If someone that knows my spiritual walk came up to me ask if I was an expert on spiritual warfare, most likely I would respond with, “No, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night!”

Let me explain. Several years ago when my wife and I were living in a large metropolitan area, we would go back to our little hometown to visit our family and our spiritual father and mother who served as pastors in a local church. At the time, we were living like heathens and we made this trip many times over the years, we had no room in our hearts for the things of God. However, my wife repented and sometime later, and I stress sometime later, I repented and God began to put our lives on the path which He had planned for us.  

We made this trip many times over the years, but once we began walking with God, I noticed that when we would make the trip back to where we grew up, I always felt oppressed by evil the entire time I was there. It was nothing short of demonic agitation manifesting itself as soon as we would enter the region.  

We usually made these trips short due to the agitation I experienced each time, it was very uncomfortable for me. As soon as we would exit the city by just a few miles, the oppression would lift. I told my wife, “There’s an evil power that doesn’t like me there, I grew up here and I feel such an evil spirit of rejection  and every time we go there I come under demonic attack.” 

One Christmas night a few years ago we made our holiday pilgrimage to visit with family and due to lack of available beds at our parent’s home, we decided to spend the night at the Holiday Inn Express. We would do anything to avoid her parent’s sleeper sofa, just one night on that torture device and you’d be ready to find yourself another place to stay. When I think about it over the years, few of us did spent more than one night more on that contraption.  

So, we checked into the Holiday Inn Express that Christmas night and went to bed. As I laid there waiting on sleep to come, I sensed something was different. I became aware of an evil demonic attack like I had never experienced before. Evil surrounded and hovered over me as I lay in bed. An evil, dark, satanic power was in the room tormenting me to leave. I was being harassed to leave the city, to get out and don’t come back! If I hadn’t had God in my life I would have gladly packed up and split.  

As strong as the evil was, I sensed angels in the room hovering above me waiting to battle…waiting for my words to come forth, waiting to engage the enemy.  

I began to quote any scripture I could think of under my breath so I didn’t wake my wife. As I would say the verses, I sensed evil pull back as the angels warred with the evil forces which had gathered to drive me away from my future assignment. God watches over His Word to perform it, and the angels await our faith to speak the words to engage and wrestle with the enemy. The battle went on above me like a prize fight with round after round that night. How awesome it is to have God’s Word and know to speak it when we’re in danger. How great thou art! 

The Lord been showing us that we would be moving in the near future, we just wasn’t sure when and where, but we already had a release from the city we were currently living. Apparently, evil spirits know the power on our lives by the anointing and by the angelic activity that surrounds us. Evil recognized Jesus when He came into a region and I stress the words “came into a country (region.)” What did Jesus first encounter when He entered into the country? He encountered EVIL, evil so violent and threatening that no one could pass by that way.  Satan’s kingdom opposed the plans and purposes of God that Jesus was carrying out and he will opposes you at every turn as well. When you’re a threat to disrupt the kingdom of darkness you will encounter opposition.  

“When Jesus came to the other side, into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed, met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. {They were} so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.” Matt. 8:28 

That night at the hotel, the battle between good and evil raged on all night as evil would rise and attack again and again. I lay there in a fetal position hunkered down, I had to win, I had to win that night!  The enemy was forcing its will and by doing so it had exposed itself just as the demoniacs ran out of the tombs to scare people away each time someone would pass their way. What I was experiencing was evil coming to try and scare me away; evil didn’t want me to enter into that region.  

I kept putting my voice to any scripture I could think of and immediately I sensed in the Spirit, the angels appointed to me gain the upper hand. Finally just before morning light, the victory was won and I comfortably rested in peace although it had been a sleepless night. Evil had been dispatched but we had won! With the Word of God, His angels and my faith…we won…oh the sweet taste of victory!  I informed my wife when she woke of what had transpired in the night and the awesome victory that was ours in Christ.  

I get excited when I reflect on the reality of that night.  As dark and difficult as it was, it makes me think of the scenario of punching a bully square in the nose and he runs off bloody and defeated.  

Later that same morning we went to a very modest restaurant for breakfast. As we sat quietly discussing the events of the night, a man that was sitting a few tables away, slid his chair around and sat there a few feet away with an angry stare in his eyes. His presence was aggressive and threatening and we knew the enemy was controlling this man, he was possessed.  

We sat there and ignored the intimidation of the enemy as best we could. We ate our breakfast and after a period of time, the man turned away and went back to converse with his table mates. It seems odd that no one else seemed to notice this man’s strange behavior.  

Truly the Lord has prepared a banquet table for us in the presence of our enemies. After the events of this night we were able to travel back to our hometown without anymore demonic attack or oppression. In fact, we have moved back to the city where this all took place. We moved back to where we grew up, where we first met, where we fell in love with one another, and where our lives became one together. We are at peace where God has led us to live and we thrive in our spiritual walk. Since then God has even exposed two evil spirits, Poverty and Idolatry, which have influenced the city for years.  

So if you ask me if I’m some kind of expert on spiritual warfare I will most likely say, “I’m not an expert on spiritual warfare by any means…but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!!! 

Bro. Bill

Scripture References: 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Ps. 23: 4-6 

“When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. {They were} so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.” Mat. 8:28 

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual {forces} of wickedness in the heavenly {places.} Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil {one.} And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, Eph. 6:12-18