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"Accepting the Reality of
the War Mode"
Why Many Christians Have Not Been Praying
by Francis Frangipane
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"How Is Your 'Spiritual GPS
System' Programmed?"
A Word from Dr. Bill Hamon
www.christianinternational.org
cimn@cimn.net
 Dear
Friends:
Greetings in the Name of the Lord! As we pressed through the hot month of July here
in Florida, we have seen evidence all around that God is taking us to a new level.
I recently purchased a new car that is equipped with gadgets that Mom and I are
still learning about. One of these gadgets is a GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)
mapping system. You type in where you are and where you want to go and it will tell
you how to get there. What we didn't know was that it would give us three different
ways: quickest, shortest, and interstate. I obviously chose the wrong option, because
though I knew where I was going and how I wanted to get there, it kept telling me
to turn at the next exit. God began to speak to me through this situation about
how we program our spiritual GPS systems. Have you set your spiritual GPS system
on becoming made into the image of Christ? If you have, which I hope you have, did
you set it with the mindset that whatever it takes you want to be made into His
image? Or did you set it with "allowances" or "disallowances"?
"Lord, I want to be made into your
image, but..."
If we truly want to be made into the
image of God, we must be willing to go through whatever necessary to bring us to
that goal. It may not always be the quickest way, or the shortest way, but we must
trust that God knows the most effective way. What will you allow the Lord to use
in your life to conform you to His image? Or what do you "disallow"?
Be encouraged and let's set our minds on things above; whatever it takes we want
to be made into His image!
In Christ,
Dr. Bill Hamon
cimn@cimn.net
www.christianinternational.org
---
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Email: cimn@cimn.net
Website: www.christianinternational.org
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"My Quest
for Peace...was the Result of Fear of Being Hurt"
I was seventeen years old, a senior in high
school, and was slouching into my desk when an angry student, easily twice my size,
entered the room. Suddenly he saw me, and in a storm of spit and fire, burst toward
where I was sitting, grabbed me by my neck, and began rearranging my facial features.
It seemed that a prankster had written a derogatory remark about him on the inside
cover of his notebook, and then signed my name to it. Obviously, there was more
going on in the Big Guy's life than anyone was aware of. Whatever other frustrations
had been accumulating in his heart, his immediate goal was to release his fury on
the last offender, which he was sure was me.
I should also mention that at the time I was 5' 9" tall and my weight was 135 pounds.
So, it was logical that I would instinctively turn the other cheek to avoid a fight.
Of course, the turning of my cheek was not born of character, but cowardice. My
quest for peace with potential enemies was the result of my fear of being hurt.
In fact, I had developed some clever ways to avoid confrontation and still appear
relatively cool among my friends.
However, it does not matter what one's philosophy is concerning conflict when you
are actually in a fight with an angry giant. Big Guy wasn't looking to talk...he was looking for blood. I was in a fight, and the sole awareness that now flooded
my mind was that he was not going to stop. If this assault was going to end, it
was because I put my whole heart into fighting back.
The 'War Mode'
Once I accepted the situation as it was, something amazing happened inside me. Instead
of my fear getting worse, it actually left me. The energy that was being dissipated
through terror and concern about being hurt was recycled and was now enlisted for
my defense. Unexpectedly, I discovered another dimension of my soul: the war
mode.
Frankly, I didn't even know I had a war mode, but when Big Guy reached down to pick
me up for "round two," my fight instincts clicked into action. It had been easy
for him to throw me around when I wasn't resisting. Now, I sprang upward with a
punch that landed squarely on his nose and he fell back a step. I hit him again
two or three times and then jumped on him while he was off balance, knocking him
to the ground. It's possible he stumbled over a chair and my punch had nothing to
do with his fall, but it didn't matter. When his back hit the floor, there was a
135 pound Sicilian on top of him.
By now, students were pulling me off him. He had blood pouring from his nose and
I was being called a bully by his friends. When the teacher entered the room, it
plainly looked like I was the aggressor and Big Guy was the poor victim, cowering
beneath my relentless assault. I nearly didn't graduate because of the incident,
but I didn't care. Something inside of me had grown up and changed. I found the
war mode. I still didn't look for a fight, but I wasn't afraid anymore.
Islamic Terrorism
Why am I telling you this story? First of all, it's not because I think physical
violence is the answer to our problems. However, I realize that many Christians
have not been praying because they have not accepted the reality of war in which
we find ourselves. There is a spiritual war mode that we must appropriate.
It is an aggressive stance that we take against evil. It is governed by love for
people, but it is fearless and uncompromising with the powers of darkness that manipulate
people to fulfill evil plans.
Since 9-11-01, Islamic terrorists have been bullying nations throughout the Middle
East and beyond. Even the USA was intimidated and overly cautious, hesitant about
retaliating against the repeated attacks Islamists made against our nation. Radical
Muslims had stormed into our consciousness time and time again, grabbed us by the
heart and threw us and many other nations against the wall. For years we accepted
their tactics and let appeasement guide our actions. Our prayer was hardly more
than a whimper: "Please make them leave us alone."
But Islamic terrorism didn't go away. The spirit of terror hovered over us; it wormed
its way into the thought-life of nations, taunting and threatening even moderate
Muslim cultures. In the secret recesses of our collective memory, we acknowledged
that Islam sought world domination, but we couldn't openly come to terms with this
reality. We blamed their fury on poverty, ignorance, or the exploitation of Arabs
by the West. The truth was that there is a primeval vision guiding the actions of
radical Islam: to conquer the world for Allah.
What are the Roles of the
Government, and of Christians?
The terrorists represented the very worst kind of humanity: they were evil and religious.
Their unholy quest was to reduce the world to the size of their shriveled, miserable
souls. But regardless of what his critics say, I thank God for President George
W. Bush. He's not a perfect man, but with moral conviction he stood up to the intimidation
and challenge of radical Islam. Nations that were held hostage to terrorists threats
were finally going to be freed. He looked Islam in the face and separated the common
and honorable from the terrible, and went after the terrible. Additionally, the
American President said plainly that any nation that used terrorism, or harbored
or supported terrorists, would themselves become a target for international justice
and even war led by the USA.
Now some will argue that it is wrong for a predominantly Christian nation to go
to war. They point, of course, to Jesus as their model. Would Jesus go to war? I
honor the sincerity of their concern. However, Christ sets the pattern, not for
governments, but for His disciples. In obedience I follow Him in the way of mercy
and redemption. However, God's command to governments is that they fulfill justice.
I am not only speaking of Old Testament examples, but New Testament Scripture. Speaking
in reference to "governing (or civil) authorities," Paul writes that secular governments,
to the degree that they execute their courts fairly, still serve as "a minister
of God." Paul then warns,
"But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for [government] does not bear the sword
for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one
who practices evil" (Romans 13:4).
Both Roles Unveil Aspects of the
Nature and Will of God
Because I follow Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, it is not my place to be "an avenger
who brings wrath." However, national governments, in respect to the exercise of
punishment against evil, do serve as "a minister of God" when they bring wrath upon
the "one who practices evil." The individual who says that "Christian" governments
should turn the other cheek, that they should not punish evil or that the wicked
should be free to fulfill evil without consequence, is asking nations to not minister
justice. This mentality leads to anarchy.
God calls governments to fulfill His standard of justice and He requires of the
church to reveal the standard of mercy. Both unveil aspects of the nature and will
of God.
Thus, President Bush, along with Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK, as well as
the leaders of Australia, Italy, Poland, and over fifty other nations went after
the Islamists. I believe their actions were motivated by the will of God, an avenger
"of [those] who practice evil." Honorable men and women in the armed forces of many
nations drew upon the courage of these national leaders and set their hearts to
go to Afghanistan. In spite of the relentless fear mongering of the liberal press,
in less than three months the liberation of Afghanistan was secured: the Taliban
and Al Qaeda were humiliated.
Justice and Peace
President Bush, with the international Coalition of the Willing, then confronted
Saddam Hussein. This was the dictator who rewarded Palestinian suicide bombers for
their carnage and death against Israel, giving each terrorist's family $30,000.
Saddam was a state sponsor of terrorism. President Bush pleaded with the U.N. to
take firm action against Hussein and stop their endless appeasement of the Iraqi
bully. This was the dictator who fashioned himself the next great Nebuchadnezzar;
the madman attacked Iran, Kuwait, and his own Kurdish people, leaving millions of
people dead and maimed. Did Saddam have weapons of mass destruction? Yes. The
mind of Saddam Hussein was itself a weapon of mass destruction. It was the will
of God that Saddam's government be removed from power.
With another coalition of over 40 nations, President Bush and Tony Blair led the
war against Iraq. The first stage of this offensive was over in less than two months.
However, enforcing peace has been costly. Remember, Iraq is the area on earth where
Lucifer first slithered up to Eve in the Garden of Eden. It was also from this region
that ancient Babylon was first planted, and then spread its influence into the rest
of the world. One might say that Iraq holds a unique place for the devil. It's his
childhood home.
Where We Come In
Those who know me know I am a man compelled by mercy. When I make a decision that
involves people, I choose to err on the side of mercy. Thus, be assured that I am
not an advocate of physical war. However, I am not a coward either. We must not
confuse false peace, which is the result of compromise born of fear, with real peace,
which comes from winning the fight against evil.
Today, many are weary with world events. Part of this weariness is because hearts
are divided: we are trying to maintain a peacetime mentality during a time of war.
Since 9-11, our souls have secretly longed to return to 9-10. Yet, we cannot hide
in the past. We are at war and our role as Christians is to stand up and pray for
our leaders, support our troops, and intercede for mercy to fall upon the Muslim
people. I am not saying we must become political, but truly spiritual and engage
in the intercessions of Christ. And we must fearlessly follow through in spiritual
warfare, praying aggressively against terrorism and the demons that drive terrorists
to fulfill evil.
In the grand scheme of things, the Bible tells us there is even a legitimate "time
for war" (Ecclesiastes 3:8). This time is now. The sooner we switch to the war mode,
the faster we will tap into the moral strength to defeat personal oppression. Self-pity
and passivity will diminish; we will find God's grace to prevail. Beloved, it is
conceivable that we will experience one or more major terrorist attacks in the near
future. I am not resigned to this possibility; I am aggressively praying against
it. However, if it happens, if I am knocked down by the suddenness of the assault,
I will quickly stand back up. I will rise with the attitude of one who has entered
the war mode.
Beginning September 24th through November 2nd, 2004, thousands of churches and
ministries will be engaged in 40 days of prayer and fasting (see Intercessors For
America's Website for more info. www.40daysusa.org).
by Francis Frangipane
www.frangipane.org
comments@frangipane.org
A service of Frangipane Ministries, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2004
All rights reserved.
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at the Threshold of Destiny"
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