They called it friendly fire when in Vietnam 6,000 were either killed or wounded. It wasnít necessarily intentional, but because of our militaryís own errant coordinates and mistakes, air strikes meant for the enemy ended up hitting our own troops.

That not only happens in war, but also in our own everyday relationships. For example, people may say they used to go to church, but stopped when someone who called themselves a Christian, said or did something to break an expectation they had. People leave the body of Christ, and feel disqualified because of friendly fire from people who are near to them.

If weíre going to have an everyday faith, we need to be able to withstand some hits of friendly fire. Why? As your faith becomes public, people will be stepping on your toes, so we have to decide now how weíll respond. Letís see what is said when David prophesied in Psalm 55 how Jesus went through this:

Have you ever felt like this? When someone close betrays you, you get so upset you want to drop out. At the time when these things are happening, you feel horrible. But isnít it true that when you look back and see how God used these events in your life to strengthen you, you realize that it is in those times when you grew the most? Itís in the valleys and not on the mountaintops, itís in the struggling and not when everything is peaches and cream that draw you close to God. Sometimes I look back and say, "God thank you for allowing an event to build instead of destroy me." God knows whatís best, and all of us are inevitably going to be hit with friendly fire.

Here are three principles that will help sustain you through the currents.

1. FRIENDLY FIRE WILL NEVER FRUSTRATE THE PLAN OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE.

"For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death". (Romans 8:2 LB)

"And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved". (Mark 13:13)

God is saying that He won over sin; whether it emanates from you or ends up hitting you. If you will stay near and under the shadow of the cross and walk with Him, friendly fire will not destroy Godís plan for your life.

As we look at the bible, the history of the Word of God has many examples of Godís victory even after an injury from friendly fire.

• Joseph was not sold into slavery by a marauding band of kidnappers; his own brothers sold him. Yet it did not frustrate Godís plan. Indeed He brought Joseph to power and saved a whole nation from starvation.
• Moses was exiled to the desert when his own brethren rejected and refused to be ruled by him. But God brought Moses back, and the very purpose God had for him, came to pass as he took a whole nation into the Promised Land.
• Samsonís strength was insurmountable to the Philistines, but the very one he fell in love with, defeated him. Still, at the end of his life, he was able to honor God by defeating the same Philistines.
• David could stop armies and conquer kings, but it was his own son, Absalom who drove him from the city of Jerusalem and stole the throne. Yet still today, beside our Lord, the Messiah, David is known as Israelís greatest king.
• Jesus himself was put on the cross, not by the strength of a Roman army, but by the betraying kiss of one of His disciples. Still He could say at the end, "It is finished".

I remember being hit by friendly fire when Anna and I went to Hilo and two very close friends moved with us to support the beginning of this church. About a year later because of something they didnít like, they both bailed out and went to another church. They spoke poorly about the leadership, and myself and it just tore my heart out because they were close friends. Yet through the tears, I remember God used that season to build a depth of courage and a bondedness with me. It drove me back to my knees and that kind of courage and depth would be unachieved in any classroom of schooling.

Later, when I came to Honolulu, about a dozen pastors let me know that they did not appreciate me coming to start a church, and especially building a church on my personality. I remember crying out to the Lord saying, "Thatís not my heart and never was, but I must watch what I am communicating because obviously whatever I said or did was being misunderstood." I may be beating a drum but that drumbeat is in thousands of peopleís hearts and they too say thatís my song, thatís my rhythm, and thatís my drum beat. My role is just to hit the drum and the people whose heartbeat is for that kind of church, that kind of ministry, that kind of purpose in life, and that kind of vision for Hawaii start to gather together. The Lord called all of us together with that same kind of heart to do church as a team. Thatís our heart in New Hope and where the phrase, "Doing Church As A Team" eventually launched into a book, whose royalties began New Hope International. Itís helped sponsor young pastors to plant churches. What started off in a valley and a hard dark night of the soul, is what God used to birth churches.

So donít take short cuts, do it just as God asks you to do it. God did not send you this far for you to drop out. The Lord says, Iíve already overcome and won over sin and in order to redeem and validate His plan for your life, you canít quit.

"Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" (John 21:22)

Donít worry about others and how they are doing. Some people say that if this is what Christianity is, then they donít want anything to do with it. I am so glad that the reputation of Christianity is not determined by the performance of any of us. Itís determined by the performance of one person, Jesus Christ. It always has and always will be. It is only upon Him that we build our faith!

Question 3: Have you ever turned away from God because of what someone said or did? How did it affect your faith?

How do you deal with the disappointment, abandonment, and betrayal of friendly fire?

• Treasure relationships while you have them. You donít know how long theyíll be around.
• Hold possessions and people loosely. They donít belong to you. They may belong with you for a season, but that season may end. We have to let God lead us along our own paths.
• When the season is over, be thankful for the good times, the joys, and the laughter.
• Never be too proud to say, "Please help me."
• Choose wisely the memories you will keep.
• Give each other two rooms: Room to fail and room to grow. Growth will be based on how we handle someoneís error or failure that hurts us.
• Be comfortable with "home" even if "home" means just you and Jesus.