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Soldier Interview - Elaine Gillingham
Canada & Bermuda Territory
JAC interviewed soldiers from five territories regarding
battle issues that we all face. We expect that most of you
will learn much on what the problems and solutions are in this
great salvation conflict. We esteem the interviewees as those
fighting hard and committed to glorifying Jesus as they
capture, train, and deploy on very different fronts.
JAC: Quick bio:
EG: Elaine, wife of Ian and mother of five young warriors, is
a prophetic apostle leading The Salvation Army in London,
Ontario and influencing it far beyond the city limits.
JAC: Tell us, about your salvation and sanctification.
EG: I was saved when I was seven in a night meeting at the
North Toronto Corps in Ontario. I remember going forward and
asking my mom to come with me. We prayed together. Throughout
the years I had ongoing encounters with the Lord. The Holy
Spirit was good at convicting me of sin and I was usually
fairly quick to respond to His promptings seeing as He would
give me no rest.
I remember in my early teen years often going out into a
nearby school field and singing to God under the stars about
my struggles, hurts or joys. I would just make up songs and
tunes and sing to Him.
When I went to training college a friend of mine started
talking about sanctification as being an event, not
necessarily a process. He pulled out a little tract and gave
it to me. I went to my room and prayed through it. I think
that really was the beginning of an intentional, disciplined
approach to sanctification. Instead of living haphazardly I
became very aware of my interior life. I kept/keep short
accounts with the Lord. When I sense His chastisement I
rectify the situation through an immediate response to His
lead.
JAC: What engages your passions and energies these days.
EG: I don't know that I'm presently engaged in my own passion.
At present I seem to be stumbling into the will of God as I'm
seeking to follow Him. My passion is being a catalyst for
others to have encounters with God. I love when He uses me, in
whatever context, to demonstrate His love, speak His words,
bring wisdom or revelation, and serving others.
Just recently He has me working in the courts. I have contact
with inmates, victims, family members of both sides, lawyers,
judges. It's a wide range of people and backgrounds. I am
blessed to be in the midst of such a diverse harvest field and
the passion there is to be an agent of justice and mercy as
well as jumping into the divine appointments that He sets up.
JAC: What is your role with The Salvation Army?
EG: At present I am being immersed in the Corrections and
Justice Service wing of The SA. I am a court worker in London,
Ontario. I am also engaged in planting a 614 Corps with a team
in the London downtown.
JAC: What is your mission/calling?
EG: My mission is to do whatever I'm told to by the Lord.
Recently I was struck by Psalm 123:2: “Behold, as the eyes of
servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a
maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to the Lord
our God, until He is gracious to us.”
There is such a keen focus required of us to fix our eyes on
Jesus. To be fixed on His heart, His purposes, His ways. Jesus
did nothing on His own. He only did what the Father was doing.
That's a mission that I'm trying to replicate in my own life.
I was thinking how a servant would be looking to the master.
The master is the central focus of that person’s existence.
The master tells the servant what to do, when to do it, how to
do it and in return the master takes care of all the servant's
needs.
To serve the master is all the mission that I really have.
Living with this kind of mission is all encompassing. It
affects every aspect of life - where I live, who I'm married
to - what we do vocationally - how many kids we have - where
they go to school - how I spend His money - where I go and on
and on His leading goes... I'm still learning to be an
obedient servant.
JAC: How does The Army support your war-fighting?
EG: The support that I receive is the opportunity. I have open
opportunity. If I have the vision, make the request, show the
need and that it's of the Lord I believe that they're ready to
go.
At present they have provided me employment where I have
unlimited opportunities to witness, serve, teach, care for,
seek justice, create new avenues of ministry, encourage and
provide opportunities for others to volunteer and serve.
The SA has also supported my war fighting by giving training
to me through out the years. Different soldiers have provided
counsel, encouragement, wisdom, resources and again
OPPORTUNITY!
JAC: How do you influence people?
EG: Stephen - you would probably say through blogging,
teaching, preaching, prophesying and my daily living.
I'm often taken aback that people actually listen to my words
and order some of the steps of their lives because of them.
This is a weighty responsibility and at times I don't ever
want to prophesy again because of the responsibility and
accountability. It is scary.
JAC: What are your dreams for the next several years?
EG: To be still.
For my children to grow in the wisdom and counsel of God. To
become men and women who serve whole heartedly and love God
more than I ever have and serve Him in ways that I could only
dream of. I long for them - not just my flesh and blood but my
spiritual children - to do mighty exploits for the King and
His kingdom. I weep as I write this because I'm so passionate
about seeing my kids prepare the way for the King. That they
would be without spot, wrinkle and blemish and that they would
exude the fruit and power of the Kingdom of God.
To overcome. To be faithful and grow to be like Him.
To build the Kingdom of God where I am and daily add those
being saved.
To live in Israel and do whatever it is God wants me to do
there.
JAC: What are the keys to successful warfare on your front and
the larger salvation war?
EG: Perseverance, faithfulness, wisdom, strong leadership, a
tightly knit team who share vision - have diverse gifts - love
Jesus whole heartedly.
INTEGRATION OF MINISTRIES. If we- ministries of The SA- could
learn to integrate and work together within localities we
would be amazed at the impact we have in the lives of those we
serve. God has blessed us immensely and a coordinated strategy
might be invincible. We could really use a city-wide Army to
win a city-wide war.
JAC: How are you and your comrades strengthening The Salvation
Army?
EG: I think that we are proactive. We know that we are
covenanted soldiers who are responsible for The Salvation
Army. If we want to see growth - people being saved - we must
be actively engaged in evangelism. Therefore we are out on the
streets or in SA institutions meeting people telling them
about Jesus and building relationships with them.
If we want to see strong disciples. We have to teach and train
the people that we know in the ways of God.
If we want to see justice we must become agents of justice.
We are dedicated to being The Army that we want to become.
There are a group of us who take the initiative to be The
Salvation Army. Rather than sending someone to Family Services
for some food we give our food. If someone needs shelter we
build the relationship and offer our bed. If someone needs
help we see ourselves as the one responsible to give whatever
help we are able to give rather than passing the buck. Maybe
it's ownership - I am The Salvation Army - I am a covenanted
community member and membership has its privileges.
JAC: What are some of the dangers we have to face in the
coming years? (and how?)
EG: I think one of the greatest dangers we were facing was
grieving the Holy Spirit. There's a Scripture that talks about
us doing in the flesh what we once started off in the Spirit.
But over the last several years I have seen over and over
again a keener sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and His leading.
I believe we are in the process of learning the voice,
language and ways of God. If we continue to follow His Spirit
- His leading there is absolutely no danger that we cannot
overcome.
If we face the danger of finances He will show us His
provision and His purposes. If we lack leadership - He will
raise up Spirit filled leaders. If we need power in our
confrontations with evil, He will delegate His authority to
stomp on the enemy. And so on.
JAC: What final exhortation have you for this audience?
EG: I think it's time for us to grow up. It's time for the
members of the body to take their place. He has given some as
apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and
some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints
for the work of service, to the buildling up of the body of
Christ. (see and think about Eph 4:11-16)
There is a fullness that we have yet to attain. A maturity in
Christ that has eluded us because we have not been fitted
together and working the way we should. Each individual has a
part and is required in the proper functioning of the body.
The Army needs you! The need is for you to become what God has
created you to be from the foundation of the earth. To grow in
Him and be established in Him so that you fulfill the purpose
for which He created you. When we all start being active
soldiers engaged in establishing His kingdom here on earth as
it is in heaven the giant will be filling the world with His
glory.
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