But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew … (Acts 4:4) (NIV)
As nearly 3,000 humans met their death in the Twin Towers on September 11th, 2001, there were jubilations from sewer breathed demons in the realm next-door. Then the heroes strode in—firefighters, rescue workers, and volunteers who sacrificed their assurance of living another day by sifting through unstable rubble. Public applause surrounded these selfless champions, but the media overlooked one bright and shining group.
In churches all around the world, pastors responded to the 9/11 attack with messages of hope. From Jim Cymbala in New York to Peter Blackburn in Queensland, preachers readied souls for more attacks by helping them believe in Jesus. This side of paradise, it’s impossible to know how many were snatched from the enemy, but the estimates are amazing. Most evangelical churches reported at least one conversion as a direct result of 9/11. The total number who found eternal salvation quickly surpassed 30,000, or ten times the number of lives taken by the terrorists.
From an eternal perspective—and that’s the important one—9/11 was a decisive victory for the kingdom of God.
I can hear the demons in their debriefing—
“Which one of you tail chasing dogs planned this debacle? This was supposed to result in thousands of unprepared humans swept down here.”
“Um, sir, we did bring new souls into hell.”
“Yes, you maggot filled idiot, but at what cost? You let their side claim ten times our take. Heads are going to roll for this infernal stupidity!”
Prayer: Omniscient Father, we celebrate your eternal victories.