Burky's Blog

 Dear Friends;

It has been a long time since I last wrote an update on my life. You see, I have been writing to those who read my book, but I haven't wrote to those who are interested in the latest of my life.

What "force" me to write this letter is because I want to record my car's mileage flipped to 77 thousand at 8:47 AM on Route 283, just west of Rheemstown Mennonite Church which is part of Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Conference. When? I don't remember. I do remember it was when I was on way home from Lancaster County. Is it in April? Or was it in June? I would have to look in my journal to see when that possibly be.

Now I am going to throw that paper away. I am cleaning up my room, because never know when those damsels may popped in to visit. Today, I discovered that I did have black ink after all. I was thankful for an extra room under my printer. I even am thinking of throwing away those business cards that I ordered for myself long time ago. Now almost all information on it is outdated.

Ok, I did some ironing and then clean up my room. Now for rare moment, my room is tidy. Everything is in place.

It is few days, well few weeks, since I last written. July 24, 2009 is the name of this file, so apparently, that is when I left off. Today is August 15, 2009.

Yesterday, my car's mileage flipped to 77,780. Perhaps this news isn't much significant to you, readers, but only for my record-keeping. You see, this letter will be a blog as well. I am writing a letter/e-mail while at same time keeping my journal.

Perhaps I should write a book about my life. I have written a book, but I receive too much criticism from my sister that I felt my book shouldn't be published. But that is not the only reason. I am re-reading the book, Love Without End: Jesus Speaks by Glenda Green and felt my book so inadequate compared to that book. Not only that, I am also reading Christ In You. While I was in Belize, I also read The Quiet Mind. Recently, I read the book by Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth. Those books all teach the same thing as my book was trying to teach. The only difference is the key point: my book is trying to point out that all men have inner knowledge of good and evil. In other words, I am trying to make the teaching of the Bible accessible to all, even if they never read the Bible. Yet, if you read Eternity In Their Hearts, you would see it does have fundamental idea my book is trying to portray.

And also, I came to my own conclusions because I felt insufficient to be a novelist, my coveted title. In order to increase knowledge as to remove my feeling of scarcity, I came across different information that can help my novel-writing skills. I have learn about different personalities and felt I can keep my characters in line of their personalities. Plus, at same time, I realize what make each personality tick and what the Bible really teaches how to "put heaven on earth".

I am thankful that by this date, I am still firm believer and staunch Christian for a year. I felt this calls for celebration, but I admitted that it is difficult to know what specific date to pinpoint when exactly my enlightenment occurred. Is it August 12 or 13 or 14? All I can say it is mid-August 2008.

I would admit that my exuberance of Christian living fluctuate at times since that day. My absolute confidence is in Jesus Christ that He saves me and He will keep me in the palm of His hand. Nothing can move me, not even what other "wiser" Christian may tell me. It don't matter if some think me as unteachable because that is the promise of 1 John 2:27.

In fact, if anyone think me as unteachable, then chances they are too. After all, I firmly believe that this world is our mirror. How we view others is the same way we are ourselves. I have too many experiences in my life that confirms my conviction of that truth. Whenever and whatever you see in others, check yourself first! That goes true to if we suspect spiritual pride in others. That is why every time when I feel critical of others, I immediately think about myself. What if I am the same way? If I think America is the best country to live in, chances a Guatemalan native think well of his own country as well. After all, Jesus point out if we see mote in our brother, we must first remove the beam in our eyes. Whenever I see exuberance of Christian living in others, I celebrate with them. Whenever I see others' absolute trust in Christ, regardless of what appearance they are in, I celebrate with them. I am more quick to call them my brothers and sisters in Christ than those who judge others.

Even if I sinned at times and repented, I realize that sin is not something to avoid. What to avoid is falling out of love with God. If the greatest commandment is to love God wholeheartedly and we are to love our enemies, then I believe our primary focus of mere living should be all about loving. If we do or say anything that squelch the feeling of peace and serenity, then why continue? If we have the "blah" feeling, let us immediately seek restoration of love and peace.

Yeah, I rejoice with Jesus when He said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." (Matthew 11:25 and Luke 10:21)

One thing I have learned since a year ago is that everyone learn at their pace. There will be too many people disagreeing with my book, but it is because they haven't learn yet. I must be patient with them and respect their free will. Like I say in my book, it is not my job to force. I may wish, I may desire, that others will see the perfect law of liberty as liberated believers sees it, but I cannot force nor can I coax others to see it as I see it. In fact, with their different personality makeup, they may be called to live differently than I do.

Like my friend I suspected that he is still Pharisaical simply because of his comments against me, I see that it is his personality that makes him want to do things right. My personality makes me to be a life of the party and to sit where they sat. My method don't sit well with my friend. He even went as far as emailing me his concerns about certain friend of ours. I even suspected that he is blaming me for my influence, even if he may protest against that idea. He may even be lying to himself and don't know it, but I am not concerned. I simply trust that God will have everything worked out.

One biggest issue that I need some work is that I always constantly put people in corner. I don't like that and I suspect that is why so many people felt it is spiritual pride on my part. For this reason, I have to forgive myself and others daily and try to think twice before I talk the next time. To the offended party, I am sorry and want to thank all of you for your very forgiving attitude toward me.

Oh my, here I go, talking my steam about my spiritual observations and experiences. I am not really relating to my day-by-day life, at least worthy to be in my journal.

I let Bishop Larry Weber to read my book. I have told him and few others that I want to meet him after he read my book. He quickly agreed and arranged Bible study with me on weekly basis. I went to Richard Lehman's house in the evening of August 3, only to find an empty driveway. The following weekend found me in Kansas.

Oh how I love the weekend in Kansas. It was a pure bliss, a time of joy. We had fun chatting and catching up with the news. It is a blessing for me to be among all who speak in sign language. I even get to meet my kindred spirit, Maynard Bauman, there. It was a joy to talk with him. Even though he don't agree with everything in my book, I still see that he and I agreed on the fundamentals of Christian living. In that, I rejoice and called him my blessed brother in Christ. It was such a joy to talk with him that I was bit disappointed when we ran out of things to talk about.

I went on a walk early Saturday morning. Oh, it is such a blissful experience to walk under the warm, inviting sunlight at the dawn. I sat for a while, gazing into the sun. I felt so synchronized with the universe. Like I already suspected, the book Love Without End: Jesus Speaks mentions about Jesus pointing out to Glenda that everything is created by God. Everything has God's spirit in them. There is only one spirit that if we would recognize everything as in synchronicity, we will be whole. Because of that book, I try to observe everything around me keenly and with awareness. Like Eastern religions, I try to observe the hidden patterns in the animal kingdom as well as plants.

When I watch the children play in Kansas, I saw that boys and girls play together really nicely. They play together in total innocence. If Jesus say we are to be like children, then why are we so segregated from each other?

Friday evening, few of them went canoeing in the Ninnescah River. I didn't know where they went, so I went to bed. After few winks, I went back to pavilion and found them playing cards and few games. Then I enjoyed then evening until I bunked at 11:00 PM.

Saturday morning, I went on a walk. I wish I have sandals, so I could walk on stones. But I love that walk; it is relaxing and peaceful. Later on that Saturday morning we played few good games of volleyball. I took a brief nap, and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the dorm.

The meals we had at Camp Mennoscah was delicious. After lunch, we played few games in the river. It was fun to wrestle with the ball, while trying to keep balance as you try to run around in the half-way-over-the-ankle deep river. That eventually tired us out, so we went back to the pavilion and enjoyed passing around the atomic balloon.

Saturday evening, we enjoy visiting and snacking on the popcorn popped in the old-fashioned iron pot over the fire. After we are done with popcorn, when the sun is set, the raccoon came out to clean up the popcorn left on the ground. It was fascinating to see the wild raccoon up close. We even got to see it in the trash cans and it even went into the trap. It cleverly step around the trigger that would make the trap door go down. By Sunday morning, the popcorn was all cleaned by popcorn and we found the rat caught in the trap. Joseph Shirk eventually freed the rat over the falls at the river dam, which was build in 1936.

Sunday morning is another beautiful morning in Kansas. I love the wind that constantly blow over the Kansas prairie. Few of us shopped for Camp Mennoscah souveniors, and I got a history book about the camp. That's just me: I always try to see if I could get the history book about any specific point of interest that I have had visited. Close second, if not together, I like getting shot glasses. But of course, Camp Mennoscah is Mennonite-owned, so shot glasses would be unthinkable.

Jay read about Heaven and Rodney preached a bit, then he showed the video of Bible in ASL. I love the book of John, so it is interesting to watch a young boy translating the Bible into ASL. I wish to own a copy if I could find one within my means.

After church, we clean up the camp and get ready to leave. Many of us left for home directly after lunch, but others of us went back to Rodney Yoder's home and enjoy a dip in his small on-the-ground pool. I got sunburned. I knew I was out in the sun, being shirtless, too long, so I went back into the house to cool off. Of course, I checked my email and Facebook as much as I can on daily basis even in Kansas. Thanks to Rodney for Internet access at his home!

Finally after munching around, when it is time for Leon and Paul to leave for Wichia airport, Jay and I finally left for home. It was a long, long drive home. Fortunately, Jay and I decided to stop overnight at motel. It was a nice motel with breakfast included.

We finally got to Leon's about 10 PM and I slept overnight at Leon's. Then on Tuesday morning, I went home. I stop first at Walmart, because I was so frustrated with the wallet my sister gave me. I knew she has best intentions, and I thank her for that, but I just don't like the gift itself. I like the motives and the giver, isn't that enough? I got myself exactly the same kind of wallet I had before I lost it in Belize.

Then I browsed through the Borders, looking for low-carb high-protein cookbook. They don't have it available in stock; I would have to order it. I backed out from buying, thinking maybe library would have few for us to look at. Sharpsburg Library surprised me by having only one at hand, and I hope to see more at other branch libraries, especially Hagerstown Library, which is the main library of our county. (Thank God for libraries!)

I finally got home about 3 PM Tuesday.

I am looking forward studying the Bible with the ministry. I suspect Larry had this idea, because he felt that I am brainwashed. At least that is my speculation. Even so, I trust that God have the purpose in this whole planning, and I am looking forward to the unfolding of God's plan.

That's all for now...yesterday is Curtis Horning's birthday, and I forget how old he is. I am looking forward to August 22, when I have two parties to attend. From 2 to 4PM is the tool party for Michael Musser. They would have bridal party for his girlfriend, Rhianne, at the same place for the girls. Then from 4PM is the cookout at Curtis and Paula Horning's place. I suspect I would enjoy Curtis and Paula's party more, because there would be more deaf people and everyone would talk in sign language. I expect to be home Monday. Probably in time for Bible study that evening...if Larry still plans for it.

Ah, at last, I got this letter written. August 15, 2009. I miss my mid-morning snack, and now it is lunchtime, and my stomach is growling.

Some of you will get doubles of this, simply because I am sending this to my "Book Reader" list as well as my "E-newsletter" list. This will be my last email to "My Book Reader" list.

Every time when I begin to question the validity of my book, I get reassured. When I begin to wonder if my book contains false teaching, I get confirmed from other books or messages I heard in church that I got the idea right. When people share their thoughts and feelings about my book, I felt no need to correct them. The answer usually is already in my book. One thing that I thought about is that my book is too wordy; some paragraphs can be eliminated. Another thought is that some thoughts I shared isn't explained enough in my book. Whatever the case, I feel my book can sit a spell. It won't hurt for my book to be sitting around gathering dust. There are too many books out there for truly-serious spiritual seekers. Besides, I felt that my book don't have much support or reason enough to convince people that they need to buy my book. There will always be someone who disagree with my thoughts as well as there are many who agree with my thoughts. Some thoughts I have in my book isn't a life-and-death matter if anyone choose to agree—or disagree. Other thoughts I shared in my book may cause some to take it too far and live blasphemously. There is no way of getting around it.

Sunday evening on August 16, David Rudolph preached about preparing ourselves for worship. I like his thoughts about the blind man and the Pharisees from the story in John 9. His key verses are verse 31 and 38. He point out that the evidence is right there, but there are some people who choose not to believe. Pharisees refuse to believe, and they are Bible scholars. In my understanding, David is

saying that we better be careful not to close our mind against the truth. It is my established conviction. I don't want to be unteachable. I have no reason to fear the truth. I took my mother's warning seriously, "It is truth that hurts". I have repeatedly experience that, by agreeing with truth, I will become immune to anything against me.

In fact, 1 John 2:27 gave me the impression, that the longer I stay teachable, I will become more unteachable!

For your information or reminder, some of you will not be receiving the latest from me from now on, unless you request your name to be part of "E-newsletter" list. I suspect that most, if not all, of those who were part of "My Book Reader" list which is not in my "E-newsletter" list have Internet access. You can still access to my blog at http://deafdemophile.blogspot.com or you can read my notes in Facebook. Just search deafdemophile@gmail.com in Facebook, and you will find me. Add me up and keep yourself posted about me by referring to my Facebook.

Monday, August 17, I just got done reading the book, Miss Nancy by Harvey Yoder. If every Christian would live like Miss Nancy, they won't need my book!

Four steps to success in any area of life...(from the Love Without End: Jesus Speaks)

• Be the love that you are

• Do the right thing

• Simply follow life and the living

• Forgive

Sincerely yours,

Omar Burkholder

August 16, 2009

The Making Of A Warrior
by
R.W. Schambach

             The church is in the midst of a mighty spiritual war, and the world has had enough of wimpy saints.  The devil knows his reign of terror is almost over, so he's doing all he can to discourage God's people from doing their jobs.  He is more aware than some so-called Christians of the nearness of Christ's return.  Millions of souls are at stake.  We no longer need mere foot soldiers; it's time for true warriors to emerge.  A warrior isn't made in boot camp— basic training is the minimum requirement for any good soldier.  But the warrior's heart is revealed in the trenches— or the front lines— in the heat of battle.
            We live in perilous times.  Our nation cries for men and women of stature, with moral backbone.  Modern day Christendom craves true heroes and heroines who will persevere until the Last Victory— warriors in the glorious army of the Risen King.  The story of Samson is a powerful study of the making of a warrior (Judges 13-16).  Samson had some great strengths, but he also had some disappointing weaknesses.  His earning of "warrior" status eventually took him to his death; yet, his life and perseverence continue to hold great lessons for anyone desiring to be a mighty warrior in God's army.

A Warrior Knows His Strengths And Weaknesses

            Now Samson was a man of normal stature.  He wasn't built like Goliath, nine and a half feet tall.  Samson was born a normal man from typical parents of the day.  And Samson honored his mother and father, as was common in that time.  Typically, he demonstrates needs, desires, and passions Samson became hungry and thirsty like ordinary men— and he loved women too.  By all outward appearances, Samson was destined to be ordinary, going through life trying to get his needs met.
            But God never relies on outward appearances.  He made plans to use Samson as a mighty warrior.  The message of his birth was hand-delivered to Samson's mother, who had been barren, by an angel.  The angel also told Samson's mother he would have a special oath to God.  "And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines" (Judges 13:5).
            As he grew older, Samson realized his strength lay in keeping the Nazirite vow and in the Spirit of the Lord.  He was not to drink wine, take unclean food or cut his hair.  Samson also admitted he was able to defeat wild animals with "nothing in his hands."
            When facing an enemy, we come to battle with nothing in our hands that we can bring.  As ordinary men and women, our only hope, our strength lies in the power of God.  Thankfully, it's "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of hosts" (Zechariah 3:9)  God can make warriors out of very ordinary people who know the source of their strength.  Samson's power was on a direct hookup to God: "And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him" (Judges 14:6).
            We may not have taken the Nazirite vow for special, divine empowerment, but as Christians, we have been blessed with the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  He has sent His anointing to yank us out of the ordinary realm and drop us into the extraordinary; yet, Christians must keep their vows to God and rely on His power.

A Warrior Is Always Ready To Fight

            I love one thing about Samson, he was always ready to fight.  And a good warrior is always ready for a scrape with the enemy.  Our enemy, in case you didn't know already, is the devil— not your husband, your wife, your pastor, or the guy next door.  The Bible tells us:  "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (I Peter 5:14).
            Samson was not afraid to take on wild beasts.  He slew the lion with his bare hands as the spirit of the Lord came upon him (Judges 14:5-6).  The Spirit of God gave this ordinary man supernatural strength, and he tore the lion apart.  Samson also took on men.  Again, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and he took out 30 men, 1000 men, and the entire Philistine army.  No enemy intimidated this man, because he had confidence in his God.
            When I was just a lad in my first year of high school, I was confronted with the school bully.  He was one year older and much taller than I was.  Every time he saw me coming, he'd knock my books out of my hand and send them flying all over the hallway.  He was so big, I was afraid to fight him.  Next time he passed me, the same thing happened.  Just like a coward, I said, "Pardon me for running into your hand!"
            The bully would laugh and shake his head.  I would walk away defeated.  If I saw him coming, I'd walk on the opposite side of the hall.  It was a sad and frustrating situation.  Well, I took that abuse until my junior year— two long years.
            One day, I was looking in the mirror, talking to myself.  "Schambach, you sure are a good-looking dude.  Look at your muscles!  You could take that bully."
            "Yeah!" I agreed.
            "Next time that bully knocks your books out of your hand, tell him you've had enough!"
            "Yeah!"  I was getting pumped up now.
            Well, the next day came and on my way to my first class, guess what student I saw coming down the hallway— Mr. Bully.  My heart started beating faster and faster.  He slowly walked past me.  Nothing.  Just when I was letting out a long "Wheeeew," he slapped me from behind alongside my face.
            "That's it.  I've had it," I yelled.  (Everything within me was saying, "Schambach, shut up.")
            "Well, I've been wondering when you'd get the guts to face me, Schambach.  It's about time," he said.
            My heart was pounding, but I didn't take much time to think.  I closed my eyes and swung with all my might.  There were two hits— my hitting him and his hitting the floor.  What?  I couldn't believe it!  All this time, the guy had a glass jaw, and I didn't know it.  I took all that harassment for two long years, and I could have whipped him all along.  I had been the victim of intimidation.
            Now listen.  I am telling you a story about before I was saved.  I don't advocate fleshly violence as a Christian.  But, this incident taught me a lesson.  I refuse to let the devil intimidate me.  He has no power over me.  He's already defeated.  My elder brother, Jesus Christ, destroyed him 2000 years ago.

A Warrior Shares His Spoils

            Now, what good would a warrior be to his family and friends if he didn't share the spoils of battle?  Winning is not only about the fight— it's about the victory.  After Samson killed the lion, he returned to find a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of the lion.  Samson took some to his mother and father.  When Jesus destroyed the enemy, He started distributing honey— the honey of the Gospel— to every one of us.  We are children of God.  We accepted that honey; we've tasted that honey.  No wonder the Bible says taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8).
            As warriors, we must continue to distribute the sweet Gospel.  Take it to your family.  God said He would save the household.  Don't let the devil have one member of the family.  Don't' let the drug culture have the children.  Christian warriors have the best trophies to display— people whom they have helped find deliverance from bondage to drugs and alcohol, healing for the body, salvation from sin, and freedom and peace in exchange for oppression.  Every time the church doors are open, a true warrior should walk through the doors with a new trophy.

A Warrior Is Disciplined

            But herein lies the weakness of Samson.  He was strong in his exploits, but weak in his daily lifestyle and service.  The first order of boot camp is learning the importance of total submission to authority.  Young warriors-in-training must eat, sleep, run, sit, walk, work, and rest at the command of their superior.  Following orders to the letter can mean life or death for a soldier and his troop.
            Samson had a problem with this.  He followed rules half-heartedly.  He kept the long hair as part of the Nazirite vow to God, but married a pagan woman and slept with prostitutes.  Samson tried to mix the flesh with the anointing.
            This sounds familiar.  Many churches try to do the same juggling act.  "Christians" will go to church and maybe pay their tithes, half-heartedly.  But they are still married to the world— one foot in the world and one in the church.  They still go places with their worldly friends.  They still talk like the world and still have worldly desires.  Where is the discipline?
            God has laid out the rules in His letter— the Bible.  Men of God tell the church members from behind the pulpit what is expected from a warrior of God.  A warrior must come out from the world and be separated— "..do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2).  "Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (I John 2:15).  It is not an easy path to follow.  A warrior in the kingdom must be submissive to authority and must exercise self-control.
            Let's face it.  Samson's problem was his flesh.  He loved women— the wrong kind of women.  Once the devil finds your weakness, he'll come at you with both barrels.  The Philistines enlisted help from the most beautiful woman they could find— Delilah.  What's your Delilah.  The devil knows.                        Samson did not want a woman from his own people.  His father and mother tried to counsel him against it, but those in the flesh do not listen to anyone in the Spirit.  Young people think they have to go out to the dance hall or the bar to find a mate.  Then they wonder why they have marital problems.  Find a spouse in your church— one that is saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost.
            But Samson gave in to the flesh.  He loved the Philistine women.  And, Delilah's goal was to discover the secret to Samson's strength.  His enemies wanted to reduce him back to an ordinary man, and because of a lack of self control, Samson allowed them to do just that.  To be a warrior, the flesh must die.  Some have to die daily, like Paul.  There are many temptations pulling at our flesh— lust, anger, adultery, greed, hatred, and homosexuality.  A warrior is self-controlled— or should I say God-controlled— for the sake of victory, but there are too many flesh-dominated Christians.  Satan cannot touch Christians strong in the Spirit.  If he is able to reduce you to the ordinary man of flesh you once were, he has gained control.  All the strength may not be lost at once.  The power of God may leave gradually.
            The Philistines followed Samson to a harlot's house.  When he left at midnight, he picked up the gates of the city— 3800 pounds— and went 26 miles toting them on his shoulders.  The enemy bided their time.  All his strength was not yet gone.  You don't lose it all at once.  And many Christians have mastered the art of appearing to be on fire for God.  But the heart will be discovered eventually.
            Samson had been playing around with temptation so long, that he forgot the danger.  He finally let his last guard down and told the secret to his strength— for fleshly desires.  He woke up one day and shook himself, only to find his strength gone, his eyes gouged out, and his body bound.
            When the Church loses its eyesight and can't see sin, everything goes.  Become blinded to the truth, and the devil will not be happy until he can tie you up onto a wheel grinding corn, just like Samson.  Many church folks are going around in circles— going around that wheel with Sunday School, morning worship, evening service, women's missionary meetings, servitude, frying chicken for the bishop.
            There's no anointing, no Spirit; just routine.  The devil's got Christians so tied up they can't do what God has called them to do.  Going to church is important; servitude is important— but God has so much more for His warriors to accomplish.
            The devil stripped Samson of his strength, his joy, his power, his liberty— he lost it all.  Samson had to learn an important lesson the hard way.  Warriors must always prepare for the worst.  They must not only know themselves; they must know their enemies.  Samson relied too heavily on brute force.  He underestimated the power of the flesh and the cunning of his enemy.
            Remember, the enemy doesn't always come crashing through the front door.  Sometimes he sneaks in the back door.  Your enemy will never give up.  Delilah just kept on working on Samson until she wore him down.  She kept asking, enticing, pleading— any trick she could use.  The devil's got a bag of tricks.  And he will try every one of them on you.  You don't have to carry it.  You are a child of God.
The Holy Ghost is your Security.  Through the power of the Spirit, you have wisdom, discernment, and overcoming power.  Listen, Christians must prepare for the temptations.  Practice seeking God's wisdom.  Keep prayer in your daily life.  Read the Word.  These tools give the warrior ultimate power over temptation.

Warriors Get Back Up After Defeat

            Samson was a warrior downed because of his own foolishness.  But the story wasn't over.  The last chapter in Samson's life speaks of the comeback.  This is a good lesson for the Church.  No matter how far we've fallen, there's always a way back.  God knows how to reclaim what is His.
            Samson finally became more concerned about the defeat of the enemy and the glory of God than the desires of his own flesh.  His flesh was ready to die at last.  Physically, Samson was a mere shell of his former self.  He was blinded and broken.  Emotionally, he was broken as well.  But to God, this was only a temporary condition.  Samson's hair was growing back.  He was renewing his oath to God and getting ready for a revisitation of God's Spirit.  When the Church is ready to crucify the flesh, we will see a revisitation of the Spirit like never before.
            The enemy gave Samson his opportunity.  The devil will always slip up and play right into God's hand.  Three thousand Philistines gathered to worship the false God, Dagon.  They decided they would make sport of their defeated foe, Samson.  (The world points fingers at Christians who have fallen.  They count us out.  But it's not over.)
            When they brought Samson out, he was strategically placed between two pillars— the pillars that supported the entire temple.  Samson was in tune with God when he positioned himself with his hands on the pillars.  He cried out one last time for God's strength.  God rewarded Samson.  As the Spirit again came on Samson mightily, he pushed down the pillars and the entire temple, killing all the people in it, including himself. "So the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his life" (Judges 16:30).
            The devil might have knocked some Christians down, but the Church is not out of the fight.  Take the mandatory eight-count and get back into the fight.  The last chapter has not been read.  The Church is coming back.  As a warrior, Christians can challenge the power of Satan.  The demons will cower when a warrior uses Christ's name.  When a soldier has received the power to put the devil where he belongs.
            I spent five years with a man of God by the name of A.A. Allen.  When he cast out devils, I watched and learned.  Then one day, he told me it was my turn.  A woman came into the tent that had had a demon cast out before.  But if a soul is not filled with the Holy Ghost, the Bible says the demon will go back into the same spiritual house and take with him seven more spirits more wicked than himself.  When this woman returned, she had company.
            I prepared for battle— took her into the prayer tent with 12 preachers and 10 singers.  I laid hands on that woman and prayed like Brother Allen did.  I stood like Brother Allen did.  The devil spoke through the woman: "We are not coming out!"  (Don't play Sunday School when you meet the devil.)
            I beat the chair, stomped my foot.  The devil said, "I've found a home here and we are staying."  I laid hands on her, screamed, hollered until 3 a.m.  All the preachers left and most of the singers.  Finally, I felt a resurgence of my spirit; it felt like someone put a cloak of anointing on me.  Suddenly, I began to talk to that devil in a different way.  I told him how Jesus Christ had defeated him 2000 years ago, stripped him, and rendered him powerless.  The demons did not like that.  I kept on talking louder.
            The devil has no business in the Christian's life.  Put him where he belongs.  "In My name they will cast out demons" (Mark 7:16).  Know what happened?  The devils came out.  She started talking in tongues and was filled with the Holy Ghost.  Do not let the devil bluff you out of your position in the army of the Almighty.
            You may be going through a trial, going through the fire.  Be encouraged.  God is just getting ready to use you.  Some must go through the water, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood.  When a Christian goes into the fire, he is never alone.  Christ is already there.  Don't give in to the flesh.  Exercise self-control.  Endure hardness as a good soldier.
            "..be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus..endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ..that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier" (2 Timothy 2:1-4, NKJ, selected).  So, set your sights on the mark and fight the good fight as a warrior in the army of God.

Nine years ago I made this declaration: "I spent the first 50 years of my life trying to be balanced. I want to spend the rest of my life trying to be radical." All history shapers are radical, and I believe it's time for believers everywhere to take on this attribute.