WAR!

While I was in church yesterday, a very strong mental image kept coming to my mind during worship and it wouldn't go away. I'm going to share with you what I saw:

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I saw a young woman was walking down a road in the twilight hours. She was joined by a young man and I felt as if they were married. As the young couple traveled together, they were suddenly surrounded by enemies. The enemies were carrying swords, spears, and shields- they looked like vicious barbarians and had names like Depression, Sadness, Strife, and Envy. They formed a complete circle around the young couple.

The young couple stood back to back, turning in a circle as if they were going to fight off every foe. As I saw them turning, I also saw flashes of them kneeling on the ground, as if they were praying.

While I was watching this happen from within the circle, there was a commotion at the back of the ranks of the enemy. I saw the barbarians being flung up in the air. Helmets and weapons flew and the ruckus neared the inner edge of the circle. Another couple broke through the enemy ranks and stood with first couple, all standing back to back, facing the enemy in between being on their knees.

The battle wasn't just being waged by those two couples. I saw more and more couples running to join the fight on other fronts. There were individuals there as well, though the bulk of the army was composed of couples. Some were bleeding, others had torn clothing, but they still fought with courage and without stopping. They worked together as a unit, defending each other and steadily advancing against the enemy.

The last scene I saw was a gap in the line of the couples. The enemy was gathering just beyond, about to pour through the breach, as if it would be a killing blow to the couples and all who fought alongside them. People began running to fill in the break in the line and I heard a shout go out, "STAND IN THE GAP!"

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Now I won't claim that this was anything more than a strong mental picture, but I believe that there is a message in it.

Church, we need to stand in the gap for each other. We have spent far too much time fighting each other and far too little time fighting the enemy. What I saw was the church fearlessly defending one another, husbands and wives praying together to overcome their opposition, an army functioning as a unit rather than individuals.

I want to make this very clear: our enemies are not the people around us. Arabs, atheists, the rich, the gays and lesbians, those of a different political party, race, or nationality- none of these are the enemy. Our enemies are not flesh and blood. Rather, they are poverty, disease, broken-heartedness, depression, hopelessness, and countless others.

We are supposed to be fighting a war, in the physical world by helping and loving those around us and in the spiritual realms by strengthening our faith through worship and prayer.

Ephesians 6:10-20 says this:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Church, we have been in discord and disarray long enough. Now is the time to stop gossiping, stop quarrelling, and stop with our hypocrisy. Now is the time to lift each other up in prayer and with encouragement. Now is the time to reach out to those around us. Feed the hungry, heal the sick, drive out the demons that keep people under spiritual and physical bondage. Set the captives free, save those who are perishing from the fire. NOW is the time to wage war with worship and with prayer.

RUN to fill in the gaping breach in our lines.

STAND IN THE GAP! STAND IN THE GAP! STAND IN THE GAP!