Engine Failure.
We are children of the day.
It’s no wonder our enemy would picks a fight with us in the night.
12:00 am, sometime around the end of April. All of S-Squad is boarded on the plane to begin our final half of The World Race.
Destination: Nairobi, Kenya.
The plane starts up, and a few moments later,
b l a c k o u t.
Praise the good Lord, we were not yet in the sky.
The lights turn on after about 30 seconds and the problem is announced over the intercom- in Thai. We anxiously await the English translation, and find out. No big deal, it’s just the failure of the *right engine*.
I sit there, scrunched into my tiny little plane seat and realize, “it figures!”
It only makes sense that in route to the next continent we would encounter some kind of problem… something to stall us and prevent us from moving forward. Isn’t that just so typical in life?
12 am usually means very physically, and often emotionally exhausted World Racers.
By the time all of this had happened, the safety instruction video was already finished, and there was now a comedy gag show playing on the overhead screens for everyone to see.
What a random thing to see on the plane. Or was it?
The very first gag I noticed, was of a bride at the end of her wedding, whose dress was completely destroyed by an unsuspecting photographer’s assistant. The assistant’s job was to pop the party popper as the bride came out of the church. Instead of beautiful, colorful streamers, a stream of a thick, black oil like substance came out of the popper, completely destroying the bride’s beautiful, previously spotless dress. It a single moment, the bride was defiled and dirty.
Throughout the plane, passengers here and there erupt in laughter.
The humor, that it was funny to unsuspectingly defile the bride.
Like a punch in the gut, it struck me.
The symbolism behind what was playing before our eyes was much too shocking to ignore. I realized at that moment, the plane and its passengers were experiencing more than just mechanical problems, this was a *spiritual attack* on the entire squad.
“Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given for her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
In these verses from Revelation, CHRIST CLEARLY CALLS US, HIS CHURCH, HIS BRIDE.
Was what I seeing on TV and the engine failure all a coincidence? Or is there truly more going on in the world behind what our eyes can see. Ephesians tells us that we do not battle flesh and blood, but spiritual forces in the Heavenly realms.
Rather than stopping to pray in desperate situations, the desire of the enemy is that we become distracted, and even, often, by seemingly innocent things such as TV shows, magazine advertisements or even sleep.
On the night that Jesus was arrested, He told them to keep guard while He went to a quiet place to pray. Upon returning to His disciples, He found them sleeping and asked, “Could you not keep watch for one hour?”
One thing my team has been a part of this month is daily hour long prayer meetings. When is the last time you prayed for an hour? When is the last time you prayed for 5 minutes? God asks us to call upon His name, but if we don’t, He has promised us nothing- nothing at all!
Wake up those who are sleeping!
Be on your guard!
We are fighting a battle!
S-Squad ended up making it safely to Kenya, and our time here has been amazing! I’m so excited to share with you all about what’s been happening. I must tell you honestly though, it has not been without more attack. People on my squad have fallen sick, had things stolen, and been attacked in other ways that I may not even know of. We need your prayers as we continue to run this race!
Thanks so much for partnering with all of us in this Kingdom endeavor! ! !
