Twisted Old Tree

“And He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’” Genesis 3:11, NASB.

A huge twisted old tree stood silently at the edge of a large park. Its gnarled trunk was over eight feet wide. Its canopy was like a gigantic twenty foot umbrella. Vines cascaded from the canopy like thousands of old, snake-like fingers. The tree dwarfed every other tree in the area. The local people believe that this tree has powerful, ancestral spirits.

While it is not the teaching of the major religion practiced in the area, a belief in and fear of spirits is very much at the heart of this people group. The worship of spirits is called animism. It is common for people to offer sacrifices of food or drink to special trees, mountains or rocks to gain the favor of the spirits who are believed to live within the objects. Animists believe that such offerings can keep the spirits from harming them, and may even allow them to direct the spirits to do things for them. Some people, known as witchdoctors, are seen as having special power over the spiritual world, and people will pay them to treat illnesses, put curses on enemies or even to cast a spell to force people to do whatever is desired – even to make them fall in love.

The spirit of this particular tree is believed to be a protector to the entire community. The tree is revered because of this belief.

Some of the beliefs in spirits are purely superstition, and some are demonic. Regardless of the source being psychological or occult, the result is the same – deep, primal fear. These people live in fear of hexes and spirits. Fear drives them to many extremes. It is a tool of the enemy to keep the people from finding the perfect love that casts out all fear.

Pray that:

The fear of spirits in this community will be overcome by the perfect love of God expressed through Jesus Christ.

Believers in this area will exercise their God given authority over demons and spiritual strongholds so that the people will see and give glory to God.

This magnificent tree will soon be seen as a reflection of an infinitely powerful and creative God who gives life to all things, and in Whom all things exist and hold together.

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