Life and Death in the Battle for Souls

Amazonian Wednesdays 🌴

Today’s post is a report that I wrote back in January of 2002:

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Two days before the New Year, 250 people died in a fire in Lima. Some children were playing with firecrackers in a tightly packed commercial area, and a stray cracker lit some clothing that was for sale. Soon the whole area was burning. Many of the businessmen and women that died could have escaped, if it had not been for their desperate attempts to save their products from the flames. In a world where finding the next meal to eat is the most urgent endeavor in a day, rescuing the source of their meager incomes was more important than making sure to survive the immense danger.

Here in Peru I interact with a world where multitudes of people live on the edge of life and death, both physically and spiritually. This last month we have dealt with a few of the youth in our discipleship program backsliding into drinking and partying. Others struggled with discouragement about situations in their families where love and warmth is completely lacking and abuse is always a possibility. A few others were tempted to get distracted with romantic relationship lived out the world’s way.

The initial excitement of our arrival from the States past, the real work has started to kick in. It is true that our enemy never sleeps, and we too must be alert, aware of his schemes. Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Him, and through us everywhere spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ!

In spite of the devil’s strategies, we are encouraged, because God is at work as well, and He is much greater than the one that is in the world. This month Israel and I held a two-day seminar on purity for the youth that completed the first discipleship course. We taught them about the dangers of premarital sex and the joys and rewards of living out relationship with the opposite gender the way God designed it to be.

They listened with rapt attention to every word, and eagerly filed to the altar at the culmina- tion of the seminar to make a purity covenant with God. They committed to save themselves for their future spouses, to avoid flirting with sexual immorality, and to keep the Lord always as their first love and passion. Those who had already given their virginity away received ministry for healing in this area. Many wept on their knees as the Father touched them deeply and restored to them that which the enemy had robbed.

Continue to intercede for us as we march onward in this exciting and rewarding war. What is at stake in nothing less than life and death. Due to the intensity of the battle, we often need the Lord to prepare a table for us in the midst of our enemies. We will be opening several new cell groups this month led by the youth, so especially pray over the new leaders, that the Lord would keep them strong in spite of the forces that come against them. Pray that their “faith would not fail.”

Thank you, family! We love you so much!