Make War!!!
*Written on May 8 in Moldova
Africa here we come…. Be ready… We are about to make war.
This week was debrief with the some of the AIM staff. Debrief is a time of transition… A time to process these last two months in Eastern Europe… A time to prepare for Africa… A time to talk…
Each team has a meeting with our squad leaders and aim staff. And each team meeting looks different depending the needs and dynamics of the team. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I figured it would be the basics questions of how was the month and the new team and the highs and lows of the month. And yes we discussed the basics briefly, but than they asked how we were doing spiritually.
And that's a hard question. How am I doing spiritually?
My team is a team that knows their identity in Christ. We have that foundation of Christ's love for us. And whether that foundation was built over 2 years or 12 years, we know who we are and what we believe. We are each solid people, who have been blessed with different gifts and abilities to further God's kindgom.
This month had its ups and downs… Especially with the girls and guys living separately so it was challenging to really know what was going on with everyone when you weren't living together. We each grow spiritually but in different ways and all individually.
Spirtually, for me, it was challenging to stay focus on reading through the OT when I have failed so many times before. And not letting those past failures get in the way of my current goal. Also with my English class, we had lots of spiritually debates about God, the resurrection, heaven and hell, is God just, the meaning of life, depression, and much more. Soooo it was a month where I had the opportunity to share the gospel and what I believe in almost everyday. Which was incredible…. But it was such a growing experience. Because I had to know what I believed before sharing them with my class. Trusting God for the right words to say and how share the hope that I have in Christ without pushing Religion on them.
One of my teammates was spiritually attacked. A person who is strong in prayer and devotion. Confidant in the Lord. But being defeated and wore out. And I remember sitting in a coffee house, just praying for this person. Coming together as a team and speaking life. Allowing God to unveil things in this teammate and seeing God in the end. Seeing that spiritual attack is real.
At debrief, the leaders spoke into my team. It was said that my team is ready to make war. Make war in a spiritual sense. We are each indiviadually defined by our faith, and it time to come together as one. None of us can do it on our own. We have to come together to make war against this world. And it's not going to be easy. We can't be passive. Spiritual attacks are real. But its through those times of battle that we have to come together, take up our cross, and go to the front lines. Stand firm and relentless. God has equipped us. And He has prepared us for such a time as this. We have to put on the full armor of God in order to take a stand. In order to fight. In order to grow. We can't just have the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. We can't pick and choose our armor. No. We need all of it. Each piece hold signicance in battle. And if we want the victory, we have to go to battle prepared.
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Put on the full armor of God
so that you can take stand against the devil's schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers,
against the powers of the dark world and
against the spiritless forces of evil in the heavenly realm
Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then,
with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,
with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and
with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,
with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."
-Eph 6:10-18
