Chapter 14: THE BATTLE BEGINS

Months later I sat in a chair listening to the rain beat against the windows. I could hear in it the clamor of the evil horde growing. I was again in the middle of it with my companions, as the evil ones pressed in all around us. Obviously, they would soon overrun the place where we stood. The two elders surveyed the scene, both continuing with a remarkable peace.

"We must make room for the others," one of the elders said as the other nodded his agreement.

"Take these vessels and fill them with water," one of them said while looking straight at the girl and me.

We did as he said, and then he told us to go and give it to those in the evil horde closest to us. The situation was so desperate that we did not have time to question his strange orders but just obeyed, thinking that there really wasn't much to lose.

When we offered our enemies a drink, it stunned them so that they stood still and a great hush came over the place. Not knowing what else to do, they drank what we gave to them. They drank with such a rabid thirst that we were soon rushing back and forth for more of the water. The others around them also seemed to suddenly realize their own thirst and began begging for the water. Everyone who tasted it wanted more. Quickly, we were so overwhelmed that all we could do was to direct them to the stream and invite them to drink.

Expecting them to plunge into the stream, I was astonished at how they treated it with great respect, bowing down and drinking but being careful not to even brush dirt from the banks into it.

As they drank, they changed before our eyes. The hard, tortured, demonic looks softened into human faces. They kept changing until they were like pure children again. After they were transformed, they asked for vessels to take the water to the others in the evil horde. We gave them all that we had, but we only had a few. They then started fashioning containers out of their own clothes. Then some started emptying their quivers and filling them with water to take to others.

This did not entirely end the assault, since many of the divisions were not only resisting the water, but were outraged by what was happening. Even so, I knew that the valley had been saved, and this would be a great victory.

I walked back to the two elders and said, "Well, it does look like this is going to be a good place to hold your council. When do you expect the others?"

"They will be here soon," the one who did most of the talking replied. "They all respond to the sound of battle, and certainly they heard the clamor of this one. I'm afraid if they do not get here soon they will be sorry that they were not at least able to contribute a little to this victory."

"Who could have thought that just offering them a cup of this water would have accomplished so much?" I continued, truly amazed at what was taking place.

"The weapons of our warfare are not natural but are divinely powerful. Their strength is in the life and nature of God. He came to give life, not take it. We overcome evil with good. We overcome by giving the life that has been given to us. Even so, this battle is far from over, and the main business of this council will be how to continue until the victory is complete. We must never again stop a battle until the victory is complete. But the turning has begun. The enemy has gone as far as he can go, and now we will begin to take back that which rightfully belongs to the King."

As I looked I could see individuals making their way through the evil horde that was still fighting. I knew they were the apostles, prophets, and elders who were being called to the council. They all seemed to walk in complete disregard of the threats and clamor of the evil horde surrounding them. Their walk through the midst of such evil was majestic beyond description. They stirred the horde to a frenzy, but I could tell those who had tasted of the living water marveled at this sight. The awe and respect for them was evident on the faces of the newly changed people, which told me that they would be willing to follow these leaders.

"Certainly this is the beginning of a great army who would never again retreat," I thought.

"Certainly it is," a voice beside me said. "This is the beginning of what we have all been waiting for," the old eagle continued. "Just seeing this, the beginning, has made it all worthwhile."

No more words seemed possible as we all stood, knowing we were indeed on the threshold of the greatest adventure of all, but also the greatest struggle. Those who dream dreams and those who see visions would soon see their dreams and visions fulfilled. The last battle had begun. The warriors who had been prepared for this day would all soon be mobilized. They responded to the sound of battle, and the whole earth would soon hear the sound of this one.