By
Dana Rausch
/ February 12, 2013
Two police officers were out patrolling in the middle of night as they came upon a red light at an intersection. Waiting for the light to turn green, chatting away, contemplating any calls to come through, they were ambushed. Out of nowhere, another vehicle across the intersection begins shooting at them with an assault rifle, killing one and gravely wounding the other. They had no warning, no clue to the danger. They were simply two officers in uniform that someone else had an aversion to.
Ambush is a military tactic in which the aggressor hides himself so that he can take advantage of a surprise attack. It means to wait out so that the sudden violence takes the opponent completely by storm rendering them in most cases unable to defend themselves. It is the act of lying in wait to attack by surprise.
Mark 4:35-41 shares a similar story. Jesus and his disciples get in a boat to cross to the other side. Out of nowhere came a fierce gale of wind creating huge waves that were breaking over the boat, causing the boat to fill with water. It was an ambush.
Where was Jesus? He was asleep on a cushion in the back of the boat.
Why? Because:
· Jesus knew who he was,
· Jesus was secure in his relationship with God
· Jesus knew the authority he held
· Jesus knew who was behind the fierce storm.
When a storm hits you, are you rendered powerless by the element of surprise?
I am.
Many times my first response is shock and then a meltdown, for fear enters and I cower. My knee-jerk reaction in my fight or flight decision is flight. As I flee, I hear the thundering accusations about what a coward I am:
· You don’t know who you are in Christ.
· You call yourself a Christian and cringe at this?
· You are a weakling.
· You let the enemy walk all over you.
I got ambushed this week. On the threshold of something happening with my book, the attack came out of nowhere, like those officers, and just like Jesus.
Yes, I chose the flight decision again. Yet in the process of fleeing, I put my hand up to stop the accusations and ran for cover under the shelter of the almighty. I called my prayer warriors in to help fight the battle.
When the dust settled, I was able to see more clearly the battle that raged. Jesus was on the brink of bringing freedom to a captive in Mark 5. Satan attempted to ambush Jesus so that would not take place. Because he knew if Jesus got to the other side of the lake, he would set that man free.
Although Satan was NEVER successful with hindering Jesus, he continually tries to thwart God moving in our lives.
I am standing on the verge of a breakthrough with my book. After numerous encouragements, promptings and confirmations an opportunity has opened. Is the enemy unhappy? Absolutely! In fact he is raging war.
It is a book on marriage and the destructive habit that wives must overcome in devaluing their husbands. Marriages are disintegrating by the droves, which is the the enemy’s tactic. John 10:10 states, “The thief ONLY comes to steal, kill and destroy…”Jesus said to the disciples in Luke 4:40 after he rebuked the wind, “Why are you afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
Personally that says to me: What’s the problem….I have your back. I have called you to do this project, and I have encouraged you. I have sent people to come along side you to help you. So what’s keeping you? Get moving………
What is God saying to you?