The examples of God’s power at work at this clinic are numerous, and a whole book could be written on them. However, I will mention just two here. The first is the power of God working through John Barros, the abortion ministry leader. He has seen many fruitless days go by—days when everyone turns away from and not to the Word, and his fervent prayers seemingly go unanswered. Yet, he preaches the same gospel and prays to the same God, undaunted by the hostility he faces.

We live in a crazy world. There is so much going on around us—personally, communally, nationally, internationally—and it can be overwhelming. I must constantly reacquaint myself with the character of God and his sovereign work in all things, or I can begin to feel like everything is spinning out of control.

There are days when the questions seem so numerous and the answers so scarce. But I am coming to realize that answering the who question usually satisfies my desire to answer the why question. I can think of no place where my questions run more rampant, but my answer proves truer and more satisfying, than at the abortion clinic I sometimes visited in Orlando.

The Daily War Outside an Abortion Clinic

Before visiting the abortion clinic for the first time, I was greatly encouraged and sobered by the stories I heard of the daily war that rages on the sidewalk outside that building. Yet, such stories did not compare with the firsthand experience of being there. It is one thing to hear about spiritual warfare; it is quite another to see it.

The first reality that struck me was the truth of the apostle Paul’s words,

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. (Eph. 6:12).

I have never experienced the front lines of spiritual warfare in the same way that I experienced it there. The small front yard between the sidewalk and the front door of the clinic is indeed the meeting ground of light and darkness.

The Meeting Ground of Light and Darkness

Just to be clear, when I speak of spiritual warfare, I am not speaking of visions of angels and demons fighting, strange incantations, or exorcisms. What I am speaking of is seeing the devil’s lies take hold of sinful hearts, urging them to take the lives of their children, hardening them to the truth of God’s word, causing them to lash out at us as if we were condemning them rather than offering them hope, causing them to despair as those who are without the hope of Christ.

We do not see with our own eyes any demonic activity. We do not simply confront frightened, confused, and stubborn men and women who have decided to kill their children. Instead, we confront people who believe the lies of the one who hates God and who would have such sinners dwell in darkness forever.

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