Miracle in Austin - the Gates of Hell Cannot Prevail!

 Miracle in Austin - the Gates of Hell Cannot Prevail!

Jim Phillips, a simple Christian man who loves Jesus with all of his heart and soul, is painting for us a marvelous picture of what God can do when simple little Christians begin to live out their faith in the streets of their cities. When the theology of the church house becomes biography in the streets we give Jesus an opportunity to show up. And show-up He did, in Austin, Texas! The gates of hell are hemorrhaging in Austin, not because of what the Republican Party did, but because Christians are taking it upon themselves to give a voice to the voiceless. They are, "bringing it on!" in Jesus' Name.

Jim has been a personal friend of mine and this ministry for the past 15 years. We have been on the streets together, in jail together, sued together, all the while the joy of the Lord has been our strength. He is a faithful and true man of God who fears nothing but God Himself. Enjoy.

Flip

The issue split the country. Families and churches were divided. The U. S. Supreme Court's decision declaring the victims to be non-human was hotly debated.

Major denominations were losing members. There was a growing concern over the materialism pervading the land and a fear that the young were growing up without God.

In a major city a 48 year-old layman, a former businessman turned city missionary, decided to respond. What happened next was absolutely astounding. Abortion in America, 2003 ? No, this was 1858 America, in despair over slavery and with a Church that slept. The movement begun in New York City by that one - just one - available person, Jeremiah Lanphier, was part of what history calls the Third Great Awakening. Its impact will amaze you.

Fast forward to 2003. Families, churches, denominations are split by a great issue. The U.S. Supreme Court replaces God's law with man's. For years major denominations have lost members. Materialism reigns and righteousness is mocked. In a major city a 48 year-old business owner, Chris Danze, just a layman who was available to follow the Holy Spirit's leading, decided to respond. What happened next was absolutely astounding.

The padlocked gate at quiet Planned Parenthood mill site at 201 E. Ben White in Austin... God has moved through His people.

On Saturday morning, August 30th, I stood with Chris, a partner in a long time Austin, Texas foundation building firm, in front of an Austin abortion mill discussing Planned Parenthood's intent to build a 24,000 sq. ft. clinic, the largest in 10 counties. It seemed so discouraging. How in the world could we stop them? There were so few of us who even go to the abortion clinics.

Then Chris had an idea. Why not send registered letters to the Austin building community asking them not to participate in the clinic construction? OK, I said, why not... yeah, we said, that might stop some subs (subcontractors) from doing the work. Now, we really can't stop the clinic from being built, for they're a lot bigger than us. But yeah, we could at least make it costly for PP.

So we sent out 750 letters. We began to get help. And then Chris said, hey, let's call the subs, and yeah, the General Contractor over the whole project, Browning Construction of San Antonio, and respectfully ask them to withdraw from the job. So we sent out emails asking people to help make calls.

Then we began to hear subs were dropping out! We got more help. Each week people we'd never heard of came out of the woodwork to make calls, to encourage, to pray. You see, it was just simply one person after another deciding they were going to be available. Craig Teykl and Mark Hamilton stepped up and spent hours calling people, meeting Austin area subs for lunch, asking them to help our efforts and not to do the work for PP. George Transom, just another concrete guy who decided to be available, joined the effort, and soon 18 cement suppliers within a 60-mile radius said, we're with you guys, we're not selling to PP. All this when Austin area construction was down and some of those plants had laid off workers and needed the business.

When they were first contacted, the owners of one foundation construction firm seemingly could have cared less. They said, "We need the work and no thank you, we're not joining the boycott." But people prayed. People who were available to do something, did. In less than a week firm owners changed their mind, despite losing a big job they needed and being forced to lay off employees. What faith-- and we have no reason to believe they are Christians!

Businesses such as a lumber company, a roofing supply company, a plumber, and others - in all some 80+ firms - said no, we'll not build the clinic. True, many decided this, not because they sought to honor God, but because they didn't want to lose the future business of Austin area churches who would know if they built the clinic. Still, they were changing their minds when the odds against that happening seemed over-whelming.

Early Wednesday morning, November 5th, Browning Construction made the electrifying announcement to all Austin media that "due to circumstances beyond our control," (a sub told the Austin paper he got 1,200 calls), they were pulling off the clinic job. In God's exquisite timing, that very same day was the 65th anniversary of Planned Parenthood in Texas. To further rebuke His enemies, that same day God had Missionaries to the PreBorn, in a stop planned months ago, visit Austin to preach, hand out gospel tracts, and show large posters of aborted children, revealing the real mission of Planned Parenthood. Whining and licking their wounds, the present and two former Austin mayors, two state legislators, and PP officials claimed in a press conference that day that "illegal intimidation" was used.

A major battle has been won but the war continues. On Monday, Nov. 10th, PP announced they themselves will be the new General Contractor, which is like you or I doing our own brain surgery. Pray that the wicked will fall into their own snare. Our calling strategy has shifted slightly; please email Chris Danze at CDanze@yahoo.com for updates.

-And Jeremiah Lanphier, the layman mightily used by God in New York City in the Third Great Awakening? When he held his first, bare-bones simple, one-hour prayer meeting on September 23rd, 1858, six people came. The next Wednesday, 20 came, and the next, 40. In a few weeks the crowds of people desperate for God to move in their lives were so big that meetings were held day and night all over the city. Church attendance was up everywhere, taverns went out of business, and crowds of 5 -10,000, repenting and seeking remission of sins, were meeting day after day.

The New York Tribune devoted an entire special edition to this great move of God. The movement spread to other cities and abroad. Schools had to close in order for their students to pray and seek God. An Omaha, Nebraska merchant in Boston for business said all along the 2,000 mile trip to Boston he saw people in prayer seeking God.

At the peak of the Third Great Awakening an estimated 50,000 people a week were coming to God through Christ. During a two year period 10,000 people a week were joining churches. It began with a handful who decided to be available to what God wanted to do. Just ordinary people doing simple things by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit. How about you?

--Jim Phillips