As a boy, my father taught me how to defeat satan. It must have been one summer when I was together with my parents on holiday in Eastbourne. I think it was 1946, so by now I would have been 14 years old.
One night, after dinner in the place where we were staying with our parents in Eastbourne, I decided to go for a prayer walk alone. From where we were, it was not far to Beachy Head, a famous landmark and part of the chalk cliffs stretching along the coast from Dover. Leaving my twin brother and the rest of the family behind, I set off walking on my own to a particular spot where I could climb up the grassy slopes of the cliff path. I still like to find God on the mountain tops – even more now than then. As I climbed and sought the Lord in prayer I came to a large bushy tree. It is difficult to explain what happened, but I couldn’t walk past that tree. Physically it was not a problem, I was young and strong. But it was like a wall in front of me, and however much I tried, I couldn’t get any further. Eventually I gave up and went back to the place where we were staying.
Despite that experience, the next night I set out again to walk and pray my way up the hill, determined to reach the top. As I walked and prayed, I was not concerned. Reaching the top was a spiritual challenge to me and I didn’t expect a second problem. Even at my great age now, I don’t like to give up on any challenge. However, as I came to that same place, to that same exact spot with the bushy tree, the same thing happened as on the night before. I couldn’t pass it, however much I tried. By now I was conscious it was a demonic power that was stopping me. It seemed that, just as I was determined to go all the way up to the top with the Lord, the devil was determined to stop me. And for the second time he had succeeded. It was an impenetrable barrier I faced. Aware that this was a spiritual battle, and that I didn’t have the answer, I ran back down – after all I was only a young teenager.
Without realising it was the devil himself stopping me, I told my father what had happened and shared my determination not to fail but to reach the top. My father’s answer was clear and simple, if you go back up the next night and the same thing happens, when you reach that barrier, if it’s the devil, claim the Power of the Blood of Jesus.
The next night, yes, for the third time I set off – on the same route. I was determined to reach the top of Beachy Head. I wanted to meet the Lord on my terms, not on the devil’s. I could’ve gone a different way up. Isn’t that what most people would’ve done? But that’s not my character. How could I, as a young Christian, let Satan stop me doing what I knew God wanted me to do? This was only a simple test, why should I allow that ‘old serpent,’ Satan, to stop me meeting with Jesus on the hilltop? I think most would have given up after the first try. Not me. I was 14 years old and facing a challenge which then was unknown to me, but which significantly I would be facing so many times later in life.
When I reached that bushy tree, Satan was there to stop me for the third time. Following my godly father’s instructions, I threw my coat on the ground and began to resist Satan, “The Hand of God is against you Satan, I claim the Power of the Blood of Jesus to defeat you.” Immediately the victory came, Satan ran away. I had complete freedom. I leapt to my feet and in triumph ran right up that hill, shouting praise and glory. It was just as if, in my spirit, Jesus was holding my hand, and we ran together right to the top.
It was this spirit of determination that was to bring me so many victories later in life – not just with cancer (twice) and my miraculous release from a communist prison – but every time that old devil would try to stop me in the future, I had learned my lesson, stand firm and don’t accept ‘no’ for an answer. Many times in my life the devil, in the form of godless communists, has tried to stop me evangelising. Sometimes even Christians have tried to stop me. But, same devil, same victory. O the Power of the precious Blood of Jesus, and the Power of the Holy Spirit – they never failed me yet, even as I write this aged 93.
What a lesson I had learned as a young teenager. The Bible says, ‘resist the devil and he will flee from you.’ I had found that God’s Power will defeat Satan every time, and I have gained the victory over the devil ever since. Many times, Satan looks as big and dangerous as Goliath did to David, but our God is greater and more powerful than any enemy who tries to stop us. I have the Holy Spirit in me, and He gives me the victory, and has done ever since that challenge on Beachy Head when I was only 14 years old.