John Goodfellow, the father of one of our DTS staff members spoke for our last full week of lectures on the topic of "Evangelism," however, it actually turned out to be more of an outpouring of Holy Spirit, and lots of healing from past afflictions. This man was so annointed by God! He started out the week by walking around the room for about ten minutes just looking at all of us, and asking Holy Spirit for knowledge on what to do with us. Then he called up women who had things they still wanted to be free from, and had us guys stand behind each of the girls in case they fell over from the Holy Spirit. Let me just start off by telling you that the presence of God was thick in the room! I could just feel it. I was behind a girl named Rose Fredell. John went down the line of girls anointing them with oil, and he prayed/prophecied/healed them as he went. I started interceding for Rose, and I just felt the Holy Spirit flowing through me. I just cleared my mind, and talked to God. I just let it flow. There were girls collapsing on the floor, and lots of them were crying. As I was praying I got a tingly sensation in my face. It feels like when your arm falls asleep, that kind of tingly :) It was a powerful morning, and so many girls were set free of the past that they've held onto.
Second day: John called up all of the people who were called to evangelize, and be leaders and warriors for God's cause. I went up. John told me that I was going to transform from a lamb, to a lion for God. He also told me that I need to let go of the lies I have believed for so long. The lies that I am not accepted, I don't fit in. I was fighting it though. It was a weird tension. Almost as if I was doing it subconsciously. However, as soon as I let go, I really let go. I mean, I fell to the ground! Apparently I almost took out one of the guys praying for a girl nearby too when I went down! As I was on the ground, once again I was somewhat conscious. Odd enough though, It was like I was stuck between a dream state, and reality. I was stuck in limbo :) I couldn't move again, but I didn't want to. During this moment, God started interceding for ME! Immediately, I was like, "hold the phone, isn't it supposed to be the other way around? I'm supposed to be interceding for others and praying for them, not receiving it from God..."But then God just kept rattling off visions he had for me. He saw me as a leader, He gave me the picture of a guitar bar chord with a major 7th and pointed to the finger out front. He told me that not only am I a part of the frontlines, but he is calling me to lead the front-lines. He wants me to lead the charge in His name-sake! This probably makes no sense to you what-so-ever, but it really touched me, and gave me confidence to trust in him. God speaks to us in ways that we can understand. He loves presenting His ideas to me through creative arts. It was very self-edifying :) Also, while I chilled out on the floor, God told me to just take in all of the sounds around me. The sound of His people obeying and worshipping Him. The sound of passion. He just told me how much he loved those around me, and that He was going to impart that love to me so that I can love everyone through His eyes... through His perspective. Whammo! I love it!!!
One of the biggest breakthroughs I had during the whole DTS was the last day of this week's lectures. We were each instructed to take about five minutes to write down a list of all the people we needed to forgive, and haven't completely forgiven yet. Initially, I couldn't think of the people who had hurt me in my past, because it had been nearly four years since I've seen them, and I had pushed all of the pain they caused me out of my memory. God told me that I not only need to face the brutal memories of being bullied by them relentlessly during middle school, but I need to forgive them, and view them as children of God as well. Haha! Not nearly as easy as it sounds. I was so angry at them before... and I even tried to be angry just thinking about the names they called me, and the physical pain they had inflicted on me, but God did what he said he would (figures). He gave me a completely renewed perpective of them. There was nothing like it. I felt so free, like an anchor had been lifted from my shoulders (cliche, I know). Now when I face the same kind of comments that remind me of my former enemies it doesn't phase me, because God has replaced my frustration... with liberation.
My right wrist was injured after about the first week of my DTS from playing Basketball. It had not completely healed anytime someone prayed for me, and always acted back up whenever I played a sport or practiced dance choreography in preparation for outreach. I realized that it was getting in the way specifically of me playing my part in the dances. There was a certain lift me and another guy had to do where I lifted the girls left arm, and he would lift her right, picking her off the ground. For this lift, my wrist had to go under her armpit bent backwards, but whenever I tried to do it, my wrist would get a searing pain, and I would drop her. I knew that God wanted to heal me, but I had to be patient. Some of our dance members prayed for me one time before we started rehearsal, and it was healed for that practice, but afterward it acted up again. Later that week during a session where we were praying for healing for others, I decided not to go up because I thought my injury was somewhat minor, and just wanted to pray for others. Well I went over and prayed for a few people and then we concluded the session. Later that evening we were doing dance rehearsal again, and I could do the lift!!! Not only that, but I had no problem with it what-so-ever from then on!!! It had been completely healed!!! God had healed me, even though I was praying for others to be healed rather than receiving it!!! God is sooooo good :D
