The Seven Words | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The Seven Words | Previous Challenge Entry
By Stanley McMahon
09/17/14
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

I love words. I love their power to communicate feelings, opinions, facts and sometimes just the levity of pure nonsense that brings colour to everyone’s daily grind. There is no equivalent in any other form of communication. Words have it. I especially love the way words can be used to the good of others, to bless them and to bring them comfort and joy. But sometimes they can be used, as Jesus said, to set people free. Truth words are the best.

My son is thirty this year, although I have only known him for eighteen of those years. We met Alberto when he was twelve. He had grown up in a harsh and damaging family situation and for most of his formative years he had been institutionalised. This had made him into a very angry young man with as much baggage as a train station, and all for a lack of love.

Needless to say we had to spend many long hours talking to him, helping him adjust to a new family and to recreate a life for himself. Our task was helped immensely by the fact that he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour not long after moving in with us.

On many occasions we would sit with him in the small hours of the morning, while he would throw a tantrum and close up verbally. His face became physically darkened to match his mood. There is no doubt that this was an extreme learning curve for us as young parents and very often we got it wrong. But one thing we would always tell him to do was ‘Say the Seven Words’: ‘Vai via Satana nel nome di Gesú’. That is Italian for ‘Go away Satan in Jesus’ name.’ Only six words in English.

I can only describe the complete transformation of his mood and the light that dawned on his face when he would say those seven words, as sweet relief and rest came to us as well as him. He always struggled to say them but when he did, it allowed the Holy Spirit to release the truth and bring grace into his life and Satan was banished for a season.

Growing up I had been aware of the story of Peter and Jesus and the famous rebuke, but I had been unaware of the power of those words until I came face to face with the reality of it in very close quarters as a young missionary in Italy.

I still believe in the power of the Seven Words in situations of spiritual warfare. I also believe that we live in a Western church that is ironically, largely sceptical of the reality of spiritual warfare. I say ironically because it shows that for all our understanding of the cross work of Christ, and our solid insistence on the importance of the doctrines of grace, we fail to grasp the truth of Colossians 2:15.

All hell, quite literally, broke loose on Christ as he hung on the cross and he made a public spectacle of them. He triumphed over them. He thrashed them and trashed them – the demons and the devil were openly defeated. The cross of Christ represented pure unbridled spiritual warfare, which gloriously resulted in spiritual victory for Christ and for us.

This is love in practice, bringing grace into our lives. We need to be bold in speaking the name of Jesus and seeing the power of His name bring release and relief into lives that are broken. Grace is much more than a doctrine to enjoy and defend. It is water to the thirsty, food to the hungry and healing to those who are broken and bruised by living in a sinful world.

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.