The Bush or Bust

Hey everyone...I miss you like crazy!!!this will be a quickie...I just picked up some last minute things and am heading with my team to the beach to pray for the outreach to the bush…we leave at 8 tomorrow…2 a.m. your time. So we just graduated last night with the pastors. I will never forget that day as long as I live. The service started at 11 and did not end until 730. We ate together…lots of hugging and praying over one another…and then the pastors sang songs from their provincial language. Mel Tari spoke a message of being a world changer and an earth shaker, and Heidi and Rolland prayed over us and commissioned us into the world to push back the boundaries of darkness and to be carriers of light and the Love of God. I have never felt so in the will of the Lord before as I hugged pastors that could not understand what I was saying, but as we embraced, tears started to run down our face, because it was the language of heaven and the kingdom that we were communicating. And as I looked to God in the middle of the ceremony, I felt his freedom and Love like I never have. It was a freedom from striving for intimacy. I now understand why Jesus said…if you believe in me as the scriptures say, out of your heart will flow rivers of living water…I am starting to understand the simplicity of the gospel. It is about understanding the true context of scripture, which is, God wants our intimacy…our hearts…our minds…he created a way for us to be with him through Jesus and it has nothing to do with striving or anything to do with works. Yes we are coworkers and partners with God in the work of reconciliation…but we are also friends and sons and daughters of God which is flippin crazy…but I am going to be so foolish as to believe it. I pray that I carry this heart of Joy and inheritance out of Africa! Whew…ok…so we graduated and now I am going to the beach to pray…please pray for us…we are going to the bush, bush for two weeks into a part of Mozambique called Zambezi a. It will be the hardest thing I ever have done, physically, mentally, and spiritually. We are going to a place that has had heavy spiritual warfare, natural disaster which left thousands dead and hutless, and people that have never heard the Gospel or have heard of Jesus. I am excited and I know it will be fun, but I want to be wise and ask for prayer and covering. I am still a young in the area of spiritual warfare, but am learning. I think the main things to be praying for are the spirit of witchcraft, mockery, and alcoholism…that I have heard of. Also, I am sick and another kid has bad malaria. Pray anything else on your heart. I love you all, and am praying for you as well…I hear awesome stuff is happening and your hunger for God is increasing…more Lord!!! I cannot wait to be home! Blessings
Steve