I spent the past week serving some amazing and very beautiful people. A small group of leaders in a nation closed to Christianity gathered together for training. It was my privilege, along with Bob Hamp, to minister freedom to these precious ones and to train them to impart this same freedom to others. Words fail me to adequately describe what this experience has been like.
Some things are universal to the experience of being human. These things transcend race and culture. We all know rejection and the pain of loss. We all know what it is in the midst of pain to embrace distorted ways of seeing ourselves, others, and even God. We’ve all been lied to about how things are. We’ve all believed, embraced, and been shaped by those lies. All of us have adopted ways to avoid more pain and loss. Some defenses are subtle, almost unnoticed by others. Some are glaring and obvious to everyone except ourselves. But all of us know what it is to internally decide that if I don’t protect me no one else will. Many of us have noticed the practically inviolable law that such defenses always have a way of reproducing the very experience we are trying to avoid.
Jesus said that knowing the truth can make us free. This week, I have seen a beautiful group of people know Truth. Jesus knocked at the door and they heard His voice and opened the door. He came in to sit with them and share a meal. In His eyes there is perfect love that pushes fear away. Acceptance is found in the eyes of the one who has taken our rejection upon Himself and carried it to the cross. The One whose voice is as the sound of many waters came and spoke reality into the midst of falsehood. He spoke light into the midst of darkness. The river of life came and brought healing to the nations.
Men and women who have spent years trying to find life through striving, through the self effort of doing the good things they know to do and rejecting the evil things they know they ought not to do discovered that the Tree of Knowledge can only produce death, no matter how sincerely you work. Some very weary people found rest for their souls this week. This week some dry branches got plugged into a life giving vine. They took a deep breath and simply began to rest in Him, receiving Life, surrendering to His presence, abiding in His word.
It was beautiful.
15 Comments
Awesome. This is just awesome.
That was beautiful. God is so amazing!
Amen and amen!
oh, alan! what a wonderful experience to see something like that that we take for granted in the states! god continues to show his POWER!
Thanks for letting God use you the way He has designed you to be used. Those people will never be the same!
Dude i really enjoyed reading this and just this morning i read about the freedom of Christ and how truth is the freedom setter and that is is for freedom that we have been set free. I believe the truth. I believe that my destiny is true and I am going to go for it with everything. God is so amazing and He loves each and every one of us so dearly. There is no racial or cultural differences in heaven. perfect unity. I love you my friend. great post.
This sentence made me cry “But all of us know what it is to internally decide that if I don’t protect me no one else woll”
This sentence made me cry “But all of us know what it is to internally decide that if I don’t protect me no one else will”
What you saw over there is something that can and should happen over here. God’s people are everywhere and they cry to Him. He hears and will answer, if we will let Him have his way in us. I say this only because I know it. He had his way in my life recently and there are not words enough that can express what He did and and is doing in my life. I thank Him all day, every day and will continue to give thanksgiving for HIM for the rest of my life.
Thank you Jesus! Thank you Lord!
Thanks for sharing Alan! Great to see God using you in this way
Sounds like such an amazing experience!! Hearing stories of freedom brings tears to my eyes and sends my heart racing!!! Exciting stuff!!!
These things transcend race and culture… how powerful!! What a priviledge… Blessings as you continue going
Amazing!! I wish I could sit down with you and hear the individual stories of how these pastors were transformed by the healing message you brought. They are the heroes most of us won’t meet until heaven.
I believe what you saw over there is something we find hard to discover over here.
They have so much to teach us about the authenticity of worship and faith. Powerful testimonies, beautiful people, and God’s great love. Magnificent. Bravo, God!
I can perfectly imagine how beautiful this event was… you ministering to ministers- such a God-glorifying moment! I oftentimes observe how pastors and workers are left for themselves when it comes to their own needs! Praise God! Keep it up always!!