"For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you."
I believe we are in a time of gross darkness as chaos can be seen everywhere and there are many evil things happening all over the earth. But notice in this scripture it says His glory shall be seen on us. Demonic oppression is real. It is a "spiritual attack from a demonic spirit which seeks to influence a person's thoughts, emotions and even their actions."
There are many examples in the bible where Jesus commands demonic spirits to leave people who have been under their possession. Mark 9:20-29. Luke 8:26-39. These are just a few.
Many years ago before I had prayed the prayer for salvation, I was going out with a man who was a bikie and I rode with him and a group of others for two years. I was well and truly into the bikie culture. I have not shared this before but I feel a release to do that now.
About four years ago, I got to know a person then in our local church who was involved with a motorbike group that I was unsure about. I asked the Lord what should I do about this. He said go to their meeting place. So just on nightfall I went to the building. I said what do I do now, He said to walk around the building and pray.
I went to this place a few more times but still felt troubled by what was happening. I felt I was to go there when the meetings were on. So one evening I did. I was totally unprepared for what happened.
That night a really cold wind blew in, it was like ice and not natural but demonic. I was praying and said this was a mistake, I should not have come. But often what we think is wrong is what God wants to use.
I heard a taunting voice in my mind which said, "Remember how you loved the sound of the bike being kicked over and how you loved to go so fast." "NO!" I screamed in my mind. " That bikie girl does not exsist anymore, she is dead."
I could barely breathe and ran out of there as fast as I could. Once out of the building, I filled my lungs with long deep breaths of cool fresh air. As I drove home the Lord said, "What you experienced was the spirit of death and hate and I want you to pray for those people."
A few weeks later I was having ministry and mentioned this experience and received prayer. The Lord miraculously set me free from death and hate and the bikie culture during that prayer time.
In Isaiah 61:1 we are told that by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, "the Lord has anointed and qualified us to preach the gospel to the meek, the poor and afflicted; He has sent us to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and open the prison of the eyes to those who are bound."