Amy’s Amazing Rescue
Amy seemed like a normal, respectful, conscientious student in the Midwestern Bible institute where I was an administrator, teacher, and pastor.
Amy was pleasant and friendly—but we didn’t know her smiles masked deep, dark, disturbing problems. We later learned that before she’d begun attending the school, Amy had been hospitalized in a mental institution and had some encounters with occult activity.
Now, as a student, Amy lived in a college apartment. Before long, some neighboring students started reporting strange things happening in the apartments—especially Amy’s. They started seeing kitchenware and other objects randomly rising and floating through the air.
When the reports first began circulating, none of us on staff knew exactly what to do. I was concerned for the safety of the students who lived in the apartments. No one reported any injury, but the events were contrary to the Bible college’s Christian beliefs. We believed in Jesus as the light of the world and opposed the darkness of any demonic or satanic activity.
So something needed to be done.
Two of my co-workers, Roger and Jared, and I decided to investigate. We made an appointment to visit Amy and, on that day, Amy met us at the door, welcoming us politely. Her roommate, who knew why we were there, went into another room, but Amy sat alone on a small sofa. Roger, Jared, and I sat on another sofa about six feet away.
At first we had a relaxed, normal conversation with Amy—a chat about how she was doing in the college and personally. Before we could transition from relaxed conversation to serious concerns about what had happened in her apartment, something suddenly happened to Amy.
Amy’s eyes glazed over and then became wild. This young woman, who had sat erect and polite, began to roll off the sofa, writhing, turning, contorting herself, doubtless being twisted by a demonic force.
We stayed calm due to our faith in the power of Christ over all powers. But suddenly we had to dramatically shift from the realm of natural human behavior and communication to a realm of supernatural conflict. Ephesians 6:12 came to my mind: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
It seemed that conflict in the heavenly realms was demonstrating its power on earth. After all, how often do people roll off sofas in front of guests and begin to flail on the floor—especially when their guests are ministers and their teachers!
As anger darkened Amy’s eyes, her rational mind that had been communicating with us seemed far away. She sneered, she hissed, she snarled, she spewed out hatefulness. She even foamed at the mouth. With contorted lips and a grimace, she began pouring out strange names and words; it all seemed related to demons and occult powers.
As she rolled about on the floor, we prayed for her and called upon the name of Jesus to deliver her.
But the force commanding her body was not releasing her. As we carefully and gently approached her, we extended hands to her as a point of contact for prayer. Roger, a very kind, comforting gentleman, made the mistake of getting a bit too close to Amy. Amy, or perhaps more accurately, the demon controlling her at that time, kicked Roger hard between the legs.
Finally Amy was stilled. Not by us, though we continued praying through the entire experience. We kept imploring God through the name and power of Jesus Christ to free her from these evil forces just as Jesus freed demon-possessed people during His earthly ministry.
What did we learn? We experienced firsthand what may be called an exorcism, an expelling of the demonic in a spiritually captive person. We also saw demonstration of the fact that Satan is mighty but God is almighty. The power of Jesus’ name is greater than any name in heaven or earth. That name has power to cast out darkness and destruction.
The deliverance session occurred on a Saturday. The next day we were all back in the main church assembly, including Amy. She looked like a completely different person—liberated, peaceful, and smiling. Those who knew her well marveled at the difference and radiance in her appearance. Students and staff members shared smiles and hugs with her with the conviction that she was now dramatically changed.
After this amazing rescue, after being pulled out of a dark sea of evil, Amy was restored to her right and best mind, knowing the wholeness of Christ above all the forces of evil He conquered and is still conquering.