Against the Spiritual Forces of Evil

A young couple pulled over as I flagged them down on the road flanking the abortion mill. They both looked very young, and very frightened. The woman told me immediately she was here for an abortion. I asked her if she felt that was the right thing to do. She shook her head. The young man was on the verge of tears. He didn't speak English well, but he understood most of what I said. According to the mama, he wanted the baby.

Most days when I am counseling for life on the sidewalks, I feel none of me, and all of God. I feel empty, vulnerable, and utterly dwarfed by the enormity of the mission there to dissuade abortion-minded mothers from killing their unborn children. But every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirt, and at the times when I am weakest, God is strongest. He reminds me time and again, my only job is to show up and be a witness for Him. Convicting and saving is His job alone.

This time, as I leaned in the window, pleading the case of choosing what God would have them do, my eyes welled with tears. I told them one day they would be old, like me. (Frankly I would have preferred if they argued that bit about old...but they looked at me and nodded.) They would look back on this day with one of two responses. Either, they would be filled with remorse over a choice that they knew was wrong, but did anyway. Or they would mark Sept. 14, 2015 as a day they chose to do what was right, no matter the cost. If they chose the first path, I warned them, my eyes brimming with tears and voice cracking, they would look back with deep despair over the conscious choice to abandon their moral compass.

The young man began crying then. The mama asked if they could pull into the parking lot to discuss privately with each other. I begged her not to pull into the abortion mill lot. "Satan is real, and he is powerful. Please just pull over to the curb here to discuss. I will stand nearby, ready to walk you to our free mobile ultrasound unit should you decide to see your baby."

She nodded, and pulled over to the curb. I stood on the sidewalk, bowed my head, clasped my hands, and prayed. My heart broke for the young couple, but I petitioned God to convict their terrified hearts that He is indeed a refuge and strength. They need not fear walking His path. I know the other counselors who volunteer alongside me observed, and were all praying as well.

Finally, the young woman rolled down the car window. The couple had been in tearful discussion at least twenty minutes. They had reached a decision. They would go with me on our free mobile ultrasound unit, in the RV outside the abortion mill.

It was a hard fought victory, just to get them in the RV.  Neither could see beyond their fear. Hope sparked in me because the hardest step is often the first one. One small good choice, often leads to others. Sadly, the same is true of bad choices.

During the two hours the nurse and I counseled them, a spiritual battle raged in their hearts. The young man trembled violently, and collapsed in tears against the young woman. They held each other up as they walked to the ultrasound table, and the young woman lay down. When they saw their amazing baby on the ultrasound, both smiled, and clutched each others' hands. The little baby chewed on her hand, waved. Then, the most poignant moment of all; she lifted a hand with palm cupped as though in supplication. I mimicked her movement. No one could miss the child pleading for her life. I didn't, anyway.

Afterwards, they still cried and fought what they knew they should do. Then, with a shudder, they both told me, yes, they would keep the child. I shared the Gospel with them, and both wanted to ask Jesus into their lives then and there. The man stopped trembling, and they hugged each other a long time. New creations turned their calmer faces back to me.

We filled their arms with supplies, resources, information, and the promise to help in any way we could. They have my phone number, and were happy to have me text them with daily Bible verses to help remind them of the One who holds each of us in His hands.

Three lives saved by the grace of God. What a privilege to be able to see God's magnificent miracles before my very eyes.
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please go to charlottecities4life.org if interested in showing up, or aiding those who do.
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Ephesians 6:12

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:11 

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 

For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Psalm 91:1-16 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, ...

1 Peter 5:8 

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

James 4:7

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.