Learning to fight

Surin province, now our home,
borders northern Cambodia and consists of three prominent people groups. The majority people group is the Northern Khmer (ethnic Cambodians), Lao, and Kuy. Each people group has its own language, culture, and spiritual customs. The three groups live primarily in harmony and peace, and use Thai as the common trade language.

Because each of these people groups have been living on this land for hundreds of years, their lives have intertwined and the lines of language and culture that would normally divide and distinguish these people groups has blurred, leaving many people intermarried, speaking several or all of the languages. The negative impact of this unity has been the bringing together of three dark belief systems and demonic spiritual practices, as none of these people groups have ever experienced a significant move of God. 

So the Northern Khmer have contributed their dark magic arts, including curses, spells and potions; mixed in with traditional Buddhist beliefs and practices.

The Lao/Isaan have contributed animistic Buddhism, including ancestor worship, spirit doctors, fortune telling, and worship of territorial spirits.

The Kuy have contributed ancient animism, including the worship of wild elephant spirits. They believe that by wearing different parts of the elephant as jewellery, they receive some of the power of the elephant to protect them from weaker evil spirits that may try and attack their life.

At a recent Khmer festival, neighbours go around each house,
inviting the spirits to come and reside there. 

The unholy unity of these three dark forces have combined to form a potent mix unlike any other in Isaan. The fruit of darkness is a snowball effect of sin breaking the lives of the Surin people. 

How does all of this affect our daily lives? Satan is intimidated by us living here as lights in a dark land. He does all he can to intimidate us in return, and attacks have come day in and day out, in various shapes and sizes. It can come as a strange joylessness, trouble sleeping for no reason, heavy discouragement, an inability to pray, problems with our homes, mis-communication, strange attacks from people we had a good relationship-building encounter with, sadness and pain coming to mind when it is time to pray, or overt attacks where an evil spirit tried to overcome me while I slept and prevented me from praying out loud (this only lasted very briefly - I prayed and worshipped in my spirit and the evil spirit had to leave). 

While this is the first time we are experiencing some of these things, none of them are new or intimidating to God. Against all these types of attack, the armour of God is powerful. We are learning what it means to put it on everyday. Learning to pray together everyday, to pray in the Spirit and in song when we don't have words, pray through every part of our houses and declare the authority of Jesus after each time we leave for a few days. The Word is full of powerful truths, they really are the sword of the Spirit. We need to know them and use them, and they do set us free. 

2 Cor 12: 9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Please pray with us that the glory of God would penetrate the darkness and bring light to Surin. Pray also for our protection and growing intimacy with God. Only by being filled with His Spirit will we be able to stand, and to move forward in building His kingdom.