Doug Tales 41: Agency

Doug Mendenhall cared deeply about respecting the agency of others. Today’s blog post includes three entries on the subject of agency.

The first entry is part of Doug’s April 4, 2017 post, “It’s Okay. I Asked Your Spirit”, which was reprinted in Conquering Spiritual Evil Blog Posts 2017-2019 (2020) on page 15. The second entry is from a man whose counsel Doug sought during his life. It’s a definition of “agency” by Denver Snuffer (in Denver’s book, The Second Comforter [2008], pages 416-417). The final entry is from Doug’s sighted friend Kitten (as quoted in Doug’s book, Conquering Spiritual Evil, Volume Two [2020], page 32):

Doug Mendenhall:

Yesterday we had two visitors at our home, a husband and wife. She talked about how she felt she had some negative entities on her and she needed to get rid of them. I told her that sometimes help is needed. She then talked for a while and asked if I thought she would be able to cast them off by herself. I told her that sometimes we all need help. A while later she asked again if I thought she had entities on her. I told her that yes, she did have some entities on her and sometimes we need help to get them off. This went on for a while longer with me telling her that sometimes we need help. That concept was repeated several more times.

Finally, she asked, “Do you think you could help me get rid of these entities?”

“Yes!” I told her husband, “She finally got it.” The offending entities were cast off and she lightened up considerably. So much so that her husband even commented about how much lighter she was.

I know some of you are saying, “Why didn’t he just offer to cast them off?”

That was not my place. If we have gifts we shouldn’t go around healing the world, going up to others and telling them what is in their home, on them, on their children, etc. If Kitten came to any of your homes and told you what she saw there, you’d be flabbergasted and shocked. Most would not believe it. But it is none of her business unless they ask for help. This is the biggest thing I have always appreciated with my daughter and Kitten. Denise would especially love to let me trudge around in the pig pen for a while and just be amused at what I was enduring or dealing with. When I asked her why she didn’t speak up, she would say that I had not asked her and that she wasn’t allowed to say anything until I asked.

I loved the respect for agency these two showed, even though what I was going through really hurt at times. It is also respect for the Lord Jesus Christ and his ways, his gospel, his truth and the way of Light. We are to always ask Him and get His permission before doing anything. Remember, ask in all things. If we take agency away we are doing the bidding of the Adversary and his Lords, not that of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some get so good at this it becomes a habit, going around with their fairy dust saving the world. Many will tell me, “The Lord told me to do this or say this.” And I’m thinking, “What Lord?” Would the Lord Jesus Christ have told them to do this or say that? I’m sure it was a Lord, but which one……a dark Lord?

Denver Snuffer:

Freedom or agency really means accountability. That is its chief, if not only, meaning. Unfortunately, because of political debate, it has assumed a much less rigorous meaning. We are free, therefore we are accountable before God for all our acts. The Atonement alone affords us relief from that accountability. Taking advantage of the Atonement for that purpose, however, does require us to obey Christ’s conditions.

Kitten:

Our freedom of choice is an absolute that must be guarded at all cost. We also are to gain experience from those choices which enhances greater learning and progression. We are never left to our own devices, for our loving Fathers and Mothers are available to teach and guide. It may seem harsh, at times, to let a child, who is determined to check out that fire, to be burned. Wise parents, will remove and stop the innocent from experiencing harm, for a time, until it is realized the child is not going to learn by teaching only. Hence they allow the child to experience the results of the choice to be burned, while standing by with the needed burn ointment and bandaging, after the lesson has been learned. It is then the lessons, coupled with the experience, are at least learned that ‘burn’ and ‘hot’ are to be avoided, until knowledge and wisdom are gained to wisely use the burn and hot.

Some parents, indeed too many of the world, feel it is heartless and cruel to allow a child to experience the needed lessons which assist greatly in the maturing process. There are some things we are to totally protect our children from, to the best of our ability, which would end mortal life. However, if those children are of reasonable mature age (older teens and adults) who are determined to walk paths of destruction, we are to allow it. Even then we pray for them, teach according to the spirit of light and love, and do all possible to turn them to light, but never cross the line of removing their freedom of choice of looking to light or darkness.