Dear Indiana Conference Church Family:
We just finished the first weekend of the Hope Awakens series with Pastor John Bradshaw. What a blessing his presentations have been! On Friday and Saturday nights Pastor Bradshaw preached on the prophecies of the Bible and how Jesus is truly our only hope for all the world’s problems. Through the years, I have attended many evangelistic meetings. This one is very different in that I can watch the series live in my own living room with the rest of my family. My heart has been stirred to hear God’s truths once more. I am so grateful for the message God has given to this church- it is one the world needs to hear especially as we face the COVID-19 crisis. His Word is filled with so much hope!
Presently, we have almost 1,000 people who are watching the live series throughout the state of Indiana. There are over 335 members in our churches who are volunteering as trained Virtual Bible Workers. Yesterday, It Is Written (IIW) Television reported that there are over 60,000 people who are watching the virtual meetings across the country. Praise God for how He is working. Where the enemy intended to bring harm by closing everything down, God has turned events around in such a dramatic manner to reach many more hearts for His kingdom.
Of course, Satan is not happy when God’s message is being proclaimed. He will do all he can to oppose the work of the gospel, bringing major obstacles to prevent its success. There have been two clear reminders of this already in our series. First, as reported to you last week, deadly tornadoes touched down in Chattanooga, Tennessee, very near to the IIW media center, and God protected the facility from damage. Second, fifteen minutes before the opening night of the series, IIW experienced a targeted, malicious cyberattack. Similar attacks have brought down banks and other Silicon Valley companies. The host server was overwhelmed and crashed, preventing thousands of people from registering and watching the first presentation. Thankfully, the IIW technical team was able to redirect much traffic to alternative viewing options, resulting in tens of thousands of views on the opening night.
In the book The Great Controversy, Ellen White writes that “no man can serve God without enlisting against himself the opposition of the hosts of darkness. Evil angels will assail him, alarmed that his influence is taking the prey from their hands” (p. 610). No doubt we are in a real spiritual battle as we press forward doing God’s work.
The apostle Paul talks about our struggle in the book of Ephesians: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6:10-12).
Because of the great battle we are in, we need to remember to pray for Pastor John Bradshaw and the entire IIW team. We need to plead for their protection and health, as well as for God’s wisdom and knowledge so that they can broadcast John’s nightly messages without any more interference.
Furthermore, we need to pray for those who are watching the series that the Holy Spirit will touch their hearts with truths from scripture. Although at times it seems that the enemy is winning, I am grateful that this is God’s work and that He will triumph in the end. 1 John 4:4 reminds us that “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
In His Service,
Pastor Vic
It’s not too late for you to register for the Hope Awakens series.
Please visit discoverhopeawakens.com
Weekly Ignite Prayer Line – Each Thursday
7:30 pm – 8:00 pm
605-472-5637
Access Code: 190685
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Vic Van Schaik
President
Indiana Conference of
Seventh-day Adventists
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