One of my favorite songs is “Overcomer” by Mandisa.  Even my wife was surprised by this revelation!  If you have heard it you know it has a great beat and marvelous words of hope.  Most people would think I would like more sedate music.  And, I do love the old hymns as well.

But, there was time when I could not listen to pop Christian music.  When it was on the radio or someone played CD’s something caused me to shut it off or shut it out.  There was a very definite barrier that was raised externally and internally.  I never really saw it as a problem until I took a class on the book of Ephesians.  The class was taught by one of my favorite professors (Klyne Snodgrass) at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Not only was I having trouble with Christian pop music but with what we were learning in Ephesians!  Upon reflection, I think it is because God was beginning to work more fully on my heart.  I had expected to learn a lot intellectually but this was different and uncomfortable.  The concept of “being in Christ” came at us from many directions in class.  And, I believe it was then that Jesus started to become firmly rooted…from the inside out!

It caused me to wonder why (at times) my hands shook and at one point could barely climb the stairs of our apartment building.  I had migraines and nightmares.  Finally, my wife and I figured what we were dealing with was spiritual warfare!  The sixth chapter of Ephesians thankfully deals with that very topic!

At some point I also made the connection about pop Christian music.  It stirred things up on the inside.  And, at times it was too much to handle.  We enlisted prayer support, a Christian counselor.  And, started to take the reality of a spiritual battle seriously.

In another seminary class I shared to a few friends that my migraines were coming more frequently.  One friend asked that those who wanted to stay after class could gather and “lay hands” on me and pray for healing and deliverance from the headaches.  Praying I thought was good but I got stuck on deliverance.  Although I really hoped it would help.  Since that time I have not suffered from migraines (@17 years)!

As a result of this Kristen and I prayed for deliverance and “the blood of Christ” to wash over areas that may fit this category.

I also came to understand that when you become filled with Christ other things must be emptied out.  For me it was anger and bitterness that needed to be emptied out.  I was amazed that grace and peace came as a result.  Not all at once but at a place I could process one step at a time.  Carrying “justified” anger only destroys us from within.  It is clearly worse than cancer because we do it to ourselves.

Jesus offers a way out of that disease (with its accompanying symptoms).  The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians, “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with inner power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”

It is a now a joy for me to listen to Christian music.  The defenses that I created have been torn down.  The message of dealing with issues with God in control are welcome reminders of God’s power.  Anger and unforgiveness can no longer be a weak spot for the “enemy” to use against me. I can hear and offer words of forgiveness.  I can use my story to help others find hope and deliverance.  As a hospital chaplain this has played out many times.  What a blessing it is to be present when people embrace this truth.  The Gospel has the power to free us if we allow Christ to work within us.  We can all be “overcomers” in Christ.