The room was thick with discord.
Our team had set a goal to meet every morning at 9:30am to pray for the day and prepare our hearts for what God was going to do. As we gathered, the events from yesterday played through my head.
“Why, Lord? I don’t understand how we got to this point.”
Our goal for ministry that day was to set out into the streets and pray for people but there was an unsteadiness in my spirit. I knew that the Holy Spirit wanted us to settle whatever had happened the day before.
What had happened the day before was nothing super serious but serious enough that our team felt like it was falling apart. The enemy had gotten his foot in the door again and we were allowing the same old insecurities and lies to creep into our team.
It was Liv’s team time and what she had planned was for each of us to draw a name and pray over that person. We had the option to pray bible verses over them and to ask the Lord if there was a word of encouragement He had for that person.
Sabrina had drawn my name. She came over and sat with me and began to tell me things that the Lord has been teaching her. One of the main things she said was:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
?Ephesians? ?6?:?12? (NIV)
Growing up in church, I had heard this verse so many times and have read it many times but this morning I needed the Lord to remind me of it that day, in that moment and He did. That’s when my perspective changed on the situation that had happened yesterday and I knew that we needed to fight for our sister in Christ because she was in a spiritual battle.
We told the other girls that we needed to talk about yesterday and get our hearts clear before we even attempted to venture out into the streets of Somoto, Nicaragua.
Everyone agreed and we began to talk. People shared what they were feeling and then the atmosphere shifted. We began calling out things in each other and encouraging one another to get rid of whatever was entangling them. We made sure every person knew that we were willing to fight for them. We are sisters in Christ, a team.
We were edifying the body of Christ.
Liv stood up and began to use her gift of prophecy. She spoke prophetically into some of us and we gladly received it.
Megan shared about a fear she had been believing and this is where the story begins.
We laid hands on Megan and began to pray for her. Those of us who have the gift of speaking in tongues, used our prayer languages and we lifted Megan’s need up in prayer. The atmosphere shifted again. The presence of God fell on Liv and she began moving and speaking to Megan but not as Liv. She was using a different prayer language then before, this language was mixed with spanish and as we were all praying she looked at Sandra and said, in English, “Understand.”
Immediately, Sandra grabbed her face and exclaimed, “I know what she’s saying.” I knew in that moment that The Lord had given Sandra the gift of interpreting tongues!
Sandra continued to listen as Liv allowed the Holy Spirit to speak through her. Sandra kept her eyes closed the whole time. She didn’t want to say what she thought but wanted the interpretation to come straight from the Holy Spirit.
The Father was using Liv and Sandra to tell His daughter such a sweet and personal message. Megan was being ministered to straight from the Heavenly Father’s heart.
Then the Holy Spirit turned his attention to Christina. The doctors told her mom that she may not have arms or legs. The Father told her that He was there the day she was born. He was standing right there when she was delivered. Christina was born premature. She was such a miracle baby.
After a while, through the direction of the Holy Spirit, Liv turned towards me. The Father began to speak to me about things he has planned for me in the future. His promises over me. At one point he asked me to look into His eyes. As I looked in Liv’s eyes they definitely weren’t her eyes. The Lord spoke to me and said, “You have been faithful with the little things and I am going to bless you with much more.” There was such a peace and joy in His eyes. I started to cry.
Oh and it didn’t stop there. The Spirit of God spoke to each and every one of us individually. At the end of it all we took a worship break. I was sitting there and felt the Lord asking me to lift my hands and receive something from him. Then he told me that we needed to pray for Liv. So after the song was over, I gathered the ladies and we laid hands on and prayed for Liv. I began praying in my prayer language and Sandra was interpreting to Liv what the Lord was saying. It was so amazing to be used by the Lord in that way.
At the very end, the Father had a message for all of us. It felt like he was sitting right in front of us! He told us, “I have been waiting for this moment. You are all called. You are all set apart. I have chosen a route for you to walk in. I have told them you are coming. They will be expecting you. Your names are written in the Book of Life. I have prepared a place for you. It’s filled with joy and peace. Everything I’ve told you will come to pass. I will come again!”
Our spirits danced inside of us!
This is an encounter with God that I will NEVER forget. That month of my race was one of my favorites. The Father did so many things as we traveled through Nicaragua doing unsung heroes.
These are the beautiful women that I got to do ministry with and one of the people the Lord had prepared for us to minister to.
You can check out that blog here.
But the story doesn’t end there…
The same God who visited team Girasoles that early August morning is the same God of this moment in time.
He wants so desperately to encounter you in a way that you have never experienced Him before.
What I love about God is that there is always more. There is so much more of his love available to you.
More of His grace.
More of His mercy.
More of His presence.
There are so many facets of His glory that we have yet to behold. In heaven, the elders cast down their crowns and cry Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, each time the Father reveals a new facet of His glory.
So what are we waiting for?!?
I’m tired of yesterday’s left overs. I want a fresh encounter today! I don’t want this one encounter to be the highlight of my life. I want more! A deeper encounter! A deeper intimacy with the father!
We are sons and daughters of the Most High. He has invited us to His banqueting table. There are no leftovers there. Only fresh food prepared for his children.
Will you join me at the table? Are you hungry and thirsty for more of God?
Deeper levels. Fresh encounters.
It’s possible and the Father will do it if you ask. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Seek Him and He will be found by you.
