The devil is moving in the park.

Whenever strides are being made, spiritually speaking, toward God  . . . the evil one doesn’t like it. 

(Note:  This briefing is quite timely, as we just recently looked at     spiritual warfare—how the devil works—and how we can defeat him!)

Take the Duke of Earl—as he endeavors to give himself back to God and avoid behaviors, people and places that would defeat him, the devil got quite clever in keeping him from surrendering to God.

The Duke lives in Long Beach’s Lincoln Park; actually, he is kinda’ like the mayor there—sometimes like Dirty Harry too, having the size and the training to handle out-of-order park citizens and common dwellers.

One day, (well along in his process of returning the control of his life back to the Lord), he spotted a smallish, older woman—(I don’t know, she might be about 55.  I know, I know—I’m almost 50, so yes, I think 55 is older, rather than just middle age.  Sue me)—lying on the ground convulsing, apparently having an epileptic seizure, and then she passed out… cold.  Park-goers walked by, either not knowing what to do, or just not wanting to get involved.  Not the Duke.  He helped her, got her back on her feet, and talked to her about what was wrong in her life.

Not too many days later, he encountered the same woman, Gina, again, and this time, he heard some bad men talking about what they were going to do to her while she was unconscious.  The whole thing bothered him tremendously.  ‘She’s not going to survive living in the park,’ he thought.  ‘She is either going to die in a seizure or be killed’ by one or more of the predators who make the park their home.  The Duke told her she could grab her bedroll and stay near him at night.  It wasn’t long until he was looking out for Gina during the day too.

Strawberry-blonde and small, Gina wore an occult star around her neck and another on her finger—talked a lot about tarot cards and the like.  The Duke noticed that she seemed to draw strong responses from people in the park.  Some threatened her; others cursed at her. . . and she often hid behind him.   This just seemed to make him more protective.

Then he noticed she was baiting some of the guys; in fact, this last Thursday—(yes, right after he had given God credit for drawing him back to himself)—she even got him in a fight, protecting her.  After, he was awake the whole night, wondering if the dude he had ‘put to sleep’ would come looking for him—seeking retaliation while he slept.  Sleeping out in the open, no matter who you are, leaves a man vulnerable.

Enter one Pastorwoman.

On Friday, I had committed to help him get an apartment application completed, on the notice that the USMC Purple Heart’s had approved him for housing assistance.  When I picked him up, I could tell he was all out of sorts.  (Now I had already told him of my concerns about Gina.  I went so far as to say, ‘Duke, you’re sleeping with the devil.’  Not literally, but close enough.  Her jewelry showed her allegiance.)

Seeing his agitated state, I decided a park visit was in order.  First I met some of the drug dealers at the planter—several who just happen to be “Christians”—----huh?  And then I walked over to where Gina sat with three other sketchy characters and a pit bull….  After saying ‘hey’ to Gina and introducing myself to the others, I sat down Indian-style straight across from Gina, and tried to engage her in conversation.  She responded some, but she wouldn’t look me in the eye.  I think I made her nervous.  Oh well.

It was later in the day that the floor dropped out.  Returning to the park after apartment business, the Duke encountered Gina.  She was aggressive and confrontational.  In fact, when he called her on some lies, she threw herself on the ground, and began convulsing . . . she uttered expletives, her eyes rolled back in her head, and a strange voice came out of her mouth—certainly not a woman’s voice.    To say that is was frightening would be an understatement.   He called me and asked what he should do.  The only counsel I could offer was ‘get away from her…get far away from her.’  Within minutes, paramedics arrived on the scene and took her for treatment.

Now, what happened?  While most of us will never encounter the demonic on such a level, I believe that Gina had ‘pledged her troth’ to the devil, and had given him the entry point to take possession of her.  The best thing for the Duke to do was get away from her.  James 4.7 – Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  But, Friends, do you see how clever the devil was?  He appealed to the gentlemanly, protective pride of a Marine vet, in such a way that he could not just walk by and leave her there—yet that little gal was besieged by evil—through her choices—very dangerous ones.  Her choices were dangerous to her, and to those who would get close to her.

That is blatant spiritual warfare—most of us will never encounter anything like it—Thank God!  When you encounter evil—recognize it for what it is—and get away from it!  (If you are spiritually strong, there may be a time and a place where you rebuke the demonic; but it is not for the faint of heart)    What a timely illustration of Paul’s teaching to the Corinthians!

Christine