A Word through Ching Co, Cebu City, The Philippines Ching's email: ching@gsilink.com

May 21, 2001

FOR THOSE STATIONED IN BASE CAMP

There is a great number of God's chosen ones who this season are stationed in a "base camp". Some are there to rest, some awaiting new assignments, some being prepared and waiting to be sent out.

Whatever the reasons, our "base camp" position gives us plenty of time to be pondering. This can be both a blessing and also a temptation.

A blessing-- as this position of being still will enable us to hear from the Lord more clearly. But also a temptation because the enemy of our soul will not remain quiet but will also have the same amount of time and will utilize all his effort to draw us away from God.

THE ENEMY'S WEAPON OF WAR

Reminiscence of what and where things "could have been" had we acted or moved differently or made other choices in the past-- will be one of the focal targets of the enemy.

This remembering will cover actions and decisions we have made even before we met Christ.

Many of us today are facing different battles and struggles. Some of these have affect our loved ones (spouses, children, parents), Some are battling health problems and different infirmities. Others are facing financial crises. Many are feeling pressed in from all sides.

Whatever the exact details, many unpleasant surprises seem to have come against us in places that are just too sudden and unexpected and often have caught us off guard.

"WHAT IF " AND "PLAYBACK" TACTICS OF THE ENEMY

The enemy will be using the tactics of "what if " and "playback" and he will continually fill our minds with scenarios of "what could have happened" or where things could have been had we taken a different approach to these matters or had acted differently than we did.

Our minds will be bombarded with specific playbacks of those times where we have failed or made wrong choices and he will try to connect it with what is taking place right now in our lives-- and will equate one to the other and will be putting great pressures in our mind and heart---feelings of guilt, regret and remorse.

What will add to the pressures will be the fact that many of these memories are realities in our lives and are experiences in our lives from the past which we have chosen to file away in one compartment of our mind under "failures, mistakes, wrong choices and disappointments".

SOWING AND REAPING

Many of us have even begun to wonder if these difficulties that we are now facing are the direct result of our sins and we are merely reaping what we sowed in the past.

HOW TO DEAL WITH THESE ATTACKS

Francis Frangipane in his book entitled " The Three Battlegrounds" has provided us with a very good answer which the Holy Spirit has quickened in my heart and used to speak clearly to me.

In page 17 -18 he talked about Matthew 5:25-26 and I quote part of what he wrote.

AGREE WITH THINE ADVERSARY

"You will remember that Jesus taught: 'Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast pad the uttermost farthing.' - Matt. 5:25-26 KJV

"Jesus is speaking here of more than avoiding lawsuits. In fact, He speaks in such a way as to indicate that, in regards to this particular adversary and this particular judge, we will always lose our case and end up in prison.

IT'S ABOUT GOD'S VIEW

"This parable explains God's view of human righteousness. In the narrative, the adversary is the devil and the Judge is God. Satan, as our adversary, stands as the accuser of the brethren before God, the Judge of all. The truth Christ wants us to see is that when we approach God on the basis of our own righteousness, the adversary will always have legal grounds to 'cast [us] into prison', for our righteousness is 'as filthy rags.' (Isa. 64:6 KJV)

AGREEING WITH THE ENEMY?

"When Jesus says, 'agree with thine adversary quickly,' He does not mean 'obey' the devil. He is saying that when Satan accuses you of some sin or flaw, if the devil is even minutely right, it is to your advantage to agree with him about your unrighteousness. It he accuses you of being impure or not loving or praying enough, he is right. The key is not to argue with the devil about your own righteousness because, before God, your righteousness is unacceptable. No matter how much you defend or justify yourself, you know inwardly that often the accusations of the devil have morsels of truth in them.

"Our salvation is not based upon what we do but upon who Jesus becomes in us. Christ Himself is our righteousness. We have been justified by faith; our peace with God comes through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). When Satan comes against you, he tries to deceive you by focusing your attention upon your own righteousness. The more we recognize that Jesus alone is our righteousness, the less the adversary can assault us in the arena of our failings. When the accuser comes seeking to condemn you for not having enough love, your response should be, 'That is true, I do not have enough love. But the Son of God died for all my sins, even the sin of imperfect love.' Step out from the shadow of satanic assault and stand in the Brightness of Your Father's love. Submit yourself to God and ask for Christ's love and forgiveness to replace your weak and imperfect love."

HOW TO DEAL WITH REGRET

The Lord brought to my mind the story of Samuel. Samuel grew up in an imperfect surrounding. The atmosphere that surrounded him was not perfect because the sons of Eli where not walking in the way of God. Yet despite these, it did not prevent him from entering into the fullness of his call and destiny in God. "The boy Samuel continued to grow up in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men" (1 Samuel 2:26)

In the same manner, despite the failures and wrong choices we made in the past--- God is also able to take control of these areas and He can turn it around for good-- not just for us but for those that surround us like our children and other love ones.

REMEMBERING HIS PROMISES- ISAIAH 43:18-21 -AMPLIFIED BIBLE

"Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. Behold, I Am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beasts of the field honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. The people I formed for Myself that may set forth My praise [and they shall do it]."

PRAYER OF SURRENDER

"Once more we come to Your throne of grace Heavenly Father and we surrender all our failures, regrets and remorse to You. We thank You because we know that You are able to make all thing new. We surrender to You everything because we know that You are in control of every details of our life.

"Allow us once again to feel Your heartbeat for us and draw us unto Your bosom this day. In Christ name we pray all these amen!"

Blessings, Sis. Ching Co Cebu City Philippines