This Happens When We Forget We Are At War

"Don’t be discouraged at the spiritual war you’re called to fight every day. The Lord Almighty is with you and wars on your behalf."

Paul David Tripp

The suitcases are unpacked.

The laundry has been sorted and started.

The unanswered mail is in neat little stacks on my desk. 

My "To Do" List is long, but I'm ready to start tackling it.

After three weeks on the road, I am home.

In my "sighing place."

Certainly, it's only for a couple of nights, and tomorrow I head out again for another wonderful ministry opportunity, but for now, well...I'm leaning into the comforts of the place I love.

This week's blog is a little processing of the last week in our three-week journey in Nova Scotia, spent on the Cape Breton island. It truly is a spectacular place, particularly in the highlands along the coast. While there, we spoke in four communities and at a bible camp. We watched summer fade into fall; the colors change to autumn; and, we felt the significant decline of temperatures. Certainly, my favorite time of year...

Yet, even amidst the beauty, my heart felt HEAVY...burdened.

Driving, I saw some of the sweetest old churches. 

I'm a fan of old churches.

One day, I'd like to go on a "picture taking" tour of churches all up and down the East Coast. 

Had we stopped at every church I wanted to take a picture of, we'd have never driven more than about 25 miles. 

Pretty country churches are EVERYWHERE!

Did I say that most of them have steeples?

They do...and I'm a fan of old churches with simple steeples.

Steeples speak "AWE" to me...

There's a problem, however.
Too many churches stand empty.

Closed.

There is no longer a community of corporate worshippers involved in 7 out of 10 churches.

Less than 1% of the Cape Breton population would even claim to be Christian.

A "mega-church" wouldn't have thousands (as here in the U.S.), not even hundreds; a mega-church might consist of about 80 members.

The church leaders with whom we met all describe the Cape as a "dark place."

Even before we chatted about the spiritual condition of this area, I sensed it. 

I found myself waking up night after night because of nightmares. 

At times I could only describe my boldness and confidence in Christ as seriously lacking, definitely weakened. 

There were times when the heaviness made it particularly hard to breathe, and if breathing is difficult, sharing what God had placed on my heart to share, well, that is even harder.

I spiritually, and physically, recognized the present-battle for hearts was fervent in this place.

Sometimes, I am aware that I get rather complacent in my spiritual life. 

I forget that there is a war we are all called to fight.

A battle against good and evil. 

Because Christians don't talk about it much, I forget about the fact that there is an enemy prowling around seeking who he could chew up and spit out.

I forget that we, as a church, at all times, and in all places, are spiritually vulnerable. 

Even worse...in my complacency, I don't adequately prepare for the battle.

I skip putting on some of the pieces of God's provided, powerful armor.

I neglect to "bow the knee" and "raise the sword." 

Even Jesus told His disciples, there will be some places, some instances, some battles where the enemy can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. 

Yes, we're talking INTENSE!

But, followers of Jesus, there are hundreds of empty churches across Northeastern Canada that are a testimony of why we must battle the enemy. 

Why we must not forget. 

Why we cannot get complacent.

When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Ephesus, it was thriving. He spends a lot of time reminding the church that all of life is a battle-field: marriage, parenting, relationships, the church, even the gospel...then he lays out one of the greatest gifts of grace - a plan for battling the enemy. How to be properly equipped.

Sadly, somewhere along the line, the Ephesus church forgot Paul's admonitions.

Sadly, she became complacent, and, perhaps, afraid.

Today, there is not much THRIVE left in modern day "Ephesus," either.

We live in an era, where complacency and fear can easily lose the battleground for the faith; and even this has the potential to get worse...

So, we must contend for the faith!

We must be fully prepared...and I believe it starts with AWE...

Thankfully, look again at the quote at the top of the page:

"Don’t be discouraged at the spiritual war you’re called to fight every day. The Lord Almighty is with you and wars on your behalf."

Paul David Tripp

As we contend for our faith right here in our own homes, let us not forget to pray diligently for the workers on the field in unreached, hard-to-minister areas. Pray for the gospel of grace to be clearly understood and God to move in hearts. Pray for revival...