LET THEM HAVE THEIR WARS

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DRAPER’S PAPER ROUTE

LET THEM HAVE THEIR WARS

by Adam Carroll Draper

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about moments and how important it is to remember them, particularly since it is in each moment that we encounter God.  This week marked another momentous event in my walk.  On July 16, 2001, Jesus appeared to me in a vision.  Hopefully, after reading my other musings, it will not come as a shock that I said this.  Honestly, I do not expect people to believe that it was real, but I know it was.  That can make me appear crazy to many, but I can’t care about that at this foreign juncture, particularly since so many people know that there is some validity to that point of view.

I had been on something of a dream quest for at least a couple weeks when Jesus appeared to me.  This was not in a waking vision.  I was in deep meditation when I was suddenly aware that He was standing in front of me.  I could not remember what I had been seeking Him about.  It was overwhelming just to see Him.  Nothing else mattered, and I mean that completely literally.   Eventually, I remembered that I had been asking for something (some understanding), but that was just gone – and I can’t remember what it was to this day. 

Jesus was right there in front of me, and I figured He had come because I was seeking His face, so I asked the Holy Spirit to tell me what to ask.  Why ask the Holy Spirit and not Jesus (particularly since they are the same person)?  I don’t know.  It seemed good at the time.  In Romans, St. Paul says that the Holy Spirit shapes our groans into prayers, so I figured this was something like that.  The question that came out of me was clearly not from me.  I would not have thought of it… ever.

“Lord, I know that your gospel does not change because you don’t change,” I said.  “But how would you express it to this generation?”  I was blown away by the fact that came out of my mouth.  I also realized simultaneously that Jesus had something to say, and it was part of His awesomeness to let me think He was there simply because I wanted something.  I need to add to that I was not moving a muscle at this point.  Jesus had come in glory.  I had experienced that majesty before.  You can’t move.  It is awe.  He is everything!

When He spoke, every aspect of me seared into what He was saying.  Bear in mind again that this happened on July 16, 2001.  We were not at war, yet.

“Let them have their wars,” Jesus said.  “If they come to take your house, let them have it.  If they come to steal your car, let them take it.  Don’t let them have me.”

My friend, Fawaz Fanek, had given me a book by Kenneth Hagin called The Believer’s Authority, and I had been reading it.  Again, thinking that Jesus was there to answer something I had been asking or in response to some enlightenment I had been getting, I assumed that He was telling me something about authority.  I told Him that I knew that I could rebuke the enemy in His name.  I expected resounding affirmation from Him.  He looked at me as if to say (firmly, but nicely) that I needed to be quiet and listen.  From that, I think I have some small idea how St. Peter must have felt when God told him to hush on the mountain of the Transfiguration.

“You have me inside you, and you are within me,” He said.  “No one can take me from you.  You let them take me from you when they attack some thing you value and you leave me to stop them.”

Immediately, I understood that stuff, like a house or cars, are so important to me that I will leave Him (the peace that passeth understanding) and wig out over some threat to them.  It was obvious to me that Jesus was telling me that this is the enemy.  This is temptation.

“Oh, I see.  If your eye betrays you, cut it out.  If your ear betrays you, cut it off,” I said.  “That’s what you meant?”

“Yes,” He said.  “That way, you are keeping the pearls and they are hoarding oysters.”  

The fullness of what He said washed over me for a second, and I just looked at Him in amazement.  It was like I had known this all along.  It was so simple.  Yet, I did not know it.  I am still not sure I really know it.

I woke up.  

You can’t forget something like that.  I know that the Lord was teaching me the very essence of spiritual warfare.  There is a fight.  It is over us – what we believe.  We get to rest, but we choose to fret and wig out - at our literal peril.

If you got anything out of this missive, please give it a thumbs up, comment, share or some such thing. It helps. I sincerely appreciate that you took the time to read this.