Dear friends and family,
I am so
happy to give you this report! Let me
start with this familiar verse.
2 Corinth 12:9 But He
said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all
the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
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| The boys and I planting rice |
The title of my last
newsletter was Learning however it seems I have learned more since then than
the whole time I have been here!
God has shown me how he has been covering me with His grace
by revealing things He has kept me from seeing when I first arrived. He knows
how much I can handle and He ever so gently is easing me into seeing the
reality of the battlefield here. Lord knows if everything would have hit me
when I arrived I would not want to be here, but He has shown me His love for
the people here, how they are deceived, and the spiritual forces they are under
the influence of.
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| Home in Myanmar |
I am so thankful God has given me such wise counselors to
make me aware of the spiritual atmosphere we are up against. All of my life God has tought me through trials and through great teachers. I
have been trained and I did not fully recognize what for. I am beginning to understand why so many
missionaries do not last on the front lines. Some things look beautiful in the physical such as all of the elaborate temples but behind is such deception. And then there are the things that look ugly on the outside but inside is pure kindness and love such as the home of a pastor. We must not be distracted by the physical even while we must live in it. While accomplishing the physical we
cannot neglect nourishing our spirit because that is where the real battle and advancement is
taking place! If the Holy Spirit is in us we are ambassadors of the one true
God and we bring light with us everywhere we go and claim these places for God.
This is why the devil does not want us here. We walk with the authority of God
and all evil strongholds must flee! God will work through us and our physical
work will be made easy as He goes ahead of us preparing the way. Several times
now I have been awaken at night by demons trying to get at me in dreams but I
sit up in confidence and speak the Word at them and they flee. I am not on the
defensive by any means. If the devil attacks me I am going to take the battle
to Him and make him think twice about trying it again. Remembering the battles
and the victories brings a smile to my face because I know I am doing something
that Satan doesn’t want me doing, advancing the Kingdom of God!
I have attended several encouraging meetings for
missionaries where both Todd and Julie have poured encouragement and awareness into
many missionaries and one thing that keeps coming to my mind is this: If you’re
thinking you are giving up your life for God, if being a missionary is a
sacrifice to you, you might as well leave now. The outlook you should have is
one of joy being found trustworthy by God to use you on the front lines. In
this I find encouragement because this is truly the most joyful and most
fulfilling time of my life.
It makes no sense by worldly standards but being here and
being put through the trials brings me this joy! If you think God owes you
something for serving Him you will throw up your hands and quit when you don’t
feel like you have been given what you deserve but if you are filled with joy
just to be able to serve the Creator of the Universe… that’s what it’s about!
I started this blog to be an update about what has been
happening here but I got sidetracked and went with it! I wanted to explain
about the spiritual battles here so you know how to better pray for me and the
mission God has assigned me to. I leave you with this verse:
2 Corinth 10:3-4 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not
waging war according to the flesh. 4) For the weapons of our warfare are not of
the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
God bless you!
Servant, Ambassador, and Son of the living God:
-John
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