“We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon with. But we are ‘harmless,’ and therefore unharmed. We are spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high places. Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass, outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship of the Cross. We are ‘sideliners’—coaching and criticizing the real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of God unchallenged. The world cannot hate us, we are too much like its own. Oh the God would make us dangerous!” – Jim Elliot
As an instructor in the Navy, it is my daily job to lead students through a physical training and water survival course, with some introductory knowledge regarding land survival and different military aircraft. My primary role is in the physical training portion of the course. In this environment, we have a lot of injuries with our students. When living on mission with Jesus, this news is very exciting, because this is an opportunity for Him to reveal Himself in power and through the fire of the Holy Spirit!
I can remember one particular week when Holy Spirit and I were on fire! It all began in one of our duty vans with a couple of students. We were on our way to make a few different stops when we got a call to swing by our local medical clinic to deliver a student to the larger hospital. When we pulled into the medical clinic we couldn’t miss the student. He was standing out front on his crutches with a wrapped foot. We stopped and helped him into the back. I asked him what happened and he went on to explain that he had landed on his foot and snapped his ankle that morning playing basketball. He went to the local clinic to have x-rays done, and it was broken. We were taking him over to the hospital to have his foot casted. I then shared my testimony with him and the other students in the van, followed by asking him if I could pray over his ankle. He said yes. As I prayed the fire of the Holy Spirit filled and restored his foot. By the time we got to the hospital, he said that it didn’t hurt him at all anymore. He walked into the hospital and they took another x-ray because it wasn’t hurting him. The x-ray returned with a completely new foot and ankle. He was healed. I went back to work and shared this with all of the other instructors. One of my superiors pulled me to the side and asked if God could do this for his wife, because he didn’t believe in the gifts of the Spirit. I said of course. So he asked me to pray for his wife. She had a tumor attached to her brain, and she was going in the next week to find out whether or not it was cancerous. We prayed for his wife together. The next week at her appointment the doctors couldn’t find the tumor.
Lives have radically been impacted and shifted for the glory of God at work over these last 3 ½ years. It is so much better to live in power, victory and joy than it is to live in compromise; it is invigorating! I believe that God is calling all of His people out into the deep waters, where the impossible becomes ordinary. Jesus confirms this for all of us in the book of Mark.
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17-18 NIV)
If we say we are Christians, then shouldn’t our lives reflect these truths? Is our Christianity genuine or are we settling for a counterfeit? Jesus’ word is truth. Do you truly believe? If so, then join me in the battle for the Kingdom of God to destroy Hell. It’s not too late. It’s not about getting it right the first time. We all get knocked down, but a just man falls seven times and rises again. Rise up church!
“I pray that when I die, all of hell will rejoice that I am no longer in the fight.” – CT Studd
The Crazy Lawson Tribe 