Last Saturday night, the Lord gave a ‘word’ that one of the most anointed speeches ever given was from a very worldly leader, in our religious perception, during World War 2.
GOD’S MAN IN THE NATURAL LIFE
Winston Churchill was not known as a Godly man, but in retrospect, God used him, probably more than any other man on earth during WW2, to motivate the allied nations against the evil that was trying to overtake the globe.
We as Life Coaches can learn much from the way that God used Churchill to follow the scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:3 (Worldwide English (New Testament)) But the person who is a prophet speaks words from God to people plainly. He helps them to believe and to be strong, and he comforts them. Yes, I am aware I suggested that Churchill was being used by God as a prophet. If God can used a donkey to speak to men in Numbers 22:28-30, I believe that the fruit of Churchill’s leadership during this critical time in our history, qualifies him to be called a prophet.
The following is a part of the speech that Churchill gave in May of 1940 when he was first appointed Prime Minister and before Hitler began the attempt to invade Britain in Sept 1940.
“I say to the House as I said to ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering.
You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea, and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.
You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs – Victory in spite of all terrors – Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.”
This speech could easily be used as an admonition to us to do as Paul said to Timothy “Fight the Good Fight” (1 Timothy 1:18, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7) and to be prepared for what Jesus said to His disciples in the 24th chapter of Matthew in describing the signs of the coming of the end of this age.
GOD’S MAN IN THE SPIRITUAL LIFE
Rees Howell’s was not know to the general public as a statesman like Churchill. God, however, used him, probably more than any other man on earth during WW2, to fight the Spiritual battle against the spiritual evil that was trying to take over the globe.
In September 1940, when Germany was trying to bomb Britain into submission, Howell’s and his Christian college staff, began to pray. The following is paraphrased from a portion of the book, ‘Rees Howells Intercessor’ by Norman Grubb:
September 8. At first, in a time when the bombing of Britain was causing heavy inflictions upon the civilians, Mr. Howells and the college saw their faith levels raised to believe God that no bomb would ever fall on any of the colleges properties. As the time went on Mr. Howells came through to victory knowing that his prayer was answered, not because of selfish need, but because of the work of the Kingdom. In the afternoon meeting he said, “I could put it in print that no devil can touch anyone here.” September 10. “After the victory of Sunday there is great liberty to pray that God will really deal with the devil in the Nazis and put an end to this wicked system. Our prayer for London is that God will turn the tide now and save lives”. September 12. “We prayed last night that London would be defended and that the enemy would fail to break through, and God answered prayer. If we have protection for our properties, why not get protection for the country?” “September 14.”Because we have believed, God has made known to us what is to come to pass. Every Creature is to hear the Gospel; Palestine is to be regained by the Jews; and the Saviour is to return”
Churchill, in his War Memoirs, gives September 15 as “the culminating date” in that Battle of the Air. He tells how he visited the Operations Room of the RAF that day and watched as the enemy squadrons poured over and ours went up to meet them, until the moment came when he asked the Air Marshal, “What other reserves have we?”. “There are none,” he answered, and reported afterwards how grave Mr. Churchill looked, “and well I might,” added Mr. Churchill. Then another five minutes passed, and “it appeared that the enemy were going home. The shifting of the discs on the table showed a continuous eastward movement of German bombers and fighters. No new attack appeared. In another ten minutes the action was ended.” There seemed no reason why the Luftwaffe should have turned for home, just at the moment when victory was in their grasp. But we know why.
After the war Air Chief Marshal Lord Dowding, Commander-in-chief of Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain, made this significant comment: “Even during the battle one realized from day to day how much external support was coming in. At the end of the battle one had the sort of feeling that there had been some special Divine intervention to alter some sequence of events which would have otherwise occurred”.
It seems apparent to this Life Coach, that without God’s man in the Natural and also with God’s man in the Spiritual, the battle would not be won. The is true in all aspects of our lives. We all need those that God has called to fight the daily battles in life and surround them with those that God has called to fight the Spiritual battle that we are continually confronting.
THE AFTERMATH OF THE VICTORY IN LIFE
Anyone who knows a little of history is aware that the “Battle of Britain” was the primary turning point toward the victory of ‘Good over Evil’ during WW2. It has been said that to forget history is to repeat it. We can use this turning point as a model of the battle we all fight daily. Commitment to victory in the natural life with commitment to victory in the Spiritual life in parallel is a critical understanding for us as Life Coaches.
Some years ago the Lord showed me that in all areas of our lives, we are to Keep It Scriptural, Spiritual, Easy & Simple (KISSES). Winston Churchill and Rees Howells are historical examples of where God used two men, who may have never even met, to use KISSES to turn the tide in a world war.
Churchill cleverly summarized this with a speech in October 1941, after the tied was turned: “This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
The inspiration that the beleaguered Nation of England received from this “Keep It Simple” admonition by Churchill can also inspire us in out daily lives in God’s Kingdom on earth. (To hear Churhill’s speech and other inspiring speeches from this great man click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utv9rCHlpkM.)