Walking into this dream, this crazy, out-of-the-ordinary, finally happening, dream, is basically the same thing as running head on into a war with satan. I am about to go to the other side of the world to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and satan is definitely not jumping up and down screaming for joy. As I have learned from my past trip experiences, satan will do anything to try and tear me down and make me want to give up. Whether, it's shoving the biggest bucket of doubt he can find into my mind, or snatching away a golden opportunity at the last second, he's not backing down.
I remember two different scenarios from my past trips where it became perfectly clear to me that satan was throwing everything he had at me and my team mates. The first time occurred right before my trip to Romania started. I was flying with my friend Ann to Texas to meet up with our team and do ministry training for a few days. The whole way there, though, I was very nervous because there was still some money that I needed in order to be able to get to Romania and I had no way of getting any more. We got there, met our team, got settled in, and were finally sitting down for dinner when a lady walked up to me and asked me if I could report to the registration office once I was done eating. As I finished my dinner countless thoughts ran through my head. And if you know me, I tend to over-think situations and make everything a lot more complicated then is needed (As proven by my terrible math skills). I remember thinking something along the lines of, "Are they gonna send me home because I don't have all the money?" or "Did I some how get what was needed?" The thoughts went on and on and on. At this moment fear, doubt, and confusion very quickly started to creep into my mind. It got so bad that as I walked to the registration office I was literally shaking because I really, REALLY, didn't want to go home, after all the work I had done.
When I got to the office, I talked with the lady there and as it turns out there was just a big mix up. So, after a few phone calls and some searching, everything was worked out and I was all set to continue on my trip. Even though this may seem like a small thing, and in reality it probably was, satan used that flaw to completely attack me and try to manipulate my decisions. I would soon realize that that was just the beginning of the even bigger battle that I, along with my team mates, were going to face throughout training and our time in Romania. And as the trip continued this proved to be very true.
We arrived in Romania and had been there for a few days. Everything was going great and things couldn't be any better. Many lives were being saved for the Kingdom of God everyday and it seemed that nothing could possibly go wrong. Then, it was like satan decided, "Okay, they've had there fun. Now its my turn." And just like that we all woke up one day and our whole world had been completely turned upside down. Almost everyone on the team was sick with a cold or something else, our equipment stopped working, two people ended up going to the hospital and had to stay at the church for a few days unable to come out to do ministry with us. We were all exhausted, starting to experience the results of major jet lag, and our ministry high we were on started to collapse under all the pressure. We were like a blind person wandering around, lost in the middle of nowhere. We were freaking out and nothing seemed to be getting better. It was literally like we were in an endless battle. There were times were I could just imagine satan sitting there with his little battle figures and stick, pushing obstacles around thinking, "Ooh, how about let's give them this, oh and a dash of this... Oh forget a dash, lets just give them all of it. "
As things continued to get even worse, I remember one night before we all headed to bed, we were all gathered together for announcements and to talk about what we would be doing the next day. As countless sneezes, sniffles, coughs, and probably the occasional snoring, went around the room I remember our leader got up and to talk and the first thing she said was something like, "Okay, so we can all agree this is getting rather difficult. Satan is, quite openly, throwing everything he's got at us... But you know what we got to do? We have to fight back. You didn't spend all that time raising the money and anxiously awaiting this opportunity just to come here and give up. Satan may be trying drag us in the dirt, but we got God on our side. God is way above satan and if we have Him on our side we can do anything. If God is for us then who can be against us?" At that point we all woke up (for some quite literally, haha), and we fought back. We fought back through or sickness and technical difficulties. We improvised and persevered against satan's efforts. Then, slowly but surely, things started to get better. Sickness was lifted, equipment was restored, and strength was provided. The hope in the battle was returning and nothing could stop us from finishing what we had come there to do.
Today, as I'm looking back on those times, I have come to accept that I am entering into that battle again. But this time, I know what is coming and I am able to prepare for it. Of course I can't prepare for everything that will come, but I know that I have a God on my side that can give me the strength to defeat anything that satan sends my way. When those times come I am able to remind myself that God has been planning this adventure for me for a long time and He's gonna make it happen, whether satan likes it or not. Now, I also know that there will be times where my strength can waver and I can break down, it happens to everybody, but I know that God will always be there to pick me back up and help me through those trials. Satan can go ahead and give me all hes got, but it will never be enough to beat all that Gods got. With this reassurance from God, I know that I can willingly push ahead and run full on into this battle and nothing is going to waver God's plan.
" For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~Romans 8:38-39
"Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you." ~Luke 10:19
~ Michaela
Well said Michaela. There are battles each and every day. I am excited that you are learning to fight. Thanks for encouraging me to keep fighting to.
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