by Warren Cain
“Hmmmm.”
“Wake up, Kirk.”
“Joe?”
“Yes. It’s Joe, lad.”
“Finally, a vision. I guess it’s a vision. I’m not so sure anymore. What was that at the church in Lakebend?”
“This is a vision. That’s not. That’s real, lad. It’s life or death, for the Jones family and for Kevin.”
I’ve never seen Joe look this serious.
“Ye have to get out of there, Kirk! Finish the mission. The balance tips to their favor if ye don’t. Your faith has to be strong.”
“But I’ve tried, Joe. They’re too strong. I’m no match for them. Did you see what they did to me? I CAN’T COMPETE WITH THEM!” Kirk exclaimed with a sense of frustration.
“You got to remember how you beat him in your dream, lad.”
“That was a dream, Joe. I beat him in a dream.”
“Ye forgot, lad. Ye forgot your strength.”
“The sword?” asked Kirk.
Joe looked at Kirk sympathetically. “No. Your strength. Close your eyes, Kirk.”
Kirk closed his eyes.
“Think back to the dream, Kirk. To the part right before you killed the dragon.”
Kirk played the dream in his mind. The confessional exploded. The dragon. The dragon stood over him…
“You may be able to fight temptation now, but as you grow older, I grow stronger and harder to defeat.”
A vision of Jesus being with him at that time came to him. Kirk had forgotten that part of the dream.
It was Jesus that brought me through.
I fell to the ground when the dragon burst out of the room.
“Don’t be afraid. I will be your strength,” said Jesus, reaching his hand out to lift him off the ground.
“I did see him, Joe. I saw him for just long enough to realize he was there to help me. It did give me the courage and the strength to defeat the dragon.”
“Remember the faith you had in God back then. Remember the feeling you had when you defeated the dragon. That will pull you through.”
Chapter 50
The demons sat on the top of the back row of pews evenly spaced across them. Their wings tucked close to their bodies. Their eyes ever alert, focused on Kirk, waiting for any movement towards the back of the church.
Kirk lay asleep, on the floor between the pews. They had watched him through the better part of the day. The sun was now shining from the west through the most westerly window on the south side of the church.
A slight moan came from Kirk as his body slowly and painfully began to move.
“Ohhh.” Kirk grabbed the back of his head. His eyes opened, but only after some effort.
Where am I?
Kirk stood up.
He turned to the back of the church. A moment of fear as he saw the demons.
Oh, yeah. Lakebend, at the church. Need to get out of here.
Kirk noticed the sun at the southwest corner of the church.
Thursday evening. Unless I was unconscious longer. Could it be Friday evening? I don’t know.
“I see you’re awake, Kirk,” remarked Satan as he came out of the confessional. “You might as well sit down and relax. You gave it a good effort, though you didn’t stand a chance.”
NO. No. I haven’t given it a good effort. He’s still trying to keep me from trying. I’m saying it is Thursday evening. I still have time. What do I need to do?
Kirk ignored Satan and began to walk to the front of the church.
“It’s over, Kirk. Don’t be a fool. Look at them!” Satan grabbed Kirk and turned him to face the demons.
“You have to get through them and out that door.”
Why is he trying to get me to focus on the back of the church when I was heading to the front? He doesn’t want me to go to the front of the church.
Kirk turned and hurriedly ran toward the sanctuary.
“Stop him!” shouted Satan.
The demons rapidly took to the air. Kirk was almost to the first step of the sanctuary when one of the demons knocked him to the ground. Kirk quickly stood and lunged forward. One of the demons narrowly missed Kirk as he fell down on the sanctuary. He turned to face what he was sure would be another attack.
The demons and Satan stood at the bottom step of the sanctuary. Kirk waited for the attack . . . it never came.
What . . . what is going on here? First, they didn’t want me out the back door, then they try to attack me for coming up on the sanctuary. Now they are just staring at me.
“You can’t come up here, can you?” said Kirk with a smile.
Satan’s jaw stiffened.
“You still have to get out the back door.”
He turned and walked away. The demons, one by one, flew to the back of the church, taking their previous guarding positions.
That was strange, thought Kirk with amazement. There’s something up here they don’t want me to see…or have.
Kirk looked around the sanctuary. The tabernacle where the communion was kept was open and empty. Nothing on the altar.
What’s up here?
Kirk walked to the pulpit.
The hardbound book with the readings for each weekend was laying closed on top of the pulpit.
Three ribbons to mark the pages for the weekend’s readings were placed throughout the book at varying locations.
The word of God, Kirk thought as he ran his hand over the front of the book.
Speak to me, Lord…show me the way. I have to get out of here and help Kevin…and the Jones family. Don’t let me fail. Please, God.
Kirk opened the book to the first marked reading. He stood at the pulpit looking out over the pews.
“A reading from the book of Second Samuel,” Kirk read aloud.
“STOP!” shouted Satan, bursting out of the door of the confessional.
The demons left their perch with a loud scream and began to circle the area of the church above the pews.
Kirk continued.
The Lord thundered from heaven; the Most High gave forth his voice. He sent forth arrows to put them to flight; he flashed lightning and routed them. Then the well springs of the sea appeared, the foundations of the earth were laid bare, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the wind of his wrath.
He reached out from on high and grasped me; he drew me out of the deep waters. He rescued me from my mighty enemy, from my foes, who were too powerful for me. They attacked me on the day of calamity, but the Lord came to my support. He set me free in the open, and rescued me, because he loves me.
Kirk looked up. The demons began to scream again. Satan cursed aloud.
Kirk felt a wave of courage as he read.
Did they stop the screaming while I was reading? I couldn’t hear them. It seems to be upsetting them. Read the next one.
Kirk opened the book to the next marked section. His trembling hands were barely able to turn the pages.
Kirk continued.
A reading from the letter to the Ephesians.
Kirk paused. He looked up to see Satan. He had transformed from a man to a large, man-like, horned beast. He stood as near the sanctuary as possible.
“YOU WON’T SUCCEED, KIRK. YOU KILLED SARAH! REMEMBER KILLING SARAH.”
The demons were tearing the church apart. Pews were hurled across the church. Smashing as they were thrown against walls and columns.
Stay strong. Keep your faith. YOU WILL NOT FAIL, Kirk thought, trying to bring himself encouragement. Kirk looked down at the book and continued.
Finally draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present
darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God.
Kirk felt a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m with you, Kirk. Go now.”
Kirk turned, but no one was there. He knew it was God. A surge of strength flooded him. “He’s with me!” said Kirk out loud.
A feeling that he could accomplish anything as long as he kept his faith came over Kirk. God was with him.
Kirk read the last line back to himself.
“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Take the book with you.
Kirk turned the book to the final marked page. He looked up. Kirk had not seen him leave, but Satan was gone. The demons remained. Their rampage continued as they destroyed the inside of the church.
He grabbed the book, held it in front of him, and slowly began to walk to the back of the church.
“A reading from the Book of Psalms,” Kirk began to read. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the path of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Kirk looked up from the book. The demons had all moved in front of the back door. All standing shoulder to shoulder, creating a wall between the exit and Kirk. Their breathing was heavy from the physical energy they had exerted during their rampage.
Kirk smiled. He once again felt the hand on his shoulder.
“I know you’re with me,” he said.
He set the book down in one of the pews that remained in place and continued from memory.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: For you are with me; with thy rod and staff that give me comfort and courage.”
Kirk ran towards the demons. They tensed and lowered themselves, preparing for the hit.
The demons seemed weaker than before. Kirk’s momentum took them out through the back door. He felt them grabbing and punching as they tried to hold him in the church. Instead, they all fell out onto the landing in the middle of the stairs. The demons faced Kirk and growled at him before flying away.
Kirk watched them fly off to the north.
“I did it! YES. I DID IT!”
Kirk jumped down the bottom flight of stairs.
Kirk smiled.
“I mean WE did it. Thank you, God. Thank you!”
Chapter 51
Kirk pulled into a small convenience store in Shoresburg, Oklahoma.
4:15 Friday morning. Should be enough time to get to Elam, he thought to himself.
He had left Lakebend at around 11:00 p.m. He was preparing to stop for a couple of hours, catch a nap, fill up with gas, and get something to eat. He estimated this tank of gas was going to take him all the way to Elam, but he had a growing concern in the back of his mind about how he would eat for the rest of the time he was on this mission and how he was going to make it back to Washington with his limited money supply.
I’ll just stay focused on what I need to do in Elam, he thought to himself. The trip so far had been consumed with trying to come up with ideas for stopping Kevin from destroying his life.
Hope it comes to me soon. Hey, I haven’t thought about my own guilt this whole trip. Guess I’m too worried about someone else’s trouble to be thinking about my own. I like this. I finally learned to start liking myself when I put others’ needs before my own.
Kirk remembered Larry saying that before he left. The words didn’t mean much to him at the time, but now he was able to start understanding the process of forgiving himself.
Kirk pulled up to the gas tank. As he stepped out of the car, he checked the contents of his wallet to ensure he had enough to pay for the gas.
$56 left. Takes about $25 to fill up. Wished I had known I was going to take this side trip when I pulled my money out of the bank.
“You heading to Texas?”
Kirk spun around to see a man in a suit jacket wearing a cowboy hat.
“Going to Elam,” replied Kirk uncertain as to where this conversation was going.
“Nick Norton,” said the man, giving Kirk a broad smile that displayed his dimples and nearly perfect teeth.
“Kirk Murphy.”
Nick grabbed Kirk’s hand and shook it vigorously.
“When you finish filling up, I’m supposed to pay for your gas and buy you some dinner.”
“Why would you do that?” asked Kirk.
“I was told if I took care of that you would give me a ride to my home in Houston.”
“That’s a deal,” said Kirk as a few of the financial questions in his head were answered.
The Lord will provide, thought Kirk to himself as he followed Nick into the store.
“Get whatever you need to eat,” said Nick.
Chapter 52
Kirk discovered from his ride with Nick to Houston that he had been a stockbroker who embezzled his clients’ money. “You know,” Nick said, “I didn’t realize how much my conscience was bothering me until I started doing good for people. I took away all those years selfishly, thinking I would be happy with the money, but until I gave to someone else, I was so unhappy.”
“How come you need a ride to Houston?” asked Kirk, wondering why a man who had money would not be driving.
“I gave my car away,” said Nick laughing. “Can you believe it? I just gave it away. It wasn’t even part of my mission. I just saw a lady with two kids broke down on the side of the road. Turns out she was a single mom and couldn’t afford to even have the broken-down car fixed. I gave her the car and some money to take care of bills. I don’t think I ever made anyone that happy in my entire life. I wasn’t worried about how I would make it home. I only knew it felt good to help. Better than I’ve felt in a long time.” Nick was almost glowing as he explained how good he felt about himself.
“Now what?” asked Kirk.
“I have enough money to invest and make a lot of money off the earnings to help a lot of people and to help The Order out when such a time comes and I’ve been told it will.”
“I can take the first shift of driving if you would like. You look a little beat up and tired, if you don’t mind my saying so,” said Nick.
“I’ll take you up on that,” replied Kirk.
I am feeling a whole lot of soreness from the demon attack. I could use a couple hours of sleep.
Chapter 53
Kirk looked up to find himself in the church at Lansing, Missouri.
Must be another vision. Oh, yeah. I’m on my way to Texas. Nick is driving.
“Hello, Kirk,” said Joe as he stepped out of the confessional.
Kirk made a slight jerking motion as he was startled by the silence being broken.
“Do you like to scare me like that?” asked Kirk with a smile.
“It does give me a little pleasure,” said Joe smiling. “Ye seem to have a lot of questions in your mind, and I was free, so I thought ye may need someone to talk to. That’s part of the problem with people in the world—they like to lock up their feelings inside and don’t talk to their loved ones about what’s bothering them. That causes the problem to become worse. So why don’t ye try telling me what’s on yer mind, lad.” Joe sat down next to Kirk.
Kirk took a deep breath. He had always bottled up his feelings inside and would not talk to anyone. Now here was someone that knew exactly what he was thinking and would not allow him the luxury of not
talking about it.
“How come you know what I’m thinking, but you want me to tell you?” asked Kirk.
“It was never intended for ye to have someone know what ye were thinking. Ye were given the gift of speech so ye didn’t have to hold your thoughts and feelings in. Your whole life you’ve never used this gift to its full capacity.”
The words fell like a load of bricks on Kirk. Here was someone God sent to deliver messages telling him he had wasted a gift he had been given. Joe remained silent as though waiting for a reply. Kirk remained silent, mulling over this new wisdom.
“I know what you’re thinking,” said Joe. “It should be easy to tell me. You’ll be surprised how good ye will feel about getting your fears out in the open.”
“I’M SCARED.” The words Kirk had been telling himself in his mind were finally on his lips. “I don’t think I can do what you’re asking me. Part of me is determined to go to Elam and stop this guy, save his life, and the kid’s life. I don’t want him to go through what I had to go through. Another part of me is terrified. What if I don’t stop him? What can I say that will stop him? In my mind I can see what needs to be done, but I know it’s going to be so much harder to do when I’m there. I keep questioning how I’m going to stop it. What if I can’t stop it? Can I live with the guilt of their deaths on my shoulders because I couldn’t?” Kirk took a deep breath. The words he had been holding in his mind, that kept repeating themselves because he would not set them free through his spoken words, were now released along with some of the fear he had been holding inside.
Joe smiled. “Now there’s the way ye need to use that gift. Let it out. It doesn’t do anything inside ye except give ye doubt and worry. There is one more concern about the guilt ye may feel if you’re not successful that ye may want to talk to me about.”
“You mean I’ll feel guiltier about not succeeding if I don’t try?”
“You’ve done a wonderful job saying exactly what’s on your mind. If ye can do that with Kevin, ye won’t have anything to feel guilty about.” Joe stood up and walked out of the church.
Kirk sat in the silence of the church. For the first time since he found out about Kevin, he was able to enjoy the silence without the thoughts in his head making him doubt what he could, or could not, do.