Spiritual Warfare

I was really excited for this week to start because the Musician's DTS was coming up to spend the week with us! I knew they would love Eagle Rock, and I was looking forward to getting to know the people better. It was a little chaotic at first, because there were about 50 extra people here, and they were all staying in the Lodge, the girls' building. It definitely put us out of our comfort zone, having a bunch of people we don't know very well here, especially when my school is so tight-knit, but we were able to apply everything we learned during last week's relationships teaching. It was also interesting that this week would be focusing on Spiritual Warfare and the huge role that relationships play in it.

Our speaker was Dean Sherman, who has been involved in YWAM since the 60s. He has dedicated his life to speaking and teaching about relationships and spiritual warfare, so he really poured out all his wisdom to us that he has acquired from experience over the years.

Here are some awesome points from his teaching:

-We've been put here to live the life of God—to manifest His life—so that we can rule over earth

-Relationship is eternal and the image of God—the most valuable thing

-A relationship is an entity, a thing, as valuable as the two people who make it up

-If we’re in good relationship with God and each other, then we rule

-Satan’s agenda is to destroy relationships between me and God and other people

-God’s/the church’s agenda is to build and maintain relationships with God and others

-Sin=lack of love for God and/or others; bad relationships; evil gets in through bad relationships

-The blessing, presence, and power of God come through and to relationships

-We either subdue evil, or evil subdues us; when we don’t have good relationships, evil subdues us

-Basic prayer is to push back Satan’s influence and to pray down God’s influence

-We don’t pray FOR favor, we pray FROM already achieved favor

-Pray as specifically as you can because it exercises your faith

-The Kingdom is a way of life/living; people either live their life according to the Kingdom or the world

Kingdom Living                                                                                            Worldly Living

Love                                                                                                            Selfishness

Serving                                                                                                        Controlling

        -we don’t need “servant hearts;” we need serving hands and feet

Submission                                                                                                   Rebellion (1 Samuel 15:23)

Humility                                                                                                        Pride

  -I’m never more demonic than when I have pride

Generosity                                                                                                    Greed

Justice                                                                                                          Injustice

Integrity                                                                                                        Corruption

Wholeness                                                                                                    Brokenness

-The Church is who I am; the Kingdom is how I live

-How you live becomes a channel for spirit power

-2 Corinthians 4:4—blinds the unbelievers—shows why spiritual warfare is ALWAYS a factor

So, the main focus was that when our relationships with God and other people are strong, we don't give the devil a foothold to send evil in, and we rule the way God purposed for us. It was really interesting to hear how important our relationships are because they really are the center of spiritual warfare. Satan is always trying to attack our relationships, because us being in bad relationships gives him power. I can see from my experiences that this is absolutely true, so everything I learned is really priceless.

On Tuesday evening, there were about 250 people here because it was debrief week for the Around The World DTS and Compassion DTS that just got back from their outreaches. We all went into the gym where they set up a stage, and they shared testimonies, stories, and dramas that they did while they were on outreach. Yesterday, we went down the mountain to Hillside Church to see them graduate. We began the ceremony with a couple worship songs, and then some of the graduates spoke about how much DTS changed their lives. It was incredible to listen to what they had to say, and I can't imagine being in their shoes in three months! I'll probably cry like a baby having to say bye to all the awesome people in my school.

After this next week we have Thanksgiving break, which means I get to see my family! I miss them like crazy and am so excited to share this beautiful place with them. :)
And only a little over a month before my outreach to Costa Rica! Crazy how time flies!