I have put in many long hours working on the Jesus Alliance website and our first video, and both are nearing completion. I was discussing it with my wife and she mentioned that it must make me feel really good to see it all coming together just in time for our September 1st deadline in which the website will go live along with sending out our first of what is sure to be many videos.
I responded that yes it was very gratifying and I would be VERY happy to finally have it completed. I believe that God will use it to unite believers all over the world and help them with their Christian walk and begin to spur them into revival.
Over the years I’ve built businesses and buildings, written books, and accomplished many things but this project has been more stressful than anything I’ve ever done. There is no doubt in my mind that spiritual warfare has raged around this project since its inception, and at times it looked like the dark forces would win out against the forces of good.
Sometimes when I’m discouraged I wish that God would open the eyes of my soul and allow me to view the angels fighting for and against me so I could see first-hand what spiritual warfare looks like. Elijah’s servant got to see this phenomenon and it is described in Kings like this: “Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha . . .
The interesting thing about this passage to me is that Elisha and his servant saw the danger of their fleshly enemies. Elisha’s faith was strong and he was not concerned, but his servant was terrified. Elisha prayed for him and he was blessed by what had to be one awesome sight of God’s army of angels far outnumbering their foes and was consoled.
Matthew Henry the great commentator once prayed, “Lord, open the eyes of our faith, that with them we may see thy protecting hand. The clearer sight we have of the sovereignty and power of Heaven, the less we shall fear the troubles of earth.”
Satan, the god of this world, blinds men’s eyes, and so deludes us that sometimes we become convinced that we will end up in ruin; but when God opens our eyes, we see ourselves in an entirely different light and on the winning side of what we have undertaken.
I had every right to be discouraged while working on this project. We were underfunded, friends became naysayers and harsh critics, health problems plagued me and my family, and the enormity and difficulty of the work is all I could see. If it were not for my faith I would have quit and gone back to my prison ministry and speaking engagements, but my unfailing faith in Jesus held it together.
I know that I am in the midst of tremendous spiritual warfare. My health, family, wealth, and attitude are being attacked with fury. Though the Lord has not seen fit to allow me a peek at the unseen spiritual battle raging around me and those mighty angels assigned to protect me, I’m confident that innumerable of God’s unseen angels are right there fighting with me and for me.
We need to pray that we not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The goodness of God’s will cannot be denied. The Jesus Alliance is of His design and will be finished right on schedule according to His timeline. As I see the battle nearing its end I’ve been grateful that God has begun sending reinforcements to volunteer to accomplish several remaining tasks. It reminds me of God using others to assist Moses when they were at war with Amalek. God instructed Moses that when he held his hands up they would win the war, but if he lowered them they would lose. He tried his best to hold them up, but the battle was too long and his hands grew heavy. His friends came to him and helped hold his hands up when he faltered. What a perfect lesson for the need to unify.
Whether you realize it or not all of us are victims of spiritual warfare. Our nation is fighting for its very life. The key to the success of Elisha, Moses and a plethora of other men and women in the Bible was first and foremost their faith. They used it combined with unity with their Creator and each other to not only survive but to thrive. We need what they needed. Selah . . .
Have a great weekend and I hope you will come to Honey Lake Church this very special 2nd Sunday and hear our gifted and greatly blessed speaker Jamie Vrinios the top sales person of Mary Kay Cosmetics. She built her empire with faith as her cornerstone and didn’t give up even when facing the giants.
Exodus 17:11
So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
August 7, 2015 – Click here to listen