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June
11,
2004
Cliff Bell Family Ministries
Rousing the Warriors - Spring Report - Part Two
Dear Friends,
This is the second part of the report I sent to you Thursday night.
In Part Two:
- Open Doors
- Reynosa - Ready
for Change
- Rousing the Warriors
- Training at Christ
For the Nations - Monterrey
Open Doors
God has opened up lots of open doors for us in the Rio Grand Valley
region on both sides of the border. Things are really starting
to explode. God has opened up opportunities to be on radio interviews,
with groups of local pastors, to be published in local Christian periodicals,
teaching at area bible schools, etc. many of these have been
very strategic meetings and ministry times. This is good for my
family because it means I don't have to be gone so far away all the time.
This also opens up more opportunities for them to come with me!
Reynosa - Ready for Change
On May 29th I was at a prayer rally in Reynosa - right across the border,
about 30 minutes from where we live. The baseball stadium was filled
with believers crying out to God for mercy on that city of 1,200,000 people. This
was the first time any such event has taken place in Reynosa. Reynosa has
been a city filled with extreme poverty, violence, sexual sin, drug addiction,
corruption, etc. In the last three years 136 young women have been
murdered in this city. That is as much or more as in
Ciudad Juárez. But the Body of Christ is beginning to overcome
its sectarianism and apathy and is saying, "enough is enough"!
Even Mayor Serapio Cantú came out and participated.
He is not saved, but requested that the Christians pray for him and his
staff daily! He also offered the stadium or any city plaza to believers
for other such events. (This is amazing as usually Protestant believers
have been at best ignored but usually resisted or openly persecuted by
local governments in Mexico.) I am joining a group of pastors from
Reynosa at my next opportunity to pray. They have organized a monthly city-wide
prayer gathering called, "Despierta Reynosa" (Wake up, Reynosa!).
We believe God is going to transform this city of wickedness into a city
of righteousness!
Rousing the Warriors
A major thrust recently has been to rouse the Body of Christ to accept
their identity as warriors and to actively engage in spiritual warfare.
Part of it has been an outgrowth of what God has been doing in our own
family. Our family is rising up to the challenges that the
enemy has been throwing at us. The Lord showed me that one of the
main reasons people get so tired of hearing "spiritual warfare"
is that we have not accepted our identity as warriors. Warfare
is a part of government when enemy invaders come in. And we
are called to govern. So warfare is our destiny until
Satan is forever bound and thrown into the Pit. We are made
for war, designed to fight and destined to win! When we accept our
identity rather than fight against it, spiritual warfare becomes fulfilling
instead of draining!
Even in a recent trip to Benton Harbor, Michigan with my good friends
Gerald and Carolyn Ulrich, the Lord was assembling the army. One
gentleman who attended the meetings there testified that his prayer
life has been revolutionized forever. He and his wife now pray
together daily partering with the Holy Spirit to demolish strongholds
and establish the Kingdom of God. He was also healed of a problem
in his kidneys.
Training at Christ for the Nations
In May I spent several days teaching at Christ For the Nations Institute
in Monterrey. I love to teach there because of the good soil and
the awesome potential in the students. Many of them are called to
missions in Muslim nations. While they come from all denominational
backgrounds, they received the Word with joy and responded enthusiastically
to the activations. Thank God that Mexico is now becoming a sending
nation!
Thank you!
Dianne and I thank you for your faithful prayer and giving.
We couldn't do it without you! We have seen a measure of financial
breakthrough in one-time gifts. But we are extending our faith for
more monthly partners for consistent provision. Please pray with
us regarding this.
Dianne and I thank God for you and bless you in Jesus' name!
Your Servants,
Cliff & Dianne Bell
June 11, 2004
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