Luis Gonzales & I just after the exorcism.

Today held one of the most unusual events in my life, a first I should say and hopefully the last. At the close of one of our classes my assistants, Pastor Raffy Luberas and Bro. Willy Edoloverio and I were summonsed to the house of one of our church member’s cousins. In route to the house my assistants, and I discussed that we had never encountered such demonic possession and really didn’t know what to do. We could only pray for God’s guidance.

I was told that earlier that morning a demon had possessed the young man’s sister. They were at the ocean gathering shells and a “big black man” had come up out of the ocean and went inside the girl whom immediately dropped and began flopping like a fish on the shore, yelling, screaming and pitching a fit. The young man ran to his sister to attempt to control her when the demon came out of her and entered the boy.

Luis, 3 days later

As we entered the area you could feel the demonic oppression around the house and village. People were all gathered together doing anything and everything they could to contain the young man. They had prayed the rosary only to have the demons laugh aloud from the body of the man in a girlish laugh at times and then in a manly voice at others. As they would chant the prayers to Mary the boy would just lie there in laughter for even the demons know that there is no merit in praying to Mary. Demons laugh at the thoughts of Mary as mediator or a prayer answering god. I asked all the women and children to leave the house for safety’s sake and to prevent the episode from becoming a sideshow.

The man’s vengeance at times seemed unbearable as six grown men were required to hold him down. Before our arrival they said he was throwing people around and jumping through the windows while yelling and screaming. Sweat covered his body, breathing was heavy and emptiness filled his eyes. What would we do?

The only thing I knew to do was to pray, plead the blood, exalt the name of Jesus Christ as Lord and claim the authority of the Word of God. As I began, I laid my right hand over his heart. Immediately I felt the war within him. It felt as if he had a bad case of indigestion. His chest and stomach was rumbling with the tremors of war. He was laying there unresponsive to anyone around him. We would call his name and shake him, but no response. Finally in prayer, I pled the blood.

As I called out to God, pleading the blood of His Son and our Saviour, the demons within him went wild. The demons growled out like a dog on the attack. He was trying to bite people. We prayed for a while before alternating workers. Pastor Raffy took up praying aloud while Bro. Willy and I both read and quoted various Scriptures aloud on the blood of Christ. The tension grew by the minute. Finally, as we rebuked the unclean spirit and commanded him to come out in Jesus Name, by the blood of the Lamb, upon the authority of the Word of God, the demon began coming out and I must say I felt like I was in a war zone.

I kept my head in the Word of God as Pastor Raffy continued to pray aloud and much louder. In the midst of this moment I thought to myself, dare not lift your head for swords, staves and knives may be flying through the air. The intensity cannot be described. I am not a gifted writer. Oh how I wish I could put into words the intensity of the moment.

As the demon began to come out, I believe it either entered a flock of chickens or ran rampant throughout the community. At one particular moment of the most intense battle the chickens went wild. It sounded to be a chicken fight like I had never seen or heard. Something sure had spooked them!

We continued to plead the blood, exalt His Name and claim the authority of the Word of God until finally, hope was in sight. For the first time since we started, I saw a blink in his eye. He had nothing but an empty stare until now. Immediately we tried to get him to respond with words. We began talking to him and asking him questions to arouse response. After some time he began to come around.

Then we began asking him to declare that Jesus is Lord. He would say “Jesus is” and then go into a rage. He was trying but the devil wouldn’t let him go. Again and again we would do this. The poor boy was wasted and worn out. He could barely lift his head or move his mouth unless the demon was doing it. After several attempts, he finally declared, “JESUS IS LORD!” We knew the victory was near.

I remember that when Jesus delivered the maniac of Gadara that before He left, the man was seated, clothed and in his right mind. I refused to leave until he was able to get up, walk out and declare unto the bystanders that JESUS IS LORD! Sure enough, when we left, the boy was sitting on the front porch with his father and family rejoicing.

However, after the episode was over, many said that the spirit seemed to be within the community. The boy himself said later that the demon kept coming back and speaking to him. However, I am glad to say that even though the demon came back he could not come in for the boy gave his life to Christ after it was over. To God be the glory, great things He hath done – JESUS IS LORD!

Luis Gonzales and his sister, Maita following the Lord in believers baptism.	Nine new converts following the Lord in believers baptism on January 15, 2006