Spiritual Warfare. "Drink water, pray, drive on."

Doug Ross, writing at Director Blue, linked to this article of mine and paid me a great compliment.

Via the invaluable Sipsey Street Irregulars comes the following press release issued by the House Judiciary Committee. In related news, Eric Holder just downed another roll of Tums.

Invaluable?

These past couple of weeks, I must confess, I have felt less than "invaluable," and the quality of posts here at Sipsey Street reflect that. The Georgia case hit me hard, as no doubt it was designed to do by the FBI, else they would have worded the warrant differently. The Georgia Geriatric Waffle House Conspirators (sorry folks, but there is no way you can characterize these geezers as a "militia"), if indeed they WERE conspirators, seem to have been confused about a lot of basic things and must have been putty in the hands of the FBI paid snitch. (Interesting that the Fibbies admitted up front that their snitch couldn't even pass a polygraph. It highlights the weakness of their case.) And whether they or the snitch first mentioned Absolved, it was seized upon by the FBI to accomplish a collateral political purpose -- smearing me, discrediting my work on the Gunwalker Scandal, and tarring people (principally FOX News) with the broadest of wrong brushes as "terrorist sympathizers." I have been told that this was the entire reason that such a weak case was put forward at this moment in time. It doesn't surprise me.

When I say, "hit me hard," I do not mean that I accept the premise that my fiction inspired the Georgia four to do whatever it is that the snitch said they did, or that I bear any responsibility for their alleged plans. Nor do I mean that I am disheartened by all the name-calling in the Two Minutes Hate. Rather, it is the sense of responsibility that I feel for these people who may not have been charged at all if my name had not been mentioned.

The forces of FedGov have never been able to entrap me -- despite 17 years of trying -- but they have no compunction about bringing unwarranted pressure and threats on my friends and acquaintances. Or, in this case apparently, even total strangers that they can tenuously link my name to.

That has always been a cause of pain to me in the wee hours of the sleepless nights, that innocents are targeted because of me. It has not stopped me, but it hurts and I do not deny it.

It may not be coincidental, then, that I have been experiencing another bad case of writer's block lately when it comes to the congressional briefing paper that I was tasked to write. That, plus my daughter getting sick highlighting our dearth of resources to deal with it, has made this week something of a low point for me.

But just as my personal pity party was getting cranked up, I heard the whispered words of Paul in Ephesians Chapter 6:

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. -- Ephesians, Chapter Six, Verses 10-20.

I always carry a challenge coin with some of these words on it in my right pants pocket, given to me by a good friend, who I met in this struggle, who purchased it in a Pentagon gift shop. Never have these verses speak to me more powerfully than this morning, as I sat at my computer, totally devoid of any creative impulse.

The Gunwalker Scandal, like everything else in the world, is just one more battle between good and evil, between the forces of darkness and those of the Light. It is a manifestation of the spiritual warfare that has gone on since Lucifer's rebellion.

For some of you, this opinion is unfashionable. I understand that. All I know, however, is that I am commanded to stand for the principles I believe in and enunciated by Paul above.

As I try to do that, those of you who do not find that unfashionable, keep me in your prayers.

This is a spiritual battle as much, or more, than anything else.

I know our side wins, whether in this world or the next.

But right now, just right now on this particular battlefield, I would prefer winning this one. The outcome is in God's hands, so prayer is the most effective weapon we mere mortals possess. I believe that. I believe it utterly and completely.

As you know, we have a saying in the Vanderboegh family when faced with any adversity, large or small, "Drink water, drive on." I hereby amend that to "Drink water, pray, drive on."

Now, back to my protracted struggle with that cursed briefing paper. ;-)

LATER: I no sooner finished this post, than I discovered this comment on a post below by MALTHUS:

"But an evil spirit of this kind is only driven out by prayer and fasting." --Matt. 17:21

The response to "Operation Fast and Loose" ought to be "Operation Fast and Pray" if we wish to be rid of these devils.

Exactly.