This past month in El Salvador was a complete soul awakening of Christ's love towards others. I never thought I would battle with one of God's greatest commandments, to love one another. After all, that is what I was called to do. That was my excitement in ministry. That is what I desired. How and when did this become a battle in my heart and soul? I allowed the enemy to whisper Goliaths in my ear and allowed the opportunity for Him to avenge death thru me. I gave sanction to the enemy to create havoc all around as He laid a dark veil over my eyes that was eventually torn down only thru the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. I left home. I left family. I left my american dream and all my possessions and all of my friends. I was doing everything and anything that Christ was calling me to do. I was going into all the world commissioned by Christ to spread love and the prophecy of His Word all around. I was standing in the gap and believing in prayer that Christ would use me to love people back to life but I wasn't doing one thing. I wasn't doing the very thing that Christ was calling me to do before anything else. I was failing to love the very people on the front lines of my own ministry, my own teammates. The Lord commands us to love one another in 1 John 4:7, "Let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." He also states in 2:9, "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes." That darkness for me was the author of all lies, deception, manipulation, division, comparison, envy and selfishness. The author of all evil; Satan himself trying to hide behind the full righteousness of God. Never did I think that I, a sanctified, pious woman of God could ever be so obviously deceived by the enemy, especially when there was every justification for vindication of my thoughts or actions; but there was. The rain falls so heavily on the just and unjust and I was no exception. The Lord was wanting to teach me. The Lord was wanting to grow me. The Lord was wanting to place me upon my high places. But how was He suppose to that, if I wasn't willing to obey His greatest commandment. He was calling me to abide in love. If I could abide in His love, I would abide in God, and He would abide in me. If I would just obey, I would be perfected in His ocean of endless, consummated love. The imperative and outworking of His love would be taught to me and I would begin to see my teammates as Christ saw them. If I did not choose to love my brother, I would be choosing to abide in death, according to 1 John 3:14. John's deliberation in his writing was very intentional because he knew that if we failed to love our brother, the love of the Father would fail to be in us. Just as Christ loved us, so we ought to love one another for this was His greatest desire. God here I am. Change me. Use me. Mold me. You are my potter and I am the clay. Transform me and create me to be more like you. Iniquity you are washed by the blood of the lamb. Pride you are vanquished. Darkness you have no authority over my mind. Devil you have been defeated. I have overcome because Christ first overcame. Those things I would pray over myself for weeks to come. Reclamation of what God gifted me with. Reclamation of my zeal and fervor. Reclamation over my life and song. "Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Not death nor life. No tribulation or distress. No peril or sword." Romans 8 And if Christ was calling me to love my brothers despite our indefensible differences, than I would be a Daughter of Light, for God is Light and His light is LOVE.
El Salvador: Our main ministry was radical evangelism into the homes, streets and schools in and around Apastepeque. We entered into the schools and witnessed thru personal testimonies and storytelling. We stretched out into the communities and performed dramas of hope, love and restoration. We poured our hearts as we worshipped at homes with guitar and song. We united in sports and played in tournaments at parks. We supported a local church as we helpeded preach and translated for people to come know the Lord. We lived within the community and our city became our home. We became friends with our neighbors and their children became our children. Their grievances became our grievances. Their hearts became our hearts. We took on full responsibility of loving them which made for a hard goodbye. But more than we loved them all, we left knowing that Christ loved them so much more. Christ would provide a river of rushing waters for the community of Champanilla. He would provide Tonito a new wheelchair and healing in his entire body. He would provide a new song for the hundreds who congregated to know him. Yes, Christ would provide for their every need because He loved them.
Pray for me as I continue to travel all over the world. I am still currently in Central America as we have just left El Salvador and have made it into Honduras. This month is going to be monumental as we shatter this city of curses and plagues put upon them. Pray for us as we become the kingdom shakers He has called us to be. Pray for a hunger and thirst for righteousness so they may be filled. Enjoy my first WR video!! God Speed, Denise.
