Free The Indwelling: The Beast Takes Possession by Tim Lahaye, Jerry B. Jenkins Page A

talk to Rayford, and never had he felt such a burden to pray for a man.
    That compulsion was nothing new. It struck Tsion that he had spent more time in concerted prayer for Rayford than for any other individual. It was obvious why Rayford needed prayer now, of course, but when Tsion closed his eyes and covered them with a hand, he felt uncomfortable. He knew he would have to tell Chloe soon that her father was a suspect in the assassinationor the conspiracy, as the TV anchors called it-but that was not what made him fidgety. It seemed he was not in the proper posture to pray, and all he could make of that was that perhaps Rayford needed real intercession.
    Tsion had studied the discipline of intercession, largely a Protestant tradition from the fundamentalist and the Pentecostal cultures. Those steeped in it went beyond mere praying for someone as an act of interceding for them; they believed true intercession involved deep empathy and that a person thus praying must not enter into the practice unless willing to literally trade places with the needy person.
    Tsion mentally examined his own willingness to truly intercede for Rayford. It was mere exercise. He could not trade places with Rayford and become a suspect in the murder of the Antichrist. But he could affect that posture in his mind; he could express his willingness to God to take that burden, literally possible or not.
    Yet even that did not assuage Tsion’s discomfort. He tried dropping to one knee, bowing his head lower, then slipping to both knees, then turning to lay his arms on the seat of the couch and rest his head on his hands. He worried that Chloe would not understand if she saw him this way, suddenly not watching TV
    obsessively as he had since the assassination, but in a posture of total contrition-something foreign to his nature. He often prayed this way in private, of course, but Chloe would see this “showing” of humility so aberrational that she would likely feel obligated to ask if he was all right.
    But these concerns were quickly overridden by Tsion’s spiritual longings. He felt such deep compassion and pity for Rayford that he moaned involuntarily and felt himself sliding from the couch until his palms were flat on the floor.
    His head now pressing against the front of the couch, his body facing away from the near silent TV, he groaned and wept as he prayed silently for Rayford.
    Having not come from a tradition comfortable with unusual manifestations, Tsion was startled by a sudden lack of equilibrium. In his mind’s eye his focus had suddenly shifted from Rayford and his troubles to the majesty of God himself.
    Tsion at once felt unworthy and ashamed and impure, as if in the very presence of the Lord.
    Tsion knew that praying was figuratively boldly approaching the throne, but he had never felt such a physical proximity to the creator God. Knees sliding back, palms forward, he lay prostrate, his forehead pressing into the musty carpet, nose mashed flat.
    But even that did not alleviate his light-headedness.
    Tsion felt disembodied, as if the present were giving way.
    He was only vaguely aware of where he was, of the quiet drone of the television, of Chloe cooing and Kenny giggling as she urged him to eat.
    “Tsion?”
    He did not respond, not immediately aware he was even conscious. Was this a dream?
    “Tsion?”
    The voice was feminine.
    “Should I try the phone again?”
    He opened his eyes, suddenly aware of the smell of the old carpet and the sting of tears.
    “Hm?” he managed, throat constricted, voice thick.
    Footsteps. “I was wondering, should I try calling-Tsion! Are you all right?”
    He slowly pulled himself up. “I’m fine, dear. Very tired all of a sudden.”
    “You have a right to be! Get some rest. Take a nap. I’ll wake you if anything breaks. I won’t let you miss anything.”
    Tsion sat on the edge of the couch, shoulders slumped, hands entwined between his knees. “I would be grateful,” he said. He nodded