Targeted

The devil is the oppressor, but Jesus Christ is the liberator, providing us the means to walk in spiritual victory. In Acts 10, we find that Peter is speaking, and he refers to...
36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all--
37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The contrast is very clear -  Jesus did...and does...good.  He is the healer of all those who are oppressed.  Satan wants to hold every human being captive, to walk according to his plan and to surrender to his devices and desires.  But, Jesus has come to heal - to forgive us of our sins and to remove from our lives that bondage that past sin can bring.  According to His mighty power, available to all who call on His name, we can live in the Spirit and experience His freedom.

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We have been placed in this world to be representatives of Jesus Christ, and because of that heavenly standing, we will encounter earthly suffering, which may include spiritual attack. 1st Peter 5 says:
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

Tim Remington is a pastor is Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.  Last Saturday, he shared the opening prayer at a rally supporting Republican Presidential candidate, Senator Ted Cruz.  The next afternoon, he was shot in the parking lot of his church, the Altar Church, according to a story on the Christian Today website, which said that the gunman had waited for Remington while he conducted his services and fled before police arrived at the church parking lot.  The motive for the shooting is under investigation and it is not clear whether it was linked to Remington's support of the Texas senator.

The website pointed out that Pastor Remington was shot six times in the back and suffered a collapsed lung. It said that suspected gunman Kyle Odom was arrested Tuesday outside the White House in Washington, D.C. after he threw "objects" over the fence, NBC News reported.

Christian Today said that Odom is a former Marine who has a history of mental issues, according to police.  The local police chief said Odom's attack was "pre-planned" and that he was armed during the Sunday church service. He went to the parking lot after the service and shot the pastor.

And, the pastor's condition is improving; some say miraculously.  Again, from Christian Today, Remington's son Jeremiah is quoted as saying that what happened to his dad was a miracle. According to KHQ, he said: "It really is, there was a bullet that lodged in his skull. It's an angel that said, this is as far as its gonna go today." The family has said that God is keeping the pastor alive.

Jeremiah said, "Thank you and keep praying for him," Jeremiah said, adding that they can forgive Odom for what he did. He said, "If God can forgive, we can forgive."

The Guardian reports that Remington, who is 55 years old, regained consciousness on Monday night in a Coeur d’Alene hospital, according to John Padula, outreach pastor for the Altar Church where Remington is the senior pastor. He said on Tuesday, “He’s whispering and talking to his family a little bit,” adding, “He’s doing absolutely amazing. He gave me a thumb’s up last night when I went in.”

There are several takeaways from this incident.  First of all, it reminds us of the dangerous world in which we live.  Consistently, there seems to be a stream of stories where there has been violence on church property.  And, while the church should be a haven for those who are disturbed, it should also be a safe place for all.  So, churches can be challenged to evaluate their security infrastructure.

And I think it's important to note the forgiving spirit of the Remington family.  As the son said, they are willing to forgive the attacker for his actions.  That is a notable expression of Christian charity, and demonstrates a willingness to love the person, no matter what his or her actions may have been.

Finally, Pastor Remington is a man of God.  Not because of his political affiliation, but because of his spiritual affirmation.  And, we can be reminded that there is, spiritually speaking, a target on the back on our Christian leaders - they are on the front lines, and it's important to uphold them in prayer.  But, we know that Satan is alive and well, roaming the earth to steal, kill, and destroy, and seeking whom he may devour, so all Christians are threatened.  He is dedicated to blocking the move of God in the earth, and we as believers have to take up the proper spiritual weapons - including the armor of God that is outlined in Ephesians 6.  We don't defeat the works of the devil by relying on human resources, but on the powerful tools of heaven.