A Spirit Bubble

September 17, 2024August 14, 2024 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I had never heard of a “Spirit Bubble” until last year while I was editing a book for someone else. I didn’t think much of it except that I pictured it as pink as bubble gum. I didn’t recall reading about such an item in the Bible, either. I told the author that I personally seldom share anything in writing that cannot be found in the Bible.

Over the last week or so, April and I were talking, and I expressed my surprise that April had never been proposed to before me. I mean, looks wise, she is so pretty and her personality so cute. She was in her thirties when we married, and before I came along, a few of the locals started to call her an “old maid.” April’s only answer as to why she did not get married earlier in life was, “God protected me.”

That phrase was stuck in my head. Even when I wasn’t thinking about it, I was thinking about it. I started asking myself, “What would that protection look like?” Then I had the thought, “The local young men didn’t “see” April. And the two guys she dated certainly didn’t see the hand of God on her life or went to battle against it. Then it hit me: it was as if God had placed April inside a bubble. I think of this as something different than a “hedge of protection” (Job 1:10) around her.

Then, my mind turned back to the book I edited last year. The author described God placing her inside a bubble that demons of Satan could not penetrate no matter how hard they tried. She mentioned times of being in a bubble during spiritual attacks of the enemy.

So, then, I begin to think about battles in the Bible. More specifically, personal battles. One that came to mind was when Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. Daniel told the King, “God sent his angel, and he closed the mouths of the lions.” At first, I thought Okay. No bubble. But days later, it dawned on me that Daniel was not hurt, and the lions could have clawed him to death. So, I went back to my first thought of God placing a bubble around Daniel, and the lions couldn’t see him. They might have still smelled him and that would be why the angel closed their mouths.

Daniel 6:16-23 (ICB)
¹⁶So King Darius gave the order. They brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May the God you serve all the time save you!” ¹⁷A big stone was brought. It was put over the opening of the lions’ den. Then the king used his signet ring to put his special seal on the rock. And he used the rings of his royal officers to put their seals on the rock also. This showed that no one could move that rock and bring Daniel out. ¹⁸Then King Darius went back to his palace. He did not eat that night. He did not have any entertainment brought to entertain him. And he could not sleep.

¹⁹The next morning King Darius got up at dawn. He hurried to the lions’ den. ²⁰As he came near the den, he was worried. He called out to Daniel. He said, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Has your God that you always worship been able to save you from the lions?”

²¹Daniel answered, “My king, live forever! ²²My God sent his angel to close the lions’ mouths. They have not hurt me, because my God knows I am innocent. I never did anything wrong to you, my king.”

²³King Darius was very happy. He told his servants to lift Daniel out of the lions’ den. So they lifted him out and did not find any injury on him. This was because Daniel had trusted in his God.

It doesn’t matter if you believe in “Spirit bubbles” or not because it has nothing to do with getting into heaven. But I definitely know that if God wants to hide you or protect you from the devil or harm, He can. So, the key to this is believing and trusting in God.

Amen.

People

February 3, 2023January 28, 2023 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

“Life would be easy if it wasn’t for all of the freaken people!” Anonymous

True confession: The older I get, the less I enjoy getting out. Not sure if that’s common or not. I enjoy getting to stay home. The main reason is because of self-serving, distracted drivers these days. And sometimes those same drivers are standing in line in front of me.

This last week, I encountered two such individuals. The first one was while I was in line at a discount store. I looked, and the lady in front of me had “two” carts full. I had “four” items. She even turned, looked at me, and I was holding my “four” items up high to make sure she could see them. I was expecting her to say, “Oh, go in front of me.” But she didn’t. So I proceeded to count my items out loud. “1, 2, 3, 4, items,” I said. Again she looked at me. Even the cashier seemed bewildered by the woman’s self-serving action. The woman proceeded to check out. “87 items,” the cashier noted. I was mad, but I held my tongue and then even helped the lady by putting her two carts up where they went. The woman seemed to be angry, evil, and perhaps oppressed by a demon.

The second was, of all places, the post office. The mother seemed decent, at first, at least until her exhausted little girl started acting out. There were a lot of others there as well, and getting annoyed quickly! The man behind me left. I tried my best to ignore her behavior and the mother’s obnoxious parenting. You’ve witnessed this scene, I’m sure. “Now, (name of child), stop it. You’re going to get spanked. Stop hurting my face. It’s not nice. Yes, everyone is looking at you and your bad behavior. I’m going to leave you here.” The line was long and moving slowly. I was hoping the woman would leave and take her child home and put her to bed. Everybody was hoping!

Then I decided to pray over the child and the atmosphere. As I was praying, the little girl looked right at me, and with her dark eyes, she seemed to snarl at me. It was scary. I then whispered for the evil spirit to leave the little girl. He didn’t. I prayed for the environment to be flipped. From a place of distress to one of peace. It didn’t work. There were thoughts of going “postal.” Just kidding.

I realize now why my prayers didn’t work. I should have thought of it earlier because I am writing a book on the subject. I didn’t try to cast out the demon from the little girl out loud. Neither did I speak to the environment to change out loud. In my book, I write about how spiritual warfare has to be done out loud. Whenever Jesus encountered “people” who needed to be set free from anything, He spoke out loud. Yes, I know the others in the post office would have heard me, but shouldn’t they witness that we can have dominion over this world and the evil spirits that try to rule it?

^10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no weekend war that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

^13-18Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. Eph. 6:12-17 (MSG)

The more familiar version says:

¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. ¹³For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Eph. 6:12-13 (NET)

I can’t avoid going out, and I can’t avoid people. I shouldn’t want to because it is people that need to hear the truth about God and how much He loves them. It’s people, and their daughters, that need to be set free from sin, bondage, and demonic influences. Love people as Jesus did. Have compassion on them and take your authority in the name of Jesus and do what Jesus would do. Just do it out loud!

Below is part of the story where Jesus cast out demons from a possed man. The whole story can be read in Mark 5:1-20.

5 ^1-5They arrived on the other side of the sea in the country of the Gerasenes. As Jesus got out of the boat, a madman from the cemetery came up to him. He lived there among the tombs and graves. No one could restrain him—he couldn’t be chained, couldn’t be tied down. He had been tied up many times with chains and ropes, but he broke the chains, snapped the ropes. No one was strong enough to tame him. Night and day he roamed through the graves and the hills, screaming out and slashing himself with sharp stones.

^6-8When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran and bowed in worship before him—then howled in protest, “What business do you have, Jesus, Son of the High God, messing with me? I swear to God, don’t give me a hard time!” (Jesus had just commanded the tormenting evil spirit, “Out! Get out of the man!”) (MSG)

They Don’t Like God

November 30, 2021November 30, 2021 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

I was involved in an interesting discussion the other day. Okay, some might even call it an argument. You know how those go, someone, or both may say something hurtful to the other person. Not really meaning it, but to push a button. I used to stand close to the buttons in elevators and ask people, “What floor?” Then after pressing the correct button announce, “I like pushing people’s button.” Not really true, but at least it made them smile.

Back to the, “discussion”. I was accused of being so bad that even certain people close to me don’t want to be around me. This issue used to really bother me. A lot of tears have been poured out believing that somehow I was that horrible. Its funny how easily satan can get you to believe a lie. I strive to be “Christ” like. To be like God, loving.

In the middle of that, “discussion” wisdom and understanding came to me for the first time concerning this issue. It’s not me they don’t like, it’s God! They don’t like God. In fact, they don’t like being in the presence of God, and when a person lives as God calls them to then surrounding them is God’s presence. Consider this;

God is perfect and hasn’t done anything wrong to them, but yet they don’t want to be around God either!

The other person doesn’t want to feel uncomfortable simply because you are there amongst them. Their sinful heart, chosen lifestyle, or demons get irritated when you are there. But they will lie about you, make all kinds of wild, and false accusations of things that you have never done, and because you have a soft heart, you begin to think they are right.

Now knowing this doesn’t make it easier to deal with the hurt when you aren’t invited to be a part of the office gatherings, friend’s party, or even family gatherings, but at least you have understanding as to why. Praying for those, the Spirit of God is working on, helps. It helps by keeping your attitude in the proper place. But let me say this, “I’m sorry they treat you that way. It isn’t fair at all.” I find comfort in the following verse:

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

demons

A Spirit Bubble

People

They Don’t Like God

God is perfect and hasn’t done anything wrong to them, but yet they don’t want to be around God either!

“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. Mat. 5:4 (MSG)