Banner Hope
By Staff, 04/6/21 1:48 PMEditor’s Note: We asked Daniel Bramlett to submit a column explaining “Banner Hope”. The organization originally started helping young people who were involved in drug court. Since COVID,t the organization has expanded its mission. Here is the column we requested…
We have reached an ultimatum. Hope is overcome with a demonic stronghold called drugs and alcohol. You’ve seen its physical affects daily, whether you realize it or not. It emaciates its users, encapsulating them in a cell of pain, guilt, abuse, disease, and fear. It is no respecter of persons, background, socio-economic status, or degrees. It is shrouded in darkness and brings this darkness to bear on every home and life that is in its clutches. This demonic force has had a green light in Hope for far too long.
We, at Banner Hope Center, are working to implement change. Historically, we have responded to this stronghold from a defensive position as Christians. We promote education programs through our schools, hoping our kids will not buy its wares. We drive our streets, hoping the drivers we meet are not high. We seem surprised when we hear of violent crimes involving drugs and hope we or the people we love are not ever victims. This is a defensive position. This is a ‘circle the wagons’ mindset and it is not doing anything but allowing this demonic stronghold to advance its position. We must begin thinking, praying and acting offensively.
Let me be clear. This is a spiritual battle, not a physical one. Satan manifests it as a purely physical battle; one that we cannot seem to ever win. As long as we continue in this avenue of thought, we will continue to lose. We must begin to fight, trusting that our God is bigger and stronger than the enemy we are fighting. This will be fought in prayer with love, compassion, and hand to hand care being our primary tools. We are truth proclaimers! We must begin to speak with confidence to our friends and neighbors; shouting a message of freedom and deliverance through the Gospel of Jesus Christ! This is a war on Darkness and we fight with the Light. When we get down to the business of rescuing souls from the threat of death and Hell, we will see great resistance. Guard yourselves! We will receive threats. Our enemy will not take this lightly.
Our plan looks like this:
*We will begin regular, corporate prayer times focused on those in our community who are broken over drugs and alcohol. We will call names, asking the God of freedom to loose their chains and bring them to a safe place in Him. We will pray forcefully, declaring victory over the darkness that threatens our community. We will pray expectantly, understanding the truth we proclaim will bring fruit, namely people seeking freedom from addiction.
*We will expect each other to become envelopers. What I mean by that is we will ask the Body of Christ in Hope to constantly and humbly remember who we are. We are not in Heaven yet. We are the Redeemed. That means we had to come from the pit. Not a one of us started closer to redemption than the rest of us. We all began our journey with Christ at the rock bottom place where death threatens and fear grips and love is all but lost. And Jesus broke those bonds and brought us out! We must remember this, because this gives us hope for the people God will bring to us seeking rescue in Him! They will see it in our eyes, hear it in our voices, and feel it every time we take them in our prayers and our lives. We have been reconciled with Christ to become reconcilers. We have been enveloped to be envelopers.
*We will develop partnerships with agencies in our culture who are already set up as rescue points. We are not a rehab, but we will partner with ones that exalts Christ. We are not a detox, but we will partner with ones that understands the Lordship of Jesus. We are not the police department, but we will develop relationships with officers who know Jesus and glorify Him in their work. What we are is a safe house. We are a family in Christ. We are a place that proclaims that kind of truth that sets men and women free from meth and every other addiction that is held over our heads. We are a place of hope. We must not forget that! We must proclaim that! And we must act like it is true!
*We are not super heroes. This is a war that must and will be fought by every member of this Body. We cannot seek glory or success for ourselves. There will be many moments where we feel like we are failing. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. He is the only Rescuer worth mentioning in this conversation!
*Finally, we will trust the sovereign grace of God to redeem us. He can and will paint a beautiful picture of redeemed souls seeking Him with all our hearts and trusting Him to lead us on. We are not the pushed over, forgotten, wandering people of God. We are children of the King! We stand in His Light and Confidence! We can confidently say we will be victorious because He has already declared victory for us on the cross.
For more information and/or to talk with somebody about a family member or friend who needs help please contact Eric Turner at 870.777.5757 or find us on Facebook at Banner Hope Center or First Baptist Church of Hope, AR.
