Our first matter of business was to pray for each of the vendors at Lifelight music festival in South Dakota. Many of the vendors asked for prayer for sales for the weekend, for the people attending Lifelight, or a loved one who was ill. We prayed for favor and spoke healing over their loved ones. Out of all of the vendors, and music artists that I had the opportunity to pray for, one woman stood out to me. She had a very sweet countenance, and although we prayed for her in the group of women at the booth, I wanted to pray for her individually. I wanted to pray for her marriage, I pulled her aside and asked if there was anything I could pray for, and she said her family, when I asked her marriage, she teared up. She was so surprised, and told her friend. It's exactly what is on her heart. I opened my heart to the Father and prayed out all that he placed on my heart. With tears the woman thanked me, and said those were the exact cries of her heart. The Lord hears the cries of her heart, and they are on His heart. I love it. It's so beautiful.
She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." (Genesis 16:13)
Although I prayed for many people there were several that really stand out in my heart above the rest.
Praying for a highschool student, the Lord showed me parts of this person's heart, some of their strengths and gifting in how they related to others. The Lord led me to share part of my testimony, I was VERY hesitant to do so. But knowing that the enemy is overcome by the blood of the lamb and the WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY (Revelation 12:11), I shared. The highschool student opened up as they struggled similarly. We prayed together, brought it before the Lord, trusting this is true "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16) My prayer partner encouraged our new friend to continue to declare victory in saying "I'm free" we encouraged our new friend to say it right there, to our surprise our friend shouted right there on the festival ground, "I'M FREE!"
I pray this from Isaiah 42 over our new friend who has tasted freedom
"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Another impactful story comes from a woman whose friendship is already so precious to me. In being obedient to the Lord, we found ourselves in circumstances where God's healing rain could touch deep places of her heart, to bring forth freedom from lies, and that which held her back from declaring the work the Lord has done in her. Truth of the Father's heart toward her has touched her heart to stand straight into her identity as His beloved daughter, and has empowered her testimony to share and bring life to others.
We prayed for another precious new friend who finds herself at the dock, about to embark on a new journey, and is waiting to get word that this ship is ready to sail. As we prayed the Lord revealed areas of her heart that have seen much pain, and the Lord met her there with encouragement, showering her with words of who he sees her to be, her belovedness. I know there is so much more there, so much hope is yet to be encountered. So much hope is hers. We share similar stories. No longer do we bare scars, for they have been healed. It is Christ who wore our pain so we might experience healing. And oh! is that healing ever springing forth.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
(Isaiah 43:4-5)
This weekend I saw so many uneven legs grow out, ankles healed leaving crutches behind, deep places met with the loving heart of the Father, people accepting the life of Christ, people baptized in the spirit, empowered, encouraged, and set apart. Again I say I am so humbled and so honored to be a part of and see what God is doing so powerfully in people's lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment