As I write this sitting in a Bangkok hostel, I await my flight for Vietnam tomorrow. The July squad of World Racers just left Vietnam moving on to Cambodia. And the October team is currently in their launch week in the Philippines. The World Race is rocking out in Southeast Asia I tell ya! It’s time to storm the strongholds of the enemy here for the Kingdom.
My teammate and brother Matt Snyder who spent this past month in Vietnam with the July squad wrote a blog a few days ago entitled No Going Back. It inspired me. And this is why…
This year has been eye opening many major ways. One of the biggest is the Spiritual realm of things. Many Christians question things like tongues, healings, prophecy, and even demonic possession. I think this is mainly due to the fact that we are naive to the battle around us. I’ll be the first to admit I was one of those people for many years. I didn’t really teach anything about as a youth pastor or camp outdoor ed director. That was because I had never been taught about spiritual warfare or even “experienced” it for myself. I came on this trip to change the world, so I had my ideas of how this “radical” Christian thing looked. Deep down inside I had a feeling there was more, but even that was nothing compared to what has been happening this year.
In February I had one of those meetings with the Holy Spirit where I was layed out on my face before the Lord. You can read more about that in my blog titled The Lord Spoke… And since then it hasn’t been unusual to see and hear stories of legs growing, people healed, people freed from possession and oppression. People seeing angels, and flames above worshiping masses. This year has been a mild mof the book of Acts for us World Racers. Believe what you want, this stuff is real. It’s right in front of us daily.
The battle is waging. We need to stand up and fight. The greatest tactic Satan has used is convincing us that he doesn’t exist. That’s a lie straight from the father of lies himself. We need to recognize that there is more to this life we call comfortable living and wake up to the deception and blindness we often have. We can’t be standing back on our heels defending the truth, we need to be storming the gates of hell and
PROCLAIMING the TRUTH!!
Here’s an excerpt from Revelation 19:11-16
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.
With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire,
and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no
one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and
his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him,
riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out
of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the
nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the
winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on
his thigh the has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire,
and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no
one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and
his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him,
riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out
of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the
nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the
winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on
his thigh the has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
That is the God we are serving. A God who is leading an army and beating the enemy down. If we are called to follow Christ, shouldn’t we be fighting right there alongside him? Shouldn’t we be taking up the sword and use it? Christ is, so why are we so timid to fight? I’m tired of getting beat down!
As I mentioned earlier, I am on the verge of entering Vietnam. I have always wanted to go to Vietnam. A few days before I left on this trip, I was glued to the t.v. when a travel show came on about Vietnam and it was on the trip itinerary. I feel blessed to actually go now. But I’m not going with the intention I had 11 months ago as I sat on my parent’s couch. This time as I prepare myself, I am steadying my heart for the battle ahead. I’m putting on my armor for the battle right in front of me.
But, our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms.
– Ephesians 6
Vietnam isn’t just a great place to go and visit if you enjoy war history like me. It’s about claiming more Kingdom! It’s about sharing Christ’s love to those who have been hurt in their lives. It’s about accepting those who are caught up in a whirlwind of a life. It’s freeing the captives from the jaws of the enemy’s deception and lies.
Our living conditions rent out the bottom floor by the hour. Use your imagination to figure out what goes on. The battle is going to be beneath us all day, all night, everyday! That is the seriousness of this Jesus following thing. We have to know our role in it all. We are born to shake this world. We are born to change the world around us.
After what I have seen and experienced, and how far I have come in my walk, I can’t go back to the way things were. I can’t deny the battle I am in daily. It’s not something I shrug off. I engage it daily. I know the day will be challenging and I have a choice to engage it or let it take me out. There’s no way I can wish it would all go away so I can live life in peace. That’s what the enemy wants, to trap me in getting me to ignore the battle around me. So like my brother Matt Snyder, I can’t go back either!
So Matt Snyder, I’m excited to join you and bring forth the Kingdom in Vietnam. You are a son of God. You have the passion to follow the greatest warrior into battle. You have the faith to you will overcome the challenges in front of you as you fight this battle. I am following Christ alongside you brother. Know that you are destined to this thing. Fight the Good fight brother! May truth and love go with you! See ya tomorrow!!
