"I have overcome the world"

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

I wrote yesterday to ask for prayer for those families at school who have been struck with illness or injury.

Today, I come again seeking for prayer...if you are willing, pray without ceasing for the students at ILE (the language school).

This morning, 19 women and myself met to pray, as we do every week. This week it was so evident the spiritual battle we are in and the darkness hanging over the school. Not a single one of us has not been attacked in some way- either personally or through family members this week in difficult, painful even life-threatening ways.

The 20 of us this that met this morning are not the only ones either, to have felt the attacks of the enemy. Many more families have been affected with illness and difficult - very difficult- situations.

I want to be very careful because as I write this blog. I try to share transparently with you. I try to give you an accurate glimpse of our life here. I also try to maintain a positive upbeat blog- you know me :) But I share this today with you only because we need those of you that read this blog to lift us in daily prayer. That has been my main prayer request since this journey began for us almost one year ago. I want no glory to come to the enemy. I want you to look to this and see what the Lord will do and the ways he will be glorified. But I do want you to know that life as a missionary in langauge school carries with it some heavy enemy fire. I have yet to meet one perfect person here, not one. All fall short of the glory of God. Yet we are all here trying to learn a language so that we may take the gospel to all nations and making disciples in countries around the world.

Jesus says of the trials we will face, "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!"

Jesus Christ is the victor of all things in this world. We cannot escape the effects of siin in this world and therefore we cannot escape tribulation and trials. This I know. I also know that God has equipped us with the necessary armor to fight this battle (Eph 6).

Paul says in Romans 8:37-39, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I ask you to fall on your knees tonight for those aflicted, broken hearted and broken down; pray for all those in language school with us. Some we are beginning to know well, others we only know by face. Regardless, we are all in this together and we are all bonded together as a family in Christ.

Father, I come to you now weary and burdened for my brothers and sisters facing terrible trouble and illness; distraught for the evil that exists all around us- for the blatant displays of sin that are thrust into our daily lives and the lives of our children. But Father, it is through you that we can accomplish all things. It is through our weakness that you are made strong. It is through our moments of complete and utter dependance on you that you are glorified and it is to that end that I live my life. It is for that reason I give you my life. It is for that reason that I can rejoice now in you and because of you. It is because you live that I rejoice- even now in the midst of so much trouble and darkness- because you have overcome the world! You have won! Even when for us the battle looks so intimidating and way too much for us to handle- you know the end and the end is victory for you and victory for those that love you and know you! So I lift my brothers and sisters to you now Lord, confident of you, the Ultimate Victor! Thanks you Father for what you will teach us and the way you will be glorified through all the trouble we encounter in this world!