The devil has always been pictured as a snake and the devil recently caused havvoc at a church gathering in Mthatha after congregants had spent the whole night praying for one Phumla.
For years she had been tormented by evil spirits in her mkhukhu. Not one, but TWO snakes had caused her untold suffering ! In the early hours of Sunday morning, 46-year-old Phumla Ngwendle’s home in Dabane Village, Elliotdale near Mthatha was full of members of the United Apostolic Church in Zion.
Then at about 4am a long snake slithered into the rondavel. But church leaders and Phumla were not scared. They knew the snake was coming and that it was evil. Using the sticks they have with them when they pray and sing, they attacked the snake and killed it.But they knew the fight wasn’t over. The congregation prayed harder, feeling that the enemy had shown its face through the snake.
Then, an hour later, another snake slithered into the rondavel – and another was killed! Phumla Ngwendle has been a living a nightmare for many scary nights, fearing for her life in her own home. Every night at about midnight, Phumla heard the sound of hissing and scratching in her house.
“When the snake was coming I could hear it. My whole body would go numb and I couldn’t fight it,” said Phumla, a mother of seven. “Luckily my children were not affected.”
Mbuyiseli Madyantyi, the chief priest of the church, said Phumla’s house was full of tokoloshes. He said there is also a big crocodile but it can only be seen spiritually. “I had a revelation about this. These snakes have been troubling this home for too long. “We prayed so hard they were powerless. Prayers prevail above anything else. We have been doing this for 40 years. We have fought even bigger evil spirits.”
After the prayers, Phumla said she was overwhelmed by the revelation. She hopes to live peacefully now that the snakes are dead, although she is still worried that evil spirits could come back, stronger than before. Ndodi Madala, a bishop from the Philisa Church who was part of the prayers, said the crocodile escaped but they will continue to pray for the family.
“Phumla must repent and the evil spirits will be defeated,” said Ndodi.
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