In such times as this when fear, hopelessness and grief grasp our hearts we need to remind ourselves that the Lord warned us of wars and rumors of war and that men’s hearts would fail them for fear. But He also exhorts us in Luke 21:28 “And when you see these things begin to come to pass, then look up, for your redemption draweth nigh.” Surely His truth is marching on!
Yes, this is a physical war against evil in the world but it is only a small view of what is happening in heavenly places. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph 6:12 The Lord forewarns us “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matt 24:6. He even reminds us again in the same chapter “Behold, I have told you before” Matt 24:25 Therefore it should come as no surprise to us who know His word when we see these things come to pass. Is this easy to accept? No! I’m sure these are not verses that we have underlined in red in our Bibles! But we either believe His word or we don’t! Surely His truth is marching on!
How do we answer the question of why? We can’t, we can try to reason why, but we don’t have the answer. All we can do is “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding!” Pro.3:5. If we try to reason the answer we are leaning on our own understanding. We must remember the scripture that tells us “ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isa.55:8.
We are also exhorted not to be discouraged but rather be “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.( be discouraged)” Heb.12:2-3
I want to remind you of the Lord’s word of comfort “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid, you believe in God, believe also in Me.” John 14:1
Remember that according to 1 Thes 4:13 “…that we do not sorry as those who have no hope.” Of course we mourn and grieve but not as if we do not have hope. After we grieve we must find the courage to get up again and take hope to those who do not have hope! The Lord has given us a window of opportunity to sow hope, for right now the harvest is white unto harvest and the world is looking for answers in the light of this tragedy.
We must boldly rise up and declare war on the enemy of our souls that is behind this great evil, and proclaim with conviction, “Satan, you may think you have won a battle, but our God will win the war! Because I have read the end of the Book!”
I am not a stranger to the fear of bombing and terrorist attacks, having lived as a toddler through the bombing of Great Britain during the Second World War. I still remember the terror of hearing the shrilling warnings of the air raids sirens as the bombs fell on Belfast relentlessly night after night on the city which was the largest ship building port in Europe.
I have also seen the devastation of the current terrorist IRA attacks in Northern Ireland over the past 30 years. It has almost become a way of life for the people of Northern Ireland, as they pick up and courageously go on after each attack. And yet each time, although life goes on again, it is never the same, for after each bombing a little of freedom dies, for life is now more fearful. I went home to Belfast for a visit this past May, and friends are often amazed that I would chose to visit considering the current political conditions. But you must understand, if I chose not to visit because of fear, the terrorists have won and I have lost some of my freedom to visit my family.
I recently went to visit my daughters in Nashville for two weeks and was scheduled to fly home on, can you guess? Tuesday September 11 via Dulles airport in Washington!!
Needless to say the flight was cancelled. We sat like everyone else in disbelief, horror and shock at the tragedy as we tried day after day to get me home. We booked several flights via various cities to no avail for they were cancelled almost as quickly as they were booked! Eventually we went directly to the airport in Nashville as soon as it was open to speak with my carrier, United airways. I can’t explain how I felt when I arrived at that airport, it was so eiry, like a ghost town, with very few passengers and an abundance of security with police dogs. A new dimension of the reality of the tragedy grabbed my heart and I just began to weep. As I began to arrange a flight home, the man who was attending me saw from my old ticket that I was going via Dulles airport, and his face just fell and his hands shook as he worked on the computer. He apologized for his lose of composure but he had lost his friends in the crash in Washington! And explained how hard it is to go on. I just felt lost for words of comfort, I felt to just say “I’m sorry” was too superficial. I left the counter in tears and hopelessness.
My flight was booked for 7am the next morning to Dulles and then 11:30am to Allentown. By that next morning my tears and hopelessness had turned to anxiety and fear that I’ve never felt before in my other experience with terrorism, somehow this was different! My daughters encouraged my heart from the scriptures and with prayer but somehow my body was reacting independently. I have to admit I was afraid to board that plane. My spirit was strong in the Lord, but my spirit could not board that plane without my body!
As I said my good-byes to my daughter and son-in-law and went through the tight securities I turned to wave with my small American flag I was carrying, and something just rose up in my heart, it was angry indignation against the fear the enemy had placed in my being. That anger produced the courage I needed to enter that plane. You see, that flag reminded me of not only our freedom here in the USA but also the freedom that Jesus gave me over the enemy of my soul. The ultimate root of all our fears and phobias which the enemy holds over us is death but the Word proclaims “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor.15:55-57
But you know, saints, although we all want to go to heaven, we have to admit none of us want to die! It is time for us all to face that ultimate fear that we might learn how to live in that freedom which was paid for by the precious blood of the Lamb of God. Boldly declaring before the gates of hell, that my time is in the Lord’s hand, and confirm that “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:8
I have shared this from my heart today to encourage us not to hide from fear, which will rob us of our freedom but rather to face that fear which will strengthen us in the inner man and restore our freedom. You see, on Friday September 14, I had an option if I didn’t want to fly, my husband, John, was willing to drive 16 hours to Nashville to pick me up and then drive 16 hours home again. If I had succumbed to the fear I was surrendering my freedom to get home in just a couple of hours.
When I arrived in Washington it was to find my next connection to Allentown had been cancelled and I would have to wait another four hours for the next flight. I called John to let him know I would be arriving later than he anticipated, grabbed a cup of coffee and settled down to watch the prayer service from Washington on a television in a nearby lounge area.
Then I hear a message for me over the loud speaker that they had an urgent message for me and if I was still in the “A” terminal that I should contact one of the United Airways staff immediately! I felt the enemy was testing me “ So you have overcome fear ?” The voice of my mind was battling with negative reasons for the message while the voice of my spirit was reminding me that God had all things under control. Confused by the conflicting voices in my own being I hurriedly approached the nearest United Airways counter. The urgent message was that they wanted to get me on a flight that was leaving immediately as all future flights from Washington that day were cancelled for security reasons. They were concerned about my luggage that should have been transferred, but I just said, “don’t worry about the luggage just get me home!” Amazing how our priorities change in the face of tragedy, any other time I would have been concerned about my luggage. In the current stillness and somberness of an airport that is usually bustling with activity, I allowed fear from the enemy to grip my heart when I heard that message over the loud speaker. My emotional reasoning immediately alarmed me that perhaps something had happened to one of my loved ones! Instead I should have listened to the peaceful voice of the spirit because God had moved to get me home even sooner that I had ever imagined.
Dulles airport was as quiet as a graveyard, a graveyard of dying freedoms because people were afraid to fly! On my flight to Allentown there were only 3 passengers!
I called John from the runway to tell him I’d be arriving in Allentown in 40 minutes. I arrive at Allentown, so in need of the security of a hug but no John to meet me! John having arrived to meet me, went quickly to check the arrivals to find that all flights from Dulles that day were cancelled! Now what does he do? He knew I had called him from a plane but where had they taken me? Talk about stress! He heads upstairs at the airport to ask at the counter when he gets a call from me downstairs “Where are you?” and he immediately replies “Where am I? Where are you?”
Now I do not know why that plane was not recorded as having left Dulles or why they left with only 3 passengers but I’m sure glad they did and believe that the hand of God was on my trip home! Praise the Lord!
Saints, this is not a time to hide in fear, but rather it is a time to face our fears and grow strong from the challenge. Luke 19:13 tells us we should OCCUPY until he returns, it is not a time to RETREAT!
FEAR is an emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger or evil.
COURAGE is a readiness to face and the capacity to endure danger, mental or moral strength to withstand danger or fear.
FEAR is reactive BUT courage is proactive!
Courage is not the opposite of fear BUT rather it is facing your fear.
If you were not afraid or anxious you wouldn’t need courage.
We need to be inspired by the courage of others e.g. Lisa Beamer, the wife of Todd Beamer, one of the men who laid down the lives for others by rushing the terrorists and crashing the plane in a remote part of PA. I saw Lisa being interviewed after the president’s speech last night and what an inspiration she was! She has two small children and expecting a third child in January. When asked how she is able to cope, she responded that her faith in God is sustaining her, and that she knows her husband is with the Lord and that she will see him again! Not only that, she totally trusted the sovereignty of God and said she knew her husband had been born to do what he did and fulfilled God’s purpose for his life!!! What faith!!! In the face of the greatest tragedy and loss!!!
President Bush was calling up the reserves in the military, I believe God is calling up the reserves in His army who have been sitting on the side lines calling them to active duty, to be fully committed to bringing His Kingdom to earth!
President Bush was asking of other nations “Who is on our side?” This is the time of decision!
I believe in the spiritual realm the Lord is asking
Ex 32:26 Who is on the Lord’s side?
This is not a time to sit on the fence? Get off the fence and get on the side of the Lord!
This is the time of decision!
President Bush was warning us that there will be causalities and there will be sacrifices.
The Lord tells us in 2 Tim 2: 3 That we should endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
HOW CAN WE BECOME PROACTIVE SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY OF THE LORD
IN A READINESS TO FACE AND ENDURE DANGER WITH MENTAL AND MORAL STRENGTH TO WITHSTAND THAT DANGER AND FEAR?
- Get our own lives right before God, it is not time to play the part, we must start living the part! The Lord will need reapers in the abundant harvest this tragedy has caused, and we need to be vessels fit for His use.
- We need to prioritize our lives that we WILL have the time to draw close to God that He might fill our hearts with His peace that passes understanding in these days of uncertainty.
- Put on the whole armor of God that we might be able to stand and not faint in the heat of the battle. Eph. 6:10-18
- Do our part in uniting His Army that there may not be any break in the ranks, by forgiving one another, letting go of our petty offenses, surrendering our opinions for the sake of the Body. In other words “grow up”, this is not the time for spiritually childish reactions or impulses.
- Wage a war in the heavens on our knees. Praying for:-God to have mercy on our nation.
- Spiritual revival in our land out of this tragedy.
- Our president, administration and government that they may remain united and have the direction and wisdom of God.
- God’s comfort for those who have lost loved ones.
- Armed forces who go forth to protect our freedom.
- The needs of the families of the armed forces who are left behind.
- Last but not least, pray for the peace of Jerusalem! What is happening in Israel is God’s timetable, for truly His truth is marching on!
Several years ago God spoke this word to my heart in my time alone with Him, and I feel this is an appropriate time to share it with others.
Dear Child,
Raise the standard and prepare for war! War in the heavenlies, as you see that Day approach, evil shall increase but where sin doeth abound, grace does much more abound! These are only the birth pangs, fight the good fight, keep the faith, and I shall give you a crown of life. In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world!
The trumpet is sounding for battle, prepare, prepare! Listen, listen can you hear it! The rumble of war in the heavenlies! Oh, my saint there is victory in praise. The prayer warriors lifting up the hands of the warriors of worship as they prepare for battle!
The lines are being drawn in the sands of time! Who is on the Lord’s side? The gray is fading, no middle ground, evil is becoming openly evil, and my people also to need to come out of the closet, and be counted with the righteous, not with a holier than thou attitude, but justified and declared righteous by the precious blood of my Son.
Let not your heart faint in these days, for child, this is only the beginning, be strong in my might, put on the armor and stand for righteousness with your sword sharp against the enemy of your soul. I am raising up an end time army that will not be lukewarm, but on fire with love and passion for my Kingdom.
Thus saith Papa
CHALLENGE: If you have been part of that reserve army who have been sitting on the side lines are you ready for your “Call up and wake up” papers to active duty? Are you ready to stand up and be counted on the Lord’s side?
“In God we trust” can no longer be only lip service on our money, or should our dollars be endorsed “In money we trust”? “In God we trust” must be endorsed on our hearts!
I close by quoting the President Bush’s final remarks from his speech to the Nation.
“ In all that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom and may He watch over the United States of America.”
