The World and the Clash of Reality

To Cambodians, the world of existence is not merely what one can see but the
unseen as well. The deities and spirits of the unseen are an intrusion to a peaceful
mind. Such understanding creates a coexistence reality of the seen and unseen. In
livelihood, the reality creates obstruction to Cambodians well beings. From
childhood to adulthood, the knowledge of clashed reality of physical and spiritual
worlds becomes a part of their every day experience. The practice of witchcraft,
sorcery, spiritism, and animism lie deep within aspects of their lives. To certain
extents, these practices help them to recognize the unseen; however, they bring
fear and false perceptions towards their environment. Such deeds are also
described in the Scripture. There are events of spiritual manifestation such as when
Saul visited a sorcerer trying to summon Samuels spirit. Furthermore, Jesus,
Himself, encountered many possessing demons during His ministry on earth. Yet, as
time passed the age of advancements has drastically ridiculed such beliefs.
Nevertheless, as a Christian we are ought not to only see but to perceive what is
around us.
Defining the two realities, the scripture say that [For] our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms (Eph. 6:12, NIV). How, then, can one recognizes the spiritual force? Within
Cambodian society, I have heard many tales of animistic beliefs and practices.
Moreover, the local media is the number one feed for such things. Stories of
encounters with spirits of the dead and/or seeing the supernatural events are
common. They are believed to be in existence. The appearance usually occurs in
dark forests, by huge trees, within ancient temples, and places of worship such as
pagodas. The concept of supernatural entity damages the mind of believers. People
who possess it often live in fear, and with fear they grow to be strong or weak
depending on their minds abilities. For children, it is a constant nightmare that they
have to face almost every single night.
As far as I remember, animism and dark secrets have played a huge role in
my life. At a very young age, I used to love the daylight and hate the night-time.
Night, to me, is a living ghost. Often, I had nightmares. I saw spirits both in my
dreams and waking eyes. Indeed, night is dark. At the age of thirteen when I
received the Lord Jesus, I knew He has overcome the night for me. However, the
power of spiritual forces never leaves me alone. To me, the two realms definitely
coexist and are interacting with each other. Although I could not understand, my
feelings and physical bodys change revealed their relationship. It was not long ago
when I experienced an unusual, yet recognizable, spiritual attack.
It was during my senior year in high school when my homeroom teacher, Mr
Dawson, invited me to visit Angkor Wat, the famous historical site of Cambodia. To

Cambodians, it is their dream to see the temple before they die. Thus, with
exuberant, I accepted the invitation.
Angkor Wat, where words cannot describe its splendor, is a place for worship.
It was built by the Cambodian mighty king, Javaraman VII. With talents and gifts, the
magnificent monument is dedicated to the bond of Hinduism and Buddhism. On the
strong, ancient-brick walls the stories of kings and gods were carved. All sceneries
were made with marvelous care. The unique architect showed the greatness of
Cambodians era. So great is Angkor Wat that it became the national pride and is
seen on the flag itself. Being a Cambodian, I was proud to be there seeing with my
own eyes the handiwork of my people. However, I did not realize what I had done
through such praise I had for Angkor Wat.
Coming back from the trip, I rejoiced and greatly admired the awesome
temple. It is not mere stones that stand on top of each other. It is mans magnificent
effort to achieve such majestic remembrance. However, my praise turned sour as I
encountered two similar dreams about one week later after the visit. As I remember,
both dreams convicted me of one thing: discouragement. In each dream, I saw my
foster parent at the orphanage rejected me, even though I did nothing wrong. I can
recall the facial expression and the hatred eyes that I have never seen from him
before. The two nights brought me only sadness and regret. Soon afterward, I
decided to my guardian about the dream. As I was relating the two coincidental
dreams my guardian exclaimed, Is this having to do with your visit to Angkor Wat?
At the mentioning of the word Angkor Wat, my body from head to toe was full of
goose bumps! Right at the moment, I knew I did something wrong.
Realizing the mistake, I asked God for forgiveness and reconciliation. I
realized that Angkor Wat is not just a historical site, but a great stronghold where
Satans reign has been strong. Why? The whole place was dedicated to the bond of
Hinduism and Buddhism, and because there is only one God, everything else is the
work of Satan. Thus, by going to see and with great admiration, I praised the glory
of Gods enemy. I contacted my being to an unseen realm. After the prayer, I felt
peace and rest assured when I once again was able to sleep. It is no strange
conclusion about the incidents, but there is a definite reality that some people
unlikely think of. Gods word reveals the reality and has warned not to have
anything to do with. Yet, we, sometimes, can never tell how we come into its
contact. By recognition, one can be freed through grace and the blood of Christ for
He has the power over all.
As Cambodians, we do not think ability of spiritual realms recognition a gift.
However, with it we were able to see Gods power and grace even more as He
continues to move through His hands and feet. Spiritual force can also affect a
person through different mediums such as dreams, attitudes, sickness, and even
physical deformity. We can see it at work when our prayers are answered. Therefore,
it is good to put on the armour of God filled with the fruit of His Holy Spirit.