Friday, January 12, 2007

Ministry of defence

The lines are drawn...Last night, after dinner (a quiet meal, just thirty-six of us), my wife and I prayed with a young sister who's been finding the going tough recently. This was certainly not just a case digging her out of the "poor old me's" (which, alas, shepherding can sometimes come down to...)

This sister is committed, pure-hearted and eager. But she'd hit a wall. We discerned that she was being targetted in the battle - the enemy was seeking to wear her down. So we prayed.

As the Spirit came, we named certain spirits that were seeking to get at her and sent them away; the demonic fog lifted and it was beautiful seeing the lines of tension fall away from her face and peace fill her. And God spoke to her and affirmed her: "I am your shield and your shelter. I am your very great reward."

That's how it is in a Jesus army. It's a real battle against a desperate, amoral and ruthless foe. And in community we're at the front line. We need each other. We need to be able to pray for and receive from each other - and live to fight another day.

3 comments:

n0rma1 said...

Who are you 'someone' and why are you sad?

Anonymous said...

"For the love of God is broader than the measure of man's mind;and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind. But we make his love too narrow with false limits of our own, and we magnify his strictness with a zeal he will not own."

s0upy said...

Mmm. Same comment that appeared on another blog I looked at earlier. Looks like the carpet-bomb comment approach.

But in response to your entry, I had a very (almost uncanny) similar experience last night in praying for a sister. It is a beautiful thing that we can help to bring in God's work in the lives of our dear friends. Keep doing it!