Like Gideon in the last article, every disciple is called to be a hard-hitting warrior of God, taking the battle to the enemy and wrestling souls from Satan’s clutches; there are no two ways about it. Indeed in this movement, we are a part of a growing world-wide spiritual insurgency against Satan’s grip on souls. While we may often be poor and often be downtrodden, this is not a war for the glory of today. It is a war to shape the future. The critical fact is that everyone we see today will be dead in 100 years! That means that whoever is mounting the attack to rescue the campuses and the youths will own the spiritual fortresses of tomorrow. In a big way, it is clear that preaching on campus will be the determining factor in this war. What we whisper today in the ears of a young disciple, we blast from the mountaintops in the future. That is what Jesus did and that is what we need to do. If that is what you are doing right now… then skip the rest of this article and keep doing what you are doing!
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Count the Cost Daily

Judges 6:11-16
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
15 “But Lord , ” Gideon asked, “how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
16 The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.”

Gideon was in a very difficult situation. A man of little account who had to thresh his wheat secretly in a wine press for fear of losing the little bit of produce that kept him alive. His land was overcome by Midianites and had no plan to defeat them or establish a thriving Israel.

Ever find yourself in this spot? You’re not pressing spiritual fruit but you’re surviving on a meagre supply of bread? You’re having the odd quiet time but you’re not pressing the wine of obedience. Your family, church, and yourself are overcome by stubborn Midian-like sin that robs all the produce of the land and cruelly subjugates you. There is sadness, mediocrity, senseless pain, senseless waste, and defeat. This is a two-part article to examine tried and true biblical principles that can get YOU out of your corner punching and knocking out the sin and darkness that are killing you spiritually.

Any upstart leader can come along and lead a “revival” once, but the men I honour and respect are the guys who can get knocked down into the gutter and make meaningful and heroic comebacks. Anyone can claim to be a leader, but a true leader can resurrect his ministry with power every time it needs to be resurrected even if that’s six times a year for an immature group. Anyone can throw a punch… but not everyone can take one… Only the heroes get back up get off of the ropes and dish it out and well as they take it.
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Romans 12:22 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Hey everyone! Well, it was an incredible weekend for the women’s ministry of the London Church!

Saturday was our third ever Women’s Day here in the London International Christian Church! When I think back to that very first Women’s Day in Jacques and Jeanette’s tiny fullham flat: me as pregnant as ever, a small group of fired up sisters putting out little snacks and a few guests that arrived late, we certainly have come a long way! From then until now, the church has grown and changed, my faith has grown and deepened and my belly has turned into a chunky little fellow named Tim Junior, who has captured the heart of my husband and I!

As I reflect on this past Women’s Day, it leaves a bittersweet sentiment in my heart. It is sweet because I have had the great privilege of getting to know some of the most amazing women that I have ever met in my life. The sadness that I also feel is knowing that this Women’s Day marks the very last one that I will experience as a part of the women’s ministry here in London. While there is sadness, there is also joy, as i remember the awesome day that we spent together!

Our Women’s Day was kicked off by our wonderful sister Jeanette Groenewald, as she welcomed all the women to our third annual Women’s Day entitled, Extreme Makeover: Spiritual Edition! We prayed for the food that our awesome sister Deirdre Morgan had organized and then made our way into the refreshments room for an incredible time of fellowship as the guests continued to arrive!
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