Prowling Lion

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8, NAS.

Peter speaks of the enemy as a prowling lion looking for someone to devour. The truth of this verse impressed me as I visited the dormitory at the TCK (Third Culture Kid) school that our children attended. At night the fire on the stove can come on by itself. Water faucets go on and off by themselves regularly. Demonic activity is rampant, and I realized that our children are a soft target for the enemy. God convicted me of the need to cover each child staying at the dorm with daily prayer. I did this faithfully for several weeks, but then I began to slack off. That was until God sent me a dream.

In my dream I was alone with my three children in a big, two story house. It was pitch black inside. Only the moonlight from outside gave any light. The first thing I noticed was that all the windows and doors where standing wide open. Then I saw the enemy prowling around outside. Fear gripped my heart like an icy cold hand. Frantically I began rushing around the house closing and bolting doors and windows. Each moment the enemy circled closer and closer to the house. I knew there was no way I’d be able to shut all the windows and doors before he got in. I woke shaking and in a cold sweat.

The Spirit prompted me, and I realized that I had not been praying for the children. My lack of prayer was the same as leaving all the doors and windows open when there is a dangerous wild animal outside. I thanked God for the dream He sent to keep me on my knees for the TCKs. I still pray for the children daily, because I don’t want to give the enemy an opportunity.

Some of you may be raising your eyebrows about demons. You might suggest that there may be other explanations for the stove and faucet problems at the dormitory. Let me tell you about another incident I experienced at the dorm. I was in bed drifting off to sleep when what felt like a heavy weight slammed into my chest pinning me down. I could hardly breathe. It took several seconds to fight for enough air to wheeze out the name Jesus. But as soon as the Name came off my lips the weight vanished. Call it what you like, but I know what it is, and I will continue to pray.

You may wonder why we’d leave our children in a place like this, but in fact our children are far from helpless in the face of demons. They have the authority and power of Christ in them, and they are learning to exercise that authority. That is a priceless lesson for any child living on the mission field.

Pray that:

TCKs will learn about and exercise the authority they have in Christ against the attacks of the enemy.

The Holy Spirit will surround and protect all the Pacific Rim TCKs living in boarding schools. We don’t want to give the enemy any opportunities by not covering our TCKs in prayer!

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.