"the battle belongs to the Lord..."
One of my favorite childhood memories our bedtime ritual. As a tiny girl my dad would tuck the three of us in and read the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Just before praying for the night he would teach us a new Bible verse - I suppose the hope was that even at our young ages that these words would be sealed on our hearts and radically alter our perspective and thinking. So today as I awoke yet again to a raging battle, God brought to mind that very first verse you taught us:
"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."
II Chronicles 20:15
One of my new opportunities is to really dive into PREVENTION work here in Guatemala. I've been working over the past month with AMG (Advancing the Ministry of the Gospel) to put together a strategy for combatting sexual abuse in the communities that they serve. It's been amazing to watch the Lord open doors but it's been discouraging to experience the enemy pushing back on our family just as hard.
Two weeks ago I was to begin work at AMG and my son fell from a rope swing - lots of stitches and some fractures in his right arm. So a week and a half went by before we were able to connect with AMG again to make a new plan! Last Wednesday I sat down with their social worker and we made a beautiful plan.....
Then last night we were driving home and were hit by another car - presumably a drunk driver. He fled the scene and maybe that was best but the damage appears to be severe - severe enough that we cannot drive the car. SO yet again I will not be able to begin at AMG tomorrow! I can't help but think that the enemy does not want light brought into his darkness and so he is pushing back so incredibly hard!
We are so glad - so grateful that no one was hurt in the accident and that it wasn't worse. "when it rains it pours" and as Stefan says, "when it pours it floods!" that is how we feel! Overwhelmed and just praying for God's protection and provision in our lives.
Friends, there is a very real battle out there for the souls of our children. Satan knows the tools he has and he's not the most creative about how he uses them! We fall for his traps all the time and it's time that we stand up and fight - no, I am not suggesting that we take up literal arms against those who hurt children but I am crying out for the Body of Christ to wake up and take up the "sword of the spirit which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance making supplication for all the saints..." Ephesians 6:17b
I wish that I could say that the enemy's darts - aimed at my family - have caused me to take up the shield but reality friends is that those darts have hit our flesh and we've been bleeding doubts:
"Are we suppose to be here?"
"Did we make the right choice?"
"Is there sin in our lives?"
"Are we walking in disobedience?"
The word says:
"In ALL circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one..." vs. 16
So tonight as we prepare to live yet another unexpected, unplanned week my soul is crying out and with all my strength I am raising my shield of FAITH -
