There are 28,000 people singing and jumping to the beat. We are all shaking our hands back and forth in the air to symbolize shaking the chains off. The joy can't be contained and the presence of God is a beautiful fragrance to our souls.
Last week I was at the International House of Prayer's (IHOP) OneThing 2010 conference. The purpose of the conference is to challenge and equip young adults for a life of reckless abandonment for, and desperate pursuit of, Jesus Christ. It feels weird to be in such a crowd of mostly young adults, who are all in love with Jesus. The atmosphere is so obviously different from anywhere else. Life, joy and peace. It is so refreshing. However, the atmosphere isn't simply a social or emotional overtone (which is good) caused by lots of Christians being in one place. It is the tangible, manifest presence of God, welcomed by hours and hours and hours of deep, fervent prayer and continuous worship.
I am not confident of the theology of this next comment, but: it is as if the very spiritual realm is affected and free from the devil's influence in that physical location. While I am there I am more free to pray and worship and sing and dance and love and laugh. And when I come home to the North End it is quite different. And so I say: to that END I am here in Winnipeg. That the presence and glory of God would be manifest in my neighbourhood, (in my life), in ways I cannot imagine. Why? HE is worthy.
My overall highlight of this last OneThing conference is the clarity, specificity, and intimacy with which God spoke to me. I was hoping that I would hear from God about a few things. And then He met me in so many places, at so many levels and about so many different things. His love is intoxicating (literally!). I know that in some circles there is a lot of controversy about the gift of prophecy but I assure you that when it is properly exercised, God can melt your heart like wax.
A declaration of faith, a declaration into the heavenly realms: North End for Jesus.
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