Distractions can come in all different shapes and
sizes. There is nothing as annoying as
when you are busy trying to do something and there is this "something else" that
keeps distracting you! It’s happened to
us many times. We are busy doing the
Work of the Lord and something keeps trying to take our focus away from the
task at hand. I’m sure it’s happened in
your life as well.
Well, the year 1999 was the worst! It was a year filled
with distractions and there was one common result when the distractions
came....FEAR! Today, I will only share a couple
of them.
We had just finished a week of preaching at Aroostook Pentecostal
Campmeeting in Bridgewater, Maine. I had
been the Morning Bible Teacher for that week during Family Camp. We were on our way home to Laval travelling
through New Brunswick and we decided to stop at the Irving Restaurant in Perth,
New Brunswick for some lunch. This was
the old one across the road from the big water tower on the old highway. As we pulled into the parking lot we noticed
there was some heavy road construction going on all around. It was when they were putting in the new
four-lane highway. So we go inside and
sit next to the side window right beside the tall propane cylinder where customers
could have their small propane tanks filled. And of course there was the gas station on the
other side of the restaurant.
As we got settled, the waitress came and took our order.
Within a couple minutes she came back into the dining room and announced to everyone,
“In a few minutes there will be some blasting up on the hill behind the
restaurant. Don’t be alarmed. It will only last a few seconds.” There were probably 11 of us seated in the
dining room. About 10 minutes went by
and our food arrived. My wife and I and
two girls bowed our heads to pray. As I
said “Amen” the heaviest RUMMBLE and loudest EXPLOSION began to shake the
ground! Even though we had been prepared and knew it was going to happen it
scared the living daylights out of us! It felt like they had dropped the “Mother
Load” of TNT right under our feet! Just then we noticed people outside running
away from the building with horrified looks on their faces. Those running were
staring up at the sky. Now, I don’t
know what would have gone on in your head, but in mine I was thinking, “Hmmm...What’s wrong
with this picture?” Gas station...propane tanks...TNT! I jumped up and rushed over to the front
window. And then I saw it....ROCKS!!,
thousands of rocks were falling all over the parking lot. Many were small but some were a pretty good
size. I thought, “WOW! This can’t be good!” Then my brain kicked in and said to
me, “No this isn’t good at all...you’re in a gas station ya know!” Just then a huge boulder came crashing through
the roof and right through the floor leaving a hole the size of an average
watermelon! It went through the floor
about four feet from where my family and I were sitting! I was shocked! Everything in the room was
covered in gyprock dust. We looked at each other is total disbelief. Within a few minutes the RCMP arrived and he
asked me if I would be able to provide a statement. As I am sitting in the Police car giving him details
of what had just happened, a little
white truck with a flashing orange light slowly pulled into the parking lot. The little guy in the truck had a somewhat bewildered look on his face as he surveyed the scene. I said to
the Officer, “I think that’s the guy we should be talking to. It turns out the workers hadn’t covered the
dynamite properly before igniting it!
A few weeks later we were taking Estelle to Bible
College in St. Catherines, Ontario. The morning we were to leave and come back
to Laval, we stopped at Tim’s for some coffee.
We ordered our breakfast and sat next to the window. We like sitting beside windows! As we began to drink our coffee on this quiet, peaceful morning, into the parking lot comes a little Suzuki Tracker, full
tilt! It never slowed a bit and slammed
right into the window opposite from where Esther and I were sitting just one
table away, shattering it from top to bottom! We just looked at each other and
I said, “What in the world is going on?”
Once again it was like something was trying to scare us and to cripple
us with fear.
In the same year we had an encounter with a very
troubled girl in Montreal whose name was Rosa-lita. Sometime when you have time I’ll tell you
that story. It was unbelievable! It still gives me “shivers” when I think about
it!
Throughout 1999 this sort of thing was happening often,
until we were in prayer one day and the Lord showed us that these were just spirits
that were trying to distract us from what God had called us to do. If the enemy of your soul can distract you
with fear, it will cripple your efforts.
Once we understood what we were dealing with, we then took authority
over it through prayer and it subsided.
Now, when things like this happen, we immediately recognize what it is
and we command it to GET OUT!
I recall reading
a story as told by Smith Wigglesworth some time ago when he was being visited
by the devil one night. Smith had gone to bed when all of a sudden he heard a noise downstairs,
so he took his lantern and went down to investigate the noise. He found that
Satan had manifested himself and was sitting in his rocking chair. Smith's
reaction was one that we all should have. He looked at the devil and said,
"Oh, it's just you.". . . blew out the lamp and went back to bed.
Smith was always nonchalant in these types of situations, which would normally disturb
most Christians. He knew he was more powerful than the devil. He had to be; he
had the Holy Spirit living in him! There was no reason for him to fear
something that was less powerful than he was.
Here’s how the Apostle Paul talked about this, “And
now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things
that shall befall me there: But none of these things move me, neither count I
my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God.” Acts 20:22-24
And then one of my favourite scriptures says, “When the
enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a
standard against him.”
The Message Bible says, Keep
vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of
both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep
your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will
stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the
dust. Proverbs 4:23-27 The
Message
You may be bothered by "sideshow distractions" today with things that can be very un-nerving. My word for you today is....Be
unmovable! Be steadfast! Don’t look to the left or the right! Stay focussed on your personal calling! God will protect you! SRR
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