As I finally write this blog, I’m sitting on an airplane bound for Bucharest, Romania with 83 other world racers. We just finished up two weeks of ministry with two local churches in Galway. Incredible things happened this month. Not only did the racers come alive, but people in the community came to know the Lord for the first time and reconciliation between church and the city was reinforced afresh. With all that has been going on, it’s left me little time to sit and blog until now. Despite the ridiculous number of racers on this plane, most are fast asleep right now. The silence is nice and it allows me time to finally put into words all that has happened these last three weeks.
Put simply, I think I’ve grown up. A lot. Being responsible for the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of 41 other racers makes you have to. All of a sudden petty issues and selfishness fall away when so many are looking to you to set the bar and go for it yourself. These weeks have been filled with learning that to love my squad means they might not like me at times over decisions or conversations that need to be had, but it’s all about living for the delight of my Dad. I’m leaving Ireland feeling full, empowered, and consumed by Christ’s fire.
With all God is doing, there probably is no surprise that the enemy quickly tried to make me walk in fear of failure. I found myself in a place where it felt relentless in its pursuit of me. No matter what I did or did not do in a moment, satan could easily validate my own failure to them…
…But then I went out to this cliff by our campsite a week ago. I looked out on the vast sea before me and it hit me in that moment: I just don’t have time for such lies. There is too much kingdom to be a part of right now. Too many people who are relying on me to be hearing from the Lord and walking in my authority in Him. Too much desire within myself for more of Him. This time out on the field with the squad is short and there just isn’t time for allowing lies to be floating around in my mind.
I remember talking to Michael Hindes about my decision to come squad lead. He told me one thing that has stuck with me when it comes to my time out here. Elijah was a man who stood for the Lord and slayed the prophets of Baal. And then moments later he was a man who ran off in hiding and was thrown into turmoil and confusion. There’s no time right now to be hiding out in caves away from the opposition. My time out here is about slaying some darkness on the front end of this group. And while I know that ideally there is never time to allow satan into our minds and lives, all I am focused on right now is these three precious months before me.
So there I was, on that cliff, having my own revelation over living and serving an audience of one. And then I just let it out. I screamed out that I wasn’t having more of the lies. That I was living in the truth. That I wasn’t going to be so concerned about who liked me, but only concerned about what God is doing and saying. In that moment, more release and freedom came than I can really put into words. I simply let go and it fell away.
You can only be moved by whatever you allow to move you. If we allow satan to have his way and play his games, it’s an invitation for him to continue going. But he won’t keep throwing things at us that can’t move us. That’s when we have the power to step in and say that no matter what comes our way, we’re standing in truth and power. It’s about taking control over the darkness in God’s land. It’s about slaying it ourselves, about choosing that his tactics won’t overcome, about standing on the rock of truth no matter what storm comes.
In two hours I land in Romania to begin the second month of this journey. I’m landing in this country knowing who my Dad is. And wanting to be only about doing what He’s doing and saying what He’s saying. When the kingdom is proclaimed and at hand, there simply is no time to entertain false imaginations and lies from the darkness.
Too much kingdom reality is at stake right now.
