With God we will gain the victory. (Ps. 60:12)
The reality of the existence of the Devil and his army is not disputed by many living in Africa. They believe in the existence of “uSatane and amademoni.” Spiritual warfare is not just a topic that is discussed in Sunday school or in small groups. Instead, Zimbabweans recognize the spiritual struggle they are involved in. It was common for me to hear the following: “Evil spirits are wreaking havoc on my family!” or “What must we do to avoid the mean things evil spirits do to us?”
As a new missionary, I often preached about the love of God. One day an African pastor came to me and said, “Umfundisi, let me give you some advice.”
I motioned for him to continue.
“You seem to always get stuck on preaching about the love of God. This is very important for us to hear about. However, we need for you to speak about the power of God as well. Zimbabweans need to know that God is both loving and powerful. We need to know that He has power enough to defeat Satan and his demons. The spiritual battle is all around us. Your preaching and teaching needs to convey hope to my people—that even though we are weak, through almighty God we have victory over the tormenting forces that surround us.”
Be aware of your spiritual battles and even more aware that God can provide victory.
Jim “Umfundisi” Lo is the author of Connect with God: The Purpose of Prayer (WPH) and the dean of chapel at Indiana Wesleyan University.
