In this issue... Front and Center Determining Whether to "Go Medical": A Board Assessment Survey By Thomas A. Glessner Fishers of Men By Jim Pye Remaining Relevant in an Age of Abortion-by-Pill By Aimee Pendell "Nevertheless, Let Us Go" By Patricia L. Miller For Ten Thousand Tomorrows By Stephanie Rogers For Such a Time as This By Lynne M. Thompson Printing Made Simple Marketing 101 By Jerry Thacker Good News, Bad News— Spiritual Warfare By Mark Hiehle Good News, Bad News — Spiritual Warfare By Rev. Mark Hiehle How many times have you had someone begin to tell you something and start with the phrase: "I've got some good news and some bad news"? When my children went back to school after the summer break, it was good news at first, and then it turned into bad news. I was glad to get our home back onto a regular routine after summer vacation, but then they came home with questions I couldn't answer. It had been years since I worked with algebraic equations and complex mathematical formulas. When I again heard "pie-r-squared," I first thought: "No, pies are round!" Fortunately, my oldest son is a whiz at math, so I sent my younger children to him by saying: "Let's ask your brother." Good news and bad news. Seriously, there is good news. Knowing the facts that God loves you, He made you, and He knows everything about you is the good news. Knowing that He has chosen you as His instrument in order to touch someone else's life is both God's grace and good news. I love the definition that Rev. Rich Warren gives to grace: "Grace is God's knowing every stupid thing I've ever done and every stupid thing I'm going to do and choosing me anyway." That is grace! Good news is knowing that God will never leave us or forsake us, for we are His. But the greatest news of all is that while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us so that we could be set free and through Him we have a relationship with God both now and for eternity. That is good news. But there is some bad news too. Not only do we have a God Who loves us, we also have an enemy who hates us and wants to destroy us. In Revelation 12, the Apostle John was given a vision of our enemy and why we experience spiritual warfare. He gives a description of the dragon or the devil being hurled from Heaven, taking one third of the angels with him and how he desired to destroy the male Child the woman was to deliver. But the Child escaped and was taken up to God's throne. When Jesus was born, Satan tried to have Jesus killed by King Herod, who ordered every male child two years old and under to be destroyed. In a dream, Joseph was told to flee and take the Child and His mother to Egypt. Later, Satan thought he had won when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, but three days later He rose from the dead, defeating Hell and the grave. Since Satan knows that his time is short, he is filled with rage and has turned to make war against those of us who believe and obey God. I Peter 5:8 says, "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." Those of us who work in the pregnancy care center ministry are on Satan's hit list because we not only follow Jesus, we also share truth with every client that comes to our centers. We not only tell them that the life they carry is a child (not just a glob of cells); we also tell them that God loves them and wants to change their lives. We desire to see lives saved and souls redeemed—the exact opposite of what Satan desires. If we want to be effective in this battle over life and death, we must be keenly aware of the battle that is waged against us. The devil studies his prey, looking for areas in our lives where we are vulnerable, and that is where he attacks. How can we protect ourselves from becoming easy prey? 1. Realize that we need each other.When lions approach a herd, fear grips the pack, and they begin to run for their lives, leaving the slow to be caught. As the herd separates, the individual animals become easier targets. Hebrews 10:25 tells us: "Let us not give up meeting together." No center should think of itself as being alone in this pro-life battle. As a mighty army, we can stand strong together, but as isolated individuals, we can be picked off and lose our fight. We need to work together and cooperate with each other, nationally as well as regionally. 2. Don't allow yourself personally to become weak.Just as we become physically weak due to a lack of nourishment and exercise, so the same is true spiritually. We must cultivate our relationship with God through regular Bible study and prayer. Spiritual growth must be a priority if we are to be used as effective tools at our centers. In addition, if we are not focused on growth and obedience, we will be more susceptible to temptation. We also must exercise our faith. James tells us that faith without works is dead. What we read and learn we must then apply to our lives and walk by faith. Peter would never have had the thrilling experience of walking on the water if he had stayed in the boat. With every victory, we compound a legacy of God's faithfulness that we can look back on in order to draw renewed faith for greater steps of faith. 3. Surround yourself with encouragers when you become injured.Because no one is perfect, we all fall now and again. During those times, the temptation is to back away from others in shame and guilt. Satan would love to have us throw ourselves a pity party and entertain thoughts like: "I'm not worthy to serve, I should leave" or "How can I help anyone if I can't even do it right myself? It is better if I let the really spiritual people do this." The truth is that God forgives, and by His grace He keeps working on us and through us if we are repentant. 4. Praise sets the stage for spiritual victory.In II Chronicles 20, we learn of the account of how God enabled King Jehoshaphat and the people of Israel to defeat the armies of Moab and Ammon. When the battle lines were drawn against Israel, the king proclaimed a fast, and all the people prayed and sought the Lord because of the vast army against them. In their prayer they applied what they knew about God and prayed in faith. God answered their prayer and encouraged them to trust Him. In response to their faith in God and because of the spiritual war against them, the king "appointed men to sing to the Lord and praise him ... As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon" (vv. 21, 22). Praise brings strength and unity to God's people but confusion and chaos to the devil and his demons. Praise ushers in God's presence, power, and peace. Through praise, God is glorified as people surrender, and demons scatter as a result. Sadly, Satan will not stop with us but will come against our families as well. Volunteers often have related the experience that it seemed as though the most insignificant fights they had with their spouses happened right before they were scheduled to come in to counsel. Flaming arrows of temptation and doubt are shot with evil intent. As preparations are being made in order to minister in the realm of the eternal, irritations seem more intense, life seems to present more distractions, and thoughts of inadequacy seem to increase. This does not happen by accident, but rather by devilish design. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:12 that: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." This is not only true in the life of the volunteer, but in the lives of their families as well. With each attack, Satan's desire is to destroy relationships, derail faith, and devour lives. The good news is that through prayer, praise, and preparing spiritually, victory is ours. Why? Because "the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (I John 4:4). ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rev. Mark Hiehle is Executive Director of the Crisis Pregnancy Support Center in Clarksville, Tennessee. He can be reached at markcpsc@clarksville.com.