Fighting in His Cause

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32 (NIV)

Maybe part of being a follower of Jesus is a balance between the physical and the mystical.  The things our eyes see and the things that the Holy Spirit seems to churn around in us.  Maybe it is in that kind of combination that I sense that a fight is coming.  We have had a great run this year in exchange.  Crashing like crazy (something like 80+ crashes), numbers are up, people are getting on mission, and it is a great ride.  This fall has been an even deeper move of the spirit.  In the last 4 weeks, I have seen us give more time, give more money, and wrestle with this whole issue of porn.  On top of that we have had people give their lives to Christ.  Just last week we baptized 4 people. (All by our pal Jack the Baptizer).  There is this sense that God is stirring us and that some of the gathering times are becoming a “thin place,” a place where the space between heaven seems diminished.  Sooooo much good stuff.  But I sense there is a fight about to break out.  Follow me on this.  If there really are forces of darkness (and we believe that there are), they cannot be happy.  The Church is God’s agent of bringing change in the world and bringing the world back to himself.  That stands totally against what the darkness is all about (their mission: to steal, kill, and destroy).  I can’t imagine that the darkness is pleased with exchange.  To much positive movement.  Too much giving, living, and rebuilding.  So, do we really think that they are going to sit by and let us win without a fight?  Doubt it.   So, how would the darkness trip us up?  How would they shut us down?  By doing the same thing that has been done in a thousand movements before us; divide and conquer.  Get us to turn on each other.  Get us frustrated with each other.  Get us complaining about that other person or any number of things.  Before you know it, we are on a crusade against each other (even in small ways), or on a crusade for our personal preference, and we totally lose focus, totally lose mission, totally . . . lose.  Honestly I am not sensing that any of this is happening right now, but I am really sensing that it is coming.  Be on guard.  It creeps in small and builds.  The mission of the kingdom is bigger than our personal preferences.  Most important is loving each other.  We don’t exist for ourselves.  We exist for the benefit of those who have not yet come.  There is destruction in disunity, but there is extreme power in unity.

Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. – Jesus,  (Luke 11:17)

A house united with itself, stands and beats the snot out of those who step in the ring.  – Scot

Let’s be on guard.  This mission and work is too important to get caught up in the petty stuff.  Strap on the gloves.  Get a cut man.  Get knocked down, stand back up.  Get worn out, tag a partner in.  I think I hear the bell for round 1.  Bring it.