53. Perseverance
Cory Aquino persevered to bring a peaceful revolution to the Philippines.

In Your Bible Read This
vz27/zDanii10.htm">Daniel 10

Here Is Your Memory Verse
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you. nz06/zIakov04.htm#7">James 4.7

Meditate Word By Word On These Verses
nz07/z1Petr05.htm#6">1 Peter 5.6-11

Spend a Minute to Change the World
Pray For Jordan - Nearly 4,000,000 Arabic peoples
94% Muslim, 7,000 Evangelicals

Have you ever noticed what happens when anyone decides to follow Jesus? Family members suddenly become experts in religion and the arguments fly. Mention either water baptism or being filled with the Spirit and speaking in tongues, and watch the smiles vanish.

A. Someone Is Upset!

nz17/zEfesi06.htm#12">Ephesians 6.12 says that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, so it is Satan, and his evil network that opposes our:

Salvation

Where Satan loses his grip, and worse for him, God gets inside you.

Water Baptism

Where man's old sinful nature is cut off.

Spirit Baptism

Where the new nature is empowered.

When Satan fails, his next plan is to try and keep new believers in such blindness that they only go to church on Sunday and give a few pesos each week.

1. What is the goal of Satan, the enemy of our souls?
(Only one of the following answers is right:)
To keep us walking in the Spirit.
To encourage us to go to church and give money in the offering.
To keep us from walking in the Spirit by only going to church once a week and giving a little money.

B. Onwards, For Jesus.

Now if you dare to pray about 'mission,' really watch out for explosions of inner fears, family tears and even misunderstanding at church, because mission is the vehicle by which the born-again, victorious, Spirit-filled and -led follower of Jesus can make his greatest impact upon the world around him for Christ.

The Bible says that without a vision the people perish (vz20/zPritc29.htm#18">Proverbs 29.18) and that is exactly what Satan wants. First he wants you to perish from boredom and then he wants a world of people to perish eternally with him. Your life in the hands of the Holy Spirit may mean eternal life for many men and women.

2. Satan wants you to abandon your vision so people will perish without Jesus.
True / False

One In Every Hundred.

Why is it only 1 out of every 100 believers that say yes to missions actually make it to the field? Are prior commitments to marriage, employment or studies, or lack of money the real reasons? Or are some invisible hands at work yet again conspiring to stop new believers, pastors, elders, even entire churches from entering into the Great Commission?

3. What are some reasons many would-be missionaries never realize their vision?
(Choose the best answer:)
Inner fears and family tears
Disagreements at church
Commitments to marriage, work or studies
All of the above

C. Who Is Stopping You?

Is It The Holy Spirit?
Surprisingly, it is God, the Holy Spirit who will stop you first, as a friend. If you are willing to serve you become such a precious person that Holy Spirit may stop you if your direction, methods or timing is wrong. He does not want you to make a mistake and go wrong. See nz05/zDeani16.htm#6">Acts 16.6-10; vz23/zIsaia30.htm#21">Isaiah 30.21.

Is it An Evil Spirit?
The very last thing that the spirits of anti-Christ want is the gospel preached in all nations and the King to return. From inside their fortress of worldwide faiths like Islam, they mock us, saying, "You will never get in here. Look how big we are, how many of us oppose you, how small and divided you are!" But in vz13/z1Para11.htm#4">1 Chronicles 11.4-5 with God's help resistant Jerusalem fell, and recently so did the Berlin Wall and the giant of communism. We may think we are as small and weak as snowflakes, but when snowflakes get together they stop a city!

What happened to those demon princes of Greece and Persia, or to the gods in Elijah's day, and their Roman and Greek counterparts in Paul's day, Zeus or Hermes for example? Did they become extinct? These are eternal beings unfettered by time and mortality with an everlasting strategy of wickedness to hold every age in darkness. So, if the prince of Mexico knows you are coming he may well order strikes against you now to discourage you before you leave home and come his way. So don't be surprised by sudden friction with family and fellow believers probably when you least expect it.

Is it Your Own Human Spirit?
Most unreached peoples are very different to us and not many believers are prepared to go and live with them and show them Jesus. We can see the reasons in vz01/zBytie12.htm#1">Genesis 12.1-3, where Abram is called by God. Satan of course is also a master of exaggeration and fear.

4. What kind of spirit might be hindering you from going into missions?
(Choose the best answer:)
God's loving Holy Spirit
An evil spirit from Satan
Your old fearful, deceitful spirit
Any of the above

Geographical Obstacles

Because we have to leave our own familiar country.

 

Cultural Hurdles

Because we have to leave familiar people and common values.

 

Social Challenges

Because we have to leave family and church and move to a people whom we suspect and they suspect us.

 

Personal Fears

Swirling thoughts keep us awake at night struggling with the fear of not being in control, fear of change, or fears of failure in finances or languages. The fact is that we are all so used to comfort and ease, and very used to going to church where everything is done for us. When we go somewhere else we may well have to be the church for someone else!

Many obstacles can stop you from your mission. What are some of them?
(One or more of the following answers may be correct:)
5. Geographical and cultural barriers
True / False.

6. External social pressures and internal personal fears
True / False.

7. God's inability to care and provide for you
True / False.

8. Satan's desire for your highest eternal good
True / False.

D. Overcoming The Darkness

Defeat the conspiracy with godly steps:

Follow God's call. Be compelled by the love of Christ: nz15/z2Kori05.htm#14">2 Corinthians 5.14.

Be discipled into maturity. Victory comes out of weakness through prayer, spiritual warfare, wisdom and the supportive fellowship of leaders and friends who want you to succeed.

9. To help overcome darkness and doubt, you need a spiritual mentor, a discipler.
True / False

Be trained in the Bible and skills.

Be an apprentice on the field.

Finally, be a mentor to others.

10. God can build you up and make you strong...
(Choose the best answer:)
when you realize you are weak and don't know everything.
after you become an apprentice, then you can mentor others.
Both of the above answers are correct.

Something To Do Before Next Time
Find 2 new believers each from any church. Visit and encourage
them. They may be facing all kinds of opposition.

Written Diploma Work
Satan stopped an experienced soldier like Paul. Write one page
(three of these windows) on how you think he did that.