Our last days in Vietnam were spent on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City. The city is physically alive and thriving but spiritually they couldn't be more dead. Darkness and social injustice reign openly.
The night begins and I pray for God to open my eyes just enough to feel a glimpse of what the Father feels for the people in this city. I walk the streets feeling dead and oppressed. I'm surrounded by people giving sacrifices to false gods and mute idols. Between that and the incense being burned my soul begins to feel nauseated. Foreigners are everywhere drinking alcohol waiting to fornicate with prostitutes. Darkness is all around.
My friend is watching an argument happening down the street and sees a woman walk away irritated. A scuffle then arises as the men she was arguing with start aggressively pursuing her. I'm with a few squad mates and we find ourselves between this woman and like eight men who look like they want to kill her. A man from our blind side comes and hits the woman in the face and immediately we find ourselves protecting her. The girls I am with jump on the woman to protect her and the rest of us start pushing the pursuers back.
I'm shocked. I look around and I even see a cop look at us with disgust for helping her. I ask God "what the heck is going on" and then I see it. Every bystander has this dazed look of confusion on their faces as to what we are doing. They were all way to indulged in their own self to care. Confused I take a deeper look in to their eyes and I see it, their dead. I'm taken back to the night of my testimony. I saw these same looks when my friend was hit by the car. There were so many onlookers curiously looking but going on drinking seemingly unfazed.
I immediately decipher between the children of Life and Death as if it were night and day. My soul begins to ache. I feel God longing for these people to turn to Him. He longs to give them life. We comfort and pray for the woman and from the look on her face I got the sense that she wasn't accustomed to having someone stand up for her.
The Father is longing for a generation of believers to rise up that doesn't settle for a life of hedonism and self indulgence but will accept nothing less than the fullness of a life spent with Him. He's longing for a generation that will take Him at His word and rid themselves of the religious cynicism that has seemed to plague the church. We are called the sons and daughters of God and it's time to rise up and be a voice for the widows and orphans. We need to take a stand against injustice. Followers of Christ are called to be the light in this dark world, to bring the Kingdom wherever we go. If its not the children of God taking a stand than its a human effort fighting a spiritual battle. There's no power in that.
As believers we need a culture shift. I pray for a revolution to be birthed in our churches to rise up and overthrow the spiritual strongholds of darkness. People all around are perishing and going to hell because they have never heard and believed in the real Gospel. I pray that we rid ourselves of all religiosity and become seekers of His Presence. That once again the church will be distinguished by His Presence. There is power in the name of Jesus to set the captives free.
People's hearts are hardened to religion but they are longing for the Gospel
Be the Light today
-Robert
"Jesus didn't come to correct my behavior, he came to make this dead person alive."
-Beth Helton
