Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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There is spiritual warfare everywhere. What coming on the race has shown me is the pull of deception that the enemy holds, and the greater power and authority that we have. This past month I have experienced this personally.

 

I underwent a deliverance. There was no demon thrown out from my body. I did not shake and convulse on the ground while people scream “Jesus” over me. In fact, I had a wonderful and intentional conversation with one of our squad coaches, Lisa.

 

To explain fully, I must first rewind. The few weeks before the conversation with Lisa, while we were still in Swaziland, I had not been feeling like myself. Hurts and hang-ups from my past kept coming back into my mind and heart. Each week felt as if it was the same hurt coming back to the party with a different mask on. My relationship with God seemed quiet. I was isolating myself from those around me. Every once in awhile I would muster up the strength to push through and be myself, but it was always short lived. Those around me noticed.

 

Two who did were my squad leaders (squad Leaders are the lovely alumni racers who agree to go back on the race for another 5 months to help the new set of racers start their journeys off right). As we talked about the life struggle I was battling, we began to see a pattern. The same thoughts, feelings, and hurts continued to return time and time again. Never fully leaving, they were always waiting in the shadows. That is when one of our leaders asked me about deliverance. Up till this point in my life, the only example I had to go off of was what Hollywood had depicted. I was hesitant.

 

We talked about my squad leader’s personal experience and the research she had done since. The more we discussed it, the more I felt it was something that I needed to give a chance. News made it to Lisa of my curiosity, and she prepared.

 

When we arrived at debrief Lisa was ready for me. She took my hand, both literally and metaphorically, and walked through it with me. As I said earlier, it was nothing like the movies. We sat down, she prayed over me with authority, I felt things leave me, we cried. We broke off spirit after spirit; of unworthiness, of addiction, of anxiety and depression, and many others. I felt joy build up in me as the footholds broke off. I walked out of their hotel feeling like a new person.

 

And my squad mates noticed. They made comments about my eyes shining brighter, my smile gleaming whiter, and my joy over flowing, as they had not seen before. They were seeing the freedom that replaced all of the negative spirits and lies from the enemy. They were seeing Andrea as God had intended.

 

I woke up the next morning feeling light and filled with joy, like a child. So much joy that I couldn’t contain any of it. Since that day I have walked with a stronger faith, with more confidence, and filled with joy, every day.

 

Later at debrief the Lord gave me a “deliverance verse”:

 

Psalm 103:
“Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits– who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children– with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.”

Those are the promises He made to me. He redeems me. He heals me. He crowns me with love and compassion. He is gracious and abounding in love. He forgives me not because I desire it, but because of His unconditional and unfailing love.

 

Praise Report: This pasted month, over $1,800 of donation came into my account! Wow God! Thank you to everyone who donated!! Your support is such a blessing.

I am now less than $1,500 away from being fully supported. I have the rest of June to get to my final goal of $16,250. Please pray into if you are someone who can help get me to that final goal. Many blessings!