The highlights from my past month in ministry would probably be best described as a tour of duty through a war zone- no kidding!
I have seen every area of my life attacked in one form or another- my friendships, my leadership, my family, my marriage, my parental responsibilities, my finances... you get the point. In the past (as in about 15 years ago), I would have tried to maneuver myself away from whatever was causing this disruption because something must be wrong- unconfessed sin or habitual disobedience. I learned through the process that some of that may be true. However, this month more often than not it was because I was doing something right that brought on the onslaught.
I have seen every area of my life attacked in one form or another- my friendships, my leadership, my family, my marriage, my parental responsibilities, my finances... you get the point. In the past (as in about 15 years ago), I would have tried to maneuver myself away from whatever was causing this disruption because something must be wrong- unconfessed sin or habitual disobedience. I learned through the process that some of that may be true. However, this month more often than not it was because I was doing something right that brought on the onslaught.
[Quick note: unconfessed sin and/or habitual disobedience towards God will bring about tension and brokenness in our lives. Ongoing sin patterns will disrupt our lives and potentially harm others. We must make our best effort to confess those things, stop doing them, ask for forgiveness, and move on towards Christ.]
I am learning from this past month that I must become a friend of adversity. That as a soldier on the front lines of war torn spirituality, that I must lean into and press up against the gates of Hell with all of Jesus' strength so that in doing so I might help rescue some POWs from the Enemy camp. This means that I am going to be shot at and that I might get a wound or two... but that I must keep going.
War is hell and taking on Hell is war. I cannot do it of my own power and strength but through Christ who strengthens me. I am realizing that I can fight fearlessly because I already died and you can't kill what has already died. As an adopted son of God, I will press into the battle advancing the Kingdom through His Spirit. I am trusting that though I do not have clarity on the outcome of the battle, I have faith and hope that the war has already been won.
I must deploy.
I am learning from this past month that I must become a friend of adversity. That as a soldier on the front lines of war torn spirituality, that I must lean into and press up against the gates of Hell with all of Jesus' strength so that in doing so I might help rescue some POWs from the Enemy camp. This means that I am going to be shot at and that I might get a wound or two... but that I must keep going.
War is hell and taking on Hell is war. I cannot do it of my own power and strength but through Christ who strengthens me. I am realizing that I can fight fearlessly because I already died and you can't kill what has already died. As an adopted son of God, I will press into the battle advancing the Kingdom through His Spirit. I am trusting that though I do not have clarity on the outcome of the battle, I have faith and hope that the war has already been won.
I must deploy.
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composed by
dave
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