STRANGE SPIRITS

 Ibru Ecumenical Centre  

Dealing with strange battles – Part I

By John Okene

01 August 2021   |   3:11 am

Okene

Text: Eph. 6:12; 1Cor. 15:32

The word strange in this context refers to something odd, weird or queer. Strange battles mean battles that are unfamiliar, we are not used to them and don’t even understand them. It is like wrestling with shadows as we see in Eph. 6:12. The victims of such battles do not know why, how and when it started or they got engaged in it. In 1Cor. 15:32, Apostle Paul talks about fighting with a beast. This can be referred to as wicked and strange powers. There are no words to describe them because their modus operandi is beastly. I remember some years ago while I was handling the deliverance case of a parishioner, as I took time one night as usual to study and pray, I had a strange revelation. The heaven was opened and I saw a ladder extending down with a strange figure descending. This certainly was the second heaven, where the devil resides, the prince of the air and is the operational headquarters of spiritual wickedness and powers. This creature was half female and half horse. In Greek mythology, this is called “Centaurs.”

As this beastlike personality appeared with other smaller demons, we started fighting. This revelation started at 11pm and lasted till 6am, all the other demons were consumed in fire, but the beast of a woman looked at me in the eyes and said, “I will be back,” as she returned up the ladder.

When I woke up, I was gripped with fear as I kept seeing those eyes in my mind. Two days later, a lady walked into the church requesting for counselling and deliverance. As I was about to pray with her as usual, before listening to her case, my attention was caught by those same fierce eyes I saw in the revelation. After she left my office that day, I pondered over the whole incidence and made up my mind that I would not handle that deliverance. For the benefit of doubt, I sent some church workers to try to locate her by the address she left behind. They were told that no such person ever lived there. It then dawned on me that I was dealing with a beast manifested in human form. I pray for you that for every strange battle you are fighting, you shall come out victorious in Jesus’ name and the strongman behind that battle will go down for your sake.

Job 14:1 tells us that life is full of troubles. It is important, therefore, that we understand some facts about battles, if we must scale through this perilous and trouble-filled life. The first fact is that your parentage determines to a large extent the battles you fight. If you come from a Godly family, there are likely fewer battles to fight, but if you come from an occultic or idolatrous family, then you need to buckle up and prepare for war. It is even worse if you are the first child.

The second fact is that the solution to any crisis is in the crisis. All you need to do is to search inwardly. Thirdly, you do not choose your battles, but the battles pick you up. Many of us did not choose the battles we’re fighting, today. Note that battles in life are inevitable. Every man at one time or another is fighting a battle. This could be in your finance, health, marriage, career, ministry or even your dream. Again, battles are the seed for promotion. After David defeated Goliath, he was promoted. I pray for you that the battles you are fighting right now will take you to your next level in life in Jesus’ name. Every devil waiting for you at your next level is destroyed by fire in Jesus’ name.

Rev. John Okene, Divine Touch Int’l Ministries, Warri, Delta State.

dtimchurch@gmail.com

Prayerline: +2348135952623

Ibru Ecumenical Centre  

Dealing with strange battles – Part 2

By John Okene

08 August 2021   |   3:03 am

Rev. John Okene

Today, many people are involved in one strange battle or another. Many have died in the course of the battles, while some are still scouting around for solution. There are facts, however, that we need to know about strange battles to help us overcome them. Understand that the more colourful your destiny is, the greater the battles you will fight. Joseph had to go through 13 years of intense battles in order to enjoy 80 years of celebration at the pinnacle of his destiny. I also have gone through battles in my life before God brought me to where I am today. The story of my life is an incredible piece that can keep anyone in awe of our great God. Any tree that will go high up must first get its roots to go deep down in the ground. When the Chinese bamboo is planted, you can water it for a couple of years without seeing any sign of its growth. In a space of about 90 days, however, when it starts to grow, it can spring up to about 90 feet. No matter what you are going through in life, always remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. So, just keep holding on.

No man wins a battle in the kingdom without violence, Matt 11:12. If you are too gentle, you will never settle. Another fact to note is that you can never outgrow spiritual battles in life. As you grow higher to every new level, there is a new devil you must conquer. Again, if you stay in a spiritually insane environment, you must be insane or else, the enemy will waste you. You cannot be normal, read your Bible normal, pray normal and sow seed normal. No, the Bible says the spiritual man is mad. Similarly, if you stay in a spiritually violent environment, you also must be spiritually violent or else the enemy will use your head as drum in their coven. If you find yourself in an environment where the people are spiritually mysterious, you also must be spiritually mysterious to counter them or else your destiny will be hijacked. The Bible says a spiritual man is a mysterious man (John 3:8). There is a story of a man, whose son attempted to kill him but failed. The son came visiting from the city with a gift of a loaf of bread, but somehow the father was not moved to eat it. Unknown to him, the son had planned to use him for money ritual and when he saw that the bread style was not working, he tried another pattern. He was given a thread to place across the usual path his father takes, but unfortunately for him, the father never passed that path that period because God ordered his steps. You must be a spiritual man.

There are certain occurrences in the life of a man that point out if he will fight strange battles. These are indications or likely causes of strange battles and the first one is placenta issue. You must be very careful who handles the placenta of your children at birth. A young lady who was long overdue for marriage cried to her pastor one day in frustration. After intense prayers, the pastor told her to buy a gift and take to her grandmother, since her own mother had long passed on. When she presented the gift, as her pastor instructed, she asked her grandmother to tell her what happened to her placenta at birth. The witch of a grandmother laughed wickedly and showed the lady the dried-up placenta tied around her waist. The lady’s destiny had been hung up on the grandmother’s waist all these years, and this had been the cause of her setback in life. I pray for you, whosoever has been tying your destiny on their waist, on a tree or in the village, may they receive fire in Jesus name.

Rev. John Okene, Divine Touch Int’l Ministries, Warri, Delta State.

dtimchurch@gmail.com

Prayerline: +2348135952623

Ibru Ecumenical Centre  

Dealing with strange battles – Part 4

By John Okene

22 August 2021   |   4:05 am

Okene

Text: 1Cor. 15:32; Mark 9:29

You cannot witness a new dawn without engaging in strange battles. Jacob wrestled all night and got his victory. In our Bible text in 1 Cor. 15:32, Paul talked about wrestling with beast. Metaphorically, this implies engaging battles with wicked or strange powers that are beastly in their act. A man brought his child to Jesus’ disciples for healing, while Jesus was away with three other disciples on the mountain. The disciples prayed all manner of prayers, yet they could not find a solution to the child’s problems. They became confused, and so it is when you engage in battles you cannot understand. When Jesus returned from the mountain, he addressed the issue and the boy was delivered. His disciples then asked why they could not cast out the demon from the boy. Jesus told them this was a special case, which could not be addressed by mere command, except with fasting and prayer. The boy’s case was a foundational issue and you need to understand and have what it takes to fight such battles. “I pray for you, if you are fighting a strange battle today, whatever you need to come out victorious, may you receive it in Jesus name.” A boy cried to me some years ago, saying he could not stop plucking out the hair on his head to eat. There was an invisible force that compelled him to do it. When we engaged in prayers, God settled his case and for the first time after about ten years, he could resist the temptation to eat his hair.

In one of our services, the Lord directed me to a sister that something was eating up the hair at the centre of her head. As I poured anointing oil on the centre of her head, she reacted very violently with manifestations. After a period of time, she returned with an incredible testimony. According to her, for over ten years, her centre hair couldn’t grow because she had a dream where a serpent was eating it up. She was also told that she could never get married. It was a period of strange battles, which she kept all to herself, not even I was aware of it, until the Lord gave me a word of knowledge for her in that deliverance service. She said she had only one hair plaiter who would have to come to her residence to plait her hair, so people would not see what she was going through. Again, she only had one hairstyle (dread lock), so that her secret would not be known. Immediately I made a declaration on that fateful day, she said the hair started growing and after three weeks, the whole hair had become even. By the time she was sharing this testimony, she was already* happily married. “May God arise speedily and intervene in all your battles in Jesus’ name.”

There are indications that point out if a person will or is fighting strange battles. The first two as earlier discussed are placenta issues and your bath water at birth. It is important that these two things are properly handled and not allowed to get into wrong hands. The third indication is generational curses. In Gen. 49:3-4, there was a curse placed on Reuben and such curses can run from one generation to another, even to the fourth. Imagine if you are a descendant of such a person, you will fight battles you don’t understand and even go for deliverance without result. There are so many people struggling in life today with such cases, not knowing it is a simple issue to be addressed. “May God give you knowledge in Jesus name.” Another indication is a crying blood speaking for vengeance. A young Nigerian lady got married abroad and when she travelled back to Nigeria, she suddenly ran mad. She was flown back abroad for medical attention, but mysteriously became okay as she landed there. On her return to Nigeria again, the insanity resurfaced.

This issue continued for a couple of time until it dawned on them that it was not ordinary. When she was brought for deliverance, a voice spoke within her that her father killed a virgin and so, all the generations will not be free from this madness. We addressed the issue, however, using the Word of God and she became okay. “May you receive victory over the powers you are fighting with in Jesus’ name.”

Rev. John Okene, Divine Touch Int’l Ministries, Warri, Delta State.

dtimchurch@gmail.com

Prayerline: +2348135952623

Ibru Ecumenical Centre  

Dealing with strange battles – Part 4

By John Okene

22 August 2021   |   4:05 am

Okene

Text: 1Cor. 15:32; Mark 9:29

You cannot witness a new dawn without engaging in strange battles. Jacob wrestled all night and got his victory. In our Bible text in 1 Cor. 15:32, Paul talked about wrestling with beast. Metaphorically, this implies engaging battles with wicked or strange powers that are beastly in their act. A man brought his child to Jesus’ disciples for healing, while Jesus was away with three other disciples on the mountain. The disciples prayed all manner of prayers, yet they could not find a solution to the child’s problems. They became confused, and so it is when you engage in battles you cannot understand. When Jesus returned from the mountain, he addressed the issue and the boy was delivered. His disciples then asked why they could not cast out the demon from the boy. Jesus told them this was a special case, which could not be addressed by mere command, except with fasting and prayer. The boy’s case was a foundational issue and you need to understand and have what it takes to fight such battles. “I pray for you, if you are fighting a strange battle today, whatever you need to come out victorious, may you receive it in Jesus name.” A boy cried to me some years ago, saying he could not stop plucking out the hair on his head to eat. There was an invisible force that compelled him to do it. When we engaged in prayers, God settled his case and for the first time after about ten years, he could resist the temptation to eat his hair.

In one of our services, the Lord directed me to a sister that something was eating up the hair at the centre of her head. As I poured anointing oil on the centre of her head, she reacted very violently with manifestations. After a period of time, she returned with an incredible testimony. According to her, for over ten years, her centre hair couldn’t grow because she had a dream where a serpent was eating it up. She was also told that she could never get married. It was a period of strange battles, which she kept all to herself, not even I was aware of it, until the Lord gave me a word of knowledge for her in that deliverance service. She said she had only one hair plaiter who would have to come to her residence to plait her hair, so people would not see what she was going through. Again, she only had one hairstyle (dread lock), so that her secret would not be known. Immediately I made a declaration on that fateful day, she said the hair started growing and after three weeks, the whole hair had become even. By the time she was sharing this testimony, she was already* happily married. “May God arise speedily and intervene in all your battles in Jesus’ name.”

There are indications that point out if a person will or is fighting strange battles. The first two as earlier discussed are placenta issues and your bath water at birth. It is important that these two things are properly handled and not allowed to get into wrong hands. The third indication is generational curses. In Gen. 49:3-4, there was a curse placed on Reuben and such curses can run from one generation to another, even to the fourth. Imagine if you are a descendant of such a person, you will fight battles you don’t understand and even go for deliverance without result. There are so many people struggling in life today with such cases, not knowing it is a simple issue to be addressed. “May God give you knowledge in Jesus name.” Another indication is a crying blood speaking for vengeance. A young Nigerian lady got married abroad and when she travelled back to Nigeria, she suddenly ran mad. She was flown back abroad for medical attention, but mysteriously became okay as she landed there. On her return to Nigeria again, the insanity resurfaced.

This issue continued for a couple of time until it dawned on them that it was not ordinary. When she was brought for deliverance, a voice spoke within her that her father killed a virgin and so, all the generations will not be free from this madness. We addressed the issue, however, using the Word of God and she became okay. “May you receive victory over the powers you are fighting with in Jesus’ name.”

Rev. John Okene, Divine Touch Int’l Ministries, Warri, Delta State.

dtimchurch@gmail.com

Prayerline: +2348135952623

Ibru Ecumenical Centre  

Dealing with strange battles – Part 6

By John Okene

03 October 2021   |   3:58 am

Okene

Text Ex7: 15-18; Ezk29:2-3

When a man is engaged in strange battles, sometimes he is unable to comprehend what is actually happening in his life, such as in the case of Moses in our scriptural text. God instructed Moses to go ahead of Pharaoh to the river to strike the water before Pharaoh’s arrival. In doing this, God knew that there would be a spiritual battle. Pharaoh was an early riser, who serves the dragon in the water. Observe that the emblem of Pharaoh has the head of a serpent. Pharaoh is just a figurehead. There is a power behind every Pharaoh, hence in Ezk 29:2-3., God…. “I am against you Pharaoh…” And so, God addressed the serpent in the water called leviathan. Isa 27:1 says God will punish and slay this dragon and crooked serpent. So, when Moses stretched out his rod, by implication, the head of the crooked serpent was slaughtered and there was blood all over the water. It was after this encounter and the killing of all the firstborns in Egypt that the Israelites were released. In Ex 1:22, Pharaoh said every male child should be thrown alive into the river. This was a sacrifice to leviathan; so when God sent Moses there; it was to render Pharaoh powerless. I pray for you: may God strike down every power backing up your enemies in Jesus name.

When you don’t understand battles you might think it is a normal thing. Two years ago, a young man who wanted to marry a lady was flogged severely one night by invisible hands in the dream warning him to leave the girl alone. When he ran to me, there was lacerations all over his body. This could sometimes be the cause of some people’s delay or disappointment in getting married. These powers can go forth to warn intending suitors of a lady to leave her alone because they have been married to them in the spirit realm. I pray for you, every battle hindering your progress in life is terminated today in Jesus’ name. There are several indications that one will fight strange battles, and one of them is the presence of ALTAR BATTLES. This can cause confusion in people’s life, especially if they did not know that there are altars working against them. In Judges 6:25-26, Gideon did not understand why his family was poor, until an angel who addressed him as “a mighty man of valour” appeared to him. Understand that God does not address a man based on his limitation, but on his capacity.

Gideon was ordained a mighty man of valour, but the altars of his father’s house were preventing him from fulfilling his destiny. His encounter with the angel gave him a revelation that would bring about his transformation. It is note worthy that the valley of any knowledge gained is seen, when rightly engaged or else, it will be useless to the recipients. When Gideon got the right information and followed the instructions given him, he experienced total transformation. All his helpers who had abandoned him came looking for him. It was recorded that 32,000 people ran to him, but God used only 300 people to win the battle for him. Another indication of strange battles is the involvement with strange personalities, Proverbs 2:16. There are many people you see who appear normal, but the moment you associate or have sexual interactions with them, you are finished. In 1 Kings 11:1, we see that Solomon had many strange women, who turned his heart away from God and he started fighting strange battles. He lost some of his God-given benefits. Be careful whom you get involved with.

Divine Touch Int’l Ministries, Warri, Delta State.

dtimchurch@gmail.com

Prayerline: +2348135952623