On the Job Training
During the Summer of 1985 while still in the paint business, I was contacted by an interior decorator, a former acquaintance, to do some remodel painting in a house in an exclusive Dallas neighborhood of multi-million dollar homes. She also informed me that she and her husband went to church with these people and were all a part of a Spirit-filled group in a prominent Dallas Protestant church. I soon became aware of what it was like to be associated with someone that I would determine to be a social charismatic. In other words it had become fashionable in these so-called circles to admit speaking in other tongues but not really endeavoring to walk in the ways of God, although they professed to do so. The man of the house was a Real Estate investor, who had inherited the successful business from his father and embellished it to greater heights before he even heard of the Holy Ghost. So therefore, I could determine he had gained his wealth by the multitude of sorceries as Revelation 18:23 tells us. The woman was a former Dallas Debutante from a wealthy Dallas family, a wondrous worker of flattery, moody, and a lying diviner, or in other words, a Jezebel. Just like Jezebel, this woman would use any avenue needed to include falsifying the circumstance even using the law to accomplish her desires. Now, don't you know that is the way a Spirit-filled person should operate? I think not unless the person is filled with the wrong spirit. The bible describes Jezebel as the wife of Ahab who controlled 850 false prophets in 1 Kings 18-21 and in Rev. 2:20, it states,
"because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things offered unto idols.",
and she definitely walked in witchcraft and sorcery. Therefore, I have determined from the word of God that any woman who operates like Jezebel is in the flesh and walks in witchcraft and sorcery. Further, any man who allows himself to be controlled by the woman is bound by witchcraft and sorcery.
As to the house, it was really a work of art and also an idol. It was over 8,000 sq. ft. with an entry floor and staircase to the second story made of real imported marble. All of the bathrooms had solid gold fixtures, and the master bedroom had cherubs painted on the 12 ft. concave ceiling which was patterned after the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo painted. There was also a cabana adjacent to the pool that was over 1000 sq. ft with solid marble floor, a white polar bearskin rug in front of a huge fireplace, and separate showers and hot tub for men and women complete with gold fixtures. I only presented a highlight description of the house to state how initially my heart was almost overwhelmed with fear that I could mess up something and spend the rest of my life paying for it. However, I soon got hold of my heart and realized that God gave me this job, and that it was just a house like any other house with a few more walls and trinkets to hang on them. HA! Needless to say, it was extravagant, and that's okay if God gives it. However, in this case it was literally a showcase (idolatry) as daily, people were touring through the house while I worked there for over three months.
I nearly got fired during the first week when I painted a small library in the front of the house, which could be seen from the street, what I would call "hot pink". The decorator had given me the color number off of a fan chart, which ended up as an older chart than mine. Therefore, it was the wrong color, and when the woman of house saw the room, I thought I was going to have to pray God would resurrect her. Fortunately, the problem was solved, and it was determined not to be my fault. Then the lady discovered that I was also in the ministry and in music. She in turn asked if I would lead her mid-week morning bible group in some worship songs. At first, I hesitated because my thought was that I came to this house to paint, not sing songs, particularly what I believed to be just another ladies-aid meeting of gossip. However, she was very persistent, as Jezebel would be, and I agreed reluctantly. The morning of the event came, and my voice came under severe attack so as I could hardly talk let alone sing. Now, I knew it was an attack of the devil coupled with my own doubt and unbelief, but I still did not realize it was evil spirits in this so-called spirit-filled lady that were against me. Well, I went into the meeting dressed in my paint clothes with my heart set on the Kingdom of God, and God was with me. As I opened my mouth and gave all that I could toward God, I sensed the anointing of God go forth from my heart, and I saw people physically moved by the presence of God. At the conclusion of my portion, little did I know that the best was yet to come. The woman of the house entered in all her pomp and pride and began to expound with flattering divination about me that she really did not know. I calmly thanked her and without even thinking out of my heart and mouth rose, "Jesus said to call no man good except the Father which is in heaven!" I excused myself and went back to work painting. Well, not only did I not receive her flattery, but also I had insulted and embarrassed her in front of her society friends, which actually was God that had spoken out of my heart. When I left the room, immediately I had an excruciating headache and was sick to my stomach. I began to pray, and God revealed to me to resist witchcraft and sorcery and to bless the woman of the house. I wasn't making much progress painting because of the splitting pain in my head, blurred vision, dizziness, and upset stomach, but I continued to work as I prayed and refused to quit. After over an hour of resisting the evil spirits in that house, I finally began to overcome and feel better. By the end of the day, all the symptoms were totally gone, but my flattered relationship with the woman of the house had been shattered. She tried for many weeks following to find something wrong with my work so she could get rid of me with no success. You see, no man can stay the hand of God if He is with you. In fact by now, they had replaced my designer friend with an artistic stage design builder, and he even tried to blame me for different circumstances to no avail until God had caused me to overcome. Finally with what types of procedures they were asking me to paint, I spoke to God and said, "Lord, I am thankful for this job, but these people need an artist, not a painter. Besides, you know that the stage designer is ripping (stealing) these people off!" The next thing I know is I am instructed to paint something a certain way, which I did, and then I was informed because I could not do what I was told that my services were no longer needed. I remind you here how that Jesus was falsely accused in Matthew 24, but he held his peace, did not try to refute the charges, and only spoke the truth of Gospel. My flesh wanted to defend my actions, but my spirit knew to accept the outcome knowing I had done right. In fact I went to the office of the man of the house to personally see him and receive my final check, and I wanted to tell him the artistic designer they hired was taking advantage of them. Well, God said, "Leave it alone and give thanks!" So I told the man thank you, took my check, gave God thanks, and left with the knowledge that God caused me to overcome and learn many spiritual things while getting paid very well on top of it. You see, I had overcome fear of rich people, their idolatrous house, witchcraft and sorcery in the house, and false accusations, and I had experienced firsthand people who gave lip service to God, but in works they denied him and were complete hypocrites. Boy, what a job, but it was worth all of it! Praise the Lord!