So, if you haven’t yet heard the news I am in Darwin Australia!
This month my team is focusing on ministry at Baggot Victory Church in an aboriginal community that is plagued by a lot of drinking, drug abuse and violence. Our contact informed us that death and incurable sickness has touched every family in the community in one way or another. The rate of life expectancy in the community is very low and most will never see their 60th birthday. Suicides, accidents involving drunk or drug impaired driving, over doses or alcohol posioning are the regular fare in the Baggot community.
The first several times we visited were difficult, overwhelming and kind of ridiculous. A large part of our ministry there revolves around speaking/singing at church services and I have to be 100% honest I did not want to do it. I don’t have a good reason for feeling that way it’s just how I felt. I loved spending time in Cambodia and I was sad to leave it behind for Australia. I was also starting to feel homesick. But excuses aside my attitude was just plain selfish and for the first little while I struggled to overcome it.
It is so easy to focus on the attacks and victories of the enemy in that community but when we do that we miss the big picture. God is victorious. The church is not powerless, it is not a damsel in distress waiting in desperation for the strong arm of a knight to pick her up and carry her away because she has fainted in fear. That is not the church. That is not the bride of Christ.
The bride of Christ is wearing battle gear along with her pearls. She’s got army boots on under that dress and a sword strapped tightly around her waist. She is a warrior of the highest skill and she is ready to stand up and follow Christ into battle.
Again and again when I pray and talk to God about Baggot, about feeling homesick, about my time in Cambodia he asks me one question: Will you fight? Will you dare to love? Will you take up that sword of truth and slaughter a few lieing demons today? Or are you just going to fall back and sleep away the battle?
I know that I have been placed here in Darwin for a reason. I have been positioned to have divine encounters, positioned to love and speak truth boldly. I have chosen to focus on the battle that God is waging, the battle he is winning. I don’t always understand what is going on, I don’t always feel like I’m making a difference but I refuse to live in hopelessness.
I will fight.
