September 26 – “Spiritual Warfare”

God was obviously on the move today, because Satan was doing everything he could to distract and disturb.  The teaching was about Jesus as Lord.  Never a favored topic in the demonic realm.  The challenge was basically, if you are going to say "Jesus is Lord," then you better be about worshipping, emulating his character - trying to become like Jesus (The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodnewss, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23), and obeying his commands (My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.  John 15:12-14).  Right after that we had a man share a testimony of where he came from and how God has changed his life.  He was raised in an abusive home and as a result became abusive himself.  He reached a point where he realized his lifestyle was completely wrong, so he turned it over to Christ.  He still has some life consequences to deal with, but he is experiencing within the church joy and encouragement that he never had before.  The music after his sharing was exciting and really inspired worship.  And then we went down to the beach and baptized him.  And at the baptism one of our guests from out of town prayed for him.  Very powerful stuff.   And then we had a discernment meeting.  That's where we are supposed to come together in prayer and try to discover (discern) where God is at work around us so we can figure out ways to join him.  I announced that the association of nearby Baptist Churches has planned a day in October where mainland churches are coming to Galveston to do a massive prayer walk to ask God to retake the city.  That's one thing I am very excited about.  But I know that any time something like that is planned, Satan will do his best to tear it up.  He's had a lot of control in Galveston for many years, so he doesn't want anything to mess it up.  <Read foreshadow here>   We heard that because of some special gifts God led some people to give, in September we came out with $9 in the bank.  Perfect, right?  The absolute definition of a non-profit institution.  Whatever God brings in, we use to carry out his ministries around us.  Now we also heard that if we look ahead in terms of projections and past receipts and other business-type bottom lines, that we will need $4400 more each month than we anticipate receiving through regular tithes and offerings and tuition (since the school is included as well).  On top of that, as we work toward accreditation for the school, we will have to show the agency involved that we have the operating capital to cover two years of expenses.  That means we would have to have $100,000 in the bank.    So the problem was, where do we get the money to cover the monthly amount and put the other really big amount in the account?  One perspective came from the headmaster who did some great research and number crunching and proposed that we consider borrowing $100,000 to fund the operating costs of the school for two years and to renovate our old building so it will hold more for worship.  The other option we could see was to let the need be known and trust God to provide the money through individuals or grants.  Of course underlying everything was always the fact that God most certainly had plenty of other options that we couldn't see.  That's why he gets to be God.   Should have been a simple task.  Do we want to pursue getting information about borrowing money?  And if we don't want to borrow money, then what are our options for letting the need be known?  The discussion ran the gamut.  Little by little it became evident that there had been bickering and gossiping going on for some time.  My heart cried out to speak words like, "Don't assume the worst about people.  Learn some optimism.  Quit the badmouthing and gossiping.  Forgive and let it go.  Your way is not necessarily the only way.  Have some faith.  Stay calm.  Don't make issues personal.  Stop with the doom and gloom.  Don't respond out of your emotions.  Look at people and circumstances with God's perspective."  All entered my mind.  Someone called for faith.  Others sought a common experience to unite us.  Don't get me wrong.  There was not a knock-down-drag-out fight or anything.  Just an over riding spirit of unrest and disquiet.   Finally there came a cry from someone who had been listening to the Holy Spirit.  She spoke with intensity and purpose and delivered a word of wisdom.  She said that there was a danger afoot among us that was bigger than we were, and it was threatening the unity of God's Body.  The complaints and concerns were merely symptoms of what was really happening.  We were engaged in a spiritual warfare battle that was taking place over the very essence of what Seaside has become over the last fifteen years.  God was at work here.  Bryan was evidence of that.  The other ten people who have been baptized this year are evidence of that.  The completion of this facility without borrowing money was evidence of that.  And Satan was not happy.  Once again we stood at a crisis of belief.    We stopped all deliberations right there.  And we prayed.  We prayed for forgiveness.  For God's intervention.  For His perspective.    We committed to continue to pray.  To ask God to point out those areas in our lives that are not consistent with the character of Jesus.  To focus on the obvious acts of God around us.  To encourage one another and build each other up.  We are going to begin a study of the book Experiencing God, one of the foundation documents of Seaside, probably in about two weeks.  It'll be a bring a sack lunch and stick around after worship kind of study that last twelve or thirteen weeks.  The hope is that through this common experience of studying God's Word together, we can get to know each other – where are we in our lives?  What hurts do we have?  What joys do we have?  And as we get to know each other in deeper and deeper ways, we can move toward the kind of unity God desires for us to have.  Unity like the unity Jesus has with his Father.   Spiritual battles.  Of course.  Just when we are at our weakest, he strikes.  I haven't even mentioned the ordeal Josh and Christi have undergone this weekend.  They are seeking God's will for their life as a family, and Satan has jumped all over their circumstances as well.    But God is stronger.  He has already won the war.  I know that.  Josh knows that.  I pray that Seasiders get that.    Chris and I still really need to have a vacation.  She is still worn out.  I am very tired of being in pain again.  Not sure where the vacation money will come from.  We have our reserve money that I have saved up from doing weddings.  I'm ready to use that.  We could stay with friends in some places.  Surely we can make it happen.   Ephesians 6:10-18 says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."   Father … that's all.  Just Father.  I'm spent.  Amen.