Have you had frequent opportunities to use your spiritual gifts in the traditional church meeting?

[Francis Drake]

Any more inspiring stories like this one Francis. I could spend all day reading things like this.

Years ago we hosted a dinner at our home for about ten people. We knew three of them, Christian friends of ours, the remainder were their friends completely unknown to us.
It turned out a thoroughly interesting time, and I found myself alongside a couple who had suffered abuse at the hands of church leadership. They related a sad story which inevitably led to me explaining demonic control and spiritual warfare inside the church system. They were very probing and demanding of my thoughts.

After about twenty minutes of this, a lady sitting opposite who had been listening intently, interjected with, “excuse me, but what are these demons you are talking about?”

I had never met Karen, and was a little unsure as to how I could in a nutshell answer her obviously sincere question. The subject really demanded a lengthy answer.

I did the best I could, starting briefly with God’s creation and Satan tempting Adam with the fall etc. Followed by a sketch of the war of Satan dragging God’s creation as far removed from Godly influence as possible, and of mankind rejecting God’s chosen way.

When I had done, Karen simply said, “That explains a lot, explains my family.” I was taken aback, and she apologised as she saw my perplexed look. She was not mocking me, but had genuinely understood how it was affecting her family.

The meal continued with much interesting discussion, and with some clear needs admitted. The table was cleared and the dishwasher stacked as we migrated to the living room for coffee and some prayer time.

One of the couples had a distressing family problem, and they asked for prayer immediately. Not knowing the spiritual background of the group, I suggested that we ask God for direction and then listen quietly to see if He whispered anything to our hearts. If he did, we should then be bold enough to reveal it to the rest.

We quickly got under way, with a few of the group praying out loud. I soon had an impression in my spirit as to the root of the problem. However I knew if I revealed it too soon, everyone else would stop listening. So I quietly continued to pray and wait. Suddenly Karen, the lady who had asked about demons, spoke out. She had a word going around and around in her head, which she hesitantly gave out when I asked.

Paydirt! Not only did it confirm what I had kept silent about, but the couple who had asked for prayer immediately concurred that it was true. We were therefore were able to do a quick, spirit led, deliverance from demonic control over the situation. The demons were soon cast out and all present were amazed at the spontaneity, normality, and speed of dealing with the issue in a Godly manner.

The evening came to a successful conclusion and everyone departed full of thanks.

After the door shut on the final person, my wife said to me. Did you realise that Karen only gave her life to the Lord as we filled the dishwasher in the kitchen.

I had presumed she was a mature believer, when she in fact she was simply a little child in God’s eyes. She had innocently accepted my call to listen to God with none of the preconceived doubts that I find amongst church people who have merely learned to depend on their pastors. Karen saw the kingdom through the eyes of a child, and told what she saw or heard.

As I got to know her later, she had absolutely no desire for church. She just kept a close walk with God. She had several Christian friends and often had fellowship with them. She really saw where the roots of trouble in her family came from and showed more wisdom than many or the church Christians I had met.

As I have said many times, it's often far easier to teach non Christians to listen to the Lord than Christians. Christians have been filled with too many regurgitated answers from their pastors to believe in their need to listen to God.