Fighting for Our Children
The past few days—Tuesday and Wednesday in particular—I felt some heaviness in my heart. I had been praying about God’s direction, and what He wanted me to do to continue contributing to the homeschool community. The last 6 months of 2018, I was on a roll, with so much momentum. I also began planning for 2019, with goals in place. But then in January, I began to slow down. Since then, I have been praying really hard, to the point of asking God if I should even continue. Thoughts like these began creeping into my head:
Is this really what I should be doing now?
Is this really for me?
Is this really…“me”?
I’m no expert…
Then last week, I saw “heavy-weights” in the homeschooling community on my social media feed, and I blurted out in my mind that I would not continue anymore. Why should I even continue when all these “bigatin” experts are already out there? Then I enumerated in my mind how this person is already doing this, and that person is already doing that, and what else could I contribute? Medyo kaloka…maybe also because I’m at this point called…midlife!
Amid all these weird feelings, I continued to pray for God’s guidance. And then came that sense of heaviness…God began to put a burden on my heart for children. The trigger was this creepy online challenge targeting kids, brainwashing them to do horrifying things. I don’t even want to go into details. This alarmed and disturbed me, and made me angry…it made me angry at all the evil around us. The most vulnerable, the most helpless—the children—the ones who need to be protected the most, they are the ones being attacked!
I realized it was just like it was in the days of Baby Moses, or Baby Jesus, when authorities were out to kill babies. Just like in this day and age, when abortion is legal in several parts of the world, and in one US city, is considered legal up until the day of birth (crazy!!!). Then the abuse, the bullying…and now this creepy online challenge. Many other issues out there put children in harm’s way. It’s a sad and brutal reality.
So yeah, I began to have this sinking feeling. But at the same time, that burden began to brew something else. A stirring of the spirit, if you will. A renewed sense of why we homeschool.
This battle for our children will not be simply won in the same realm of the flesh, in the arena of the world. It has to be constantly fought in the spiritual realm. Let’s consider what the Bible says:
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NLT)
I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4, TLB)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9a, NLT)
This is called “spiritual warfare.” In the midst of all our efforts in forming our children according to our faith and values, let us be aware that these are strengthened a hundred times more by a higher power—God’s power. Our enemy seems to be of Goliath proportions, but thanks to our hindsight bias, we already know who gets the upper hand:
David replied to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the Lord will conquer you….” (1 Samuel 17:45, NLT)
The evil one is wreaking havoc and will do whatever he can to bring people to his side. One of his strategies is attacking the basic unit of society: the family. Which is why his blows are aimed towards marriages, parents, and children. But in this one passage, Jesus shows us how He is here to topple the works of the enemy:
“A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, NABRE)
I sensed the urgency to share this message with you, and for as long as God gives me something to share and contribute to the homeschooling community, as long as He tells me to keep going in this direction, then I will.
(Just saw my word count, and it’s nearing 800 words. This might be too long a read for you already, so I will continue this message in my next post…)
Blessings!
Mich 🙂
What are your thoughts so far on fighting for our children in the spiritual realm? Feel free to message me or post in the comments.