Warning! Spiritual Traffic Ahead!

Due to lack of computers, I'm still finding it hard to write as often as I want, but I kind of wonder if God was keeping me silent.  So much was going on that I probably would have written more than I should!  Suffice it to say, as I come to the end of the 40 days, one of the things I was praying about was our church and over the course of the fast, an unbelievable amount of things went on.  Without going into any details, all I know is the Lord was faithful and answered our prayers where we asked for clarity.  Any confusion we felt is gone.  We feel like God clearly sent answers to all of our questions.  And, what is really interesting, is that we had a lot of questions or concerns for a long time before this, but I had never fasted specifically about the church before.  During this fast, that is almost entirely what I committed to praying about.  Almost as soon as I started praying, things started happening.  It hasn't ended entirely like we thought it would, that is for sure, yet we have peace - and that is what we didn't have at the beginning of the fast.  I can't say more as it is all too sensitive, but if I ever needed encouragement on why to fast, I can certainly speak, once again, to how God honoured it and why I believe it is such a critical Christian discipline that few preach on (in fact, now that I think about it, I've never heard a sermon entirely devoted to the topic of fasting).

Now, what about my sad friend who also fasted during these last 40 days, but did not see near the "breakthroughs" I did, specifically with respect to her husband.  Well, my encouragement to her will be - don't stop.  She might not want to hear that, but the thing is, I think if we had spiritual eyes that could see what goes on in the heavenly realm, I think she might see that the bond that is in the way is a big one and one that takes even more fasting and more praying.  In other words, I don't think she should give up until she sees breakthrough.

How can I say those kinds of things?  In Daniel 10, an angel is sent to Daniel to encourage him an he says, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.  The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days."  Then later he says, "but now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia."  I have heard this explained as a literal description of a battle in the spiritual kingdom - between the angels and the demons.  An angel was sent to minister to Daniel and was literally held up in spiritual traffic!   He got away as fast as he could, but he had to go back to the spiritual car wreck and finish off his business!

I can't help but think that is what is happening in my friend's life.  It isn't that her prayers aren't being answered.  No.  They are!  But there is a battle going on for her marriage, her husband, her future, and Satan is sending all sorts of spiritual traffic to stop all messengers of encouragement to her, to make her feel like her prayers aren't being answered.  Instead, to me, the opposite is true - there is a battle being waged where she cannot see.  Her job now is to immerse herself into the Scriptures and listen to the messages that were sent to those in similar situations and see what God said to them.  Those same messages apply to her! 

Daniel was exhausted.  He was getting vision after vision and it was taking the life out of him!  He said to the angel, "O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength.  How can my lord's servant talk with my lord?  For now no strength remains in me and no breath is left in me."  The angel said words that we should all take to heart, "O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage."  Greatly loved.  We are all greatly loved.  My friend is greatly loved.  She needs to hear these words to stay strong and to be of good courage!  This battle isn't over yet!  The angel had to leave Daniel and get back to the fight!  She can't stop fasting or praying either!  I think some battles are shorter, but there are others that are much greater and much longer.  More is at stake.

Some of the issues that have gone on over the past 20+ years cannot be fixed in a day.  The greatest thing I would tell her, too, is that her husband is not her responsibility.  He is God's responsibility.  I think she understands this as she continues to tell me she is just doing what she can do.  At this point, her husband doesn't seem to be even noticing all the little (and big) things she is now doing, the efforts she is making.  I'm sure it feels like it is all in vain at times.  It is not.

The king of Persia.  Standing in my way, standing in her way.  Trying to defeat those who are trying to send messages of encouragement to me, to her.  Delays in answers.  Things are not always as they appear.  So much to keep in mind!  The book of Daniel is such an encouragement.  He prays at the end of Chapter 9, "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive.  O Lord, pay attention and act.  Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, , because your city and your people are called by your name."  My prayer is the same, for myself, for my friend, "O Lord, hear!  Forgive! Pay attention and act!  Delay not!"  I am not bossing God around.   I'm appealing to Him to intervene in her situation and to continue to do so in my life. 

Daniel was actually told when all the visions he had seen would come to fruition.  "I heard, but I did not understand."  I think even if God told me and my friend when all things would come to fruition, we would be like Daniel, either not believing it or not understanding.  Daniel was told to go his way till the end.  In other words, keep on keeping on.  "And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days."  We have no choice but to trust Almighty God in the unknown and then, in the end, we will stand in our allotted place.  I can rest in that.  I have to!