Spiritual growth almost always requires physical discomfort or pain. This month my team has experienced spiritual warfare that has also manifested in the physical realm. In the past two months we have been to the hospital a total of four times. Of course it makes sense for Satan to attempt to take out the most dangerous teams first. There is a spiritual reason the name of our team is RELENTLESS! No matter what we face, no matter the trial or the circumstance we wont relent. We will not back down!
My teammate Adam became sick with a cold the second week here in Thailand and I, with my big mouth said I never get sick like all of you because Im always walking in the spirit! As the words were spewing from my mouth I realized how bad I really do need a filter. The next morning when I awoke I had a 102-degree temperature and felt extremely fatigued. But being a foolish stubborn preachers kid, I pushed through the day. This lasted for 3 days total and during these three days I experienced some of the worst pain in my entire life.
On the last day of my sickness we attended a cultural dinner and I began having severe stomach pains. It felt as if I had 5 knives in my stomach trying to cut their way out. I had no clue why, but I distinctively felt FIVE knives. As we were walking to one of the cultural dancing ceremonies, I saw a Thai lady wearing a shirt that said GRACE on the back. I found this extremely odd and it never set in until I spoke with my mom about it later. My sickness lasted 3 full days; the number three meaning, divine completeness and perfection. The last night of my pain I began feeling those FIVE knives piercing my gut! Biblically the number 5 means exactly what the Thai ladies shirt said, GRACE! Gods mercy and goodness!
Many times in life we run into spiritual walls that never seem to move. It takes physical discomfort and physical sacrifice to grow or mature spiritually. In my physical sickness, God revealed to me the significance of my body,His temple! The word instructs us:
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your bodyand in your spirit, which are Gods.
I Corinthians 6:19-20
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit! Here in Thailand every home and place of business has a spirit house out front where they offer up food and incense to the spirits. It looks like the most ballin bird house ever..ha.
The temple for the good spirits is deemed necessary because of the cloud of darkness that dwells here. The appearance of the temple as well as what they sacrifice to the spirits are extremely important.
Our bodies are HIS temple! While I was in extreme pain I began to meditate on how I was treating my body. What junk have I allowed in the temple? All the negative trash began to run through my mind….movies, music media, food, drinks. Even the clothes I wear! These all affect my body which is the temple of the Holy spirit. Have I been pouring more positive, healthy things into my temple? Or negative, destructive things? Then I began to think about what sacrifices I have made. What things have I given up to draw closer to the Lord? God took a physical attack and gave me a spiritual revelation. If you want to walk in the spirit and grow daily you have to take care of your body and make sacrifices! What are you putting in your temple?
(and He used the biblical numbers because He knows I like that stuff and it helped me pay attention to what He was teaching me) His ways are #3perfect & full of #5grace
Ephesians 5:2 instructs us to
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Pain and death are the sacrifices Christ made in His temple. And it produced GRACE,a pleasing aroma to God. Through my pain and discomfort, may Grace spring forth! May this sacrifice produce purity and holiness. May my worship be like sweet smelling incense in His nostrils!
We are triumphant as we spread the aroma of His love! We are bringing light to this beautiful dark place! We are relentless!
Please pray over these things:
- Good health so we can accomplish the task
- Wisdom and discernment for me and my team
- Stamina to endure what we are witnessing
