When “stuff” hits the fan

It never, ever, ever fails. My wife and I have practically learned to set our schedules to it. Every time – and I do mean every time – that we start praying audacious prayers and asking God to do something in proportion to the glory He is worthy of through our lives, church, community, etc. something or someone breaks down, gets sick, loses a job, or gets some bad news from the doctor. And when there are many of us joining in prayer and seeking God’s favor and blessing and leadership? Let’s just say it gets ugly. Which is what brings me to this past week…

Last Thursday I had several of our leaders come over to the house to pray together for our fall kickoff for LifeCity Church. We prayed for dozens of people by name to come to faith in Christ. We took communion together in my living room. We shed tears over those we love that are in need of life in Christ. We confessed our own brokenness before God and our complete dependence on Him to do what we could never do on our own – change people’s hearts and lives. We even broke out in song together. It was one of the most meaningful, authentic expressions of my faith walk to date. And we all walked out with a strong confidence that God was about to show up in our church in phenomenal ways over the next month. And then the real battle began.

That same night, both my boys woke up puking all over their room. One of our leader’s car broke down with a $1,000 repair bill. There have been massive family issues affecting various leaders and volunteers. Loved ones have been in and out of the hospital. After the boys, my two girls woke up puking Saturday night before church… Then today I get news that a sweet family in our church who has already been through a lot just lost their home to a fire. When it rains it really pours, doesn’t it?! And I suspect we haven’t seen the end of this.

Here are a few thoughts I have about the “stuff” hitting the fan:

• Expect the “stuff” to come. We linked arms and prayed for God to shine the light of His love into the spiritual darkness of our Silicon Valley community. We picked a fight with our spiritual enemy who rather enjoys his grip on the people God wants to set free in Christ. And no one steps into a boxing ring expecting to not get hit. The Bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, “but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness…” (Eph. 6:12). We’re in a fight, people.
• There will be pain. Jesus Himself warns us, “In this world you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have already overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The Apostle Paul adds in 2 Corinthians 4, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed but not despairing; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body…”
• It’s not a fair fight. And by that, I mean for our spiritual adversary, Satan. We’re encouraged by the words of Scripture that remind us, “Greater is He that is in you [Christ], than he who is in the world [Satan].” (1 John 4:4) Those of us who trust in Christ have a source of strength that far exceeds any of the powers hurled at us. This is not even remotely close to an even match. Which brings me to…
• Victory is secure in Christ. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ…” (2 Cor. 2:14). Triumph may take a variety of forms, but the promise is clear: In Christ, we win. Period. Rest in the strength and assured victory provided by the only Man who stared death in the face and made death flinch. At the end, I rest with confidence by His words that He has already overcome the world and proved it with an empty tomb.

In these times when we’re looking to God to come through, and the “stuff” keeps coming, my wife and I have learned to embrace the mess because it means that God is about to come through in a big way – and our spiritual enemy hates it. So don’t be discouraged by all the “stuff”. Be encouraged. Victory is coming. You’re in a battle that matters.

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. But nothing is too hard for God.

Stand strong and confident in your God, and keep doing what you’re doing. And celebrate like crazy when God does come though. LifeCity peeps, we’re going to have some great stories to tell after we see God come through. And I can’t wait!

Blessings,
Pastor John