Mute Luke 11:14
When I was twelve I witnessed my mother being speared to death by a Roman soldier outside our house. She had been crossing the road carrying a basket of apples which she had picked from our own trees and was taking to the market to sell. I was walking beside her and eating one of the delicious juicy apples and we were chatting away when all of a sudden a Roman centurion on horseback came round the corner and ran straight into us. The horse reared up and threw the soldier into the road. My mother was caught by the horses hoof and she fell and the apples went all over the place. I screamed which upset the horse even more and as I fell to my knees to try to help my mother up the Roman got up from the ground, stood over us, drew his sword and pierced my mother through her stomach. I will never forget the look on his face - he was smiling as he killed her. And the look on my mother's face as she clutched at her stomach and realised that he had killed her - a look fo horror and fear and pain and grief. It has haunted me for all these years and I will never be able to sleep again without seeing her face in my dreams.
From that day I never spoke again.
I didnt decide not to speak. I just lost the ability to speak. It was as though my voice died the moment my mother died in my arms on the street that day. At first people just thought I was in shock and that as the grief process ran its course I would ' get better' and ' get back to normal'. But there was no ' normal' after that day. I just couldnt speak and no amount of persuasion or threat or medicine or anything else could make me speak. From that day I retreated into a world of silence.
Until I met Jesus
I was thirty when he came through town with his disciples, teaching about the Kingdom of God and healing everyone who came to him. I had heard many stories about him and like everyone else was keen to see him and hear his teaching. I didnt really imagine I would get the chance to meet him but as he sat teaching that day under the shade of an olive tree he suddenly pointed to me and asked me to step forward. I had been sitting at some distance from him and behind a group of Pharisees who had been muttering and mumbling to themselves as Jesus had been teaching about the Holy Spirit. I thought he was talking to someone else at first and looked round to see who it might be. But then Jesus called my name and asked me to come up. So I awkwardly made my way through the crowd until I was standing right in front of him. Jesus took my hands in his and told me to look into his eyes. As soon as he touched me I felt everything within me wanting to back away from him. I wanted to run. Which was odd, because simultaneously I wanted whatever Jesus had for me. It was as though a battle was raging inside me. I felt very peculiar.
Jesus looked me dead in the eye and said ' Tormenting mute spirit come out of her now'
Instantly I felt something move in my stomach. I thought I was going to be sick. I could feel something moving up my throat and the next thing I heard myself make a sort of hissing sound followed by a sort of growl. I bent over double as though someone had kicked me in the stomach and then then next thing I knew I was flooded with light and peace and love and joy and I began to laugh. I hadnt been able to laugh for eighteen years. Jesus asked me what my name was and I heard myself say ' My name is Corrina Lord' It was such a long time since I had heard my voice that I almost couldnt believe it was me speaking. ' Corrina' said Jesus ' You are healed of your trauma and delivered of your bondage. Go in peace' I turned to walk back through the crowd.
Immediately the Pharisees piped up and said ' He casts out demons because he is the prince of demons - that's why he can command them' Several voices joined in this ridiculous assertion and I was about to tell these supposedly learned men to stop being so ridiculous when Jesus himself spoke
' Satan is a stong man who keeps prisoners bound up in captivity behind strong walls. Why would he attack his own stronghold? That wouldnt make sense. The only way his captives can be released is if one stronger than he is comes and overwhelms him, disarms him and sets the captives free. I am stronger than Satan and have overcome every deception and device he has devised. If you are not on my side then you are not on the winning side and you are not working for the Kingdom of God.'
The Pharisees didnt seem to be able to think up an answer to that, and the rest of the people cheered and clapped at the thought that Satan and his demons could be defeated. I joined in the cheering - amazed and exhilirated at the sounds that were coming out of my mouth. That day I went home singing. And I havent stopped singing praise to God and telling everyone I meet about the day I met Jesus.
From that day I never spoke again.
I didnt decide not to speak. I just lost the ability to speak. It was as though my voice died the moment my mother died in my arms on the street that day. At first people just thought I was in shock and that as the grief process ran its course I would ' get better' and ' get back to normal'. But there was no ' normal' after that day. I just couldnt speak and no amount of persuasion or threat or medicine or anything else could make me speak. From that day I retreated into a world of silence.
Until I met Jesus
I was thirty when he came through town with his disciples, teaching about the Kingdom of God and healing everyone who came to him. I had heard many stories about him and like everyone else was keen to see him and hear his teaching. I didnt really imagine I would get the chance to meet him but as he sat teaching that day under the shade of an olive tree he suddenly pointed to me and asked me to step forward. I had been sitting at some distance from him and behind a group of Pharisees who had been muttering and mumbling to themselves as Jesus had been teaching about the Holy Spirit. I thought he was talking to someone else at first and looked round to see who it might be. But then Jesus called my name and asked me to come up. So I awkwardly made my way through the crowd until I was standing right in front of him. Jesus took my hands in his and told me to look into his eyes. As soon as he touched me I felt everything within me wanting to back away from him. I wanted to run. Which was odd, because simultaneously I wanted whatever Jesus had for me. It was as though a battle was raging inside me. I felt very peculiar.
Jesus looked me dead in the eye and said ' Tormenting mute spirit come out of her now'
Instantly I felt something move in my stomach. I thought I was going to be sick. I could feel something moving up my throat and the next thing I heard myself make a sort of hissing sound followed by a sort of growl. I bent over double as though someone had kicked me in the stomach and then then next thing I knew I was flooded with light and peace and love and joy and I began to laugh. I hadnt been able to laugh for eighteen years. Jesus asked me what my name was and I heard myself say ' My name is Corrina Lord' It was such a long time since I had heard my voice that I almost couldnt believe it was me speaking. ' Corrina' said Jesus ' You are healed of your trauma and delivered of your bondage. Go in peace' I turned to walk back through the crowd.
Immediately the Pharisees piped up and said ' He casts out demons because he is the prince of demons - that's why he can command them' Several voices joined in this ridiculous assertion and I was about to tell these supposedly learned men to stop being so ridiculous when Jesus himself spoke
' Satan is a stong man who keeps prisoners bound up in captivity behind strong walls. Why would he attack his own stronghold? That wouldnt make sense. The only way his captives can be released is if one stronger than he is comes and overwhelms him, disarms him and sets the captives free. I am stronger than Satan and have overcome every deception and device he has devised. If you are not on my side then you are not on the winning side and you are not working for the Kingdom of God.'
The Pharisees didnt seem to be able to think up an answer to that, and the rest of the people cheered and clapped at the thought that Satan and his demons could be defeated. I joined in the cheering - amazed and exhilirated at the sounds that were coming out of my mouth. That day I went home singing. And I havent stopped singing praise to God and telling everyone I meet about the day I met Jesus.
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