Can I have a break Coach??

After arriving in Rwanda the first house we were staying in was in a very dark area (spiritually speaking.)I will never forget this one night. We had been in Rwanda for three months, it was very late, and all of us were asleep. Suddenly around 1 or 2 in the morning, Astrid & I were woken abruptly by a huge thud on the roof above our bed followed by what can only be described as the sound of nails running down a chalk board. It sounded as if a man my size had feel from the sky, landing on our roof. We felt instant free! Looking at each other we both began to pray and loose Satan, what we were feeling did not seem to be physical but more spiritual with physical manifestations. After praying a short time the fear was gone and we felt a peace come over the house.

Now it was time to go outside to see if I could see anything. Of course no such evidence that any thing like that had occurred was found. I went back inside and Astrid and I, very awake at this time and a bit confused decided to pray again and ask the Lord to show us what the hec had happened.

(Our first house..)

I got a vivid picture of an Angel and a demon fighting, the Angel had taken his sword and hit the demon causing him to fall from the sky and land directly above our bed. Of course I was really taken back by such a picture! I thought no way, Is this really you God??? Is my mind playing tricks on me??
In the morning I shared the story with a very good Rwandan friend of ours who is a strong Christian and also was living in that area. Laughing he Said “welcome to Payage (the name of that area), they know you’re here now!!!” He then proceeded to share with us many other freaky stories about that area.

I share that story to set the preface of understanding, of living in a place where God has called me, a place where he wants to see his Glory reveled, his people set free!! Yet to have a enemy that “knows I am here now” and is going to do his best to kill steal and destroy every thing that God has for me here.
I wish I could say that, that was my only run-in with the demonic here, yet on the contrary, it feels at times that it is daily.

Just last week I was asked to speak at a church, the Lord had given me a very hard/confronting message. After running it by the pastor for his approval and receiving the go ahead. The night before I was finalizing my message, Astrid and Three of the girls all of a sudden were very sick! Their bodies hurting, vomiting constantly, it was horrible…. I was ready to call the pastor and cancel, when some thing arose in me and I found my self rebuking the devil and commanding peace, healing and rest to fill my house hold. Automatically things began to calm down. The next morning I find Astrid and Nani my oldest again feeling bad, and on top of that the car wont start.. UMMMMM!!!! The story has a happy ending but I must say it was not easy at all.

This last month especially has been hard on us! I could explain it as being in a rugby or American football game only not being pulled out for a breather….

I have found my self frequently asking the coach(God) “ please let me out of the game, just for a breather!”