A Modern-Day Joseph: How God Moved on the Front Lines – (by Jared Laskey, Charisma, April 24, 2016) – While in the service, I found myself witnessing (about Christ) in many non-traditional forms. I led a prayer group at (Marine Corps) boot camp and marched recruits to chapel services, all as a previously burned-out youth pastor with plans to become a chaplain. Later, while I was training for deployment to Iraq as a field radio operator, a close friend of mine gave me the call sign ‘Preach’, which stuck. It was a term of endearment as well as a fresh reminder of God’s call on my life. I was amazed to experience firsthand the fulfillment of the prophecies in Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:17-19. During my 2007-08 deployment to Iraq, word spread that I interpreted dreams, so Marines would come to me and tell me their dreams. Like Joseph and Daniel in the Bible, I told them that it is God who interprets dreams and mysteries, wanting to give credit to whom credit is due (Gen. 40:8, Daniel 2:27-30). I offered Scripture to support the interpretation I sensed from the Holy Spirit, encouraged them to spend time with Jesus, and gave them reading material.
I was humbled as I saw God communicate with those literally on the front lines for our nation. During one conversation with a spiritually hungry Marine, I shared personal experiences of things I had seen God accomplish and then asked him if he wanted more of God. He said yes, so we prayed together and he was marvelously baptized with the Holy Spirit. I cried because I felt that in my spiritually dry state I was unworthy to be part of such an experience. God is talking to our men and women in the service in wonderfully supernatural ways. Pray for our sons and daughters in uniform to overcome the challenges they face daily. Pray for the ongoing outpouring of the Spirit upon them, especially as they return from serving and need support and healing. (Jared Laskey served in the Marine Corps from 2006-2011. Some of his unit’s missions are recorded in the movies ‘To Hell and Back Again’ and ‘The Hornet’s Nest.’ He has also co-written a book called Veronica’s Hero, soon to be published with Lulu Publishing)[i]
[i] Jared Laskey, A Modern-Day Joseph: How God Moved on the Front Lines, Charisma, April 24, 2016
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