Reposted on March 14, 2011 from Angie in Guyana:
This morning I woke up early with the welcome of brighter skies. After four days rain the sun peaked through the clouds and made an appearance. As I entered into my quiet place I was so ready to be there. Last night at church we had an hour of individual and corporate prayer and praise. The atmosphere was a deep time of intercession in whatever way God moved your heart. Once I interceded for my home front partners and renters or buyers for my townhouse I switched continents. The song that caused me to fight name by name for Plastic City in service last night rose back up in my spirit during my quiet time this morning. I entered God’s presence humming and then singing:
Great, Jesus, Great, Jesus,
Greater than I’d ever hoped or dreamed you’d be you’ve been to me
Great, Jesus, Great, Jesus
Thank you for being great and for doing great things.
Great things, Great things, You’ve done great things for me
You’ve done great things for me, Great things, Great things
Great things, Great things, You’ll do great things for __________
You’ll do great things for ____________, Great things, Great things
Thankfulness was soon stirring up faith and I began calling on this same Great God to do more than I could ever hope or dream for Plastic City. Plastic city is no longer a place to me, it is people. My passion, my burden is deep within me for them. In fact, I have discovered, in light of recent events, how disturbingly comfortable I am in some of the most deprived and bleak corners. In specific corners of the land the darkness of evil has no regard for life – none! But somehow, God empowers me and our team to look at the provoker of evil with a tempered calm and authoritative strength. I know God will win – it is just a matter of time. However, I must honestly tell you that I have never been in this place of war before. This place where you hold your tongue, bide your time, plan your offensive, and listen for God to say, “Now!”
The mindset that has to be clear is that we are not fighting people – we are fighting spirits. We are not fighting families – we are fighting generational mentalities that grow in greater depravity the older a person gets. Depravity hurts others, wounds with words and weapons, breaks up, destroys the mind, and sears the soul. What instruments are used to increase depravity? What sources are used to motivate depravity? Those are deep questions…. The counter attack has to go after the influences, the instruments, the motivating factors that propel depravity.
Sometimes, I confess, I can become consumed in the corners where depravity is a code red and quietly miss another spirit that we are fighting against. It’s incredible how quick you jump to compare lost people as more or less lost. It’s like one will be easier to find than another, but I am not sure that is accurate. How do you reach a Hindu? How do you reach a Muslim? The ones we have met are sweet, giving, helpful people. They are morally good against the backdrop of what is deep and dark depravity. However, they are missing something too. Missing something? Now, that is a lighter way to say depraved is it not? Our Hindu and Muslim friends here don’t seem as though they are covered in as much darkness as some other corners, but they are missing something. And, who is to say that in their custom of living, children are not being just as wounded. When a seven year old girl is traumatized to tears in PAL because her 13 year old cousin kissed her on the lips in public, and laughed it off as joke, there is something wrong there. No or yes?
Sometimes depravity just hangs out there for the entire world to see and say, “Now that is evil!” While other times it is masked behind morality and religious piety. So, hmmm, I wonder where that leaves me as I size up the battle that is before us. Perhaps right where I have always been.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides In the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, without Me you can do nothing…If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you.”
John 15: 4, 5, 7
This morning I woke up early with the welcome of brighter skies. After four days rain the sun peaked through the clouds and made an appearance. As I entered into my quiet place I was so ready to be there. Last night at church we had an hour of individual and corporate prayer and praise. The atmosphere was a deep time of intercession in whatever way God moved your heart. Once I interceded for my home front partners and renters or buyers for my townhouse I switched continents. The song that caused me to fight name by name for Plastic City in service last night rose back up in my spirit during my quiet time this morning. I entered God’s presence humming and then singing:
Great, Jesus, Great, Jesus,
Greater than I’d ever hoped or dreamed you’d be you’ve been to me
Great, Jesus, Great, Jesus
Thank you for being great and for doing great things.
Great things, Great things, You’ve done great things for me
You’ve done great things for me, Great things, Great things
Great things, Great things, You’ll do great things for __________
You’ll do great things for ____________, Great things, Great things
Thankfulness was soon stirring up faith and I began calling on this same Great God to do more than I could ever hope or dream for Plastic City. Plastic city is no longer a place to me, it is people. My passion, my burden is deep within me for them. In fact, I have discovered, in light of recent events, how disturbingly comfortable I am in some of the most deprived and bleak corners. In specific corners of the land the darkness of evil has no regard for life – none! But somehow, God empowers me and our team to look at the provoker of evil with a tempered calm and authoritative strength. I know God will win – it is just a matter of time. However, I must honestly tell you that I have never been in this place of war before. This place where you hold your tongue, bide your time, plan your offensive, and listen for God to say, “Now!”
The mindset that has to be clear is that we are not fighting people – we are fighting spirits. We are not fighting families – we are fighting generational mentalities that grow in greater depravity the older a person gets. Depravity hurts others, wounds with words and weapons, breaks up, destroys the mind, and sears the soul. What instruments are used to increase depravity? What sources are used to motivate depravity? Those are deep questions…. The counter attack has to go after the influences, the instruments, the motivating factors that propel depravity.
Sometimes, I confess, I can become consumed in the corners where depravity is a code red and quietly miss another spirit that we are fighting against. It’s incredible how quick you jump to compare lost people as more or less lost. It’s like one will be easier to find than another, but I am not sure that is accurate. How do you reach a Hindu? How do you reach a Muslim? The ones we have met are sweet, giving, helpful people. They are morally good against the backdrop of what is deep and dark depravity. However, they are missing something too. Missing something? Now, that is a lighter way to say depraved is it not? Our Hindu and Muslim friends here don’t seem as though they are covered in as much darkness as some other corners, but they are missing something. And, who is to say that in their custom of living, children are not being just as wounded. When a seven year old girl is traumatized to tears in PAL because her 13 year old cousin kissed her on the lips in public, and laughed it off as joke, there is something wrong there. No or yes?
Sometimes depravity just hangs out there for the entire world to see and say, “Now that is evil!” While other times it is masked behind morality and religious piety. So, hmmm, I wonder where that leaves me as I size up the battle that is before us. Perhaps right where I have always been.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides In the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit, without Me you can do nothing…If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you.”
John 15: 4, 5, 7