Native missionary Jesu Das was horrified when he first visited one village in India and found no believers of Jesus there. The people were worshipping hundreds of different Gods, and four pagan priests controlled them through witchcraft.
Stories were told of how these priests could kill people's cattle with witchcraft and destroy crops. People were suddenly taken ill and died without explanation. The destruction and bondage the villagers were living in is hard to imagine. Scars, decay and death marked their faces, because they were totally controlled by the powers of darkness.
When Jesu Das told them about Christ, it was the first time they ever heard of a God who did not require sacrifices and offerings to appease His anger. As Jesu Das continued to preach in the marketplace, many people came to know the Lord.
But the priests were outraged. They warned Jesu Das that if he did not leave the village, they would call on their gods to kill him, his wife and their children. Jesu Das did not leave. He continued to preach, and villagers continued to be saved.
Finally, after a few weeks, the witch doctors came to Jesu Das and asked him the secret of his power.
     "This is the first time our power did not work," they told him. "After doing the 'pujas', we asked the spirits to go and kill your family. But the spirits came back and told us they could not approach you or your family because you were always surrounded by fire. Then we called more powerful spirits to come after you- but they too returned, saying not only were you surrounded by fire, but angels were also around you all the time."
Jesu Das told them about Christ. The Holy Spirit convicted each of them of their sin of following demons, and of the judgment to come. With tears, they repented, renouncing their gods and idols, and received Jesus Christ as Lord. As a result, hundreds of other villagers were set free from sin and bondage.
-"Revolution in World Missions" K.P. Yohannan
Gospel for Asia www.gfa.org

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