Powerful Company

Haha....hmmm....where do I even begin? God remains to be as awesome as ever. I've been totally out of it and not feeling it lately, but nevertheless God has been showing up in some really cool ways especially in the last couple of days. So yesterday as I talked about in my last blog, I got to spend some time with some missionaries who have a heart for the Muslim community. It was a really awesome opportunity to hear their hearts and gain Godly counsel form their experiences. It was also a really cool thing to share that with my Epic Crew. That last night, I really felt like we broke through into something. After all, I did name my blog Epic Crew "Breakthrough" because I thought it was amazingly significant.

Well, tonight just got even crazier and amazing. So today we had a prayer meeting gathering student prayer leaders from different campuses from all over Arizona. At the beginning of the day, I was so not into this. I'm still in the middle of finals and stuff, so I was a little hesitant to have this meeting, and I have been so ready to just check out of school and planning and just chill. Well, every time I have this attitude, God always seems to move my heart in a special way especially with these group of prayer leaders. We had prayer leaders from a school in Prescott, AZ, NAU, and ASU. We got together worshipped and prayed over one another and each other's campuses. It was a really sweet experience. I got to share my heart on the freshman and 2Chronicles 20:12 to one of the girls from NAU, and it was really amazing to find out they had used that exact verse for their 24hour prayer theme this year! God is too cool.

So anyway, after we took time sharing with one another, we zipped off to dinner at Hal and Cheryl Sack's house. These two are an amazing couple who are totally anointed and have been working together to connect leaders across Arizona and bring the power of God to this state. They are influential leaders who help put on conferences like PrayerQuake that was really influential in shaping my life this last summer. To get an idea of how awesome and influential they are - while we were talking - Cindy Jacobs called them and left a message on their voicemail. Cindy Jacobs is a well-known woman of God who walks in the prophetic and has a heart for intercession. It was pretty sweet. She is a fiery woman of God.

Anyway, so if you don't catch the drift. Last night, I met with two powerful and anointed couples and then tonight I met with another couple who have tremendous hearts for God. Like last night, they hosted about ten of us prayer leaders in their house. We ate together and shared some stories about God was doing in our lives and what was happening in our campuses. They also shared some great insight with us that really opened my mind and heart to a lot of cool things that God is doing in Arizona and around the world.

One of the things that they really emphasized to us youth leaders was to remain focused on what God is calling us to do. They talked about how so many times this generation of young people gets so excited and passionate for God that we want to go out and change the world right now. However, they challenged us to really press into the things that God is calling us to do especially with the majors he has called us to in school. In talking about this, they mentioned the idea of the 7 mountains of influence. These 7 seven mountains of influence include things like business, government, arts/media, religion, family, etc. Apparently, these 7 mountains of influence were shown to Bill Bright and another influential leader by God to call people to intercede specifically for these things. So each of these mountains has a significant influence in our society. But they mentioned that only about 6% of people actually hold the power in each of these influences. God is calling our generation to begin to rise up influence these different mountains. We are to pray for the top 6% and begin to get there ourselves. God is raising up a powerful generation of youth who revolutionize our society. But we must be faithful in preparing ourselves.

Whether it be a doctor, lawyer, artist, musician, politician, minister, etc. - God is calling our to generation to remain steadfast in what He has called us to do in this time and moment. There is a tendency for us to run really fast and change the world. But God wants us to be where we are at right now. It's hard, and it's not glamorous, but God is making us ready for a time when we will really be able to influence the places he has called us to. Hal and Cheryl talked about how in their days if you were passionate for God you only had limited number of options in pursuing ministry. You either became a missionary, became a pastor, or married a pastor. There were only so many options. These people oftentimes ended up being unhappy because they weren't able to reach their full potential.

However, these days God is allowing the look of ministry to be completely different from what it was in previous generations. These days God is calling people to be missionaries in the marketplace. This means that God is calling college students to go into the professions such as engineering, medicine, education, politics, etc. and go make a change in these places in bringing the influence of His kingdom. He talked about the example of Jaeson Ma and how God has used him to revolutionize Hollywood and influenced other top celebrities and musicians. God has prepared his heart for this unique season. He had to wait and endure a long season, but now God has him in a tremendous place of influence.

Hal gave an example like this. He talked about how we are in a big baseball game. The game is going on out there, and one of these days we will be up to bat. We will have our chance to go out there and make a difference in the game. However, the pitches won't be slow or always in the zone. They are going to be just as hard as anyone else who came before us. We must be ready when this opportunity comes up. Thus, we must prepare our hearts and remain under God's covering. We cannot be impatient and miss on what God is calling us to do. It may not be glamorous and easy now, but God is preparing us for a unique time when we will be able to operate in the fullness of what He has in store for us.

So as you can garner, this couple is amazing! It was such a blessing to in their company. You can just imagine the powerful company I was privileged to be a part of tonight. There were amazing prayer leaders from all over the state having the opportunity to pray and speak with an amazing couple who have been forerunning this current movement of God. It was crazy because as we worshipped together as a group, God really began putting on my heart that what we did tonight and the night before was one step closer to what the restoration of the church looks like. My heart is much to see the power of God restore the church and see the fullness of what He wants the church to be.

So as we prayed, I just began to imagine what it would look like if young people would be able to meet more frequently with spiritual mothers and fathers like Hal and Cheryl more often. It is truly a transformational experience. I have experienced it two nights in a row, and it totally blows my mind away. The group your with grows so much closer together, and everyone is encouraged. I mean I really felt like we were operating close to the fullness of God wants the church to look like. We fellowshipped and ate together. We shared together. People prophesied over each other. Hal and Cheryl prophesied over everyone (more on this later). We worshipped together. There was even some deliverance tonight and some healing. Like I said, these are things that I believe will be commonplace in the church as move forward in what He has called us to be.

What was so amazing about tonight was how natural and normal these things happened. There was nothing forced or pretentious about anything that happened tonight. No one person was glorified or had attention drawn to them. I really believe Jesus Christ was fully glorified and lifted high tonight. And that was what has been so cool about tonight. I saw people operate in their giftings in such a natural and normal way in which everyone was edified. This is was definitely a picture or a snapshot of what the church will look like! What is so crazy is like I said before these are the things that God has really been placing on my heart. Kelly and I have discussed meeting with the older generation before and doing something like this. And even as I prayed, God brought back to memory this strategy that He had put on my heart over the summer in my time of fasting and praying. Over the summer, I really wanted to initiate a simple church movement amongst the youth in my church. God really put a strategy on my heart that included a similar strategy that I have experienced the last two nights. It involves a youth group holding a simple church meeting but having it be hosted and partly facilitated by a couple in the church who would be willing to house and feed the youth. This could work on rotation system where different families could host the youth group simple church.

I don't know exactly what this would look like. But I think it would be so amazing to have spiritual fathers and mothers provide direction and prophetic vision to the emerging youth. Our generation is missing role models of fathers and mothers and their is a lack of discipleship and accountability. What would it look life if the younger generation and the older generation were more regularly sitting around a table together eating and sharing the things God is doing in each groups hearts. It would be an encouragement to both groups, and I really think we would begin to see some crazy transformation. I really think that this will potentially be a big step in seeing a new move in church structure and vision.

So anyways, as you probably know by now, my heart is to see the transformation and restoration of the church. I desire to see simple churches raised up, and students and others empowered and equipped to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth. It was so crazy because I mentioned this a little bit to Hal and Cheryl, but they only knew me for a couple hours when they began to prophesy an amazing word to me that totally blows me and and humbles my heart. First of all, they told me that I shouldn't be surprised if the plan and strategy didn't look like what I expected. In fact, I should probably expect it to look differently. Even with all the radical ideas that we talk about together, the outcome will be different than what we expected. Then they began to say how God was going to use me to step into a new wineskin that has never before been seen. There would be new blueprints that would be downloaded straight from God and from no one else. There will be new plans and models that I won't be copying from anyone else. This won't be happening alone. It will require the help and relationships of others. They said that I probably would be misunderstood. But that I must continue to be faithful to God and walk in humility. Then, Cheryl prayed that I God would send me a spiritual mentor who would help me discover and learn the principles that God wants me to have in order for Him to show me what He wanted me to do. This mentor wouldn't tell me what to do, but would help me along the way. Eventually, there will come a point that even my mentor will not understand the things God is leading me to, and I will have to step out in faith.

Crazy! I don't want to say things with a spirit of pride or anything. It just feels so amazing to see that what they said encapsulates so many things on my heart. My heart is so keen on seeing God move in our generation and move us into a new wineskin and a new way of seeing the church move in the power of God. Also, I have so desired to have a spiritual mentor who would be able to help me through this process. That has been one of the biggest things that has frustrated me, and one of the biggest things I have been asking God to bring to me. And all in one night, God affirmed and confirmed the things He was putting on my heart and encouraged me so much. It was so awesome!

I could probably go on forever, but I think the point is that God is moving in awesome ways. What tonight really showed me is that when we rest in God the breakthrough and the revelations come so much more quickly. Oftentimes, we work so hard and strive to experience God and hear His voice. But so often, he just wants us to wait on Him and allow the breakthroughs to come naturally and organically. The breakthroughs will come, but they come most often when we rest in God. Tonight and last night, I saw the Holy Spirit working in ways that seemed so normal and so natural. He was putting things on my heart and those around us. The Spirit was moving in ways in which everyone was encouraged, but no one had to work or strive towards. Tonight, I got a glimpse of what the church should and will be like. It was a beautiful sight. I was definitely in the midst of some powerful company tonight. None more powerful than the Holy Spirit Himself. Yay God!

God, thank you for your faithfulness and your love. Thank you that you move in heart ours and minds in ways that we cannot even begin to think or imagine. Thank you that you invite us to rest in you and experience this breakthrough out of restoration and renewal. Thank you for opportunities to see the fullness of who you are be manifested in simple expressions of what it looks like to be the church. God, I pray that you would help our generation to be patient in stepping into the full destiny that you have prepared for us. May we remember that destiny is birthed and released out of knowing who we are. Our identity is set in you. You are so good! God help me to remain humble and patient in seeking your face. Break off any pride or self-seeking. When all else fades and goes away, you still remain. You are the desire of my heart and the source of my affection. No one else will do. Raise up a generation of lovesick worshippers. We love you Jesus! The Spirit and the Bride say come! In Jesus Name, Amen!