The Awakening: One Man's Battle with Darkness

by Friedrich Zuendel

When Blumhardt, a nineteenth-century pastor from the Black Forest, agreed to counsel a tormented woman in his parish, all hell broke loose – literally. But that was only the beginning of the drama that ensued. Zuendel’s account, available here in English for the first time, provides a rare glimpse into how the eternal fight between the forces of good and evil plays itself out in the lives of the most ordinary men and women. More than that, it reminds us that those forces still surround us today, whether we are awake to them or not.

Genres: Christian, Biography

151 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have found this book to be a very interesting and challenging story. the reason for only two stars is a concern about theology and doctrine. The view of demons as tormented souls of dead people struck me as odd; among other things. I would recommend a discerning reader to search out scriptures to see it is right.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: An account of Pastor Johann Christoph Blumhardt's victorious ministry with a demonized woman, Gottlieben Dittus, the awakening in the village that followed, and the miraculous works and the reactions that followed.

Pastor Johann Christoph Blumhardt at thirty-three was assigned to ministry in Mottlingen in 1838. Very soon he learned of a woman in his parish suffering a strange illness, accompanied by bizarre symptoms that her doctor had been unable to alleviate. The symptoms were not limited to her body, but also in her surroundings. There were sounds of tapping, objects moved and more. Sometimes she reacted with great fear or hostility to prayer. Ruling out other explanations, Blumhardt entered an extended fight to rid this woman of demons, which eventually is accomplished. Blumhardt attributes the victory to Jesus. We see a pastor who quietly persists in invoking the name and power of Jesus in commanding the demons, who sometimes try to negotiate the terms of their departure, to leave.

Subsequent to this, an awakening breaks out in Mottlingen and the neighboring parish of Haugstett. A parish that had been indifferent to the things of God suddenly becomes stricken with their sins, coming to Blumhardt to confess those sins. As he hears their confessions, he experiences the Spirit's prompting to absolve them in Christ's name, a controversial act, but one marked by transformed lives in many who came to him.

Then miracles began. Blumhardt was eventually banned from personal ministry, limited to urging people to attend to the preaching of the gospel, and responding in faith to what was proclaimed, and still more miracles occur. This extends to deliverance of Blumhardt from several enemies who sought to kill him, including one who had broken into his home at night who was miraculously transformed when Blumhardt cried out, "Jesus is victor."

This phrase, "Jesus is Victor" could have served as the title of this book. What is striking about Blumhardt is the combination of humility and authority that characterize this man. He has a humble estimate of his own abilities, but acts with conviction and confidence in the power of Jesus to counter the powers of sin and evil that he meets. One has the sense that the fight with Gottlieben was one engaged reluctantly, not sought. He refuses to use manipulative techniques to stir people up, trusting to the ministry of the Word and the work of the Spirit.

The book also makes a powerful case for the reality of spiritual warfare, the real existence of demonic personalities that may invade and afflict individuals. Much of this is connected in this narrative with engagement in magical and occult practices which opened people to these dark powers.

Blumhardt also contends that all he did was ask for and do what he saw in the gospels, coming importunately in prayer and exercising the authority Jesus spoke of to forgive sins. He wrote:

Jesus says, "I have authority from my Father to forgive sins, and those whom I forgive are forgiven." What the Lord did ought to continue, for everything he did as a man shall be done by other human beings until the end of days. The Father authorized him, and he authorized others. He said to the disciples,"As my Father has sent me, so send I you." Thus his disciples could say to repentant sinners as decisively as Jesus himself did, "Take heart, your sins are forgiven." And what is to shake our conviction that this power remains in force for those proclaiming the good news today--that they, too, should have authority to forgive sins.

Blumhardt's words offer a bracing challenge to those who seek revival. Are we prepared for spiritual warfare, and have we fostered a life of dependence upon the power of God? Are our revivals marked by deep grief and repentance for sins, and do we offer the assurance of the Lord's pardon warranted in the finished work of Christ? His book also reminds me that we live in dark times where our nightly news carries reports of acts of singular evil. I'm troubled by our tendency to reduce all of these to mental illness, though in some instances, there is clear prior evidence of illness. In a society increasingly open to dark powers, might it not be possible that at least some individuals, or even groups have been invaded by such powers, giving themselves over to destructive evil. Blumhardt raises the issue of the call of the people of God to confront such evil under the greater authority of Jesus. Will a politically captivated, culturally co-opted, and personally compromised church be able to respond? Who are the Blumhardt's of our day? Where is the repentance that marks a truly reviving church?

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Linda B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Awakening is a story from 1841 with an important message for 2015. This is the true story of Johann Christoph Blumhardt’s encounter with Gottliebin Dittis, a young woman overcome by demonic activity. I usually avoid books about this subject, but this book is different. It is a respectful retelling of Blumhardt’s own writings not to sensationalize, but to show the real struggle with spiritual warfare.

Blumhardt approached each situation by putting on the full armor of God. The book states that when things took a serious turn, he would pray with a friend. “Together we searched through the Bible, determined not to go any further than Scripture led us.” His approach, his faith, his humbleness, and his honesty about his feelings made such an impression on me.

Not only did he encounter the spiritual fight, but also resistance from the local authorities. In spite of all of the obstacles, he saw a true spiritual awakening in his parish. While the book is about demonic activity, it is even more about the importance of repentance, confession, and reconciliation and peace that comes from Christ.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in spiritual warfare.

[Matt Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye opening book which gives the account of a Lutheran pastor from nineteenth century Germany and his initial encounters with the paranormal through the possession of one of the women in his village and the deliverance process that he engaged in to release her. It doesn't stop there though as the fruit of this deliverance and his learning during the process (ie it's not a quick on-stage process, but a many months long one) - the spiritual revival/awakening of his village and the surrounding villages in the area, and the miracles that come along to it.

What makes this book different though is the questions it provokes. For those who can push past the usual knee-jerk reaction certain modern sections of the Church (who have thrown a lot of baby out with the bathwater of the Reformation and more modern Evangelicalism), there is much which will send you to study further the Scriptures and what the ancients believed about the afterlife, causing you to learn much that has been erased or not allowed to be discussed / dismissed with fluffy answers that don't answer the questions. Such study may help the Church engage more appropriately and wisely with situations that are on the rise in mainstream society - hauntings (of areas), possessions, poltergeists and non-interactive echoes. The question of what happens to the souls of the dead who are not in Christ arises, especially when one reads Scripture in the context and beliefs of the people at the time it was written. Those who purport to hold a high regard of Scripture and yet refuse to study and plumb the depths of it will read this and instantly dislike it because it will challenge their deeply held beliefs about what is happening in hauntings and possessions, and they'll fail to test the spirit of this by the fruits. And it is those positive fruits that ensue which make this all the more compelling to take a deep look at preconceived ideas that are brought to reading this book.

The first part of the book documents the deliverance process and his dialogue with the spirit(s) possessing her. He tests the spirits by actually engaging in dialogue with them! Something often shunned and yet how can one test anything without engagement? The role of confession (another discarded baby) plays a large role both the deliverance of his subject, including confession by one of the spirits which is possessing the poor woman (get your head around that!!!).

The second part documents the awakening within the villages and how deliverance through confession plays its part.

The third part documents the miracles that are happening as a result of the awakening.

If you want your whole concept of the afterlife challenging- especially those who are not "in Christ" - this book will certainly do it. It's a book for the brave to read, as it really does force some heavy thinking which not many will enjoy.

After reading this, if you want to go "further up and further in" (as CS Lewis would say), I would recommend reading "Jesus, the Diamons and the Dead" by Bolt (in "The Unseen World" ed by Lane), "Requiem Healing" by Parker & Mitton, "The Unseen Realm" by Dr Michael Heiser, "Healing the Haunted" by Kenneth McAll, "The Evangelical Universalist" by Gregory McDonald (aka Robin Parry)... And "The Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible". Think of these, together with "The Awakening" as a bunch of skeleton keys (pun intended) that will help recover an understanding of the afterlife that various Jewish peoples had up to and during the time of Christ and which the very early Christian Church also shared.

[Digger Dimond · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well worth the read. Like the widow Jesus tells us about in Luke 18:1-8, what might Jesus do if we were willing just to ask. And to persist in asking. From reading this story about Blumhardt, it would seem he prayed much, and often, leaving the results to God. And also encouraging those who came to also be praying. And to praise God for whatever answer He chooses to give.

Some bits I’ll need to consider more, as I don’t agree with a few of his statements... but overall, an encouraging read.

[Noel L · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's about a Lutheran pastor assigned to a little German village in the 1850s. Yet when he arrives, he soon discovers that there is demonic activity going on. The Awakening is a summarization of his journal entries together with helpful editing. His efforts to inform his superiors, etc are even discussed. Very interesting read! and all true and documented.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an encouraging work! May our hearts but with passion with just the simple reality that Jesus is victor - over every power. May this revival story encourage us to seek such revival today, so that we have power over darkness.

[Logan Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly encouraging and inspirational for anyone who longs to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Matthew C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The editor/biographer did a fantastic job collating the major parts of Blumhardt's infamous "fight" and the ensuing mini-revival. There is a wealth of information packed in just about 100 pages.

[Calvin Hecht · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting and disturbing tale of demon possession in a 19th century German village. I don't usually read such accounts because of what I consider to be a certain spiritual risk to do so. I don't know quite what to make of the casting out of the evil spirits as related in the book, nor do I understand the apparent subsequent revival in the area, nor have I verified the historical accuracy of what appears to be a non-fictional account. However, I do understand what constitutes salvation and it is not a result of making sin confession to the local pastor. Unfortunately, after the casting out of the evil powers, the tale began to relate "salvation" occurrences based on sin-specific confessions to the local pastor, including that pastor granting absolution to those who so confessed; this approach to salvation is not the Biblical way and not the truth. At this point I stopped reading.

I do not recommend this book. If you want to know the way to and the truth of salvation, I suggest you go to the third chapter of the Gospel of John and the tenth chapter of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans.

[Bilal Ketfi · Rating 2 out of 5]

بعد قراءة هذا الكتاب، تأكّدت أنّه لا يوجد فرق بين الديانات السماوية في نظرتهم لعالم الجن و العفاريت .. اللهمّ طريقة التعاطي و "التدواي" من مسّهم و همزهم.

الكتاب أقرب إلى الخيال منه إلى الواقع لولا أنّي لم أسمع بقصص مشابهة حدثت عندنا و قريبا منّا.

الكتاب أقرب إلى سيناريو فيلم منه إلى قصة حقيقية، دون تكذيب لصاحبه، ففيه بعض المبالغات التي لا يتقبّلها العقل المتعقّل.

على كلّ كتاب جميل يشدّك و يقشعر بدنك لبعض الوقائع فيه من حيث السرد و التشويق إن كان متعمّدا فيه، هذا أدبيا، أمّا ما جاء فيه سواء أحقيقة أو خيالا، فلا يمكنني الحكم و لا الجزم. إلا أنّني أصدّق كثيرا مما جاء فيه إلا مقطع "المسيح هو المنتصر" فيها بعض من المبالغة التي لا فائدة منها، ربّما ثقافة الكاتب المشبّعة بالمسيحية أو طبيعة عمله الكنسي هو ما أثّر فيه.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unusual book. Normally books of this type I avoid because I do not quite know how to handle them - don't know whether to fully believe them or if they are written by somebody with a desire to fool us. This book is not of that type though, it is written about a pastor that was not always happy with the results, sometimes questioning them, but describing what was happening with his parishioners and others. It was fascinating reading and worthy for other Christians to have reservations to read.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Tell Me About the United Methodist Church"

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing. It will shake both the religious and the atheist alike. The honesty and humility of Blumhardt is what gives the story so much credibility, that he wrote this whole account reluctantly. One look into his life and even the history in Germany surrounding this event and it bolsters the account that much more.

You can read the book electronically for free here: http://www.plough.com/ebooks/awakenin...

[Jake Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

REALLY good for people who want/need a better understanding of Spiritual Warfare..if you're a newer Christian it might be a bit much and seem a bit hokey. But it was super interesting to hear about this true story.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual book with some theology that seems at odds with prevailing evangelical thought. Not sure what to think of it, but the concluding section that includes the pastor's lament at the state of Christian belief in his day was powerful and accurate, even for our own day.