© 98 Colin Melbourne
Deliverance to the captives: A Chinese girl grew normally, until she became quiet and withdrawn. Soon she was in a world of her own. The doctors called her Schizoid, her neighbours called her crazy. Her parents were at their wit’s end. Then Jesus set her free.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;
1 Tim 1:15 KJV
Through simple faith in Jesus Christ, God provides everything for everybody. Forgiveness of sins, healing of diseases, peace beyond understanding, and… Deliverance to the Captive.
Jesus announced His mission with these words:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me… to preach the gospel… to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind.
Lk. 4:18-19 KJV
And lots more good stuff.
This ministry did not end at the Cross, He passed on to all believers the same mission. See Mtt. 28 and Mk. 16 Note that doubters cannot fulfil God’s calling, only believers.
Satan uses physical sickness to destroy human bodies, and mental illness to cripple human minds.
All sickness has its source in Satan and sin, but Praise God, Jesus provides the double cure. Total victory over Satan, and perfect redemption from sin and its consequences, through faith in His Precious Blood. Here’s another true story of a miracle of Christ that I personally witnessed in a Malaysian Chinese woman, whom I’ll call Yoke Lin.
She was raised in a loving home by parents who attended a Christian denominational fellowship. Yoke Lin grew perfectly normally, and began work as a Sales Assistant, after graduating from school.
At the age of nineteen, her character began to change. Instead of her normal lively self, she became very quiet and withdrawn. When questioned about it by her parents, she would ‘clam-up’ or fly into a fit of rage.
Soon she deteriorated so much she had to stop work, and begin psychiatric therapy. Her neighbours and friends avoided her, regarding her as being ‘charmed’. The doctors diagnosed her as suffering from Schizophrenia.
Others just called her crazy.
The Holy Bible describes this as the oppression of Satan Acts 10:38 KJV;
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
That is what it is.
Her parents fasted and prayed, seeking all the help they could from their denominational fellowship (Presbyterian), but Yoke Lin only got worse.
Her powerful medication pacified her, but the daughter they once knew was gone.
They heard about another fellowship in town that cast out evil spirits just like Jesus did in the Bible.
They put aside their tradition-bound reservations (always a good idea), and took their daughter to every service and meeting.
During a trip to Malaysia, I attended a Bible Study in the same fellowship (Assembly of God). I couldn’t concentrate because sitting next to me was a Chinese girl who was muttering Psalms to herself, word-perfectly incidentally, in a world of her own. She wasn’t noisy, in fact I had to lean close to hear, but nonetheless there was something very disturbing about her.
You guessed. It was Yoke Lin.
After the meeting, others told me her story. She had now been like this for six months or so. Her parents were beautiful gentle Christians, but at their wit’s end. In a very superstitious society, they had lost face, friends, and their confidence in God was severely shaken.
Are you at your wit’s end?
Have you prayed and fasted over a problem that is strangling your joy, ruining your life?
Commit the whole thing to Christ: The Deliverer.
Praise Him for the answer now, and He will justify your confidence in Him, in the midst of your enemies.
Next day, a group of us visited Yoke Lin at her parent’s home.
Being a Christian family, they had none of the usual religious paraphernalia that clutters Chinese homes. (Idols, Ancestor spirit shrines, candles, beads, incense sticks, ‘foo’, and demonic charms.)
Poor Yoke Lin sat whispering and smiling to herself, cut-off from reality. Our hearts went out to her and the parents as we prayed for wisdom and revelation.
Several of us received from the Holy Spirit the word ‘unforgiveness’.
It was an effort to get the young woman’s attention. Finally, we got her to respond to our question;
‘Has anybody hurt you?’
Soon she admitted that she held a deep grudge against her sister (who was a gifted musician.) Yoke Lin saw herself as inferior, a failure, overshadowed by her clever sibling.
We encouraged her to repent of her unforgiveness and jealousy, which she did.
We led her to receive Christ (to make sure she was really saved, and not just a church-goer). Then we cast out of her the evil spirits of unforgiveness and jealousy in Jesus’ Name.
Her expression changed immediately. She appeared like one who had just awoken. She began to talk normally. All medication was stopped. Over the next days and weeks the Fellowship built her up, by telling her what God says, and thinks of her.
God’s word is full of blessings for those who have received Christ as Saviour. Do you know how precious you are to God?
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Ro. 5:8 KJV
God gave His very Best for you and me. There is nothing God desires more than to have you in His loving embrace always. You are the best of His Creation
Look to Christ in genuine faith now and He will move Heaven and Earth to fix your problem.
About a year later, a vibrant worshipper approached me as I finished preaching in her fellowship.
‘You don’t recognize me do you Colin?’
(The truth was, I hadn’t a clue who the radiant young woman was.)
“I’m Yoke Lin!” she burst out.
She was beautiful. Perfectly delivered by Jesus Christ.
She was working in a department store, happy in Jesus, without a trace of any sickness. Praise God.
Her parents were even more elated. Both had received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit after witnessing their daughter’s miraculous recovery. And God is using them today to set captives free in His Name.
There is forgiveness, healing, redemption and deliverance right now for you. And that which will satisfy you for all eternity, In The Lord Jesus Christ.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Ro. 10:13 KJV
For God has not given us (believers) the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and a sound mind.
2 Tim. 1:7 KJV
Read Healing the Sick by T.L.Osborn
© 98 Colin Melbourne
