The Retirement Home where my Mom and Dad lived for seven wonderful years is a place where my heart lives. I began teaching a Bible class there in 2007 and even though Mom and Dad are now with the Lord, the class is still going, and John and I are still so very privileged to be teaching God's Word to a number of the residents, from ages 63 to 93. We have always had a wonderful working relationship with the managers there, who let us know when someone is in hospital or rehab - or when someone is ill in their room and needs prayer.
Last week that changed. Unexpectedly, shockingly changed. New managers moved in - and much like the changes in the world all around us, darkness moved in.
I didn't sense it at first, but in the second week they were there, I was making copies of the bible lesson in the office and overhead the new woman manager being yelled at over the phone, as well as getting some impatient prodding from another elderly resident in the office. When that was all over, I approached the new manager and told her, "You have a tough job. You really handled all that with a lot of patience and grace, and that touched me. I'd love to pray a blessing of encouragement over you." She didn't say anything, so I drew close, laid my hand gently on the edge of her shoulder and began to pray, "Father, I lift her up to you right now for blessing and for encouragement...." and suddenly, with a hateful venom I have never experienced before, she grabbed my arm and jerked it away from her, then thrust an index finger in my face and shouted, "No! No! No!"
I was startled beyond words. Her phone rang and she went to answer it, so I left the office and went in to our precious bible students and taught a class. Afterward I scrawled a note of genuine apology to this new manager, and asked her to forgive if I had offended, reassuring her that my heart was to uplift and bless her.
Later in the week I felt led to phone her and see if we could have a good, healing conversation. When I identified myself and asked if I could speak to her for a few moments, she flew into a fiery rage, and retorted, "I have NOTHING to say to you. If you want to talk to me, make it fast!"
Again I was shocked at such anger and rage, but I persevered, "I WOULD like to talk about how we can work towards a good working relationship as I have always had with the managers there, so that we can serve the residents and visit them in the hospital or help them in times of need."
Now I heard a voice that demonically snarled at me, "I do not want a relationship with you and I will NOT bow down to your royal self." The phone slammed down. In stunned silence I sat there and thought about the voice of the one that had spoken to me. Why did it call me "royal?" Suddenly I thought of the Scripture in Acts 19:15: "One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”
Recalling this account of the evil spirit who knew the Messiah and the Apostle Paul, I suddenly realized I was just talking to this same spirit. "Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who is your royal self?"
The pain of this encounter started to fade away as I smiled and spoke aloud, "I am a daughter of the King, a child of the Most High! No wonder you have called me royal - and no wonder you refuse to bow to the One who lives in me!"
Be encouraged brothers and sisters, as we enter into these evil days. The demons may not know your names, but they know WHOSE YOU ARE and they tremble.
