Thoughts for Life: #59 Territoriality in Southern Mexico

C. Peter Wagner: One of the finest case studies of spiritual
territoriality in a field missionary setting comes from Vernon
J. Sterk, who has served with the Reformed Church of America
for more than 20 years among the Tzotzil Indians in southern Mexico.

He says that every one of the Tzotzil tribes can identify specific, tribal deities by name. They also know the names of evil spirits who are assigned to various kinds of evil activities.

The know, for example, that Yajual Balamil controls sickness, Poslom attacks people with swelling at night, and J'ic'aletic are looters and rapists.

Sterk says that both evil spirits and guardian spirits among the Tzotzil

"have territorial designations and assignments,"

and he observes,.

"All of the spirits have geographical limits for their power,
even though the reach of the evil spirits seems to be more
extensive than that of the guardian or ancestral spirits."

When the territorial spirit is strong, newly converted Christians frequently are forced to move out. Many Tzotzil Indians will not leave their territory because they fear losing the protection of their guardian spirit who cannot leave with them.

Vernon Sterk represents a rapidly growing number of thoughtful field missionaries who are beginning to see that the real battle for the evangelization of their regions is a spiritual battle.

While lamenting that he had never been trained in strategic-level spiritual warfare, he nevertheless is looking to the future rather than to the past, and believing that warfare prayer will make a difference in the spiritual harvest among the Tzotzil.

He also speaks for many of us when he, quite honestly, says,..

"I wish that I could report that we have taken authority over
these spirits in Jesus' name and the growth has become
fantastic. But neither we who are missionaries nor the
expelled Zincanteco Christians had ever considered this
concept of specific territorial spirits. We never did more
than pray general prayers against Satan's power in
Nabenchauc, and the growth of the church has been
generally slow and halting."

My desire is that Vern Sterk and thousands of missionaries and evangelists like him, who have a heart that beats for world evangelization, will learn how to do warfare prayer in a way that will make a measurable difference in the spread of the Kingdom of God throughout the earth.

Men of the Izotzil Indians

(Google images and emphasis added)

Warfare Prayer

#59 Territoriality in Southern Mexico
By C. Peter Wagner

(pgs. 100, 101) Regal Books

Father, may we wage war against the powers that are in control of the areas we desire to place a witness/church for Christ!
Help us realize that there is going to be resistance in securing places for You to set up a caring congregation, who plan to win souls for Jesus.
Show us how to pray, and please reveal what Your strategy is in every effort for Your Kingdom in our area.
I ask this in the precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Daniel 12:3 "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

Today’s quote:

HAPPY MOMENTS

Praise God

DIFFICULT MOMENTS

Seek God

QUIET MOMENTS

Worship God

PAINFUL MOMENTS

Trust God

EVERY MOMENT

Thank God

Author unknown

Some thoughts today: We are the lights of the world. We are also the salt of the area we live in. Do you make an effort to make a difference in the "atmosphere" each day with your prayers and presence? (see Matt. 5:13-16)

- Remember Christ's telling Peter to go fishing for a single fish where their tax money would be? Your miracle may also be found in some "fish's" mouth. It take's effort to reel in the fish, though.

- God's got a specific resource in a particular "fish" for you. Look to Him for guidance to find it. Mal. 3:10 advises that we give God our tithe, and He will provide for our needs. He promises that we won't have room to contain it. It is to be a continual relying on Him, while obediently giving into His Kingdom's work, expecting Him to provide. We do our part by working and tithing; He does His.

23rd- Thursday’s post: #60 Spiritual Boot Camp
C. Peter Wagner

25th- Saturday's post: Seasons of the Heart
James H. Cagle

26th- Sunday evening's post: Pray First
Jennifer Benson Schuldt

28th- Tuesday's post: #61 Submit to God

C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: Approaching the Father Dutch Sheets tells us, "The only way to win a wrestling match with God is to lose."

One final thought in introducing this subject of warfare: It is important to know that in our wrestling we are not to wrestle with God.

I don’t know about you, but the very thought terrifies me!"

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