Does God work in our lives?

Yes, yes He does.

Most definitely.

For the last few weeks, I have been praying for a breakthrough, to forgive those who have hurt me in the past, and for God to help me to surrender. Big prayers. I’ve felt a block, something holding me back, and I’ve been praying for it to leave.

Two weeks ago I went forward in church for prayer with the prayer team. Twice. On the same day. The week after that, I went back to somewhere I didn’t even know what I was doing and received a prophetic word spoken over me that was just incredible.

Both were good, good days. But I didn’t feel that breakthrough. I was inspired, hopeful, and felt God’s presence… but I didn’t feel like I got what I was pushing for.

Last weekend, Saturday was busy. By the end of the night, I was tired. Really tired. I also have had this annoying lingering cough for about a month. I lay on the couch and thought – I’m not going to church tomorrow. I need rest. I need downtime. I can watch it online, but I just don’t think I’m going to go.

And… there’s nothing wrong with that. Sometimes we do need rest. And it’s ok to watch the church service online. But little did I know that God was like ummm no, I have something for you and you need to be there.

Later that night, a close friend called me. She was so upset about some tough things happening in her life. As I talked with her, I got this overwhelming urge to invite her to my Church and offer to pick her up. She loves God and goes to church but I knew she had been looking for a church home. Now, remember I wasn’t even going to go to church! But I’ll do anything for my friend and I felt God saying, pick her up, she needs to be at your church tomorrow. So I offered and she said yes. Guess I was going to church then.

The next morning, early, I woke with an awful headache. I got up, took some medicine, drank some coffee, and tried to work through it and get it to ease off. I thought, if she cancels, I’ll be soooo ok with that. I messaged her around 7:30 and she was up and getting ready to go. Ok, guess I really am going to church for sure then.

We got to church, and to be honest, once we were there I was so happy to be there. I LOVE this church. Friends, the enemy did NOT want me at that service. The enemy was fighting to keep me away!!! Thank you, Jesus, that He sees the bigger picture, knew I needed to be there, and orchestrated a way to get me there! I would not have gone for any other reason than for my friend. But God knows I will always be there for a friend and that was the way to get me there!

The worship service starts and it’s the kind of worship service that invites you in. It gives you space to worship God in any way you want. The music is loud, there is a huge team of people singing and praising Jesus, and you can sing as loud or as little as you want. Your voice gets swallowed up with the praise of all the other voices lifting to Jesus. There is no reason to feel self-conscious. It’s you and Jesus and a bunch of other people with Jesus but you’re all in the same room. Let me tell you, you can feel Holy Spirit there! You can raise your hands, dance, kneel, go to the front… you worship and other people worship, and God shows up in a big way.

During the third song, I stopped singing, held my hands out to God, and began to pray. I prayed for my breakthrough again. I prayed for chains to fall off. I prayed for surrender to God. I prayed he would help me to forgive those I needed to forgive, He would help me surrender. I prayed and prayed.

And then.

Pastor Ryan gets up to speak and He says God wants to do work in some people’s lives this morning. He says He feels God pressing upon Him some things – He starts talking about grief and how we need to grieve and when we get so swallowed up in surviving, and we don’t give ourselves space and time to grieve that it can create a stronghold in our life. Pastor Ryan said there are some people today that have a stronghold in their life and it’s time to get rid of it!

I just started crying. The tears poured down my cheeks. I was praying for a breakthrough, not knowing why I hadn’t experienced it yet, and this was it. I never grieved the loss of my marriage, my dream of “normal” family life, or the loss of a daddy for my daughter. Pastor Ryan said if you need breakthrough, come down to the front.

I think I ran up there.

I went straight up front to the stage. And so did so many other people. I wasn’t the only one God was working on that day.

Pastor Ryan prayed over us and I prayed with him. I called out for the release of grief, the release of the stronghold, and the breakthrough God was ready to deliver! Pastor Ryan placed his hand on my head and many others as he prayed over us. It was so powerful!!! So powerful!! Something was breaking off in me and something was changing!

Oh, friends. But that is not all.

This lasts a while and then Pastor Ryan says… there’s more. There is more that needs to happen this morning. I can feel Holy Spirit saying there is more work to be done and He’s telling me that there are people here this morning that need to surrender everything to Him.

What!!

Hadn’t I just been praying for breakthrough AND surrender?! Weren’t those the exact words on my lips just minutes before in the service?

He calls for everyone at front to shift to the sides to make room in the middle. Then he says he’s going to call for anyone who needs to surrender to come down to the front.

My first thought was, that I had just come forward for a breakthrough! I can’t now walk over for surrender, too, can I?? What will people think? But just as quickly as that thought came, I thought, “I don’t care! When he says go, I’m moving my feet as fast as I can!!”

And I did. I moved from the side, right back up front in the middle again. And so did so many other people. God was working, friends. Working big time!

Pastor Ryan then prayed over us again. And I prayed. I prayed with him, over him, under him, I just kept praying to surrender. And something was changing. I was changing. I even hit my knees to pray to surrender. And I prayed choking prayers to forgive… prayers I hadn’t been able to pray before. I don’t know how to explain it exactly – the prayers and tears erupted from me as if something was being released. And I felt the release. I have never experienced anything like it before! This, too, went on for awhile although it felt like mere seconds.

But friends, that’s not all.

I’m serious, God had more for me!!!

Pastor Ryan says Holy Spirit is doing work today!! And He’s got more to do!!! There are people here suffering from anxiety, depression, and PTSD. People who want freedom from triggers and trauma, and they are going to get their freedom today!

Would you like to know, friend, that my counselor had just days before recommended a treatment for PTSD to help with anxiety and trauma triggers? I’m not even kidding. I’ve struggled with anxiety for years!!

I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He said if that’s you, if you need this freedom, raise your hands high. Again, I thought… I went forward for a breakthrough, then for surrender, and now I’m claiming this last thing too?? But Oh, YES, I did!!! I raised my hands so high and I was so close to the front of the stage, I’m pretty sure I hit Pastor Ryan’s legs.

People around me laid their hands on me and Pastor Ryan and those around me and I all prayed for deliverance from anxiety and PTSD and triggers. Yes, we did. Yes we did! And something broke off of me that morning!!!

Friends… I WASN’T EVEN GOING TO GO TO CHURCH THAT MORNING!!!!

God is SO so SO good!!!

God had so much for me in that service!!! I am changed. I am different. I am free!!!

How do I know? Oh, I’m going to share with you. But not today because I am 20 minutes late getting my daughter up for school! And I think this post is pretty long! But I just had to share! And I couldn’t stop typing!!!

I hope this encourages you. God sees you. He hears you. And He is working, whether you see it or not. He has good GOOD things for you.

And if you are local to me and want to know more about this church, message me!!! Or join my Mom Strong Life group for the live streams I share on Sunday mornings!

HAPPY FRIYAY MY FRIENDS!! God is so good!!!