After long and tiring mission trips among remote tribal communities of the bush, most people would welcome a season of rest. But Pastor Johnson Odoyo remains deeply burdened for those still living in spiritual darkness. So instead of slowing down, he spends his days going door-to-door, sharing the hope of the gospel with anyone willing to listen.
I once asked him, “When you are invited into a home, what do you usually do?”
His response came quickly and without hesitation: “I teach the word of God, sing and worship, then pray.” He added, “The demons always come out in the process of worshiping or praying. Then we cast them out in the name of Jesus. After a few minutes or hours, the person becomes conscious and can confess what his life was like before we went to prayer.”
On one recent visit several weeks ago, Pastor Johnson was welcomed into a home where the residents listened as he shared about having a relationship with the one true Lord of Lords through the gift of his son, Jesus Christ. As they sang and prayed, they were suddenly interrupted by strange groaning coming from a back room. Hiding there was a witchdoctor, struggling against the powerful presence of God until he suddenly became paralyzed. When Pastor Johnson laid his hands on him and prayed, the demons protested loudly but left the man, setting him free. He then confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and surrendered his life to him.
Overjoyed, he insisted that this good news be shared with his wife. Together Johnson and the redeemed witchdoctor went to his home, where his wife also surrendered her life to the Lord after hearing about the saving power of Christ.
As a visible testimony of their new faith in Jesus, the couple gathered their charms and instruments of idolatry and publicly burned them on a nearby garbage heap while singing and worshiping the Lord who had redeemed them. This video records this powerful act of commitment to following Jesus Christ.
And by God’s grace, two new names were written in the Lamb’s book of life.
