Anything by J. Allen Wk 13: Spreading Insanity Pg 115 - 124 Blog 13: The Invisible Forces of God12/15/2016 "Until we believe in the reality of a spiritual war where spiritual beings exist and a spiritual plan is being acomplished, we won't need an invisible Spirit's help. This is ridiculous ... unless it is all real." [Pg 121] Why do we have so much trouble remembering that our life is lived out on a battlefield? Scripture tells us: "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12) "... not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers ..." Sounds ominous, doesn't it? So even though these powers are not flesh and blood, they are real. In this week's chapter Jenni is talking about the movement of the Holy Spirit in their congregation ~ calling him the 'invisible' Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is also part of the realm we never see and we need him to win these battles! He is our guide. Our point man. Our rallying-cry! He is part of the invisible forces of God. Another one of God's forces is angels ~ who are occasionally visible. Scripture tells us, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13.2) That verse was highly significant to me many years ago when I cared for my mother who suffered with Alzheimer's. I had taken her out for a checkup, which was more than it seemed since she had become so unpredictable that opening the door of a moving car might be something she would do. That morning had been particularly difficult trying to convince her she must see the doctor again. It was an emotional roller-coaster. I had been giving care, 24/7, for a year and a half. I was so tired. Our truck was nearly too high for her and getting her in and out was scary since she was deaf and that made giving her direction difficult. After another disappointing assessment from the doctor, along with the exhaustion, I was nearly in tears. While trying once again to get her back into the truck I heard a voice coming from the car beside us. I didn't clearly hear what was spoken, so I turned (and likely with an air of exasperation) I asked, "What!" There in the car sat an older lady with the window down. Evidently, I thought, she was watching the show. Then she spoke gently, asking, "Is that your mother?" "Yes," I replied, wondering why are we having this conversation now? Then she spoke the words that turned my heart around. "You must love her very much." In the confusion of the moment I turned to help mom ~ but in my head I kept hearing, You must love her very much. I realized she didn't say that because she had seen even one ounce of calm and composure from me ~ no tidbit of patient affection. She was addressing the suffering in my heart. It was almost as if she understood the choice I had made, the choice to care, and suffer with my mom. When I turned to ask who she was, her car was gone. Later that day I realized she was not an ordinary woman. She was an angel. I sincerely believed, and do to this day, that God's force, in the form of this tiny old woman, had been sent to intervene in my life. To help me see again what hope was, even a little sliver of it. God had sent an angel to encourage me with a message that only he could have known I needed. Why do I bring this story up now? Because in every moment of everyday God is aware of YOU. He is aware of your joys. Your sufferings. Your hopes. Your angers. And your heart. And to the extent that you are willing to see, you may find his intervention, his FORCE, boldly alive in your life. Our life is lived out on a battlefield where we daily engage with the forces of evil. But DON'T EVER FORGET that God is greater! He is, and was, and will be EVERYTHING you need. Amen? ~ Andi
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