There Is More Than We See (Angels and Demons)

          Tonight, I had one of the most intense encounters with the unseen realm of angels and demons that I've ever had in my life. My best friend and I were sitting in his Jeep, having a really intense talk about God and the plans He has for us. It wasn't just broad-based, "Jesus has awesome plans for us" talk, it was us being accountable for each others' faults and speaking the truth in love to each other. Apparently, this was enough to peak Satan's interest and send something to check on us and freak me out. A demon came to my house tonight. For a 17-year-old girl. 
          I was sitting in the passenger side, facing my house, away from a patch of trees on the other side of our driveway, and as we were talking, I got this really sudden, really intense fear that something was behind me. You know that feeling when you're watching a scary movie and the killer is standing behind them but they don't know it? That's how scared I was. I tried to ignore it, because teenage girls get scared of the dark and scared of stupid things they shouldn't be scared of, but I could not shake this feeling. It was similar to the fear I had when our youth group did a walk-through of a simulated hell, and I got so overwhelmed that I started to cast out the fake demons in the name of Jesus. Tonight, I was so scared I couldn't force myself to say the words on my heart.
          I stopped my friend in the middle of his sentence and told him I was terrified. I told him that I was probably being paranoid and afraid of nothing, but that I couldn't shake it. I put my head on his shoulder and started to cry, and he started to pray over me. He was praising God for being our Victor, for being the Almighty God, and for the fact that anything that stands in our way or tries to cause us fear has to flee in the name of Christ. I can't make this stuff up guys. As quickly as that crippling fear came over me, it vanished. Whatever evil was watching me, it was gone.
          We talked about what had just happened once we were done wiping the tears from our eyes, and he told me that he had asked God for discernment to know if it was just a weird feeling or if there was something there, and God revealed to him that there was actually something evil near us. He said he felt my fear and saw something, in the way that humans usually see angels or demons. We don't usually get to see the details of them, because they're so overwhelming and terrifying that it would be unbearable for us to look at them. But as scary as angels and demons are, our God is bigger. 
          This is something a lot of people avoid talking about because when you really think about it, this stuff is scary. Really scary. In the words of my friend, "There's a reason the shepherds were afraid when they saw the angel of the Lord." God has an army of these things. An army of Cupids wouldn't really be that intimidating in battle. And demons are just angels who have chosen to follow Satan instead of God, so they're just as impressive, except they are pure evil, and knowing that should frighten you enough to keep you awake at night thinking about the big picture.
          The good news is that as believers, once you accept Christ into your heart, you accept His power into your life as well. You have the God of the universe dwelling inside your very body. If you tell a demon to leave your presence, it has to leave, by the power of Christ. So while they might be frightening, we don't have to fear them. Chances are, the first time you encounter a demon or an angel, you won't handle the situation very well. (Or maybe that's just me . . .) Don't be discouraged! Once you get a better feel for what your dealing with, or even just seeing someone else deal with it (like in my case), it will better prepare you for the next time something like that happens. Whatever you do, though, don't be deceived. The realm of angels and demons lays just beyond our vision. There is heavenly warfare all around you, all the time. Be on your guard, and never ignore a feeling if you know something isn't right. Pray for discernment, and if it's just paranoia, pray for peace. If it's something else, speak the name of the Lord. There is power in the name of the Lord.

The End of Timid Christianity

          A few nights ago, my parents I went out to dinner just to celebrate being alive (and maybe the fact that my brother wasn't home -- wrestlers' diets don't often include going out to dinner). We got to talking about the government and the way things are headed in America. We talked about the founding fathers of this country, and how they risked everything for what they believed in. If you haven't heard some of the quotes that come from that period of time, you are missing out on some of the richest history I've ever come across. Thomas Jefferson has been quoted as saying, "The Tree of Liberty must be watered from time to time with the blood of tyrants and patriots." He totally believed in his cause, and was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to see it to completion. 

          Most people know the famous, "Give me liberty, or give me death," quote, but I bet you don't know the rest of it. While the entire speech wasn't recorded, the first few lines were. "Give me liberty, or give me death," is actually the end to this phrase: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" These were men who were walking the walk, not just talking the talk; their houses were burned, they were attacked by loyalists and British soldiers, their families were not safe. But they believed in their cause, and they were bold about it. 
          So what does this have to do with us as Christians? Well the founding fathers had a noble cause, but we have an even greater cause to be bold about. The thing is, today's Christians seem to be terrified of not being "politically correct," so they back away from the truth to try to go with the flow. Well let me tell you something, church. "The flow" is flowing in the exact opposite direction of Jesus Christ. The ideas of this world, the things it values, the things it permits, they are straight rebellion of God. Look at what wonderful role models we have! We have hundreds of martyrs who took a stand for Christ and did not back down even as they were being taken to slaughter! We have people who were locked in prisons for years upon years, but they continued to boldly claim the name of Christ. Fast forward to 2001 -- does anyone remember Rachel Scott? The 17-year-old girl, a girl who was the same age as me, looked her killer in the eye and did not deny her love for Christ.

          This is something that has been eating at me for weeks, and it's time the church decided to take a stand against this fear! Sin is sin, and we all have it. "Don't judge others because they sin differently than you." Right? That's what we're all about now, isn't it? We can't possibly tell someone that they have sin in their heart, because we're all sinners, so we have no room to judge. Come on church! Get real! We are called to speak the truth in love. We are not called to accept sin as commonplace when God has specifically called it out and said, "I will not tolerate this." But we don't want to ruin our friendship, we don't want to step on toes, we don't want to make anyone uncomfortable.
          Christianity is not about being comfortable. It is about being convicted and being forgiven. It is about grace that is applied to our very real and very deadly sin. Sin is not something to be taken lightly. The charges against us are not against our fellow man; the charges against us are against God -- the one and only true God who created the universe and is completely beyond our comprehension. We are sentenced to eternal death because of our sin. So take notes from the God-fearing examples we have in our Bibles, and stop being afraid to speak the truth to those around you! Their eternal lives are at risk, and you might be their last hope.

New Year's Resolution: Revive the Significance of the Word LOVE.

          I'm going to get right to the point here: you can't know how to love someone in a marriage-ready way until you know on a personal level the way that Christ loves his bride, the church -- namely, you. I can tell you this from very personal experience. If you read my first post, you know that I said I thought I was in love. Anyone who knows me and the man I dated would say that I was indeed in love with him, but I wasn't, because I didn't know what love was until I let Jesus Christ into my life.
          Love is such a powerful word, guys. Love is the image of a man being beaten until he couldn't stand. Love is having a crown made of thorns pounded onto his head. Love is being spat upon. Love is being mocked. Love is being asphyxiated by his own body weight while he had nails that had been pounded through both of his hands and his ankles that held him to a roughly hewn cross that rubbed his already bleeding flesh raw. Love is going through all of this even though He could have stopped it in an instant, because He needed to save us. So when you look into the eyes of your boyfriend or girlfriend or husband or wife or son or daughter or mother or father or grandma or grandpa or whoever you are saying I love you to, remember that. If you don't know, and believe, and whole-heartedly understand on a personal level that kind of love, then you don't know what love is. Do not be deceived, church. Jesus paid much too high a cost to show you that He loves you for you to be throwing that word around without regard for its significance.
          Here is a link to one professor's extremely detailed description of the way in which Jesus Christ died. Read it and let it affect you. Let it move you, let it motivate you to love Jesus deeper and let it change the way you view the words, "I love you."
          I challenge you to go to that link and read exactly what happened to Christ on the cross. It paints such a vivid picture in your mind. My heart is heavy thinking about what a price was paid for my life, but there is such joy in knowing that the price was paid willingly. He wanted to prove His love for us. There is no greater love, and pure love is nothing short of that. So find another way to communicate your feelings for people until you can truly say, "I love you."