Before I left for California, someone prophesied over me that the Lord was giving me a new way to deal with the stress of leadership--"just laugh it off." I knew what the Lord meant. He was saying that I needed to stay in the identity of being His child & stay in tuned with His love, affection, & delight for me.
While I was leading the team in California, anytime I began to stress over something, I would just close my eyes & connect with Jesus--His eyes looking at me & His thoughts toward me. I would feel the joy of His feelings for me. Nothing else matters if my life is pleasing to Him & I can connect with His love for me.
One day in California, there was a significant moment where the Lord touched me in a real way with His love & I have been different since then. Not only did I experience it in a real way, but I have also been able to release it to other people & they are able to connect with His love & affection for them. I was able to preach on the love of the Father that night & people were receiving His love in a real way. Ask the Lord to give you a deeper revelation of His love for you; you will never be the same again.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
"They Didn't Stand a Chance..."
On our trip to California & throughout our ten days there, we got to know our primary bus driver Keith really well. After we stopped at a gas station in Arizona & all the kids got back on the bus with testimonies, Keith said that those people didn’t stand a chance. They didn't know what hit them when a busload of 55 firey evangelists swarmed a truckstop. Keith had been in the ministry for many years & was so encouraged by watching the students. I was also so proud of them as I walked through the truckstop & saw groups of students praying for people in every corner of the whole place. Some unsuspecting bystanders rededicated their lives to Christ, others were healed, others were engaged with the Gospel message, & believers were encouraged & strengthened in their walk with God.
It was like that everywhere we went. Some bus drivers took us to a casino for breakfast. Although we did not want to go there, the enemy’s plan backfired on him as students were praying for healing & people were testing out their knees & hips that were being healed. The gospel was preached & even the lady cleaning the bathrooms commented on how well-behaved & polite these 250 students were. In college campuses, restaurants, gas stations, casinos, streets, and coffee shops from Kansas City to Southern California—and all over, the gospel was preached & demonstrated through power, love, & humble acts of service. In San Diego, every time our team preached in a spot, we would clean up trash in that area. One person was so moved by this simple act that he asked how he could be saved.
It was like that everywhere we went. Some bus drivers took us to a casino for breakfast. Although we did not want to go there, the enemy’s plan backfired on him as students were praying for healing & people were testing out their knees & hips that were being healed. The gospel was preached & even the lady cleaning the bathrooms commented on how well-behaved & polite these 250 students were. In college campuses, restaurants, gas stations, casinos, streets, and coffee shops from Kansas City to Southern California—and all over, the gospel was preached & demonstrated through power, love, & humble acts of service. In San Diego, every time our team preached in a spot, we would clean up trash in that area. One person was so moved by this simple act that he asked how he could be saved.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Modern Day Stories like Acts
In Acts 2, 120 disciples were praying in an upper room & suddenly there was a sound of a rushing wind, flaming tongues of fire & all of them staggered out seeming to be drunk & prophesying in other tongues so that languages of many nations could hear. Peter told them that they were not drunk with wine, but with the Holy Spirit...
Over the past year here at the House of Prayer, the Lord has been pouring out the "wine of the Spirit" healing our hearts & freeing us from the fear of man. Each day before we went out to evangelize at UCSD, the Lord would visit us with the wine of His Spirit on our bus ride to the campus. We would be so full of joy that people were just shocked that we were so happy.
Two different days, 60 of us set up handdrums & guitars on highly populated areas & sang the same songs that the Lord has been ministering to us--"Now I have a purpose, Now I have a destiny, You made me for your Glory, You made me for your Glory!" We made up songs--"My God is a God who heals! (3x) He's better, He's better, He's better!" People would be so curious that they would stop & look, and many of them would allow us to pray for them, tell them the gospel, and people got saved and healed.
We were so happy & laughing so much that two students walked by & one said, "That's why we don't legalize weed..." It was like a modern-day version of what they said of the disciples. One of our students stopped them and said, "Oh no! It's not weed--it's the power of the love of Jesus in our hearts!" And she preached the gospel to them.
Over the past year here at the House of Prayer, the Lord has been pouring out the "wine of the Spirit" healing our hearts & freeing us from the fear of man. Each day before we went out to evangelize at UCSD, the Lord would visit us with the wine of His Spirit on our bus ride to the campus. We would be so full of joy that people were just shocked that we were so happy.
Two different days, 60 of us set up handdrums & guitars on highly populated areas & sang the same songs that the Lord has been ministering to us--"Now I have a purpose, Now I have a destiny, You made me for your Glory, You made me for your Glory!" We made up songs--"My God is a God who heals! (3x) He's better, He's better, He's better!" People would be so curious that they would stop & look, and many of them would allow us to pray for them, tell them the gospel, and people got saved and healed.
We were so happy & laughing so much that two students walked by & one said, "That's why we don't legalize weed..." It was like a modern-day version of what they said of the disciples. One of our students stopped them and said, "Oh no! It's not weed--it's the power of the love of Jesus in our hearts!" And she preached the gospel to them.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Prodigal Returned Home at Azusa Street
Our California trip was divided into two parts. The first half, I led a team of 60 people to San Diego to minister at JHOP-SD and UCSD. The second half, we were in LA & participated in the Fight Conference & Student Call with Lou Engle. The first night of part II, 350 from IHOP, plus many from local churches gathered at historic Azusa street where the Lord poured out his Spirit in 1906 resulting in the Pentecostal movement. We cried out for another historic wave.
Before we began, some of the students in my group came asking for my help with a lady they were witnessing to that had wandered up to the gathering. She was speaking many things that weren't true & yet she was hungry for the Spirit. I demonstrated to the students how you can take authority over the lies by interrupting & interjecting with truth. I told the story of the prodigal son. She began to cry & rededicated her life back to Jesus. Then, she began speaking in tongues. I explained to here what Azusa street was & why we were there, and then walked her through repentance and what she needed to do next. I explained to the students that as believers, we have authority over lies. When lies are spoken, we can reign in the conversation and speak truth that cuts through the lies. It is better for the person and can completely change the atmosphere. The power of the Holy Spirit--Christ in us, the Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27).
Before we began, some of the students in my group came asking for my help with a lady they were witnessing to that had wandered up to the gathering. She was speaking many things that weren't true & yet she was hungry for the Spirit. I demonstrated to the students how you can take authority over the lies by interrupting & interjecting with truth. I told the story of the prodigal son. She began to cry & rededicated her life back to Jesus. Then, she began speaking in tongues. I explained to here what Azusa street was & why we were there, and then walked her through repentance and what she needed to do next. I explained to the students that as believers, we have authority over lies. When lies are spoken, we can reign in the conversation and speak truth that cuts through the lies. It is better for the person and can completely change the atmosphere. The power of the Holy Spirit--Christ in us, the Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27).
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Adventures of Kingdom Life
Hello All,
I have decided to change the style of my blog. From now on, I will give short daily excerpts of stories, highlights, revelation from the word, etc...to keep you informed of what is happening in my life and to encourage you on a daily basis. I hope you will follow my blog and encourage others to do the same.
Over the next few days, I will write stories from our IHOPU trip to California that I just returned from last week. The International House of Prayer in KC sent 35o students to universities all over Southern California for ten days to preach the gospel on the streets. Lots of really cool things happened that I will be telling you about over the next few days...
I have decided to change the style of my blog. From now on, I will give short daily excerpts of stories, highlights, revelation from the word, etc...to keep you informed of what is happening in my life and to encourage you on a daily basis. I hope you will follow my blog and encourage others to do the same.
Over the next few days, I will write stories from our IHOPU trip to California that I just returned from last week. The International House of Prayer in KC sent 35o students to universities all over Southern California for ten days to preach the gospel on the streets. Lots of really cool things happened that I will be telling you about over the next few days...
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