“So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”
John 11:44 (NAB)
These were the first words of Jesus after Lazarus rose from the dead and walked out of his tomb. When the Lord transforms us from death to life, He not only gives us new life in Him, but He unties all that ever once bound us.
I was once bound, not physically to grave clothes, but to a powerful demonic grip over me. I was bound spiritually, to an obsessive pattern of thinking, both day and night. Every area of fortune telling was my constant obsession for about three straight years of my teenage life. If Jesus had not stepped in and unbound me, it probably would have affected my mind, at some point.
Demonic oppression is real, and there were some forces that had a powerful hold over me. Yet, I know now, that all during those years, the Holy Spirit and heavenly forces of angels were working overtime to keep me from going off the deep end. I am convinced that those same heavenly forces are also working on every person’s behalf.
In my senior year of high school, a work study program was available, which prepped students for a future career of their interest. Being interested in the advertising arts at the time, I had the opportunity to work in a major department store in downtown Chicago. I rode public transportation after school each day to that department store and then took an elevator to the top floor, where the advertising department was.
Working with artists and copywriters every day after school was a dream job for me at the time. I learned the stages of preparing the ads for publication, but my main duty was to model the clothing that was being advertised in the weekly ads. The artists would sketch me as I posed in each outfit that was selected for that day. It was an easy job, just putting on clothes and posing while the artists made their sketches for the newspaper.
The Art Director, who was over the entire department, was a witch, and I do mean a real witch, a practicing member of a witches’ coven. Since we both shared a zeal for the occult and fortune telling, we got along very well.
Many people who I worked with at that department store, knew about my involvement with fortune telling, card reading, palm reading and astrology. I remember many of them asking me to read their palms, and before long, one after another was coming to me for their palm reading. I was doing it for the love of fortune telling, not even to make any money from it.
One thing I had never done was to attend a seance, and the Art Director once invited me to one that was taking place in her home that same evening. I had every intention of going, but various circumstances during the day, kept getting in the way of my plan, and I never could make it to that seance. In looking back, I attribute all the day’s hindrances to my guardian angel’s protection, for which I am thankful.
There were two women who worked in that advertising department, who were very different from all the rest, and had no interest in fortune telling. Ruth, one of the artists, had a very peaceful, gentle spirit about her, and I remember that she was very active in her church. The other woman was an art manager, whose name I don’t remember, but she had a very cheerful demeanor and a genuinely kind aura about her. I have no doubt that those two ladies were Christians and probably were praying for me and the Art Director, at the time.
In those days, although I never told anyone, I was having frequent nightmares and constantly felt a strange presence following me everywhere. I know now that I was experiencing demonic oppression. In one nightmare, I dreamed of running to catch a train and once I jumped on board, I realized I was in a coffin, connected to a train of coffins all moving toward some unknown destination. All the oppression and dreams just gave me a greater hunger for true peace.
I randomly heard about a book about Bible prophecies and the end times, so I went to the occult book store to buy it. When I learned that the book was not sold there, I gave up and headed home. While waiting for a bus, I looked in the window of a small storefront selling magazines and snacks. To my surprise, I saw that exact book in the window, so I walked in and bought it. There was a strange flow of events that day, with much evidence that an invisible spiritual battle was actively being fought for my soul.
After going home that same day, while reading the book, I was alone in my house. My cats began racing through the house frantically, as if something was startling them. I was repeatedly interrupted by their odd behavior, as well as sounds I heard in other parts of the house, even though I was the only one home at the time.
I kept reading until I finally came to a page in the book inviting me to pray a prayer asking Jesus to forgive my sins. For the first time I was actually conscious of my own sinfulness, with a heightened awareness that Jesus died for me on the cross. I wanted to pray, and be free of all oppression in my life.
When I bowed my head and prayed to Jesus, I immediately felt a sensation of warm oil slowly pouring over my head. I had a peace that I had never known before and was completely changed in that moment. I knew I was forgiven and delivered, never having another nightmare or any further desire for involvement in the occult. I threw out every book I owned on the subject.
As Jesus walked into my life, I walked out of my tomb, and then He said, “Untie her and let her go!” Not only did I find a resurrected new life in Christ, but I was also delivered from the powers that once had me bound.
My obsession for fortune telling was replaced with an obsessive love for Him and His word. On that day, I felt like Lazarus, walking out of a tomb, unbound from my grave clothes.
I know now that whatever binds anyone can be loosed in Jesus’ name. I have heard many different people share their own stories of how He delivered them from drugs, alcohol, pornography or any other addiction or obsession that controls of a person.
Nothing has more power than the words and presence of Jesus. When He speaks, He unleashes divine power and His presence comes into the lives of all who call upon Him.
Jesus did it all with His words. He woke up dead people saying “Come forth!” He cast out demons, saying, “Be quiet-come out!” He healed the sick saying, “Be it done according to your faith.”
His words have divine authority, and today, He is still breaking the strongholds of demonic bondage, illness, and addictions, setting people free. He is still saying about each of us who believe in Him, “Untie them and let them go!”
I’ve come to learn that demons tremble at His words, which is why I love Him and His words so much. As His words fill our minds and His Spirit transforms our hearts, the power of His truth will keep us set free.
Lord, we praise you for the way you work the flow of events in our lives to reach every person and draw us all nearer to you. As we approach the celebration of Easter, we thank you for unleashing your resurrection power in us, that sets us free and raises us to new life in Christ. Amen