Battling It Out

Well, friends, it's been a while since my last post.  Sorry about that.  As the semester goes on, things just continue to get busier and busier, but that's no excuse!  Hope you find yourselves wrapped tighter and tighter in God's arms as you continue throughout your days.

So, what have I been learning lately?  God's really been speaking to me about the power of prayer.  It's a lost art, if I might say so.  The most incredible tool for Christians, and we rely on it almost as a backup instead of a natural instinct to fight our battles (or at least I do).  I've been reading stories about Christians who made radical decisions to commit themselves to prayer, constantly.  It's incredible to read of how life-changing that decision was and to also to see the effects of such a decision.  If God's people commit themselves to prayer, He will move like never before.  But, we have to take it seriously.  It reminds me of a verse that I learned at Student Leadership University a while back.  Dr. Richard Land spoke and reminded us, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14).  Sometimes I believe we give up.  We look around at what is happening and think that the world is beyond hope, but it isn't.  Letting the world wear us down and discourage us is a plot of the devil.  No one is beyond hope and no dream is too big if you're dreaming God's dreams.  He wants us to believe impossible things.  He wants to accomplish impossible things in and through us.

Speaking of impossible things, has anyone seen the new Alice in Wonderland film?  My friend, Stacy, came down from Georgia this weekend and we made a trip to the IMAX to see the movie.  I was thinking- okay, this will be a fun movie.  Lots of play and imagination.  While there was a certain element of that, it was a little more serious than I thought.  Alice found herself in a land of death and destruction, yet it was written in a Sacred Scroll that she would be the one who would slay the enemy and redeem Wonderland.  Her days had been planned, and she was prepared for her battle beginning at an early age.  I love how God just shows up everywhere when you're seeking after Him.  I could not get this out of my head.  When Alice is crying and trying to figure out how she will do the impossible- how she will slay an enormous creature that has the potential to crush her with one step- she is reminded that if she holds onto the sword (it was a special sword, but I don't remember the name of it : ), the sword will know what to do.  I know, I know- you're thinking that sounds kind of silly and maybe it does.  But, it reminded me of our sword as Christians.  The sword of the Spirit.  In a constant battle between good and evil, in a destructive land that has no promise for future, we are called to be the warriors who fight on Christ's behalf to heal the land.  We've got to cling to His word.  If we follow it, we will do exactly what He wants.  We may get confused and upset and wonder if we were really created to do whatever challenges we're facing, but if we remember to hang onto our Sword, we have no reason to be afraid.

"Sometimes I believe as many as six impossible things before breakfast."  At the climax of the film, Alice is battling the Jabberwocky and gets knocked down a few times.  Each time she gets back up, and she reminds herself of the impossible things that have already happened thus far.  Take a look and remember where God brought you from.  When I look, even over the past couple months, I am amazed at how much God has transformed my heart and my mind to be more like His.  Then, I think- that's impossible.  I could have never accomplished that on my own- only He can.  And it gives you hope.  It gives you hope that you can trust His word and battle your trials with that Sword.  Soon, Christians will become victorious by standing firm on these promises.  We will defeat the enemy if we dare the dream impossible things and rely on Jesus to do what only He can do. 

P.S. Go see the movie if you haven't!  As a visual person, I highly recommend it.  Maybe it will give you a new perspective on the battle, like it did for me.  And, if not, it's just silly to look around and see everyone in those humongous 3-D glasses- lol.