Inside Story: Curse of the Fetish Priest
Guillaume Djossou
Giving one’s life to God can be a life-or-death decision in some regions of the world. As a lay pastor and church planter working near the city of Cotonou, Benin, I saw this first hand.
When Ann and her husband became Adventist Christians, Ann’s father, a fetish priest in Benin, cursed her with death.
One day as Ann sat working under a tree, she noticed dark clouds forming. She gathered her things, but before she could leave, rain started falling. The rain wasn’t heavy, so Ann remained under the sheltering tree.
Suddenly lightning struck, and Ann’s clothes caught fire. She yanked off the burning cloth wrap, but her back was badly burned. Some Adventist church members nearby ran to help Ann to safety. Ann lost consciousness before they reached a nearby house.
Realizing that Ann’s injuries were the work of the devil, the believers read Revelation 12:7-12 and claimed God’s power over Satan. Then they prayed for Ann. While they prayed, some people approached the house and began invoking spirits. The believers realized that these were fetish priests, and they prayed even more earnestly, even as the voodoo priests called on their spirits.
When Ann regained consciousness, the believers tried to take her to the hospital. But the priests prevented them from leaving. Finally the police arrived and helped the Christians take Ann from the house. Ann eventually recovered from her ordeal.
At the time the demons attacked Ann, the little Adventist congregation had just eight members. But word spread about how God had saved Ann from the curse of the voodoo priests, and many people came to hear about Ann’s powerful God.
Because of Ann’s steadfast faith and the family’s work in the community, many people have given their lives to Jesus. The little church in the village has grown to more than 50 members.
Your mission offerings are helping to advance the work of God in a demon-infested region of the world. Who knows how many people will hear Christ’s message of love because you have given? Thank you.
Guillaume Djossou (left) was a lay evangelist when this event happened. He is now studying theology at the Adventist University Cosendai in Cameroon.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
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Our GOD is great. All we need to do is accept HIM to lead our lives and let us submit to him in love. He promises to do the rest for us.
Let us also pray for each other.
Amen
When I read about lay people helping people to know God I feel so bad that I live with neighbors that I do not even know well. In big cities we are afraid of reaching out to our neighbors because we they might shun us. If every worked to bring souls to God the end would come quickly. The words, 'Go preach to the world' was meant for us all.
My prayer this year is for God to help me reach out to my neighbors, school mates and workmates. How about you? Please God give us the courage.
God is great, we just have to follow Him no matter the conrsequence, just have faith and do His will.execercising our faith could lead someone to christ.
While a neighbor might shun a first contact of direct "evangelism" - the contact of friendship - a fruit basket, a plate of cookies, an offer to watch the kids at the bus stop can open the door to more direct share of God's love!
Denise what you are saying is what Jesus would have said:
"Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, 'Follow Me.' There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit." {Ministry of Healing 143}
i agree with you anne black a hundred percent its us christians who are holding up the coming of the lord buts its also my prayer that all of us will work assidiously this year to spread the gospel far and wide but beginning in "judea" and remember the best sermon preached is the life we live.let us pray for each other whereever in the world we are for one day we all shall meet in one place if we all are faithful.