lostnowfoundk's Blog

Almost back to work! I have had a good few weeks holiday post-finishing my internship, and will soon be starting back at the hospital as an RMO and general practice trainee. During my break, my husband and I visited Sydney. We thought it would be a good opportunity to visit our friends at the Sydney House of Prayer (SydHOP), and to have a little retreat together. As it turned out, God had a greater refreshing in store for us than what we had imagined! I went over a couple of days earlier than my husband as he was still working. During this time, I was able to join the new interns at the House of Prayer in their training. One highlight was learning the “Harp and Bowl” model of worship (I had missed this teaching session at a previous course I had done some years prior at the International House of Prayer). The Lord encouraged me in many ways, not all of which I feel to share right now. However, I do want to share about how God refreshes us.

My time in Sydney certainly was a time of reminder – that God knows me completely and that His promises to me remain true and steadfast. I felt like the Lord really lavished His love upon me during these couple of days – the things He spoke to me, He also shared with others and I had a flood of prophecies one after the other. These were things that I spoke to God, and He spoke to me so when strangers heard these words from God and spoke them to me, it was like God speaking these things over and over and over again to me – I was swept up in His avalanche of love, and overwhelmed by it! I have to cast all my cares on Jesus because He is carrying me!

BE REFRESHED – by receiving the outpouring of God’s love, His word and identity over your life

• [Ephesians 1:3, 7-9] – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ… the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself.”

• [Psalm 139:1-5] – “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me.”

Another way the Lord refreshed me, was in the fellowship I had with my brothers and sisters there. I caught up with friends and we shared the things God had been showing us – our different experiences and journeys in growing closer to our one God. I met new fellow believers and realised how prophecy really encourages the church. When God tells me how He feels about someone else, and what He has in store for them, it increases my love for others (because I see how God loves them), increases my love for God (I know more of His heart), and thus compels me to live out the first and second commandments. 

BE REFRESHED – by fellowshipping with other believers; pray with, prophesy over and encourage one another to run the race!

• [Hebrews 10:14-15] – “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

• [1 Corinthians 14:3-4] – “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.”

The Lord also refreshed my attitude towards ministry. I have felt somewhat restricted in my worship as I played keys on the team, even in the prayer time before. In the last year, I have pushed through, declared Psalm 27 over myself, practiced, and improved my skills, even to the point where I felt I could once again sing and pray as I was playing. Yet, for all this, that slight sense of a barrier remained and I could not figure out why. While I was in Sydney, I got the revelation that God wanted me to prophesy through playing keys. He loves how I declare who He is with my voice, and He wanted me to do the same with the keyboard. I remember, during one of the teaching sessions at SydHOP, that someone mentioned it was important to leave time for the musicians to minister during a worship or intercession set. I felt God wanted to release His spirit not only through my singing and speaking, but in the notes I was playing on the keyboard. So, I submitted my playing to Him with this understanding, determining that the words and songs He gave me, I would play out. First session back, I felt a release in my playing, and a release of the Spirit of the Lord over the room. I have many more challenges yet to overcome, but I am refreshed in my understanding of how I am called to worship – I will worship the Lord, and declare His name to the people!

BE REFRESHED – in your ministry; we are made to worship God, to declare His Name to the nations and to contend for the release of His Spirit and of His kingdom on earth

• [Matthew 28:18-19] – “…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

• [1 Peter 2:9] – “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light…”

May the Lord refresh you with His love and purpose as you live in His light, and follow Him.