More Attacks

 

William had been under a lot of oppression for a week or so, so much so it was muddling his mind. He had been acting rather odd, not his normal self and I should have caught on. Since our large cross had spent the winter outdoors (attached to our garden bed as a witness to the neighborhood), it needed refinishing before we could take it into our new school/church building. He was out sanding on it, then varnishing it on Thursday. At that time, my elderly art students came in for their weekly art lesson – Ralph hadn’t been coming since Feb. since his back was really hurting him and he was in a depression, so Thurs. was his first day back. He hobbled in with a cane really complaining. I asked William to come up and pray for him. As soon as William laid hands on his back, he felt the power of God enter in, but God kept pressing him to keep going with prayer (it may have taken upwards of ½ hr. or so, he was given the impression). Ralph, even though a professing Christian, he scoffed at William for his actions, but God kept pressing William to go on. Ralph’s pride was getting in the way, so William left him be and went back outside. In the mean time, our art lesson progressed and Ralph was starting to get free mentally and physically – I saw him sit up straighter and start his magpie chattering. I knew he was feeling better. In the mean time, William was out in the garage with God pestering him to go up and speak to Ralph and pray some more. William kept putting God off and saying, “ok, ok,” but kept working. Finally God spoke loudly and William said, “OK!” and came upstairs to tell Ralph something. Ralph tried to ignore William’s words, knowing them to be true, but too prideful to accept it; however, when Ralph left the house at noon, he was back to his chipper self, walking without the cane (but refused to acknowledge it, same with Barb) – he even went around to my garden to check it out (like he’s always done before).

Anyway, William was dealing with his own issues by that point (he didn’t realize until later, God was dealing with Pride in him as well). He went off to the store to get a couple things, came home and by 2 pm or so, lay down for a nap. He didn’t get up until after 5 or so, still out of sorts. We sit down for the evening, in our jammies to watch an old 1938 Charlie Chan movie, and about 7:30 or so, I looked out front and noticed the car wasn’t there. Figuring William left it at the side of the house, I asked him to move it around to the front. He went outside and couldn’t find the car. We looked everywhere around the house – no car! I assumed it was stolen, called the cops, filed a report, and went back to our movie wondering what the heck happened to the car! Like the cop said, “who would steal a 21-year old car, we never have car thefts around here anyway.” About 8:15 we get a call from the cops saying they found it in McKay’s parking lot (2 blocks away). We went running over there, and it was parked in a spot – the employees there having said it had been there since about 2 pm. William had drove it over there (which he never does for only a couple things from the store) and walked back home – totally (until that moment) forgetting he ever drove it!!! Needless to say, the cop and us had a good laugh about it.

The point was, when we notice the enemy all over us – we need to deal with it right then!! He had to go to God for repentance in his own prideful attitude he had developed over dealing with Ralph earlier that day AND realize how much the enemy had been tormenting his mind night and day for over a week by then.

Denesa and I had a great meeting (2 hrs.) at the school today. Got a lot accomplished between us for the workings of the school – the curriculum app turned in, so we can start our order. She’s going to pick me up one day this next week to take me to visit a couple of her ranches.