Praise Jesus!

How do you put into words the feeling of peace, relief, thankfulness, and PRAISE JESUS that you feel when you see another life set free from sin, Satan's lies, his bondage, his torment? It's really hard to put into words, but that doesn't make it any less real or amazing!

To see the faithfulness of God, to experience the power of Christ that has been gifted to God's children in terms of authority over Satan and his demons, to be reminded that one day EVERY knee will bow before our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our Savior Jesus Christ (and to also be reminded that sometimes demons "get" to do it even before that final judgement day!).

The reminder that we have a faithful God and Savior who pursues, is so very patient, and so merciful,...who will bring us to the point where we realize that He is everything and without Him we are nothing, that what Satan has to offer is never comparable to the LIFE we are offered in Christ. And to be reminded that even through the valleys that it takes to break and refine us, Christ still stands at our side and says, I'm not going to leave you. To be reminded that we have a God who will take our mistakes and make them into something even more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.   

Words or no words to adequately describe it, it does bring me to one simple thought and that is JESUS CHRIST. There is no other answer. There is no other way, and praise God for that because Jesus is sufficient. He is all we need. He is TRUTH, He is life, He sets the captives free. He has been given all power in Heaven and earth. Freedom is available to all those who truly seek it through Him. He is our Reigning Lord. And reign He does.

Does this mean that our battles here are over? Far from it. With each soul that is freed there are many more who need it (Please keep praying with us! Check here for prayer requests. Your prayers are making a difference!). But for the moment, I just want to revel in the power of Christ. In His complete victory over sin, Satan, and death at the cross. I want to praise God for the ground that Satan has lost and I praise Him for the ground that I trust Satan will continue to lose. Praise God for the salvation, and also the freedom, available through Jesus Christ! To Him be the glory!

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Luke 10:19, 20

Praise

I was planning to post on the end of the reading program, but it looks like that will have to wait. First, I want to say thank you to all of you who are praying with us in the spiritual battle(s) we are facing (if you haven't read the post prior to this one, click here or if you would like to read more on spiritual warfare click here or here.) We still need your prayers, our kids need them, those in the community/church need them. The battles have been draining and often not so encouraging, but as I was thinking today...what I need to do right now is praise. Even though I can't see how God is going to bring good out of this valley and I feel very burdened. Even though I don't understand why the battles are so prolonged or why it can be so difficult to filter through Satan's deception. Even when I don't understand why the demons can be so stubborn and where we go from here. And probably for these very reasons... because I don't know, I don't understand, I don't "see" what God is doing, I need to praise, because well, whatever we are going through God is still worthy of it. And praise is a weapon against the darkness.

So, as you continue to pray for us (you can see some of the prayer requests I posted here) please continue to pray specifically against deception and for God's Truth to be very clear. Pray for hearts willing to fight and work with us to end these battles and for renewed strength. Through it all, please pray that each individual (and us too) would come to know Jesus Christ better through the struggle and that He would be glorified above and in all.

AND please join me in praising...

Praise God:
-that through Christ we can have freedom from Satan, sin, and death
-for the authority that we have in Christ as God's children
-that God is sovereign and in control
-that He has shown us His faithfulness and goodness
-that He will bring good from what Satan intends for evil and destruction
-for the reminders of captives who have been set free in the past
-for the ways that we are learning to fight through the struggle
-for each child and staff member that God has brought to CVE and the important part they play in our spiritual ejercito (army)
-for the ways God is working to bring to light issues in our own lives that need to be taken care of
-for the way He changes us through prayer, trial, the testing of our faith, and awareness of the seriousness of the consequences of sin (for ourselves and for future generations)
-for victory that we trust will come in His perfect way and timing

O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 127