Sunday, November 27, 2011

You Are More - Hillsong Live

I have GOOD NEWS to share!
Good News #1
Back in April, I wrote a blog about my time at Easter Camp with Ignite Sport. I wrote about four girls that God led me to pray with. Two of those girls signed up for soccer at Naenae College, and I got to coach them for 3 months.
Last night, I went to a church service where one of them was baptized! It was beautiful.
The Good News? God desires to be in relationship with us! Praise God!

Good News #2
I have told you about Jo and Isaac, but I’m not sure that I’ve told you about Rob. He is Isaac’s dad, and a regular attendee of our small group. One day at church we had this conversation:
Rob: Pua, I want to quit smoking.
Pua: Ok Rob, Let’s pray about it.
Rob: That’s ok, I guess.
Pua: God, I know that you desire wholeness and healing for Rob’s body. In the past, Rob has been addicted to nicotine. In the name of Jesus, we break Rob’s addiction to nicotine. I ask that you would restore his body to full health, and I pray that Rob’s desire for cigarettes would disappear.
Rob had been a smoker for over 20 years. It’s been 4 months since that day in church, and he hasn’t smoked, nor has he had a desire to smoke, since we prayed together!
The Good News? God breaks addictions! Praise God!
Good News #3
Since I danced at a church concert in September, I have had pain in my lower back. It felt like a nerve was pinched, and there would be moments when I would bend down and my whole leg would collapse from the sudden sharp, severe pain. It was occasional at first, but a few weeks ago I began to be in regular pain. The pain then spread to my left side, and I would be in pain every morning when I woke  up.
Two weeks ago at church, Derek (a leader at the church) was leading the service. He got to the church very early and rearranged all the seats, putting some pews backwards and forming 5 stations of prayer. I was a greeter that morning, and I LOVED seeing people’s reactions as they walked in. Not many people were impressed with the new arrangement. Several would walk in, stop mid-step, and scowl. Then they would look around awkwardly and find a seat near the back of the church.

Derek, however, had rearranged the seats for a purpose. Once people were settled in the church he asked, “How many of you expect God to do something new on a Sunday morning? Do you come to church with exciting expectations that new things will happen, or do you come to church out of routine?”

Good Question.

Derek explained that we would not be having a usual service, but that the time set aside for preaching would be used for the prayer stations.
As I entered the first prayer station, I knelt down and was keenly aware of the pain in my lower back. I thought back to the time when the pain started- the night I danced at the church concert. God brought to mind the title of the song- “Cripple Me”
A line from the chorus of the song is, “please cripple me, so I cannot keep running away”
I had danced it as a prayer to God, but I was reminded as I knelt in pain the power of those words. Was I in pain because I had prayed to be crippled?
I decided then and there to break any agreement I had made to be crippled. I prayed, “God, I do not desire to be crippled. I desire wholeness and health. I break any agreement I made with the song “cripple me” and I ask for your Spirit to come heal my lower back.”
I stood up and there was no pain in my back, and I haven’t had any pain in my back since that Sunday.

The Good News? God is a Healer! Praise God!
Good News #4This is painful news, yet also good news. In exactly three weeks, I will be flying on a plane from Wellington to Australia, and then from Australia to Los Angeles.
I am coming home.
God has orchestrated a fantastic year- where I have wept and rejoiced and been given much. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. I can’t wait to see what HE HAS IN STORE for the next 21 days! (and I can't wait to hug my family when I get home!)
The Good News? God is able to do above and beyond all that we can hope or imagine. God is for us, and not against us! God is able!
Hallelujah!

1 comment:

  1. This post was VERY good for my heart! I cant wait to hug you but know that I am praying for your days there! That you savor and enjoy. Love you!

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