Dancing with the Impossible

There is Power in the Name of Jesus
Our first Sunday night in the Gros-Morne our team was on the platform wearing our yellow-gold team shirts waiting for the service to begin. The sanctuary quickly filled. Without warning, a commotion caught our attention at the front entrance. Several men were trying to assist a man who couldn’t walk on his own inside the sanctuary. A strong man bent down, hoisted him over his shoulder like a 50-kilo sack of rice, and carried the crippled man to the front row. I watched as he carefully slid him off his shoulder and on to pew. He struggled make him sit upright but as soon as he let go, he fell to his right side with a far-off look in his eyes and saliva drooling from his mouth. His brother tried to pull him back to a sitting position but as soon as he stopped holding him, down he went. Reluctantly, a parishioner sat next to him to brace him from falling to the floor. Roziland Williams took it all in from her view in the choir loft. The man in the blue shirt was not focused. His stare was blank, and he was not able to walk on his own. It was evident to Roz that the young man had a tremendous need. The service began and most of the joyous congregation were on their feet dancing and praising God undisturbed by the distraction on the front row. I was well into my message when I heard a thud. The crippled man had fallen on the floor.
During the altar service we learned the man’s name was Wally Joseph. The strong man was his brother. Four months prior Wally had fallen into severe depression after failing the National Exam required for entrance into college. His well-intentioned brother had taken Wally to a voodoo priest with disastrous results. He had not walked or spoken for four months. He just drooled at the mouth. Wally reminded me of the demon possessed man in Matthew 9:32 who may have suffered from catalepsy in kind of insanity that shows itself in obstinate and sullen silence. The man's "dumbness" (inability to speak) was the result of his spiritual condition, not a congenital defect. In Matthew’s account Jesus cast out the demon and the man was made whole and well, completely restored. Wally’s brother had seen what voodoo could do. Now he wanted to know what Jesus could do. He may not have realized it, but his actions proved that his brother may have prayed his bravest prayer, “the prayer he barely had faith to believe because it is so impossible” (Batterson).
Members of our team gathered around Wally and began to intercede. As we prayed, we realized that the spirits of oppression, darkness and evil were ever so present over Wally’s life. The enemy had waged all-out war for Wally’s soul. As we prayed and cried out to Jesus, Roziland recalls “many outward signs and manifestations of evil were visible. At one time his eyes rolled back in his head, and he was foaming from his mouth. Wally’s stare remained blank, and his outward appearance displayed great weakness and confusion. Wally desperately needed be delivered, set free and made whole. This was not a time for polite prayers and courteous requests. Charles E. Cowman understood this, and our little band of prayer warriors witnessed firsthand, “The devil is not put to flight by a courteous request. He meets us at every turn, contends for every inch, and our progress must be registered in heart’s blood and tears.” Wally’s desperate condition called for prevailing prayer that “pushes right through all difficulties and obstacles, drives back all the opposing forces of Satan, and secures the will of God.” I doubt that I ever saw such intense, earnest praying in the battle for a human soul. Our praying was rather loud and deeply intent, as together we pleaded the blood of Jesus Christ against the greatest enemy of Wally’s soul.
As we prayed animated prayers, God moved ever so gently. Our faith engaged with heaven, and we saw the transforming power of God in Wally’s life. Pascal leaned close and whispered into Wally’s ear as intercessors called out to our Savior for Wally to be set free. Wally was surrounded by desperate saints praying boisterous, relentless prayers that would not be denied. We desired to see the powers of darkness banished and for deliverance to belong to Wally.
Suddenly, Wally struggled to raise his hand. His lips were moving. We leaned in close to hear what he was saying.
“Jesus,” he prayed his voice strengthening.
“Jesus,” again as his hand went higher.
“Jesus!” as he struggled to stand. The first word he had spoken in four months of sullen silence was the name of Jesus.