GEORGE HENRY, STAR Writer

The Bible tells us about spiritual wickedness in high places, and one Christian who truly believes that this is so is Reverend Merlene Baker-Thompson, who is associate minister for the Ebenezer Ministries International, in Greater Portmore, St. Catherine.

"The Bible says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places," said Baker-Thompson.

In dealing with such forces, the experienced minister of the Gospel said she seeks to follow what the Bible says. She pointed out this includes putting on the whole armour of God in order to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

"Putting on the full armour is knowing the salvation power; the helmet of salvation, putting on the breastplate of righteousness; that is, walking holy before God, gird your loins with the truth; and once you know the truth, the truth will set you free," said the minister.

She also suggested that in order for the children of God to be able to fight spiritual wickedness in high places they should also put on the Gospel of peace, hold the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, which according to her is knowing the word of God, which is the word which became flesh and which was there from the beginning.

She highlighted spiritual covetousness, spiritual jealousy, adultery, fornication, murder and other such sins, which everyone, especially children of God, have to stand up against. But she noted that children of God need to put on the whole armour of God in order to stand up against these.

"A lot of times the things with which you are tested as children of God, you were never tested with them before you became a child of God," said the pastor.

Baker-Thompson is the mother of Romain and Roxiann Thompson. She is married to Trevor Thompson and preaches the word of God both locally and overseas. She has been following Christ since 1997, and has been a minister of the Gospel since 2005. She pointed out that she was never fearful of spiritual wickedness when she just started out as a young Christian.

She said she was not afraid of spiritual wickedness, mainly because as she became a matured Christian she came to recognise that these things were in the church.

"You need to know that Jesus Christ already squashed principalities and powers, know that, because He got victory over death, no one can kill you unless they go through Jesus, because He has the key to death and Hell; and so if anyone wants to kill you they have to go through Him," noted the minister.