Spiritual Warfare

Sold Out to Satan
by David Howard

David Howard was the Director of Urbana 73 and 76.

During our years in Colombia I had some contact occasionally with demonic activity. I am certainly not an expert in that area nor have I had extensive experience in it. But I did have to deal with it from time to time.

About the time that we returned to the U.S. to work with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the late 1960's witchcraft, Ouija boards and similar activities were becoming a rage among college students. Witchcraft shops were springing up near college campuses and were increasingly popular.

Somehow the word got around InterVarsity circles that I was an "expert" in this area. This was not true, but I soon became the "in house" guru in dealing with such matters. I was being invited increasingly to speak to student groups on the topic of witchcraft, demonism, and related subjects.

One night [in 1968 or 1969] I spoke at the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater on this topic. As I headed for the classroom designated for the meeting, I found the hallways jammed with scores of students. The classroom was overflowing, and students were streaming into the building from all over campus. It soon became evident that they would have to find another location. No other classroom or auditorium was either large enough or available, so they decided to use the grandstands outside at the University track. No sound system had been planned, for use in the open air.

It was a spring evening, so weather was not a problem. Therefore, I had to stand out on the track with hundreds of students (we calculated that there must have been at least 800) sitting in the stands or on the grass beside the track. So I gave my talk, shouting at the top of my lungs about the devil and his tactics. I doubt that the devil appreciated this scenario, but we had no other choice. I do not know what the results may have been.

Another time I was asked to speak at the University of Wisconsin in Madison on the same topic. The meeting had been announced around campus, so again we had a large crowd. After the meeting quite a few students came up to discuss this with me, and I did my best to answer questions.

I noticed that one male student and a girl (apparently his girlfriend) were standing quietly to the side not participating in the discussions. After most of the students had finished with their questions, this young man and the girl sidled up to me with some hesitation and asked,

"Is it ever possible for a person who has sold himself - body, soul, and spirit - to the devil to be delivered?"

I noticed that he was quite nervous. His lips were tight and trembling, his hands were clenched with white knuckles. While he did not say that he was talking about himself, it was apparent that he was. So I tried to answer his question.

Several of the more mature Christian InterVarsity students were standing by, and they noticed that this was probably a deep and serious case. So one of them interrupted and said to me,

"Why don't you go off into a side room along with this student, and the rest of us will stay our here and pray for you?"

This was exactly the right thing to do. But I asked one of them to come with us and pray right there while I talked with the fellow and his girl friend. We retired to a nearby room. The next hour and half were some of the most terrifying and tension filled that I had ever experienced.

I will call the student "Gerald" (not his real name). Gerald began to describe to me his present spiritual pilgrimage. He was a member of a coven of witches who met regularly to practice whatever covens of witches do when they meet. He had literally sold himself to the devil with a blood covenant.
He showed me a scar, where he had sliced his finger open and filled a golden vial with his blood. This vial was passed around to the other members of the coven, and they drank his blood. This was a blood covenant with Satan that, according to them, could never be broken.

He told me other hair-raising stories of the use of a goat's head in their rituals and many other procedures as part of their worship of Satan. He told me that Lucifer appeared to him every night at midnight, and he would pray to Lucifer. He said that if the members of the coven should find out that he was telling me these things, he would be killed.

As he spoke, he was perspiring, shaking, clenching his fists, tightening his lips and showing other signs of nervousness.

Finally he turned to me and said with trembling lips, "Is it ever possible for me to be delivered from this blood covenant that I have with Satan? I belong to Satan, but I want to know if I can be freed."

Now I knew perfectly well in my head the answer to that question. I had been a Christian since the age of ten and been brought up in a strong Christian home and church. The answer was easy - of course he could be delivered.

But he asked, "Is it possible to do that right now?"

Again I knew the answer. But suddenly my own faith was placed squarely on the table. Did I really believe that God would deliver Gerald right now? I knew in my head that God could deliver him. But it was another matter to tell Gerald that God would deliver him right now.

Taking a cue from Nehemiah, when the king asked him a pointed question, "I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered...." (Nehemiah 2: 4-5), I told Gerald that the only thing more powerful than his blood covenant with Satan was the blood of Jesus Christ, which could deliver and cleanse him from all sin.

Gerald asked, "Can you do this for me?"

I answered, "No, you have to do it yourself?"

"What do I have to do?"

"You must recognize and confess your sin asking God to forgive and deliver you".

Gerald protested, "But I don't know how to pray".

I replied, "You just told me that you pray to Lucifer every night. So now you must pray to God. I want you to pray first, telling God of your sin and your desire the have your blood covenant with Satan broken. Then I will pray for you."

So Gerald started to pray. Almost instantly he was thrown to the floor grabbing his stomach and crying out in agony and writhing on the floor. I stepped over and laid my hands on him claiming the blood of Jesus Christ to defeat the devil in this terrible battle. I do not recall how long this struggle lasted. At the time it seemed like ages, but it was probably just a few moments.

Soon Gerald relaxed, rose to his feet and with a big and genuine smile on his face, turned to his girlfriend and said, "WOW! This is REAL! This really happened!"

He knew he had been forgiven and delivered, and it showed eminently in his face and body language.
Then I turned to his girlfriend and asked, "What about you? What is your relationship to Jesus Christ?"
She said in a forlorn way, "I don't know...."

So I asked, "Would you like to get right with Jesus Christ also tonight?" She affirmed that she did, so I had the privilege of leading her to the Lord right there.

After this long struggle in the side room, we went out to join the other InterVarsity students, who were still praying for us. I asked Gerald to tell them what had just taken place in his life. He did so in clear and unmistakable words. The students rejoiced, hugged him, and shouted "Welcome to the Family!!”

Then he said, "But what am I to do tonight when Lucifer comes to see me at midnight?"

I told him to rebuke Lucifer, claim the blood of Jesus Christ, and pray to God for protection. The InterVarsity students joined in and said,

"We will pray for you all night tonight and thus surround you with prayer".

One student said, "Here is my phone number. Any time - day or night - that you are troubled again by Lucifer, you call me. I will then call these other friends, and we will all back you up in prayer".

For the next few weeks Gerald had no further trouble with the devil. But the attacks were resumed some weeks later, and he called for help, which was readily given by the InterVarsity students.

Later that year Gerald asked me to perform his wedding with his girlfriend, which I was both honored and delighted to do. One of the InterVarsity students, who served as his best man, gave them a wedding gift, which was a scholarship to attend Urbana 73 (which I had the privilege of directing). It was a great joy to see them at the convention.

Once again Satan was defeated in the life of a student and Jesus Christ was glorified. I am profoundly grateful that God allowed me to share in some small way in the life of Gerald and his girlfriend.

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December 27-31, 2009