Watch out for the wolves! They can be devastating. Right now I feel them nipping at my heels. In 2004 I answered God’s call to plant a new church. God had been after me for a long time. When we answered the call as a family, we knew it would be a challenge but dreamed of hundreds of lives coming to Christ over the next 10 years.
That was the dream. But the warfare was only beginning. I had faced spiritual battles and satanic attack before but I had no idea what would befall our new church, staff and families. We had a great and talented young couple join us to help us with worship and discipleship. But before our first year was out, some external circumstances caused them to resign. Body blow. The scheduled day of our Grand Opening saw 2-4 inches of snow fall on our community for the first time in 2 years. Ice covered our parking lot. Body blow.
Three weeks after our Grand Opening, the school in which were meeting, forced us to change locations for a week. Body blow. Six weeks after our Grand Opening, the city/county closed the roads for construction that led to our meeting place. Since we already had signed a lease, we had no where to go. Body blow. Within two months of our Grand Opening, they decided to tear out the existing roads around the school (within nearly two miles) and just widen the roads. Right hook. Instead of the 3 months they announced, it turned out to be eight months with no road, just dirt and gravel. Upper cut. Finally, one year later they opened the roads again to through traffic. Jab.
Despite the set backs, we continued to press forward in various outreach attempts, many of them thwarted. Some of our core were disillusioned and abandoned us because of the hardship. I understand how Paul felt about John Mark. Shot to the chin.
Not only has the church faced difficulties, so has my family. Shortly after we launched, my dad began exhibiting acute signs of Alzheimer’s. My parents were forced to close their ministry in debt and move out of their house. This past year my dad has had several serious health issues and surgeries that have brought him near death. It’s difficult when you’re ten hours away to help. Combination jab and hook.
More recently my youngest daughter developed some suspicious lymph nodes in her neck. For the last several weeks we’ve been testing and praying we’re not facing lymphoma. Talk about lambs among wolves. Right now I feel like a boxer who’s been pummeled into submission. I’m wobbling around the ring trying to stay on my feet and not get knocked down again. Did I mention the over $1,500 in vehicle repairs that few weeks?
Jesus warned us we’d face some spiritual warfare. What I’ve learned through all this is that facing the wolves can only be done through Christ’s power, not mine. Verse 17, the disciple returned in joy noting that even the demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name, not their power.
God, I confess to you I’m staggering; flesh is hanging off from the attacks of the ravenous wolves. But I’m still resting in you, relying on your power. I’m defenseless without you. Empower me. Demonstrate your power to others around me. The dream you gave me still burns within me. I’m getting up off the canvas.
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