Changing the Atmosphere

The spiritual realm is real and powerful. What plays out there will spill over and impact the physical realm we live in in. The student team out with Oceans found this out the first few days serving here in South Africa.

We were asked to bring anointing oil and pray over the children, teachers, buildings and grounds of the Ocean View Care Center. An intense season of spiritual battles has left a cloud of heaviness and discouragement over the work.

This type of spiritual warfare was new to most of the students and yet they flooded the campus with prayers bringing heavens love down as they prayed over each of the children and teachers. It was beautiful to watch and you could sense there was some spiritual break through.

As we had our family time later that night we went around the room discussing the day. Some in the group shared how they felt a heaviness and a spirit of confusion as they prayed in certain rooms. Others shared how they could see a change in the kids attitude after praying over them.

As the team arrived the next day some were again asked to pray over teachers and students who were not present the day before. The spiritual battles intensified as the Holy Spirit began to bring things to light. Strongholds of unforgiveness, control, witchcraft, and other demonic influences from past hurts and pain begin to manifest in physical ways.

The only thing we could do was continue to cry out to God in prayer asking Him to intervene and minister to the deepest darkest places of pain and brokenness only the blood of Jesus could heal. In one particular case the enemy was very present to the point where you wondered if it was time to leave the room. Yet It was such a blessing to look up and see students on their faces before Abba Father doing warfare in the spiritual realm.

The Father heard their prayers and after a huge battle there was a break through and a spirit of shalom filled the classroom and the teacher. One of the students committed “today was like we’re living in the Bible.” The atmosphere had truly changed from heaviness and darkness to a spirit of peace and love that you could tangibly feel.

All of us were being taught about the power of prayer and the gift it is to unleash the Holy Spirit to change the spiritual atmosphere. In Paul’s famous teaching on spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6:10-18, he concludes by saying:

“Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit, stay alert and be persistent in your prayers…” (vs. 18).

To honest none of us felt equipped to deal with what we were facing yet as we cried out in prayer the Holy Spirit took charge of the situation and brought the victorious power of Jesus to overcome the enemy.

In the days we are living in we are going to see more spiritual warfare as demonic powers seek to build strong holds to hold the Father’s children in bondage. But Abba has given all His children the gift of prayer, calling out for His presence to work through our weakness to reveal His glory to change the spiritual climate.

Take up Paul’s command to “pray at all times on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit,” and watch Him change the atmosphere.