this means war

So we went to ATF and they talked and talked and talked about the spiritual war going on. I knew that. It is a frequent reference of mine in my time with the Lord. I'm on board with the "war" mentality. Or so I thought.

I started Rees Howells' biography (Intercessor - still highly recommending it). The Lord used this guy to pray out His plan, and actually shape the course of World War II. Rees' entire life story is pretty riviting, but if someone asks who Rees Howells was, the common short answer is, "This amazing intercessor who was used by God to determine the events/outcome of WWII."

Friday night I started reading Battle Cry for a Generation, by Ron Luce (the guy who heads up Teen Mania ... the ministry that brings you ATF and Battle Cry events). They really promoted the book at ATF, but I wasn't really going to read it because ... well I've got a bunch to read right now. Then, after our youth ministry meeting Friday night, Tim just handed them out and said, "Please read this." Luce's initial reference - and throughout at least the first five chapters, his most frequent - is World War II. Hmm.

It's not going to take me two weeks to get it this time. I get it. I'm in. It's going to be huge - are we ready? I'm convinced the next two years are crucial. Luce would tell you the next five (because in five years the largest generation this country has ever seen will be out of their impressionable teenage years, and will have become the force governing the most powerful nation in the world), but I'm planning on two. If it's five, fine; plan for two just in case.

2 Kings 13:14-20//Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, "O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!" And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and some arrows" So he took himself a bow and some arrows... And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground;" so he struck three times, and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times." Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.