Henson and I were married on 11th March 1995 at Wesley Methodist Church. The day after, we flew off for our honeymoon to Gold Coast, Australia, and Bali, Indonesia.
Home sweet home
As planned, we headed straight for our very own 2 bedroom apartment upon reaching Singapore. It would be our first night in the house ever. After unpacking and all, we crashed out, not really looking forward to work the next day.
Alarm clock that wasn’t where it should be
In the morning when we woke up and got ready to go to work, I found my small alarm clock on the dressing table instead of my bedside table. That was weird. I did not remember moving it from my bedside table. But I could have, right?
It moved! Part 1
Off we went to work and then came back after dinner to shower and rest. I must have wandered off to the kitchen or something. Henson, meanwhile, was on the phone with his mother. I stepped back into our master bedroom for something.
I froze.
My bedside table, which was a heavy piece of furniture from Pennsylvania House (not the flimsy chipboard type from Ikea), had moved. 90 degrees. Neatly. The drawers were now facing the wall instead of forwards. My Bible was sitting on top of it.
Did he move it?
I waited impatiently for Henson to finish up his conversation. Finally, he did. I called for him from the bedroom. When he entered, I calmly asked if he had moved the bedside table. He looked at me.
No.
Who did???
WE FREAKED OUT!
H-E-L-P!
What were we to do? Who could we call for help? Advice?
The Church! Our pastors!
We desperately looked for a copy of the Church’s Bulletin in the house. In it were the telephone numbers we could call to reach someone in the Church office. We needed the Bulletin!!!
{Remember, this was 1995. The Internet was still in its infancy, pagers (do YOU know what these were???) were considered hip and cool and, carrying handphones around could cause muscle strain!}
Call the Church office!
We found the Bulletin, dialled the number and waited with abated breath. No one picked up the phone – for a l-o-n-g while.
Finally, someone did. Henson quickly told him what happened – our beside table MOVED 90 degrees on its own!!! Send someone quick or tell us what to do!
Sorry, we are busy
The person on the line very calmly told us that ALL the pastors were busy and were at the Sanctuary conducting Mid-Week Prayer. In other words, no one could help us. However, he would get them to call us back when service ended.
WHAT?! Call us back?! Our table MOVED!!! We could be dead by the time anyone called us back! Has he never watched any horror movie????
We will wait downstairs, thankyouverymuch!
Well, what choice did we have? Henson made him promise that he would really get someone to call us back. Meanwhile, we paced up and down in the living room and kept away from the master bedroom. Thankfully, he kept his word and called back, and told us that some pastors would come over. He hung up and we promptly left the house, to wait for them DOWNSTAIRS. You know, just to be safe?
We thanked the good Lord that we stayed just 10 minutes away from church by car. They came by really fast – two pastors and one Chinese service leader.
Questions, questions, questions
We explained what happened and they asked us many questions.
- Did we know who lived in the house before us? No. It was tenanted.
- Did we know the owner? No.
- Where did we go for our honeymoon? Australia and Bali.
- Did we participate in any rituals or events? No.
- Did we buy any souvenirs from either place? No.
They were as puzzled as we were. They proceeded to go into each room to pray and to anoint with oil. Then they made us move the bedside table back to its original position ourselves, reminding us that “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.”
Then they left.
Stay or flee?
We were ALONE again. Now our faith had to rise up. Are we going to stay in the house and sleep in the room or will we go stay somewhere else?
Side note: the bedside table that moved was the table on MY side of the bed. Meaning, whatever/whoever chose MY side. Bleh!
We decided to stay. And sleep in the room. I slept on MY side of the bed. With the table next to me.
It moved! Part 2
A few days later, a key hanging from our ensuite master bedroom toilet started swinging on its own. I was alone at home. In the master bedroom. Reading on the bed. The windows were closed. There was no wind that could have caused the key to swing.
Boldness from the Holy Spirit
Granted boldness by the Holy Spirit, I got up, took hold of the key, and commanded the spirit or spirits to get out of our house in Jesus’ Name. And that was the end of it.
*Do you know what is creepier than the above incident??? When I asked Henson to verify the facts of this story, he told me that the key thing happened to him too!!! I did NOT know that!!! Eeks!
Spiritual warfare is real
Thanks to the incident, we now had first hand knowledge that there IS spiritual warfare happening in the heavenly realm. It is not superstition or an overactive imagination. Spiritual warfare was something we read about and heard about. But thanks to this incident, we experienced it, albeit in a very mild form! God knew that our faith was young and tender. It is real indeed. But the good news is that God is even more real and powerful!
Spurring us on in our faith
And, thanks to what happened, our faith walk changed.
Back in March 1995, I was a very young Christian. I had only accepted Jesus into my life sometime in 1994 and was baptised in November the same year. Henson, although born into a Christian family, had been a backslidden Christian for many years. He was re-discovering many foundational truths for the first time.
The incident spurred us forward, to grow closer to God, and to learn more about Him. We grew fast and together. I don’t think one can remain unchanged and just be a pew warmer when something like that happens! God is so gracious.
Fast forward to 2005
Our family grew. God blessed us with 4 + 1 children in the 10 years we stayed on in the house with no other creepy incidents.
However, since 2000, we had been looking to move to a bigger place. The search intensified with each child the Lord blessed us with but to no avail. The economy wasn’t doing too well.
In 2005, God sent a buyer. And we didn’t even advertise, nor used an agent this time. We were actually hoping to rent out the apartment while we rent a bigger place. But God sent us a buyer instead. We were thrilled.
Supernatural happenings?
However, the new owner called Henson shortly after she had completed her renovations and her future son-in-law had moved in. She asked if,”there was anything in the house?” We took it to mean if we had experienced any supernatural occurrence in the house. Apparently, her future son-in-law was not able to sleep peacefully. He said he felt someone or something pressing on his chest during the night.
We were honest with her. Henson told her what had happened before. He also testified of God’s protection over the years (since she was a backslidden Christian and he was trying to encourage her to come back to God.) She told him that she had called in Taoist priests instead, for help. And in the process of “cleaning up” the house, they saw a little girl…. We don’t know if that was the end of the story as we didn’t keep in touch after that.
Creepy?
Definitely!
The reassurance of God
But you know what? It was creepy, for sure! But it was also reassuring to Henson and I. We saw the Hand of God on our family. He kept us safe even when the house was not. We are very grateful and thankful that He watches over us all the time.
God truly works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Why did I share this?
I have been sharing this story for a while but I have not ever documented it. So I decided that I should because in many ways it was a turning point in our faith walk. But it is also to encourage all of us that He who is in you is truly greater than He is who is in the world. (1 John 4:4).
WOW ! I totally believe mysterious things happen……..that we can not understand or explain with our base of knowledge. I really appreciate the way you LEANED on God, and trusted Him through this. YES He is victorious for those who trust in Him. Blessings in Jesus Christ be with you and yours.
http://grandmamarymartha.blogspot.com
Thanks! But it WAS super creepy!!! 🙂
Thank you for sharing. I am familiar with Spiritual Warfare and today my 16 year old daughter just got her own experience. She is active in our church and yesterday she learned that a very nice young man, Zach who is also active in our children’s ministry, who she liked, also liked her in return. This led to them texting late last night. In the morning I saw her new phone sitting on her dresser, plugged in charging. I took the charger because, as I needed it, then sat it back on her dresser.
I go to work and try to call her to wake her up and she doesn’t pick up and she isn’t responding to my texts, which is unlike her. A couple hours later she calls me and very upset, saying her phone is missing. She woke up and her phone was not on her dresser, where I last saw it.
I tell her I am on my way home now, when I arrive she is standing outside with phone in hand and a face that clearly shows she has been crying. My daughter proceeds to tell me that she was looking everywhere for it and then heard it buzzing, it was Zach trying to reach her. She followed the buzzing and found her phone under the middle of her bed, sitting on top of a stack of school books. We can all agree that in this earthly realm that is IMPOSSIBLE!!!.
You see days before this my daughter, Zach and her friends Aaron and Julia, all were hanging out last week and they all said that it was the best time of their lives, like a surreal experience, as if God was with them. All of them are Christ followers and have the best hearts. And I believe they are right God is with them, and has been plans for them as the enemy is already making known his frustration.
God is good and he has crushed the enemy, and all submit to the name of Jesus, so there is nothing to fear. All this did was confirm God’s presence.
Wow! What an experience for your daughter! I pray that she is even more conscious of God’s presence in her life than ever!