"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares theLord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
God is faithful.
In six days, we will be returning to Africa. It's been a long eight months planning this adventure, and there have been many ups and downs and periods of disbelief followed by gifts of affirmation. But today, Emma and I have been struck by one thing that has remained constant throughout this process--God is always faithful. Even in the times when we think he's let us down or abandoned our dreams, he leads us out of the darkness to realize he was always there, and his angels are orchestrating everything that has happened and will happen during those 84 days.
In that event, I am going to talk about some real stuff on this blog today. No more beating around the bush.
What a lot of Americans and Westerners don't understand is that the spiritual climates of many regions in Africa, and all over the world, can be very dark. I know I didn't understand the reality of this until about a month ago. Evil manifests itself in different ways in the United States: in greed, lust, sloth....the list goes on. It even manifests itself in pushing people to believe that the supernatural world is not real.
But out in the bush during the darkest parts of night, evil lurks with the intention of intimidating and terrifying all those who are seeking light, love and truth. Evil wishes for people to live in darkness, in sin. This world, my friends, is a battle for souls. We were born into a war zone. But, God is always victorious because he has a weapon that the eternal enemy cannot posses, and that is love. Jesus won the war 2000 years ago; our souls belong to him, and only he can breathe eternal life.
When I first realized that I would be facing witch doctors and truly dark spirits this summer, I shriveled up in fear. I felt like a little girl again, afraid of the night and calling for my mom to rescue me from the monsters under my bed. I can honestly say that I have felt some pretty tangible fear in the past week. At first, I was ashamed of my childlike disposition, until I realized that's exactly how I am supposed to be handling this warfare. It's not that the Lord is calling me to have a spirit of fear, it's that he is calling me to be his little daughter, in desperate need of only his protection. All I have to do is call upon the name of Jesus and my enemies must flee. Phillipians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
This week I learned to believe that there is power in the name of Jesus. For the Lord tells me in Ephesians 6 that in all circumstances, hold faith as a shield to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And so I will put on that armor. Though most people think we have no business going to East Africa, let alone South Sudan, we will hold fast to the promises that God has made for us, his daughters. We will endure attacks from the enemy if it is his will, and in those moments of darkness we will call upon the name of Jesus and everything before us must bow to the King whose only weapon is love.
"The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still." Exodus 14:14
In six days, we will be returning to Africa. It's been a long eight months planning this adventure, and there have been many ups and downs and periods of disbelief followed by gifts of affirmation. But today, Emma and I have been struck by one thing that has remained constant throughout this process--God is always faithful. Even in the times when we think he's let us down or abandoned our dreams, he leads us out of the darkness to realize he was always there, and his angels are orchestrating everything that has happened and will happen during those 84 days.
In that event, I am going to talk about some real stuff on this blog today. No more beating around the bush.
What a lot of Americans and Westerners don't understand is that the spiritual climates of many regions in Africa, and all over the world, can be very dark. I know I didn't understand the reality of this until about a month ago. Evil manifests itself in different ways in the United States: in greed, lust, sloth....the list goes on. It even manifests itself in pushing people to believe that the supernatural world is not real.
But out in the bush during the darkest parts of night, evil lurks with the intention of intimidating and terrifying all those who are seeking light, love and truth. Evil wishes for people to live in darkness, in sin. This world, my friends, is a battle for souls. We were born into a war zone. But, God is always victorious because he has a weapon that the eternal enemy cannot posses, and that is love. Jesus won the war 2000 years ago; our souls belong to him, and only he can breathe eternal life.
When I first realized that I would be facing witch doctors and truly dark spirits this summer, I shriveled up in fear. I felt like a little girl again, afraid of the night and calling for my mom to rescue me from the monsters under my bed. I can honestly say that I have felt some pretty tangible fear in the past week. At first, I was ashamed of my childlike disposition, until I realized that's exactly how I am supposed to be handling this warfare. It's not that the Lord is calling me to have a spirit of fear, it's that he is calling me to be his little daughter, in desperate need of only his protection. All I have to do is call upon the name of Jesus and my enemies must flee. Phillipians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
This week I learned to believe that there is power in the name of Jesus. For the Lord tells me in Ephesians 6 that in all circumstances, hold faith as a shield to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And so I will put on that armor. Though most people think we have no business going to East Africa, let alone South Sudan, we will hold fast to the promises that God has made for us, his daughters. We will endure attacks from the enemy if it is his will, and in those moments of darkness we will call upon the name of Jesus and everything before us must bow to the King whose only weapon is love.
"The Lord will fight for you, you need only be still." Exodus 14:14
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