directed me to this empty space… ‘Do you hear this guy threatening me?’ ‘Did he really just say that to me?’ 

The woman who was honking her horn behind me pulled up angrily and started yelling at the man who’s now out of his car threatening me and my vehicle. 

She looks at me with sincerity and says, ‘He can’t just threaten you like that! You have to report him- he can’t do this to you!’ 

I look at her with trepidation, ‘I don’t know how to do that. Where do I go?’

With looks of concern from those observing what’s happening, I jump back into the safety of my car.

Shaky hands didn’t stop me from turning the ignition and getting out of this situation as quickly as possible. 

I just couldn’t get this guys face out of my mind or how he reversed into that space at high speeds in his silver VW GTI. 

This is the altercation I had in the parking lot of a mall in South Africa. 

This is NOT a common experience for me in this beautiful country which is why it shook me to the core all the more. 

It was just so… unexpected. Shocking. Threatening. 

I eventually found the security office and made a formal report of the incident. 

Thank you to the two security guards who walked me back to my car and inspected it. 

No damage was done BUT

Fear had crept into my heart. 

‘What if he retaliated, even though I gave him what he wanted?’

‘What if he’s there when I go back out to the parking lot?’

‘What if I see him again? Maybe next time won’t be just threats.’

Too many ‘What if’s…’ plagued my mind. 

Suspicion. Paranoia. High Alert. 

The capstones of trauma. 

I hope I never run into this guy again. 

I’m leaving the bank at the mall where this altercation had happened the day before and I look up to see my perpetrator standing JUST before the door I need to walk through in order to leave. 

I stop in my tracks.

What do I do?

He’s talking to someone on the phone, so if I’m careful, I could just sneak around him.

My heart’s beating but my spirit takes pause. 

Speak to him. 

Don’t hide in fear.

One step closer.

‘Hello. I think I took your parking space yesterday. Listen, I’m really sorry about that.’ 

Surprise covers HIS face this time as he hangs up from his phone call. 

‘No, it should be me apologising to you. I’m so sorry about how I spoke to you yesterday. This is what was going on with me. I had R250,000 in cash in the back of my car and if anything happened to it, I’d be responsible to pay it back! I’d been waiting for that spot in order to deposit all the cash and my stress levels were through the roof!' 

    'I’m so sorry for how I treated you and spoke to you yesterday. Would you forgive me?’

Looking him straight in the eyes, 'I forgive you’ flowed from my lips as we shook hands and parted ways in peace. 

All fear gone in an instant. 

‘Did THAT really just happen?’ I asked the Lord as I walked out of the bank. 

This divine, holy moment of heaven touching earth… in the doorway of a bank?

Understanding. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. 

Between different genders, different racial groups, different backgrounds.

This is what I’m living for.

Understanding. Forgiveness. Reconciliation. 

This is the Kingdom of God LIVED OUT in this diverse, rainbow nation that is South Africa. 

Be the one to take the first step. 

‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present outcome.'

Gen 50:20a (AMP)