October 16 – “Time to engage”

After great difficulty getting to this point, we finally did the Prayer Walk around Jamaica Beach this morning.  Nine folks from Seaside, six or eight from First Baptist Church in Texas City, and even a couple visiting Galveston for their wedding anniversary gathered together to pray.  After hearing a testimony for our own Sam about her prayer walking around Morocco several years ago, we split up into four teams and set out.  One group stayed on the grounds of the church and prayed for Seaside, the school, and our church leadership.  Another group went to the beach to pray for the thousands of people who visit there every year, for God to protect the homes and residents from storms, and for a lot more baptisms out there in our huge baptistery.  A third group stayed on the main road and prayed for the businesses, the Jamaica Beach city government, and the government of Galveston, the state and the nation.  The final group walked a huge circle around the streets of Jamaica Beach, praying for whatever needs were suggested by the things they saw in yards, or parks, or passing cars.   The prayer time lasted about an hour, and we all then came back together for a share time.  There were some great comments.  "I was amazed at how much there was to actually pray for.  All you had to do was look around." "I realized that prayer is not insignificant." I have felt for a long time that God is going to do a new thing here in Galveston.  This just may be the start of it." "I learned about focus.  Usually I look at a field of grass and just see a blob of green.  Today I noticed a tiny blue flower in the midst of a field.  If we slow down and focus, God has placed little blue flowers all around us." "We started to pray as we were instructed, but before we had to struggle to make some connections, a family in a car stopped to blow us kisses, and told us their young son was sick.  So we prayed for him.  And later a police car stopped to comment on the weather.  So we prayed for them."  "We might be facing federal charges.  You see, we have been tampering with the U.S. mail – spiritually.  We prayed over the mailboxes, and it's just possible that when people come to get their mail, the Holy Spirit is going to be waiting inside and jump out and get all over them." "I have been getting a sense from God that it is 'Time to Engage.'  It is time for us to get equipped for real spiritual warfare." I didn't get to share another thing.  At one point I saw a guy on a riding lawn mower in the block ahead.  I have pretty bad allergies, so I said, "Please, no," referring to having to walk through the freshly cut grass.  But just as we got to the corner, he drove across the street and started cutting in an entirely different area.  A small thing?  Yes.  Does it count?  Sure does.  Thank you, God.   The whole group seemed to understand that there is a battle going on in the spiritual realm, and for some reason, Galveston is a significant prize.  The most intriguing thing to me was the observation made that Galveston is a barrier island, and by definition a barrier island exists to protect the mainland.  Could it really be that our beloved barrier sand bar could become a spiritual barrier to protect one of the largest cities in the United States?  Galveston, protect Houston?  Why not?  It is indeed, "Time to Engage."   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, make our Island a true spiritual barrier to protect Houston – no, Texas – no, the nation – from our spiritual enemy.  Amen.