“I assure you,” He said, “unless you are converted and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child- this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one child like this in My name welcomes me.” – Matthew 18:2-5
Worship music was pumping through the speakers. Believers were spread around the room standing, sitting, kneeling. As the Spirit moved they closed their eyes or lifted their hands. Their facial features expressed the sincerity of their heartfelt praise. It was one of the most genuine times of worship I have been privileged to experience on the Race. It was Sunday morning Kid’s Church at Causeway Coast Vineyard.
Never in my life have I seen children worshiping this way. And just when I though God couldn’t possibly show me anything more through these kids, He proved me wrong. Towards the end of Kid’s Church all of the Racers in the room were asked to stand up front; then the children were invited to come pray over us. Now, I had heard from many in the church the work that the Holy Spirit does through these kids. Encouragement, visions, healing. When I was their age most of my prayers centered around blessing food. I couldn’t help but wonder what their prayers would be like.
There was no hesitation or having to pick volunteers; the kids practically flocked to us. Four boys between the ages of 9 and 11 stood in front of me. One boy took lead looking me square in the eyes and kindly asking what I needed prayer for. I shared with the boys about a baby girl from my home church in the States: she is seriously ill and requires a rare and extreme surgery in order to be healed. As I was telling the boys all of this, I remembered the words spoken to me about these children and the power of the Holy Spirit in this community, and I went for it. I did not ask them to pray for peace or comfort for the family or just that she would “get better.” Instead, I asked that the boys pray complete healing over the baby girl without surgery- I asked that they pray for a miracle.
You see, these boys know the power of the Holy Spirit and the God that we serve. They understand that the same commands and miracles performed by Jesus can be done by those who follow Him. So, the prayers flowed from their hearts. I listened as these children invited the presence of the Holy Spirit, commanded His power, and declared belief. The strength and trust that they expressed brought me to tears. In my mind I cried out to my Heavenly Father saying, “This is one of those moments where I truly believe you are a God who heals and does miracles, and you do them through your children.”
When the prayers finished I stepped out of the room, dropped to the ground, and burst into tears. These five through eleven year olds are experiencing the God that some Christians don’t meet until decades later in life. It struck me that this is the childlike faith Jesus was referring to in Matthew 18. He’s not talking about the gullible naivety I think many of us credit to children. Instead, I believe Christ was talking about a child’s trusting spirit, belief in real power, and the desire to see the impossible happen. At the age of twenty-four I still long to reach the point where my prayers hold the power, belief, and conviction that these young children have. My spiritual ceiling is truly their spiritual floor. Where will God lead them? I know in the depths of my being that God is raising up this generation in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, in order to send them throughout this world.
His Kingdom is coming, and it is carried by these children.
