Our Battle Rages On

Our Battle is not of the Flesh

Last week my daughter, Hannah and I were working on one of her memory verses for the week. It seems like a fitting verse for some of the trials we are going through. 2 Corinthians 10:3 – 6 addresses the cosmic warfare going on around us each and every day.

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ESV

Paul is making the point that since the warfare we are involved is not carnal or of the flesh, our weapons are not of the flesh. The bad news is that we are in a war, but the good news is that those in Christ are on the winning side. The weapons we have been given are powerful.

Take Every Thought Captive

They are powerful enough to destroy strongholds. These weapons demolish arguments and smash prideful warped thinking that comes against the knowledge of God. Then Paul exhorts us to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
That is the challenge we face. We can give into believing the worst about our situation. It’s like a downward spiral when we start listening to the lies of the evil one.
Let us encourage one another to choose the high road in God’s grace. To believe that God is at work even in the difficult trials that we go through.
Our family has found that inevitably when we have a big important event for the advance of the kingdom that we are attacked. Those working with us also become a target. We just held our first church planters assessment event, which is a huge and important step in starting more new churches in Tijuana, Ensenada, Mexicali and Los Cabos.

Family & Friends Under Attack

The days leading up to the assessment our family was attacked as we went through another difficult trial. One of our church planter candidate couples experienced some challenges in their finances and their job situation, which kept them from coming. They were one of our top candidates, but they had to bow out. Then two of our assessors came under fire and their health was attacked and they were not able to participate.
Despite these efforts to thwart our progress the evaluation of the church planters went according to plan and was a great success.

Then last week our family came under more attack. Hannah was driving back from some time of fellowship with some of her girlfriends. She was driving on the freeway when all the sudden the warning lights in the car went on. She pulled over to the side of the road as soon as possible. Smoke was pouring out from under the hood.
Hannah was afraid.  She called us and we were obviously very concerned for her safety. I rushed out to find her, and I called the tow truck to help us with the car. When the two truck driver saw the car, and all the damage caused by the heat he said we were fortunate the car didn’t burst into flames.
The end result was that the engine literally blew out. A piston put a big hole through the engine. Now we find ourselves fighting with the company that holds the warranty to get the car covered. It should be covered, but it appears they are doing everything they can to wiggle out of it.
I have to be honest, these things are discouraging. Dawn and I start worrying about what this could mean for us.
The day after the car incident is when Hannah and I were working on memorizing 2 Corinthians 10:4,5. What an excellent reminder about the war that we are engaged in. We seek to take every thought in obedience to Christ.

Join in the Battle Through Prayer

A big part of this cosmic battle is prayer. Our family needs to pray, and we are motivated to do so. We realize that we need our friends like you to stand in the gap, and to join us in prayer. Pray for a quick and easy resolution with our car situation. That we can get it fixed and with minimal cost to us.
We also need prayer for ongoing protection against the attacks of the evil one. He prowls as a lion seeking whom he may devour.
I give thanks that we worship a God who is victorious and that we can share in his victory!
In His Grip, Dave
DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org