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While on the “Be Prepared” tour on the west coast, Silverline and I were able to stay with a wonderful couple in Phoenix, AZ. Silverline took two days to record a few songs with their new label, VSR, while I took a few days to write, pray, and seek the Lord. I was a little skeptical of being able to do much ministry while we stayed there, but God reminded me that if we are willing to do His will, He will work through circumstances for His greater glory.

Many people came over to the house on a Sunday evening to celebrate a birthday in the family. Little did we know how God had prepared to use that time for ministry! Around 8:00 that evening, we began a praise and worship time for anyone who wanted to join us. Soon we were praising our Lord and Savior by singing as the Holy Spirit led, with each person singing whatever he or she felt led to sing. Sometimes we all sang the same song, but other times we all sang something different. It was an incredible time of worship.

After worshipping, we prayed for about an hour for our friend, Adam, to be healed from his enlarged spleen. Please pray for his healing. Then our hostess asked us to pray for a young man who was there worshipping with us, whom I will call Tim. She did not tell us what to pray for, in order to allow the Spirit to lead. As we began to pray, some of us laid hands on Tim. As we prayed, a recurring theme began to emerge from each person praying — fear and confusion. I was a little confused myself because I supposed that Tim needed physical healing.

As we continued praying for this young man, we became more certain that we were hearing the Spirit correctly. As we prayed, Tim began to cry, with head hung low and shoulders hunched over. After about 20–30 minutes of prayer time, we all felt that we could do no more, that the prayer time was finished. Tim just stood there with his eyes closed, weeping. We all sat down quietly to allow Tim to do business with God. After about 15 minutes of silence, Steve, Silverline’s guitarist, told him, “Tim, there’s nothing more we can do right now. You need to just give it over to God. Only you know what to do now.” Tim remained in his hunched position for another 5 minutes, and then. .. it happened. Tim fell to his knees and began to cry profusely. He decided to trust God and not himself anymore. Something broke in the spiritual realm and we were now able to pray over Tim again. This went on for the next 40 minutes. I didn’t get to bed until 3:00 the next morning.

How about you? Are you dealing with fear and confusion? Is there something you need to surrender to the Lord? Is there an area in your life that you have not submitted to God? Are you dealing with pride or selfishness? Then give it over to God. Pray right now. Ask God to help you submit to His will and fulfill His calling for your life.

God continues to move greatly on this tour. Lives are being changed! People are being freed from personal junk and are becoming free to live out their relationship with Jesus Christ. Many people are also beginning to recognize that they are stuck in religious, ritualistic institutions that had good beginnings but have somehow developed into institutions of men. Praise the Lord that people are becoming free in Christ! Yes, people are being saved. But many are also realizing that beyond salvation, they need to be discipled in order to grow. Both students and adults are stepping up!  Praise God!