Killing of woman at worship highlights failure of church system - Where are the deliverance ministers to identify, cast out the spirit of death?

The ungodly invasion of the Trelawny-based Agape Christian Fellowship Church by an alleged hitman who killed a member of the church, Andrea Lowe-Garwood, during worship, is being considered by many Christians as a violation not only of the institution in which it happened, but of the entire body of Christ.

In fact, Shanika Sutton, who operates a deliverance and prophetic ministry, has described the wicked act as a “clear depiction of a failed church system”.

Sharing her belief with Family and Religion, Sutton said, “Churches in Jamaica have failed to incorporate biblical and kingdom principles. They have instead, implemented religiosity and doctrines of men in place of the Word of God. Sadly, the traditions of men have been elevated over the Word of God. The Bible says, wherever doctrines of men are enforced in place of the Word of God, the Church will have no power. (Mark 7:13)”

The woman of God who has dedicated her life to not only practise deliverance from spiritual bondages through Jesus Christ, but also teach others about the ministry, has shared in the past that churches today are lacking where the office is concerned.

“Most churches, for example, do not believe that the fivefold ministry is necessary for today (Ephesians 4:11), nor that the gifts of the Spirit should be active in a regular church service. Also, with the absence of the deliverance ministry and with little to no knowledge on spiritual warfare, most churches are operating blindly to the schemes of the enemy. They are ignorant and unaware of the devil’s devices and have not been able to prophetically see the plans of the enemy before it manifests. It is important to note that the Bible says, if we are ignorant of the devil’s devices, he will take advantage of us (2 Corinthians 2:11).

In today’s church, we fall prey to the plans of the enemy because of lack of spiritual insight, lack of ministry gifts and a refusal to create a culture where the gifts of the Spirit are used regularly,” she said.

Prophetess Sutton pointed out that she is not pointing fingers at the victim or the specific church in which the incident took place, but is rather looking at the bigger problem affecting religious institutions in Jamaica today – a blind church is a dead church.

SUSCEPTIBLE TO ENEMY’S PLAN

She shared, “I believe that even the most outstanding Christian is susceptible to plans of the enemy if they are not vigilant. From my experience, I have seen where prophetic intercessory prayers have intercepted the plans of the enemy and saved lives. However, if there is no prophetic insight or active gift of discerning of spirits to expose the plans of the devil, then we cannot actively prevent the enemy from destroying the innocent.

“This is why I keep telling people that religious rituals get you nowhere and the carefully planned programmes are clearly of no help. We need spiritual insight to perceive the plans of the enemy before it even unfolds. You can’t cancel or rebuke what you have no knowledge about.”

And it is for this reason, according to Sutton, she will never stop preaching about spiritual warfare.

“It is obvious that it is needed more than ever! Where are the prophets to warn the nation and overturn the plans of the enemy? Where are the gifts in our churches? Where are the intercessors to expose the plans of the enemy? Where are the deliverance ministers who can identify the spirit of death and cast it out?

Church as usual is clearly not cutting it! We should be operating as the church of Acts, with power and authority. [I] hope this will be a wake-up call for all of us,” she said.