Philippines 4:9

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

courthouse and rainbow

Beautiful!! While riding along our downtown road, my wife spots this absolutely breathtaking image. In true “technology fashion”, she pulls out her cellphone to quickly capture this moment before it is lost forever.

To some, you simply see a courthouse and rainbow – yes, the factual aspects of the image. To others, you see God’s promise beautifully arcing over a prominent building in a quaint town. To me, however, I not only see but hear, “This is your confirmation to the vision I have already shown you!” Yes, just weeks ago, the Holy Spirit pierced my heart to plan a community gathering around the courthouse for prayer, worship, and fellowship.

I am fully aware that there is a spiritual battle around you personally, your home, your neighborhood, your community, and your town. Satan’s best work is found in division! My dear friends, why is there nearly a church on every corner in our lovely town? Is it because we are spiritually sound here in DeRidder, Louisiana? Is it because every church is filled to capacity, and we must build more churches to meet the demand?

Then…Why is our town still divided?  Why are our churches half-full? [Think about it.]

I’m concerned that our biggest problem is that we have confused tradition with truth!

My prayer is that we break the mold. We refuse to be slow to respond! Enough is enough my dear community! I have no authority over any territorial spirits. However, as a community, acting as one body in Christ, we collectively have power when we stand united!

I cannot deny that the Spirit spoke this challenge over me. I cannot deny that I was given a vision around the courthouse, and I cannot deny that days later God providentially placed me at the right spot at just the right time to witness His promise firsthand. As my wife took this picture, I couldn’t help but also see the opening in the sky directly above the courthouse. If the rainbow wasn’t enough, I was awestruck when God’s presence broke through the darkness surrounding our community.

So, I prayed!

“Thank you Lord for confirmations! You are a good, good Father. I am just a weak vessel and unworthy of such a blessing. I accept your calling as a servant of the King. I will send forth messengers as you called out to me. We will gather in complete unity, claiming Jesus Christ as our town’s cornerstone. I have seen a dark veil over our town for such a long time; yet you remind me that just a spark of your perfect light shatters darkness. The dark veil runs from your presence! Your people will represent you because your Son lives in us. I ask for forgiveness for our community. We are sorry for failing to see the needs of others over ourselves. We are sorry for allowing division among your people. We claim the protective blood covering granted by your Son Jesus Christ. We pray in Jesus name, Amen.”

Question: Who will gather with me?

Thankful,

Christian Armetta

6 thoughts on “The Call!”

  1. Well spoken! Great observations also! Reminds me Paul’s writing to the church at Corinth…he asked, “Is Christ divided?” 1 Corinthians 1:13a
    In this text Paul is letting the church know he had heard that there was division among them. It appears that we as Christians today ought to ask this same question that Paul asked. “IS CHRIST DIVIDED?”
    If we are to be Christ ambassadors (His representatives), shouldn’t we exhibit His characteristics!
    We should examine ourselves in this area! We would, as Christians, rather go to a church with people whom we are socioeconomically, racially, ethnically and culturally compatible with.
    Preposterous! Right!
    News flash!!! God’s got sheep that are not of this foe!!!
    Tolerating people’s differences (from a distance might I add) is NOT God’s idea for unity.
    We are called to love without dissimulation!

    Question:
    If God Himself revealed our “true” thoughts and ideas about people unlike us, what would it look like?

    Let’s strive to rid ourselves of our prejudice and superficiality.
    After all, people who pretend on Earth to love others will also have to pretend when they die that they’re in Heaven!

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  2. Breathtaking! Absolutely breathtaking! The Spirit spoke exactly the right words through you – as always because you humble yourself before Him. THIS is our story! THIS is our mission. THIS is our purpose. THIS is HIS design! We will not back down to Satan’s press. No, with a UNITED front, we WIN as a community, as believers, and as heirs to the one true King. I pray that the spirits of division, ritualism, and spiritualism be cast out by the powerful name of Jesus Christ in perfect unity with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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  3. I commend you Christian Armetta for this Word which could only come from the Spirit of the Living God. In a world where there is so much devisiveness going on all around us, what a refreshing word of encouragement to stand up for what God loves, and that is “unity.” It says so in Ephesians 4:3-6, “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Sounds like “unity” to me. The only difference as this Word in Ephesians goes on to say would be in the diversities of the gifts given us by God. Note this in Ephesians 4:11, “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Why? Well it tells us in the next few verses, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the “unity” of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
    The only way the world will ever know that Jesus Christ is Lord is if we (His Body, His Church) become “one” with Him and each other.
    And in the words of a song I used to sing, “Get right church and let’s go HOME”

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