1 QUOTE

"Things are not as they seem!”

– Pastor Darrell Johnson

1 NOTE

For the past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about the spiritual realm. The size of earth truly amazes me. It always confounds me that no matter where you are on planet earth you see sun, moon and stars. And yet we live in a world that is inside another world. As my friend and mentor Darrell Johnson said during ‘The Revelation of Jesus Christ’, his outstanding core book preaching exposition of the last book of the Bible, “Things are not as they seem.” We understand this on an experiential level when the spiritual realm breaks into our life and ministry.

On the first day of church planting in Long Beach, Carson and Compton, I walked onto the Cal State Domginuez Hills campus for the very first time. Touching down on our mission soil brought forth an enthusiastic response from the spiritual world. I approached the north gate and saw a homeless man. (This was rare and for the rest of our time on the campus, our team never seen another homeless person at the gate.) As I got closer to the man, he began to hiss, curse and shake his clenched fingers at me. I was startled, taken aback and tried to move by him quickly. But he blocked my way, increased his cursing and began yelling in at me in a demonic, other-world voice, “We don’t want you here!” I was an English major at UCLA and understand how pronouns work. I wanted to ask him for the literary interpretation, “And who exactly is with you?” But I chose the high road, prayed for the man in my spirit and scampered by him to meet with my ministry team.

A power encounter in when the power of God is tested over and against another supernatural being’s power. Luke records a power encounter when an evil spirit physically beat itinerant Jewish exorcists. The demon said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” and beat the seven men (Acts 19:16). This power encounter was the beginning of the Ephesus church plant.

During our staff meeting, we prayed about the power encounter. Our team worshipped God and thanked him for being with us. We reasoned that the Father had meaningful ministry ahead if we were already on the radar (and the whiteboard) of the devil and his dark army. This power encounter became a prayer and a mantra for us, “The Father has great plans if the evil one doesn’t want us here!” And looking back on the last twenty years, we have a better understanding of why the devil did not want us to plant ministry here!

1 QUESTION

When the spiritual realm breaks into our daily world, identity and priorities come into focus real quick! Have you had a benchmark encounter (light or darkness) with the next world? If so, how were you changed by the encounter?

Until Next Tuesday,

John