“For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37 (NIV)
Several hundred years ago, on Christmas Eve 1776, General George Washington took a rag tag army of mostly worn out teenagers for a trip across the Delaware River. This wasn’t a field trip or an adventure to Disneyland! In a lot of ways, it was a last-ditch effort in a war that many, including Washington was feeling pretty hopeless about. Their plan was to attack a secured force of some 1,400 Hessians, who were fierce mercenaries hired by Britain to destroy the revolutionaries in the New World. Thanks to spies and informants these Hessians even knew of the planned attack. But on the night of this historic epic crossing a terrible winter storm hit the area bringing freezing rain, snow and terrifying winds. As Washington’s carefully planned attack started to fall behind schedule, he considered cancelling it! Nevertheless, they launched and instead of arriving in the cover of darkness, the light of the dawn was their backdrop. But the Hessians did not consider the threat viable and were all smugly and comfortably asleep in their beds. According to History.com, “Trenton’s 1,400 Hessian defenders were groggy from the previous evening’s festivities and underestimated the Patriot threat after months of decisive British victories throughout New York”1. Washington’s men were able to quickly overwhelm the Hessians defenses. Nearly 1,000 Hessians were captured, and several hundred escaped, all with only four Americans dying. Though this battle had little direct impact on the outcome of the war, it did awaken the Patriots to rise and fight. They started to believe that victory was not a fantasy or a pipe dream, but a very real possibility, of which today we celebrate our independence because Patriots rose up, fought, did not give up and won against a far superior foe!
It’s time to rise up and declare that wickedness and tyranny will not take over our nation! We bow only to one King and His name is Jesus! We will not bow to unconstitutional mandates and immoral laws being forced upon us. Church wake up! Thank the Lord that early leaders like George Washington who despite overwhelming odds and impossible obstacles, did not give up until America was free! Ask God to raise up patriots today who will fight for our spiritual heritage and destiny, who will not give up or back down, no matter how dark and impossible things look this Christmas! Ask God to stir your faith to believe, and to play whatever part He has for you. Pray for your pastor to be awakened to his responsibility to teach and lead your church boldly through this battle between good and evil, God and the devil. Pray that the Church in Athens would stand together against the devil’s plans to hold our city from stepping into God’s destiny for her! Pray that Athens would be the city on the hill that shines brightly with the glory of our God! Proclaim, nothing is impossible with our God!
1/ https://www.history.com/.amp/this-day-in-history/washington-crosses-the-delaware
