Challenges, Struggles, Solutions, Priorities

Chapter 2 (Challenges, Struggles, Solutions, Priorities) from Church Awakening was so enlightening, encouraging, and convicting. It was as if God spoke directly to Church Swindoll to write this chapter for me. There is way too much that is said for me to reflect on everything, but I do want to reflect on what was essential for me. 

Toward the end of the chapter he has a sub-title called "Let's Always Remember Two Specific Principles." 1. The adversary will stop at nothing to disrupt, and if possible destroy the church 2. The Lord will honor and bless any plan that upholds prayer and promotes His Word. These two principles seem pretty basic to the average Christian, and especially to a pastor; but if you have been lost in pleasing people rather than Christ himself, these principles get compromised. 

Satan uses any means possible to destroy the church. He will use officials from the outside and will especially use Christians within the inside. Whether they are young/baby Christians, carnal Christians, pseudo-Christians he will use anything and everything to destroy the church. So how do we combat this? I can't help to reflect from 2 Kings 6:17 - "And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." The only reason why Elisha saw the chariots of fire and his servant did not is b/c Elisha was practicing the presence of God. Elisha was so in-tune with God's spirit that he saw that there were more angels, power and strength on God's side compared to his enemies. 

If we could really see what God was doing in the spiritual realm, we would live differently, act differently, speak differently and minister differently. We would recognize that God is more than able to do more than what we can imagine. But God can only open our heart if we are practicing God's presence, and practicing His presence can only be done by Swindoll's 2nd principle - upholding prayer and promoting His Word.

Practicing God's presence is simple as Paul said, "pray without ceasing," and as the psalmist said, "hide the Word of God in your hearts." As I struggled the last few months in my own spiritual life this is what lacked the most. I tried to do things with my own power rather than relying on the power of God - which is freely available to me. 

So these two principles is what should separate the church from any business or organization. God's house is not built by hands, crafty strategies or marketing plans BUT it is built through prayer and faith.

Christ is All...