WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING

From here the town looked so typically American—small, innocent, and harmless, like the background for every Norman Rockwell painting. But the two visitors did not perceive with eyes only . . . They could feel it: restless, strong, growing, designed and purposeful . . . a very special kind of evil.

The two visitors . . . naturally hesitated in their business, pausing to wonder, “Why here?”

They didn’t speak, they didn’t move, but they watched with a piercing gaze as something approached . . . it had arms and it had legs, but it seemed to move without them, crossing the street and mounting the front steps of the church. Suddenly, as if colliding with a speeding wall, the creature was knocked backward and into a raging tumble down the steps.

“A spirit of harassment?” he asked.

“Or of doubt . . . or fear. Who knows?”

“And that was one of the smaller ones?”

“But what are they doing here? We’ve never seen such concentration before, not here.” He looked through the foyer doors and toward the sanctuary. “Let’s see this man of God.”

There, kneeling in earnest prayer, his head resting on the hard wooden bench, and his hands clenched with fervency, was a young man, very young . . . His lips moved without sound as names, petitions, and praises poured forth with passion and tears. They couldn’t help but just stand there for a moment.

“Yes this is the one. Even now he is interceding . . .”

“He’s not so insignificant.”

“But he’s the only one. He’s alone.”

“No. There are others. There are always others . . . . For now, his single vigilant prayer is the beginning.”

THIS PRESENT DARKNESS by Frank Peretti

Did that give you goosebumps? Me too! I read this book soon after it was first published; it had been a recommendation by a friend of mine who knew my passion for intercessory prayer. That was the scene that produced the flow of tears and the deepest sense of encouragement in my soul that I needed so desperately at that time. One man in passionate prayer was causing a whole lot of hullabaloo in the invisible world!

I was a nobody. Still am for that matter. But I was interceding. At that time, I was a young homemaker with a toddler on my lap most of the time. I wasn’t much by the worlds’ standards. Who would ever think of a young homemaker as a threat of any kind? But I think my prayers were causing a bit of a hullabaloo too, in the invisible world! I had disciplined times of prayer; believing that God would move heaven and earth in response to my intercessions. I was praying life over death in those intercessions! And God was sending me just the encouragement I needed through that novel; so that I wouldn't quit or discount my prayer warrior status!

Sometimes we see God move fast and furious. But often we simply pray believing God will move. It can be easy to get discouraged when you are battle worn and haven't seen any movement in regards to your intercessions for a while, or for a very long while.

I think it a blessing that we cannot see the spiritual war that is taking place within our very atmosphere. I think the images would be too gruesome; dark, and intimidating. I think that we could be overcome by them and feel overwhelming helplessness. We’re tempted to feel that way already with what we see with our natural eyes! And so, even in our prayers, we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The word “walk” from this verse in the Greek means: to tread all around, i.e. walk at large (especially proof of ability). Our intercessory prayers are walking at large and treading on the evil plans and schemes of our enemy.

Our prayers are going places we could never go, or would even want to go! Our prayers are hovering over those who have escaped from our presence but cannot escape our prayers.

Our prayers go everywhere and can do anything God can do. They know no limits. They know no boundaries. They can hunt, hit, and halt any and every work of the flesh or of the enemy! Talk about the hound of heaven!

And it’s in those prayers that we contend not against flesh and blood, but against powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

Many times we just feel the weakness. But we pray anyway—and God works! Oh, does God ever work!

And I have prayed this morning that this devotion would stir up hearts that it has been sent to. That it would encourage hearts that have been faithful to pray—that have been discouraged feeling that they are not gaining ground.

I have prayed that you would get a fresh vision of what is really taking place when you pray, and that you would then pray even more! That you would be that one simple man or woman: bowed, kneeling, praying, interceding, causing a whole lot of hullabaloo and a ruckus in the invisible world!

Read Daniel chapter ten for a play by play of what can take place in the invisible world as a reminder and as an encouragement. Look at what happens when we humble ourselves and set our minds on understanding, and pray fervently without giving up!

“Vestigia nulla retrorsum!” No stepping back! I love this Latin military term—it has become my mantra. Gain ground and don’t step back!

See you at the battlefront, my comrades!