​Hello, and welcome back to our series on Spiritual Warfare and Missions (SWAM). If you missed the first couple of posts you really should click here to read them first. And be reminded that this series is based on the book by Jerry Rankin and Ed Stetzer called Spiritual Warfare and Missions.
 
Last time we talked about Satan’s strategy to erode the authority of God’s Word. From the Bible Engagement Study, we saw that the practice of reading God’s Word is in serious decline among Christians in Canada. So it seems that the enemy may be doing an effective job of sidetracking Christians from God’s Word.
 
Those who reject the authority of God’s Word quickly lose any impetus for evangelism and missions. Once the Bible is accepted as erroneous, it becomes subject to every whim of interpretation, and any portion or teaching becomes optional.
 
This week we will see that Satan also attempts to distort the call of God.
 
Jerry Rankin led the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptists for many years. Each year hundreds respond to a personal sense of God’s call to plant their lives in foreign countries while others take leave from their vocational commitment to serve for two or three years in short-term assignments. It is commendable that some are willing to lay down their personal aspirations, leave the comfort and security of their home country, face the challenge of cross-cultural adjustment and a potentially deprived lifestyle to make Jesus Christ known among the nations.
 
However, the perception of that special call of God has been twisted by Satan to convince most Christians that they have no responsibility toward fulfilling the mission, the Great Commission, of God. Rankin states that it is not unusual after a mission’s conference or convention in a church or on a seminary campus for someone to say to him, “Dr. Rankin, I would be willing to go as a missionary, but God has not called me.”
 
Rankin says that he has difficulty responding to that kind of statement in a tactful or gracious way. There is a lost world that God wants to save, and here is a dedicated Christian who is convinced that he would be willing to go and share the gospel with a lost world except for the fact that God has chosen not to call him. We forget that the task of missions, the task of making His name known and declaring His marvelous deeds among the nations, belongs to the church - the people of God.
A false dichotomy has been set up between those who are chosen to go and those who are permitted to stay. The real matter is finding one’s place in God’s mission. There certainly may be a specific and personal call and leading of God, but many believe that if they haven’t seen a burning bush or been blinded by a bright light on the Damascus Road, then they are exempt from declaring God’s salvation among the nations. They feel free to pursue their own plans, essentially blaming God for their not going to the mission field.

​But we cannot blame God for our personal neglect of His mission to reach the nations.
 
The Bible speaks of many heroes of faith being called of God to a specific task. Abraham was called by God to leave his home and follow, even though he did not know where God was leading. Moses was called to lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt and to the promised land. Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations,’” (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
 
Examine the call of Isaiah. He had acknowledged that God had a plan and purpose for his life even before he was born. In Isaiah 6:8 he recounts this encounter with God: “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying; ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?’ I said: ‘Here I am. Send me.’” This wasn't a personal call. God did not tap Isaiah on the shoulder and say, “Okay, you're the one. I am calling you to go to a people in darkness.” No, it was a generic call. Isaiah heard the heart of God crying for someone to send, for someone who would be willing to go to a people who were lost and in darkness. Isaiah did not wait to be selected and excuse himself if that mystical experience of the specific call never occurred. He took the initiative and invited God to send him.
 
Why do people today not respond to the knowledge of a lost world as Isaiah did -- knowing people need to know Jesus Christ, knowing someone needs to go to tell them?
 
And we know that the world is lost. All we have to do is turn on the news or read a few of the posts in our social media to see the sinfulness, lostness, despair, and spiritual darkness throughout the world.
 
It grieves the heart of God that most of the world does not know of his love while most in our churches sit idly by. Do we comprehend how the heart of God yearns for the peoples of the world to know and worship him? Why do we not bow and surrender, saying like Isaiah, “Here I am. I am available Lord. Let me be the one to go and tell them the good news of salvation.” Could it be that Satan has twisted our thinking to believe that only a select few are called to go, and the rest of God's people are free to follow their own plans with no responsibility for reaching the lost world? We are deceived to believe that we have a right to our own life and what we want to do.
 
Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into a harvest,” (Matthew 9:37-38). This is kind of an odd instruction from God. If God is the Lord of the harvest and the one who calls, then He is capable of calling of the labours to bring in the harvest. After all, he is sovereign over the nations and should be Lord over our lives.
 
In an effort to provide an explanation, Rankin has often said that we are instructed to pray for the labourers because God wants us to be those labourers. If a Believer is truly burdened for a lost world, intercedes for the nations, and pleads with God for missionaries to go into the field, it is not unlikely that God will move upon the heart of the one praying to sense that he should be the one to go.
 
However, there might be another perspective on why we are encouraged to beseech God to thrust out the labourers into the harvest. Perhaps it is because there truly is an enemy that is blocking the flow of labourers into the harvest, stifling the conviction of God's call, and causing potential missionaries to rationalize away the personal responsibility to go. These ones are not responding to the call because of a closed mind, a calloused heart, or a reluctant will.
 
Where do these kinds of barriers come from? Certainly not from God! We may rationalize that it is just a natural tendency to hold on to one's own plans out of concern for one's welfare, but isn’t that just the nature of the self-centered flesh rather than one dying to self and yielding to the Lordship of God's Spirit? God is not glorified when we call the shots and determine the context in which we are willing to serve him. Are we reluctant to trust God and follow His leadership because He might make us go to Pakistan or Libya? Are we afraid we will have to give up our beautiful home or be separated from family and loved ones? When these kinds of attitudes dominate our thinking, we can be assured there is an influence other than Holy Spirit speaking into our life. When we get so caught up in our comfortable lifestyle that we become indifferent to those who are lost, we have lost touch with the Lord of the harvest!
 
It is not uncommon for dedicated Christians to be conscientious about serving God and seeking his will. However, even the dedicated Christian’s prayers often reflect a selfish perspective as they pray, “Lord, what is your will for my life?” We should be praying, “Lord what is your will?” - period! And once we come to understand God's will, then we can begin to get an understanding of what His will for us personally will be. God's will for each of His children is always in the context of His mission, that universal plan and purpose to be known and worshipped among every people, tongue, tribe, and nation.
 
For some, it will mean to go. For others, it is to be senders, mobilizers, and supporters. For all, it is to witness to those from the nations that God is bringing into our cities and communities. But no one is exempt!
 
To say, “I will serve God where I live and ignore the need of the nations to know Jesus,” is a deceptive scheme of Satan two divert believers from God's mission. To reason that I have no responsibility for the salvation of remote tribes and peoples because God has not called me to go is to express a demonic lie born in hell for the very purpose of locking the nations of the world into the kingdom of darkness!
 
So let’s all be clear that God’s purpose is to be known and worshipped among every people, tongue, tribe, and nation. And it is my responsibility, your responsibility, to find ways to maximize our usefulness to that end.
 
We would love to hear from you. Where do you see yourself in this post? Are you one who doesn’t feel God has called you? Or are you looking for where to be involved in God’s plan? Have you already found your place? Let us know in the comments below.
 
And if you aren’t sure where you might be able to be used, give me a call at 289-812-0661 and I will walk the path of discovery with you.

Hello, and welcome back to our series on Spiritual Warfare and Missions (SWAM). If you missed the first couple of posts you really should click here to read them first. And be reminded that this series is based on the book by Jerry Rankin and Ed Stetzer called Spiritual Warfare and Missions.
 
Last time we talked about Satan’s strategy to convince Christians that missions is optional. When he is able to get us as individuals and as fellowships to focus on ourselves, our needs, our neighbours, then the almost three billion people outside of the reach of the gospel right now are ignored (or avoided) by us. If we have no concern for the nations who stumble in the darkness, then we become like Jonah, who fled from the command of God.
 
This week we will see that Satan also attempts to erode the authority of God’s Word.
 
Mr. Rankin begins this chapter by referencing the CS Lewis book “The Screwtape Letters”. The book is a series of fictitious letters, as Dr. Lewis imagined them, written by one demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, Wormwood, who had been assigned to a new Christian. The letters are advice concerning strategies and tactics by which this Christian could be rendered powerless and his life ineffective in the service of the enemy, in this case, Jesus Christ.
 
One of the letters told him to influence this Christian to neglect his devotional time each day. If he did not spend time in prayer and reading the Word of God, reasoned Screwtape, he would be powerless in spite of all resolve to live for God. Another letter advises Wormwood to use contemporary philosophies and influences to cause him to doubt the truth and authority of God’s Word. This would erode any foundation for building a dedicated life of service for the kingdom of God.
 
The Screwtape Letters gave Rankin some valuable insight into the reality of Satan’s subtle ways of using worldly thinking and influences to undercut the victory we have been given as Christians. Of course, the victory that overcomes the world is our faith, not only faith in Jesus Christ but faith to believe the truth of God’s Word. If faith is the victory, then all Satan needs to do is erode our faith through doubts, rationalizing away through vain interpretations of the reality of God’s truth.
 
Satan’s first appearance in his designs against the truth of God’s Word was to confront Eve with doubt. “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1). Yes, God had said they were not to eat the forbidden fruit, but Satan proceeded to malign God’s motives. He is a liar and deceiver, “No, you will not surely die. . . In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5). He made her believe that God wanted to deprive her of something desirable. In listening to Satan’s deception, we witness one of his primary tactics: twisting what God had said. Giving in, Eve forfeited the glory for which she had been created. And Satan has been trying to rob God of His glory among the people ever since.

There are numerous studies and surveys that have shown that Canadians identifying as Christians do not read the word of God. Take for example theCanadian Bible Engagement Study. This data was collected in 2013 and released in May 2014. A short video summary can be viewed on YouTube.
 
The study found that,
 
●     Just 14% of Canadians read the Bible at least once a month in 2013 (down from 28% in 1996).
 
●     64% of Canadians think the scriptures of all major world religions teach essentially the same things.
 
●     69% of Canadians think the Bible has irreconcilable contradictions
 
●     Only 18% of Canadians strongly agree that the Bible is the Word of God
 
●The Bible engagement of self-identified Christians as a whole is not much different from the Bible engagement of Canadians generally

So it seems that the enemy may be doing an effective job of sidetracking Christians from God’s Word.
 
Those who reject the authority of God’s Word quickly lose any impetus for evangelism and missions. Once the Bible is accepted as erroneous, it becomes subject to every whim of interpretation, and any portion or teaching becomes optional.

​And thus Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7.
 
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27).
 
John 14:15 says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Love God, do what He says. That’s the answer. Simple. Simple is in, right? Do you want to solve all the world’s problems? Do you want to solve all your problems? Love God and do what He says. When this happens you are reshaped.
 
What is success to you as a Christian? People on mission are focused on obedience. As people on mission begin to create and populate local churches, the churches as a whole will live by the same value of obedience. Love God, do what He says.
 
And that is really the definition of a disciple.
 
What do you think of the Bible? Does it make clear the mission of the church? Or is it unclear to you? Leave us a comment below. We would love to talk about this with you.
 

Welcome back to this series on prayer. If you have missed any previous posts you can click here to catch up. But in this post, we are focusing on fasting and prayer.

The Meaning of Fasting 
Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life. And the practice of fasting has strong roots in the Bible. Jesus himself spent time in fasting and prayer during his life on earth, and he expected his followers to fast as well. Most commonly, fasting is when you abstain from food or a certain type of food for a period of time. However, there are multiple ways to fast, all with the potential to help you grow spiritually.

It’s important to ensure you’re listening to both the Holy Spirit and your own body in the way you fast. Instead of abstaining from food altogether, you may fast from a particular type of food or even something other than food, such as social media. You might decide to fast until a certain time in the day or skip a certain meal. There are many ways to ensure you’re getting the physical nourishment you need while still enjoying the spiritual nourishment fasting and prayer offer.
 
Fasting and prayer can also bring about more than just personal transformation. When God’s people practice biblical fasting and prayer, God hears from heaven and can heal our lives, our churches, our communities, our nations, and our world. Fasting and prayer can bring about revival—a change in direction and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Biblical Basis for Fasting 
Fasting was an expected spiritual discipline in both the Old and New Testament. In fact, we see examples of fasting in the Bible from several significant biblical figures. Moses, for example, fasted at least two recorded 40-days periods (Deuteronomy 9:18-19, Exodus 34:28). Jesus also fasted for 40 days and nights (Matthew 4:2).
 
If 40 days seems like an impossible amount of time to survive without sustenance, that’s because without divine intervention, it is. (Humans can only last about three days without water.) But biblical fasting didn’t usually mean going without food or drink 24/7. The Jewish custom was to fast during the day but eat and drink as soon as it was dark.
 
Jesus encouraged in his followers an intentional approach to fasting as a spiritual tool, not a biblical law. When a Pharisee questioned Jesus about why his disciples weren’t fasting like the Pharisees, he offered his own guidance on the role of fasting. Comparing his disciples to guests at a wedding, Jesus said, “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matthew 9:14-16). This guidance can still apply to us today. When we feel far from God, fasting can help us mourn our distance from God and draw closer once again.
 
For those who may be unfamiliar with fasting, the most surprising part of this may be the discovery that Jesus expected that His followers would fast. Look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:16-18:
 
 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
 
So, by giving us instructions on what to do and what not to do when we fast, Jesus assumes that we will fast.
​
Why You Should Fast 
According to Dr. Bill Bright, who produced a guide to fasting for cru.org, there are a number of reasons why the practice of fasting can be spiritually beneficial.
 
●Fasting is biblical. We see examples of biblical fasting in the lives of figures like Moses, Jesus, and King David.

●Fasting and prayer can restore or strengthen your intimacy with God. Many long time Christians find that fasting helps them rediscover their “first love” for God again.

●Fasting is a way to humble yourself in the sight of God (Psalm 35:13; Ezra 8:21). King David said, “I humbled my soul with fasting” (Psalm 69:10). You may find yourself relying on God more fully for strength when you fast.

●  Fasting and prayer can help us hear God more clearly. To listen to God as you fast, consider combining a time of fasting with a practice of listening prayer. Together, fasting and prayer can transform your prayer life into a richer and more personal experience of God.

●Fasting enables the Holy Spirit to reveal your true spiritual condition. When you see your own brokenness more clearly, you’re able to move toward repentance.

●When you experience revival in your own life through fasting, the grace and love of God can shine through you into the lives of others.

Spiritual Preparation for Fasting  
In preparation for this special time with God, cru.org’s guide to fasting urges that you examine your heart. Ask God to help you see your brokenness clearly so that you can confess your sins and repent. In Scripture, God frequently calls upon people to repent of their sins before listening to their prayers.
 
You can look to King David’s example in Psalm 66:16-20:
 
“Come and hear, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell what he has done for me.
 I cried aloud to him,
    and he was extolled with my tongue.
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened;
    he has given heed to the words of my prayer.
 
Blessed be God,
    because he has not rejected my prayer
    or removed his steadfast love from me.”
 
In your prayers, confess not only obvious sins, but less obvious ones as well. Acknowledge the sins of omission (the right actions you haven’t taken) as well as the sins of commission (the wrong things you’ve done). What is standing in the way of your relationship with God? What is holding you back from living and loving like Jesus? It might be self-centeredness, spiritual indifference, an unwillingness to share your faith with others, putting time spent in prayer and study of God’s Word low on your priority list, or struggling to love your neighbors and treat them with kindness. Confess your shortcomings and ask God to work in your heart during this time of prayer and fasting.
 
Your motive in fasting should ultimately be to glorify God, not to have an emotional experience or attain personal happiness. God will honor your seeking spirit. As you spend time in fasting and prayer, God will shape your heart and draw you closer to Christ.
 
Physical Preparation for Fasting 
Fasting can be practiced safely. However, as you begin a time of fasting and prayer, friends and family may express concerns about how fasting could impact your health. And they are right to encourage you to safeguard your health. It is recommended that you consult with a healthcare professional before you begin a time of fasting. If you struggle with certain medical conditions, such as an eating disorder or being chronically underweight, you should not fast without the supervision of a health professional. In some cases, fasting from something other than food may be a better option.
 
What has been your past experience with fasting? Why do you think that there is so little said about fasting? What will you do to incorporate fasting into your habits of grace? We would love to talk with you about this.

Leave us a comment and let us know about your experience of fasting and prayer. Is there something we can pray about with you? Send an email to [email protected].

Want to pray with us? We host two online prayer gatherings each week. Tuesday morning at 10:00 am Eastern time and on Thursday evening at 9:00 pm Eastern time. We are happy to have you join us and we will send you the Zoom link if you ask for it. Send an email to [email protected] or give us a call at 800-784-7077.

​The word “follow” holds a lot of weight to it. To follow, means: to come after, to go after, to pursue, to chase, to imitate or copy, or to move behind in the same direction. When we decide to follow someone or something, we make a decision and we put in the effort to move forward in that decision.

When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, He was going around preaching and telling others to repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. One day when He was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers (Simon Peter and Andrew) fishing. Jesus looked at the fishermen and said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)
The Bible says that the men immediately left their nets and followed Him. Jesus then sees two other brothers (James and John) who were in a boat with their father, Zebedee mending their nets. Jesus calls them, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. (Matthew 4:21-22)

Following Jesus
When we decide to follow after someone or something, we often have to leave behind something. James and John left the boat and their father to follow Jesus. Let’s focus on this today and dig a bit deeper for what this can mean for us today.
I remember when I first came to know Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I had many people and things that I decided to leave behind, to follow Jesus. Deciding to follow Jesus has been the best decision I have made in my life, and I am truly grateful to God for the opportunity to follow Jesus. Although sometimes we have to make difficult decisions, following Jesus is always worth it.
I think about those who even give up their lives to follow Jesus; that is amazing faith and determination to follow Jesus. We need to pray for these brothers and sisters who are going through the unimaginable even this very moment.
In our society today, following others is such a popular thing especially with twitter, Instagram, etc. People even compete with each other because of having more followers. Sadly, following Jesus is not the most popular thing in our world, but it’s honestly the best thing once you decide to do it and stick to it.

Jesus gave it all
When Jesus gave it all for us, He literally did that and so much more. He suffered in every possible way, but died for all because of the amazing love that Him and the Father have for us. Jesus is the perfect demonstration of God’s love for us.
When we decide to follow Jesus, we don’t give ourselves any of the credit. We do make the decision, however it was God who first loved us and chose us. God deserves all of the glory, honor, and praise for what He has done and for what He will do. He is an amazing God.

No Turning back
There are some lyrics to a beautiful song that goes, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. When we follow Jesus, let’s be encouraged to not turn back and to move forward.
Have you decided to follow Jesus? What does it mean for you to follow Jesus? Are there any things you had to leave or need to leave in order to truly follow Jesus? We would love to hear about your experiences, so please leave us a comment.
Be encouraged today. God sees you, He knows what you need. Just continue to follow Him and trust Him. He’s got good plans for your life and He loves you.
Feel free to pray with us on Tuesday mornings and/or Thursday evenings. Send us an email at [email protected] for the zoom links. We would love to have you pray with us.