Whoever Hates His Brother Is In Darkness

I preached this open-air on Saturday, November 10, 2012, at the North Hollywood Metro Station. There was anger, hatred, and a sense of the demonic in the air. A woman, dressed in black and blood red, began to heckle Brad Snow as he preached. The presence of evil around her seemed almost palpable. When she walked away from Brad, I approached her to attempt to engage her in conversation.

The woman exploded in uncontrolled anger, cursing, and blasphemy. She described herself as a medium. I tried to talk to her for several minutes, but I could never get a complete sentence out of my mouth without the woman ranting and raving with murder in her eyes.

A man named Richard interjected himself into the conversation, saying, 'I'm a Buddhist and I'm with her!' It was then I tried to break off the conversation with the two of them. To attempt to reason with either of these two people, amidst all of the blasphemous utterances, would have been to cast pearls before swine. Richard followed me as I walked away and was eventually intercepted by Brad Snow.

I stepped atop my stool and turned to First John, Chapter 1. The woman, who I believed was possessed by demons, turned violent -- spiting on me and almost kicking a 50-pound box of tracts, bibles, and equipment into the street.

Over several years of street ministry, I have seen much. I have come face-to-face with the sinfully wicked, the mentally unstable, and those (albeit a rarity) whose behavior could best be described as demonic. This was one of the most intense situations I have ever faced as an open-air preacher.