Please stand and join us
as we sing our GYC theme song,
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"Our Princess Call."
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There's a lost, lonely soul
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Waiting silent at war
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For a rescue To come to the door
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Many could go but I only know
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The name of that One lonely soul
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Oh can you hear
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Our Prince calling on before
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"Let us go and restore
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The broken hearted
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The wounded The captives of war
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Will you bear
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My shield of faith once more?"
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Many more are the souls
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Who are bound up in fear
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As they run through
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The dark far and near
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Though I will fight
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Just one ends the night
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Our Prince Who carries the light
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Oh can you hear
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Our Prince calling on before
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"Let us go and restore
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The broken hearted
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The wounded The captives of war
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Will you bear
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My shield of faith once more?"
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To that lost lonely soul
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I will go and will share
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All their cries, All their fears
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All their prayers
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For it's been told
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My Prince he does hold
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The tears of
that One lonely soul
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Oh can you hear
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Our Prince calling on before
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"Let us go and restore
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The broken hearted
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The wounded The captives of war
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Will you bear
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My shield of faith once more?"
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Oh can you hear
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Our Prince calling on before
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"Let us go and restore
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The broken hearted
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The wounded The captives of war
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Will you bear
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My shield of faith once more?"
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Amen.
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Lord, give me Iceland.
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Prayer and faith will do
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what no power on
earth can accomplish.
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This is the inspired
council that we've been given.
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And as GYC we
have made a decision
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to follow that
council this last year.
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In August 2019,
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almost 50 young
and old missionaries
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from around the
world, from every continent
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came together in
Iceland for a prayer mission.
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The goal was to reach
the country of Iceland
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within 10 days,
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just through
the power of prayer.
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No public evangelistic meetings,
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no health seminars,
no programs, just prayer.
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A prayer that echoed
the prayer of John Knox,
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"Give me Iceland's or I die."
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The video you just
saw was the introduction
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of a documentary that
we'll be releasing soon.
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And I want to
encourage you to make sure that
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you get a glimpse
of what happened there.
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But this morning, we
want to share with you
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about this mission
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and what made
this mission special
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and what the power of prayer
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can do for you in
your sphere of influence.
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When we were in Iceland,
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we chose to
prayer walk the country.
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Most of the
population of Iceland lives
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in the capital
region of Reykjavik,
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where 75% of the people live.
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And we focused our
attention on that region
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where we would
prayer walk around the city,
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prayer walk the
streets, pray for every home,
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and every person that we see,
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knock on doors,
and pray with people.
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You're going to be
hearing testimonies this morning
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about what prayer can do
when we let God take control.
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When we pray, we would collect
prayer requests of people.
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We would share them live
with all the missionaries
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and with
thousands around the world
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who were
interceding at the same time.
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This was truly a
collective effort of prayer.
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This and more we want to
share with you this morning
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and I have my
three friends here,
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Eric, Alex, and Gem
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who are part of
the GYC missions team
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and who were with us in Iceland.
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So, Eric, why can't you
share with us a little bit about
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how this mission
came about, and what were
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some of the
challenges that we faced?
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Yes.
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You know, as we came
to this mission trip,
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we asked ourselves the question,
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what could we do
that would be bigger than
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we thought we could accomplish?
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Because as we all know,
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you know, Jesus
told the disciples,
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He said, "If you have
faith the size of a," what?
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"A mustard seed, you
could move mountains."
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And so we said,
"God, if we wanted to do
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something bigger than
we could ever imagine,
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what would that look like?"
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And so, in our discussion today,
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the theme of last
year was to the end.
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And so we said, "Well,
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what if we went to
the end of the world
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and we decided to
reach not a town, not a city,
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but an entire country for God,
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to reach the majority
of all of the population
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of an entire country,
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to go beyond where we
have ever gone before,
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to take the
sacrificial initiative
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that we were inspired
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to take care at
GYC and to be propelled
00:08:01.78\00:08:04.18
into Iceland to
make a difference?"
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And so that's
what we set out to do.
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We set out to go,
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not to run
evangelistic campaigns,
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not to go
witnessing in traditional ways,
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but to just go and pray,
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to have that faith and
to see what God would do,
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to see Him move the mountains
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that we couldn't
even begin to shift.
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And indeed He did. We got there.
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Yes, there were
challenges throughout.
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One of the challenges,
we arrived the first day
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and we realized
that the campus that
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we were staying on did
not have enough housing.
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There were not enough rooms
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for everyone that had signed up.
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Somehow, there's been
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a miscommunication of some kind.
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And so here we are
and we're short on rooms.
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What are we going to do, right?
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And so we're there
and we ended up chatting
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with some of the people there.
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And as it turned out,
two, three days before
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there was supposed
to be a men's group
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that was staying there
in the second dormitory.
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And for some reason or another,
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they had just
neglected to show up.
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They hadn't communicated
why. It's just a total mystery.
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And so they opened up
the second dorm for us
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to be able to stay in.
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And as far as we're concerned,
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like God caused
another group to vanish
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just so that He could open,
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kind of, this ocean for
us to be able to walk through
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and do what He had
called us to do in Iceland.
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So, Eric, tell me
a little bit about...
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You remember, we had phone calls
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and discussions
about this mission?
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We weren't sure
how would we do this,
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what would be we
doing with the challenges
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we went through in
the preparation time.
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Tell me about that? Yeah.
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So I mean, honestly,
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to pull off reaching an
entire country is no joke.
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I mean, it takes
a lot of logistics.
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It takes just an
incredible amount of planning
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to be able to map out
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every streets
in the entire city.
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Some of these things
don't get done ahead of time.
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And so we found
ourselves falling to our knees
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when we were there,
saying, "God, help us,"
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because we don't
have everything together
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that we had hoped
we'd have together.
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And praise the Lord, He
provided the help we needed
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with the participants that came,
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He provided the
help that we needed,
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our hosts that were there
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working with the
Icelandic Conference.
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And things worked
out, so one way or another.
00:10:00.73\00:10:03.87
I mean, we had
vehicles breaking down,
00:10:03.90\00:10:06.17
and even when that happened,
00:10:06.20\00:10:07.54
another vehicle would
be found that we could use.
00:10:07.57\00:10:09.40
And so whatever came
up, God works things out.
00:10:09.44\00:10:12.77
There was definitely a
struggle between the tangible
00:10:12.81\00:10:15.54
and the intangible.
00:10:15.58\00:10:16.91
We wanted to do
something for God
00:10:16.95\00:10:18.35
and usually we have the
different ways that we do,
00:10:18.38\00:10:20.55
the sharing
literature and so on.
00:10:20.58\00:10:22.75
But we decided we
wanted to focus on prayer.
00:10:22.78\00:10:25.39
And that can put a
lot of stress on you
00:10:25.42\00:10:26.86
when you're saying,
00:10:26.89\00:10:28.22
"Okay, we're just
going to show up and pray
00:10:28.26\00:10:30.53
and we're going to
leave the results with God."
00:10:30.56\00:10:32.73
You know, there are things
00:10:32.76\00:10:34.10
you can do in
evangelistic efforts
00:10:34.13\00:10:35.86
where there will be results.
00:10:35.90\00:10:38.07
You have the results guaranteed.
00:10:38.10\00:10:39.67
But we decided,
00:10:39.70\00:10:41.04
let's just make a
step of faith here
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and see what God will do.
00:10:42.60\00:10:44.01
So why did we choose prayer?
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Gem, share with
us what prayer can do
00:10:45.71\00:10:47.54
and why prayer was so
important on this mission?
00:10:47.58\00:10:50.35
Zechariah 4:6, says,
"Not by might nor by power,
00:10:50.38\00:10:53.52
but only by His Spirit."
00:10:53.55\00:10:55.32
And why prayer?
00:10:55.35\00:10:56.69
Because we have seen that
prayer works for the past GYCs,
00:10:56.72\00:10:59.99
we have seen that
00:11:00.02\00:11:01.36
it's only when
we plead before God,
00:11:01.39\00:11:03.36
that He could do
great and mighty things.
00:11:03.39\00:11:05.56
So evidences after evidences
of the Lord's faithfulness,
00:11:05.59\00:11:08.70
of the Lord's power,
00:11:08.73\00:11:10.50
the question is, why not prayer?
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.17
And that was the question,
00:11:12.20\00:11:13.54
why have we not
tapped into prayer
00:11:13.57\00:11:15.04
from the very beginning?
00:11:15.07\00:11:16.40
And you see from the very start,
00:11:16.44\00:11:18.51
God was faithful.
00:11:18.54\00:11:19.87
And this might sound funny,
00:11:19.91\00:11:21.24
but I've seen the
Lord's faithfulness in this
00:11:21.28\00:11:23.55
while we were shopping.
00:11:23.58\00:11:25.08
And you were making fun,
00:11:25.11\00:11:26.61
"Oh, Gem, there will be
no rice here in Iceland."
00:11:26.65\00:11:29.48
And there Brother Alex
picked up a bag of rice,
00:11:29.52\00:11:32.65
and then he said, "Yes,
the Lord answers prayer."
00:11:32.69\00:11:35.42
And then that is an
indication alone that
00:11:35.46\00:11:37.16
the Lord sees the
little things that we desire.
00:11:37.19\00:11:40.03
And I'm thinking, Lord,
00:11:40.06\00:11:41.40
even if He
provided with this rice,
00:11:41.43\00:11:42.96
how much more are the things
00:11:43.00\00:11:44.63
that we asked for
greater things in Iceland.
00:11:44.67\00:11:47.27
So when it comes to prayer,
00:11:47.30\00:11:49.17
in the context
of secular Europe,
00:11:49.20\00:11:51.84
it is quiet something.
00:11:51.87\00:11:53.44
We have two Europeans
here on stage, Alex and myself.
00:11:53.48\00:11:55.98
And for those of you
00:11:56.01\00:11:57.55
who are based
here in North America,
00:11:57.58\00:11:59.35
you have to
understand, in Europe,
00:11:59.38\00:12:00.72
you cannot just come
up to people and say,
00:12:00.75\00:12:02.75
"You know, believe in
God," or "God exists."
00:12:02.78\00:12:05.25
In Europe,
secularism is very, very strong.
00:12:05.29\00:12:08.42
Science is the God of Europe.
00:12:08.46\00:12:10.49
Facts and
things that you can see
00:12:10.53\00:12:12.66
and touch and measure,
that's what people look at.
00:12:12.69\00:12:15.56
And if you are
religious beyond tradition,
00:12:15.60\00:12:18.53
if you believe in the Bible,
00:12:18.57\00:12:20.07
you are an
absolutely crazy person.
00:12:20.10\00:12:22.60
But this is exactly
what people in Iceland need.
00:12:22.64\00:12:24.67
They need God.
00:12:24.71\00:12:26.04
People in Europe need to
know that there is a God.
00:12:26.07\00:12:29.58
We cannot come and present them
00:12:29.61\00:12:31.28
just with the
logic of our beliefs.
00:12:31.31\00:12:32.98
While those are wonderful,
00:12:33.01\00:12:34.35
and we need to present them,
the first thing that people
00:12:34.38\00:12:36.82
there need to know
is that there is a God.
00:12:36.85\00:12:39.25
So how can people know that
00:12:39.29\00:12:40.96
there's a God
through prayer, Gem?
00:12:40.99\00:12:44.09
Only the Holy
Spirit could move hearts.
00:12:44.13\00:12:46.29
And this is one
thing most of the time
00:12:46.33\00:12:47.70
we bring God in our
own way, in our own manner,
00:12:47.73\00:12:53.30
and we forget
that the only one that
00:12:53.34\00:12:55.94
could move hearts
is the Holy Spirit.
00:12:55.97\00:12:58.87
So I believe that
00:12:58.91\00:13:00.24
when we bend our
knees, God works.
00:13:00.28\00:13:03.58
And as the saying
goes, when we work,
00:13:03.61\00:13:05.28
we work, but when
we pray, God works.
00:13:05.31\00:13:07.48
Amen.
00:13:07.52\00:13:08.85
You know, when you
are praying with people,
00:13:08.88\00:13:10.69
we would go to the doors,
knock on the door and say,
00:13:10.72\00:13:13.15
"Hello, I'm from GLOW Iceland."
00:13:13.19\00:13:15.59
And there was the
name of the mission trip.
00:13:15.62\00:13:17.66
"And we are here
to pray with people,
00:13:17.69\00:13:19.66
is there
something we can pray for?
00:13:19.69\00:13:21.03
We believe that God
does hear our prayers."
00:13:21.06\00:13:23.43
And it was amazing to
see the reaction of people.
00:13:23.47\00:13:26.63
You have to understand,
00:13:26.67\00:13:28.00
we are now
dealing with generations
00:13:28.04\00:13:29.37
who have never heard the gospel,
00:13:29.40\00:13:30.74
who have never been to a church.
00:13:30.77\00:13:32.44
In fact, there
was one young man,
00:13:32.47\00:13:34.44
a teenager I met on the streets.
00:13:34.48\00:13:36.61
And I asked him, you know,
00:13:36.64\00:13:38.28
"Is there
something I can pray for?"
00:13:38.31\00:13:39.85
And he asked me,
"What is prayer?"
00:13:39.88\00:13:42.62
He had never heard of the thing.
00:13:42.65\00:13:44.35
And so I shared with
him and he said, "Yes,
00:13:44.39\00:13:46.12
I'm a very depressed person.
00:13:46.15\00:13:47.62
I am depressed and I struggle.
00:13:47.66\00:13:49.72
And, you know,
you can pray for that,
00:13:49.76\00:13:51.19
whatever that means."
00:13:51.23\00:13:52.56
And so we pray together.
00:13:52.59\00:13:53.93
And another time I
was knocking at a door
00:13:53.96\00:13:55.76
and a 20-year-old young
man opened and I thought,
00:13:55.80\00:13:58.13
"Oh, no, he's gonna just
throw the door in my face."
00:13:58.17\00:14:00.64
And I shared
with him and he said,
00:14:00.67\00:14:02.20
"Well, you know, I
guess my teeth are hurting
00:14:02.24\00:14:04.37
'cause I had my
wisdom teeth removed."
00:14:04.41\00:14:07.04
And I said, "Well,
let's pray about it."
00:14:07.08\00:14:09.58
You know, the point was not
00:14:09.61\00:14:11.38
so much to just pray
for these prayer requests.
00:14:11.41\00:14:13.42
Definitely, that was important.
00:14:13.45\00:14:15.28
But we have to
understand that when we pray,
00:14:15.32\00:14:16.92
there is a
spiritual warfare going on,
00:14:16.95\00:14:19.35
and when we pray,
God has the opportunity,
00:14:19.39\00:14:21.96
when these
people agreed to pray,
00:14:21.99\00:14:23.69
to speak to their
hearts in that very moment,
00:14:23.73\00:14:26.03
maybe for the very first time.
00:14:26.06\00:14:28.10
I prayed with this young
man for his wisdom teeth.
00:14:28.13\00:14:30.67
When we were
done, I opened my eyes,
00:14:30.70\00:14:32.67
and he looked at
me, he was so moved,
00:14:32.70\00:14:34.90
because the Holy
Spirit have touched his heart.
00:14:34.94\00:14:36.84
He had never experienced
anything like this before.
00:14:36.87\00:14:39.97
And in that moment,
00:14:40.01\00:14:41.34
he probably, maybe
for the first time,
00:14:41.38\00:14:43.55
was realizing that
there might be a God,
00:14:43.58\00:14:46.65
and that God hears our prayers.
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.82
So prayer is a
wonderful way to present people
00:14:48.85\00:14:52.09
with the idea
that there is a God
00:14:52.12\00:14:54.36
and that He can
answer our greatest needs.
00:14:54.39\00:14:57.66
But when it comes to prayer,
00:14:57.69\00:14:59.16
we are engaging in
the spiritual warfare.
00:14:59.19\00:15:01.76
So, Alex, why
don't you share with us
00:15:01.80\00:15:03.43
a little bit
about what that means
00:15:03.47\00:15:04.97
and what that looks like?
00:15:05.00\00:15:07.00
So for the sake of
brevity, spiritual warfare,
00:15:07.04\00:15:09.37
one of the verses that we
use is 2 Corinthians 10:4,
00:15:09.40\00:15:14.44
"The weapons of our
warfare are not carnal," right,
00:15:14.48\00:15:17.58
"but they're mighty through God
00:15:17.61\00:15:18.95
for the pulling
down of strongholds."
00:15:18.98\00:15:20.55
And what that basically says,
00:15:20.58\00:15:22.22
is that what
we're talking about,
00:15:22.25\00:15:23.85
and unfortunately,
what we're neglecting
00:15:23.89\00:15:25.72
is the fact that
number one, it's war.
00:15:25.75\00:15:29.52
We're not engaged in war.
00:15:29.56\00:15:31.03
We don't live as if
we are engaged in war,
00:15:31.06\00:15:33.26
and we don't conduct
ourselves in a manner
00:15:33.29\00:15:36.20
that is representative
of what you would do
00:15:36.23\00:15:38.70
in an actual war, physically.
00:15:38.73\00:15:41.30
The other thing is
that it's spiritual, right?
00:15:41.34\00:15:43.74
It's not carnal. So
what does that mean?
00:15:43.77\00:15:45.47
Is that the war
is over the mind,
00:15:45.51\00:15:47.38
it's over the heart.
00:15:47.41\00:15:48.74
It's over the
thoughts, over truth,
00:15:48.78\00:15:50.25
and over the
affections of the heart,
00:15:50.28\00:15:51.61
where are our affections, right?
00:15:51.65\00:15:53.95
And the last thing is
that it's over strongholds.
00:15:53.98\00:15:57.95
If we want to
conquer strongholds,
00:15:57.99\00:15:59.55
there has to be another way.
00:15:59.59\00:16:01.22
And so this is the way
that I basically break it down.
00:16:01.26\00:16:04.03
If you're in a war
and I'm going to give you
00:16:04.06\00:16:05.39
a kind of a
mediaeval kind of scene.
00:16:05.43\00:16:07.73
If you're in a war
and you're fighting
00:16:07.76\00:16:09.10
against a stronghold,
and you have soldiers
00:16:09.13\00:16:11.87
who are swordsman
close range fighters,
00:16:11.90\00:16:15.37
do you send your swordsman
against the stronghold?
00:16:15.40\00:16:20.21
Hopefully not.
00:16:20.24\00:16:22.48
Would you send your swordsman
against enemy swordsman?
00:16:22.51\00:16:25.58
I also hope
hopefully not, initially.
00:16:25.61\00:16:28.78
What do you do first?
You bring in the archers.
00:16:28.82\00:16:32.15
Archers, they
begin to spray fire,
00:16:32.19\00:16:35.42
right, they
begin to shoot arrows,
00:16:35.46\00:16:36.79
they thin the
lines of the enemy,
00:16:36.83\00:16:38.83
and then you take in
your close range warfare,
00:16:38.86\00:16:41.16
your spearmen, your
swordsman, and whatnot.
00:16:41.20\00:16:42.96
Would you take archers
against the stronghold?
00:16:43.00\00:16:45.43
No. So what do you need?
00:16:45.47\00:16:47.54
You need siege weapons.
00:16:47.57\00:16:49.94
But before a single siege weapon
00:16:49.97\00:16:51.31
can reach that gate,
00:16:51.34\00:16:52.67
you need long
distance siege weapons.
00:16:52.71\00:16:54.04
So what do you
bring? A trebuchet.
00:16:54.08\00:16:56.18
What is the trebuchet?
00:16:56.21\00:16:57.55
It's the
granddaddy of all catapults.
00:16:57.58\00:16:59.31
Search it. It's awesome.
00:16:59.35\00:17:01.38
But here's the
spiritual implication of that.
00:17:01.42\00:17:04.75
Swordsman, are
what we generally use,
00:17:04.79\00:17:08.12
evangelism, close
quarters combat, right?
00:17:08.16\00:17:11.16
We do personal evangelism.
We do health evangelism.
00:17:11.19\00:17:13.86
We do Bible studies.
We do all of these talks.
00:17:13.90\00:17:16.80
And that is swordsmen.
00:17:16.83\00:17:18.17
The problem is we're
training only swordsman.
00:17:18.20\00:17:21.57
If you want to win a fight,
you need to have all units.
00:17:21.60\00:17:26.44
Your archers are
your prayer warriors,
00:17:26.47\00:17:29.54
the people that begin to
pray to thin out the lines,
00:17:29.58\00:17:32.15
to create the
opportunities for the swordsman
00:17:32.18\00:17:34.45
to actually have a way in.
00:17:34.48\00:17:37.49
And what are your trebuchets?
00:17:37.52\00:17:39.19
Before you send anything else
00:17:39.22\00:17:40.56
your trebuchet
are not highly mobile,
00:17:40.59\00:17:42.52
they're built
with a team of people
00:17:42.56\00:17:44.39
that constantly hammer
00:17:44.43\00:17:46.29
at one single point in the wall.
00:17:46.33\00:17:48.80
They don't pepper.
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.17
Lord, help us with
that, help us with this,
00:17:50.20\00:17:51.67
help us with whatever,
they choose one thing to focus
00:17:51.70\00:17:54.67
because if you don't
focus the stones on that
00:17:54.70\00:17:57.07
one section of wall,
that one section of wall
00:17:57.11\00:17:59.11
will never crumble.
00:17:59.14\00:18:00.78
And so there are
people that are committed
00:18:00.81\00:18:02.31
to pray continuously
till the breach is made,
00:18:02.34\00:18:06.55
and then the
other units can invade.
00:18:06.58\00:18:09.78
Now the reason
that I bring this up
00:18:09.82\00:18:11.15
is because we
don't have trebuchets.
00:18:11.19\00:18:15.89
We have a few archers.
00:18:15.92\00:18:18.33
We're trying to fight a war
and I'll be honest with you,
00:18:18.36\00:18:21.50
if we're not
fighting with archers,
00:18:21.53\00:18:22.86
if we're not
fighting with trebuchets,
00:18:22.90\00:18:25.03
if we're
bringing only swordsman,
00:18:25.07\00:18:26.94
and we're doing the
best that we can to,
00:18:26.97\00:18:29.37
let's train the
best swordsman we can.
00:18:29.40\00:18:32.21
At the end of the day,
00:18:32.24\00:18:33.58
what we're doing is
we're fighting carnally.
00:18:33.61\00:18:34.94
Why?
00:18:34.98\00:18:36.31
Because we're not asking
God to send the fire before us.
00:18:36.34\00:18:39.05
Do you understand? We
need all units present.
00:18:39.08\00:18:44.55
And one of the last
things is, I know to many of us
00:18:44.59\00:18:48.66
the spiritual
warfare is not real.
00:18:48.69\00:18:50.93
We don't see it.
Where's the conflict?
00:18:50.96\00:18:53.23
And so this is a
kind of a quote from,
00:18:53.26\00:18:55.53
I believe it was from a samurai,
00:18:55.56\00:18:56.90
I'm no Samurai
but I really liked it.
00:18:56.93\00:19:00.44
And basically,
00:19:00.47\00:19:01.80
one of his
students basically said,
00:19:01.84\00:19:03.64
"Master, it's a time of peace.
00:19:03.67\00:19:07.64
There's no war going
on and you like peace,
00:19:07.68\00:19:09.98
why do you continuously
train your hand for war?"
00:19:10.01\00:19:13.11
And he responded with,
"Well, I would rather be
00:19:13.15\00:19:17.02
a warrior in the
middle of a garden
00:19:17.05\00:19:19.29
than a gardener in
the middle of a war."
00:19:19.32\00:19:22.12
We need people
00:19:22.16\00:19:23.73
who are training
their hands for war.
00:19:23.76\00:19:26.76
And we need people
who are learning to not
00:19:26.80\00:19:28.96
just be
swordsman, but to be archers,
00:19:29.00\00:19:31.87
and to be siege
warfare trained people.
00:19:31.90\00:19:35.94
What we are looking for,
00:19:35.97\00:19:37.67
is to become an army of
prayer, warrior missionaries.
00:19:37.71\00:19:42.34
We need to
understand the power of prayer
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.88
when it comes to evangelism
and missions in general
00:19:44.91\00:19:48.02
and in our own
sphere of influence
00:19:48.05\00:19:49.62
and when we do large things.
00:19:49.65\00:19:51.49
And what God taught
us in Iceland was that
00:19:51.52\00:19:53.96
He wants to
bring us to the point
00:19:53.99\00:19:56.02
where we don't
know what we're doing,
00:19:56.06\00:19:58.39
so that we fully
surrender to Him.
00:19:58.43\00:20:01.23
God wants to do
wonderful things,
00:20:01.26\00:20:02.60
and He has done
and He will do more.
00:20:02.63\00:20:05.53
And so God has led GYC
over the past couple of years
00:20:05.57\00:20:07.94
into an understanding of
the importance of prayer.
00:20:07.97\00:20:10.31
How many of you have been
00:20:10.34\00:20:11.67
part of the
prayer room this morning?
00:20:11.71\00:20:15.21
You know, what it feels like
to be in the presence of God,
00:20:15.24\00:20:18.41
the power that you
feel in united prayer.
00:20:18.45\00:20:21.55
This kind of thing
is what God has led us
00:20:21.58\00:20:23.28
over the last five years,
00:20:23.32\00:20:24.65
especially to focus on with GYC.
00:20:24.69\00:20:27.02
And I believe
God is propelling us
00:20:27.06\00:20:28.62
into a direction
where everything is done
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.96
under constant
and specific prayer.
00:20:30.99\00:20:34.03
But what we need
also to understand
00:20:34.06\00:20:35.63
is the importance of surrender.
00:20:35.66\00:20:37.30
Eric, can you share with us
00:20:37.33\00:20:38.67
what made surrender
so important in Iceland,
00:20:38.70\00:20:40.67
and what is in general is
important about surrender?
00:20:40.70\00:20:43.84
Yeah, you know, really,
00:20:43.87\00:20:45.21
the important
thing about surrender
00:20:45.24\00:20:47.18
is that is
going all in with God,
00:20:47.21\00:20:49.08
and saying, "God,
there is nothing left
00:20:49.11\00:20:51.31
that I'm not
giving to you, 100%."
00:20:51.35\00:20:54.15
And when you go
out with that mindset,
00:20:54.18\00:20:56.02
it makes a big difference.
00:20:56.05\00:20:57.39
I'll share just three statements
00:20:57.42\00:20:58.95
from inspiration.
00:20:58.99\00:21:00.39
The first one is
from Youth Instructor,
00:21:00.42\00:21:01.99
May 27, 1897, very short.
00:21:02.02\00:21:04.79
It says,
"Self-surrender is the substance
00:21:04.83\00:21:07.90
of the teachings of Christ."
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.70
Now I don't know about you,
00:21:09.73\00:21:11.07
but do you think that
sounds important, yes or no?
00:21:11.10\00:21:13.34
The substance of the teaching
of Christ is self-surrender.
00:21:13.37\00:21:17.81
Later on in 1889, we
come across a statement
00:21:17.84\00:21:22.38
that says in ST July 26,
1889, "Christianity means
00:21:22.41\00:21:27.55
entire surrender
to the will of God.
00:21:27.58\00:21:29.78
Then it can be said of
us, 'Ye are complete in Him.'"
00:21:29.82\00:21:33.99
Christianity is surrender.
00:21:34.02\00:21:35.42
So not only is it the
substance of Christ teaching,
00:21:35.46\00:21:37.89
but it is surrender.
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.39
Is this important, yes or no?
00:21:39.43\00:21:41.70
And, finally, in Review
and Harold, July 25, 1889,
00:21:41.73\00:21:46.23
"Sanctification is the
measure of our completeness.
00:21:46.27\00:21:49.84
The moment we
surrender ourselves to God,
00:21:49.87\00:21:52.74
believing in Him, we
have His righteousness."
00:21:52.77\00:21:56.24
And so really more
than anything else,
00:21:56.28\00:21:57.78
surrender, is saying,
"God, I'm 100% sold out to You.
00:21:57.81\00:22:01.02
Nothing am I hanging on to,
I'll give everything to You,
00:22:01.05\00:22:06.05
I'll leave everything behind."
00:22:06.09\00:22:07.42
It's that
radical all in for God,
00:22:07.46\00:22:09.92
abiding in Him, saying,
00:22:09.96\00:22:11.29
"God, I'm going to
do whatever it takes,
00:22:11.33\00:22:13.43
go wherever You want me to go."
00:22:13.46\00:22:15.40
And, you know, sometimes
God's pretty cool about this.
00:22:15.43\00:22:18.20
He often sends us
00:22:18.23\00:22:19.57
where we would have
wanted to go anyway.
00:22:19.60\00:22:21.30
And He does things that
00:22:21.34\00:22:22.67
we didn't know that
we ourselves wants it.
00:22:22.70\00:22:24.91
Case example,
we're out in Iceland
00:22:24.94\00:22:26.84
where it's the
first Sabbath afternoon
00:22:26.88\00:22:29.01
where we're
walking around praying
00:22:29.04\00:22:31.48
around one of the major cities.
00:22:31.51\00:22:34.05
And as we're walking
around them and a team with,
00:22:34.08\00:22:36.05
I think it was Alex,
00:22:36.08\00:22:37.42
maybe Gem was
there as well, I forget.
00:22:37.45\00:22:39.09
But we're walking around
and we're praying for schools
00:22:39.12\00:22:41.09
and we're saying, "God,
00:22:41.12\00:22:42.46
what could You do in the school?
00:22:42.49\00:22:44.09
Ten years from now if You worked
00:22:44.13\00:22:46.03
on the teacher's
hearts and they began
00:22:46.06\00:22:47.76
to bring principles of scripture
00:22:47.80\00:22:50.43
and of knowledge of You,
00:22:50.47\00:22:51.80
this could change
an entire generation."
00:22:51.83\00:22:53.87
And we're
praying for the churches
00:22:53.90\00:22:55.24
and finally we
prayed and we said, "God,
00:22:55.27\00:22:57.77
don't just transform
00:22:57.81\00:22:59.14
the Adventist Church in Iceland.
00:22:59.17\00:23:00.51
We pray that You would
transform every church,
00:23:00.54\00:23:01.94
bring people into the church
00:23:01.98\00:23:03.68
who haven't been back in years."
00:23:03.71\00:23:06.15
And the next day is Sunday,
00:23:06.18\00:23:07.52
the day after that
Elisa comes up to us.
00:23:07.55\00:23:10.39
She was helping out
there one of the locals...
00:23:10.42\00:23:13.32
She's a local
Icelandic Adventist?
00:23:13.36\00:23:16.16
Yes, she works
with GYC Europe as well.
00:23:16.19\00:23:18.69
And she plays piano at a
Lutheran church on Sunday.
00:23:18.73\00:23:21.73
And she comes to and she says,
00:23:21.76\00:23:23.10
"Eric, Jonathan,
you'll never believe it.
00:23:23.13\00:23:25.57
I usually play
piano at this church
00:23:25.60\00:23:27.24
and on Sundays,
00:23:27.27\00:23:28.60
there are 20 people in the choir
00:23:28.64\00:23:29.97
and about five in the pew."
00:23:30.01\00:23:31.34
Don't ask me how that works.
00:23:31.37\00:23:32.71
It sounds a
little bit backwards,
00:23:32.74\00:23:34.08
but praise the Lord,
they're in the choir, right?
00:23:34.11\00:23:35.51
And she says,
usually that's the case.
00:23:35.54\00:23:37.75
This Sunday, there
were 20 people in the choir,
00:23:37.78\00:23:41.32
and five times that
in the pew, 25 people."
00:23:41.35\00:23:44.12
Just all of a sudden,
this tiny little church,
00:23:44.15\00:23:46.65
just blowing up all of a sudden.
00:23:46.69\00:23:48.79
One day after we've prayed,
"God, revive this country."
00:23:48.82\00:23:52.33
I don't know about you,
00:23:52.36\00:23:53.70
but that tells me that God
is listening to our prayers.
00:23:53.73\00:23:56.70
It's powerful
to see what happens
00:23:56.73\00:23:58.60
when we let the
Holy Spirit guide us.
00:23:58.63\00:24:00.27
And when we let go of trying
00:24:00.30\00:24:02.57
to control
every step of the way,
00:24:02.60\00:24:04.77
when we let Him
step by step lead us,
00:24:04.81\00:24:07.34
even when we don't
know where it's going to go.
00:24:07.38\00:24:09.68
When it comes to surrender,
when it comes to spiritual war,
00:24:09.71\00:24:12.18
when it comes to prayer,
00:24:12.21\00:24:13.55
it is so important
that we learn to trust.
00:24:13.58\00:24:15.65
In the beginning,
00:24:15.68\00:24:17.02
I read a quote to you that said,
00:24:17.05\00:24:18.39
"Prayer and faith will do
00:24:18.42\00:24:19.75
what no power on
earth can accomplish."
00:24:19.79\00:24:21.59
The faith part, trusting
in the Holy Spirit's guidance.
00:24:21.62\00:24:24.63
We need to take
God's Word seriously,
00:24:24.66\00:24:25.99
when He says in Romans 8,
00:24:26.03\00:24:27.36
that "All things
work together for good
00:24:27.40\00:24:28.73
for those who love Him."
00:24:28.76\00:24:30.10
Do you love Him? Amen.
00:24:30.13\00:24:32.73
He tells us in Proverbs 3,
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.10
that we need to trust
Him with all of our heart
00:24:34.14\00:24:36.10
and He will direct our paths.
00:24:36.14\00:24:37.87
When we do that, He
can use us in special ways
00:24:37.91\00:24:40.98
create divine appointments
00:24:41.01\00:24:42.48
that we could have
never made possible.
00:24:42.51\00:24:44.98
When we walked through Iceland
00:24:45.01\00:24:46.68
we were learning,
God was teaching us that
00:24:46.72\00:24:49.35
it is important
that we need to accept
00:24:49.38\00:24:51.75
when He interrupts our agenda.
00:24:51.79\00:24:54.46
One thing that happened was that
00:24:54.49\00:24:56.52
we didn't plan for this
that the local church asked us,
00:24:56.56\00:24:59.73
the Adventist
Church, "Can you help us
00:24:59.76\00:25:01.10
with some renovations
with the local school?"
00:25:01.13\00:25:04.03
This was
definitely not in our plans.
00:25:04.07\00:25:06.47
And I was very
resistant at first.
00:25:06.50\00:25:08.04
But God said, "No, do this."
00:25:08.07\00:25:09.77
And so we did it.
00:25:09.80\00:25:11.14
And it was a huge blessing
to the local Adventists.
00:25:11.17\00:25:13.41
They felt so supported.
00:25:13.44\00:25:14.78
And so they felt,
00:25:14.81\00:25:16.14
they also
supported us in return.
00:25:16.18\00:25:17.78
And also God was
able to bless the school
00:25:17.81\00:25:19.88
because we started
interceding at that school.
00:25:19.91\00:25:22.42
And later on, because they were
00:25:22.45\00:25:24.55
struggling with enrollment,
00:25:24.59\00:25:25.92
we've heard some of the people
that we have actually prayed
00:25:25.95\00:25:27.86
with that we met on the
streets came to that school
00:25:27.89\00:25:30.23
and enrolled
their children there.
00:25:30.26\00:25:31.59
Amen.
00:25:31.63\00:25:32.96
And so God
interrupted our agenda,
00:25:32.99\00:25:34.33
another time, Ed Sheeran.
00:25:34.36\00:25:36.36
Hopefully, none of you know him.
00:25:36.40\00:25:37.73
But if some of you might,
00:25:37.77\00:25:39.10
one of the most
successful popular Christian,
00:25:39.13\00:25:41.04
not Christian, pop
artists in the world
00:25:41.07\00:25:43.51
came to Iceland
and did a concert.
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.74
One fifth of the
country showed up
00:25:46.78\00:25:48.11
exactly at the same
time when we were there.
00:25:48.14\00:25:50.35
And we didn't
notice, so we said,
00:25:50.38\00:25:51.71
"Hey, we should go and
pray around the stadium."
00:25:51.75\00:25:53.92
And we walked, like
the people of Israel,
00:25:53.95\00:25:56.02
some of us seven times
around the stadium praying that
00:25:56.05\00:25:58.92
God will reach the
heart of the people.
00:25:58.95\00:26:01.72
You might think that's crazy.
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.09
But we felt the Holy
Spirit's guidance in this.
00:26:03.12\00:26:05.39
There's many other stories.
00:26:05.43\00:26:06.80
We walked up to
the President's home
00:26:06.83\00:26:08.26
and we prayed
00:26:08.30\00:26:09.63
for the
President of the country.
00:26:09.66\00:26:12.17
And there's many other things
00:26:12.20\00:26:13.54
that I would like to share more,
00:26:13.57\00:26:14.90
but we are running out of time.
00:26:14.94\00:26:16.27
But what I want to
do now is to invite
00:26:16.30\00:26:18.07
some of the missionaries
that came on this mission
00:26:18.11\00:26:20.51
to come here on the platform
00:26:20.54\00:26:22.08
and share some of
their testimonies.
00:26:22.11\00:26:23.91
So I'm going to ask
them to come out right now.
00:26:23.95\00:26:25.81
And we will hear
some powerful testimonies
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.68
of what happens when we pray.
00:26:27.72\00:26:29.58
As I told in the beginning,
00:26:34.06\00:26:35.39
there are 46
missionaries from 6 continents,
00:26:35.42\00:26:37.56
you see about 14 to 15
of them here right now.
00:26:37.59\00:26:41.66
They have made it here.
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.03
Some of them were, you know,
from Africa, from Australia,
00:26:43.06\00:26:45.17
so they, not all
of them could be here,
00:26:45.20\00:26:46.53
but they're here in spirit
00:26:46.57\00:26:47.90
and they're
praying for us right now.
00:26:47.94\00:26:49.37
But I want some
of the missionaries
00:26:49.40\00:26:50.91
here to share with us
00:26:50.94\00:26:52.27
what happened
before the mission,
00:26:52.31\00:26:54.11
during the mission,
and how this mission
00:26:54.14\00:26:55.98
of prayer
impacted them personally.
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.11
And I pray that this will
be inspiration for you as well,
00:26:58.15\00:27:00.82
to engage in
prayer in a different way.
00:27:00.85\00:27:03.39
I want to start with Victoria.
00:27:03.42\00:27:04.89
Victoria, you're
from West Virginia,
00:27:04.92\00:27:06.62
is that right?
00:27:06.65\00:27:07.99
Virginia. Virginia.
00:27:08.02\00:27:09.36
All right, close enough.
00:27:09.39\00:27:10.73
And share with me
a little bit about
00:27:10.76\00:27:12.56
what happened
during the mission for you,
00:27:12.59\00:27:15.93
you know, what led
you to this mission,
00:27:15.96\00:27:17.30
and what is one
powerful experience
00:27:17.33\00:27:19.10
that you had?
00:27:19.13\00:27:20.54
Well, what led
me to this mission
00:27:20.57\00:27:22.00
was last year's announcement
about going to Iceland,
00:27:22.04\00:27:25.04
and first it was
like, "Oh, cool, Iceland."
00:27:25.07\00:27:28.14
And then it just seemed
like a great opportunity.
00:27:28.18\00:27:31.88
While I was there,
the thing that stood out
00:27:31.91\00:27:35.68
most in my mind is that
prayer is a full time ministry.
00:27:35.72\00:27:39.89
It is something
that you can go out
00:27:39.92\00:27:42.76
into the world and pray,
00:27:42.79\00:27:45.26
and that's what God needs
or God wants for us to do.
00:27:45.29\00:27:50.30
You can be a missionary
00:27:50.33\00:27:54.90
just by having the
presence of prayer in a place
00:27:54.94\00:27:58.87
and so that was
very important to me.
00:27:58.91\00:28:00.48
So tell me about one
of the experiences you had
00:28:00.51\00:28:02.58
when you were prayer walking.
00:28:02.61\00:28:04.71
As you were prayer
walking, you were looking
00:28:04.75\00:28:06.08
for different
satanic strongholds,
00:28:06.11\00:28:08.48
places of darkness
that need that trebuchet
00:28:08.52\00:28:11.02
that Alex was talking about,
00:28:11.05\00:28:12.39
that needs special intercession
for God to break down
00:28:12.42\00:28:15.42
these spiritual barriers.
00:28:15.46\00:28:17.16
So share about
00:28:17.19\00:28:18.53
one of those
experiences with us?
00:28:18.56\00:28:19.89
So we were walking
the City of Reykjavik
00:28:19.93\00:28:23.10
and we passed by a garden
00:28:23.13\00:28:25.50
just outside of the
Reykjavik Cathedral,
00:28:25.53\00:28:27.80
and I'm not even going to try
to pronounce how to say that.
00:28:27.84\00:28:30.97
And we walked into this garden,
and immediately I could see,
00:28:31.01\00:28:35.54
especially, on Gem's
face, he felt this darkness.
00:28:35.58\00:28:41.45
And we continue to walk,
we continue to look around,
00:28:41.48\00:28:44.52
and there were
many satanic symbols
00:28:44.55\00:28:49.59
just around the garden.
00:28:49.62\00:28:52.53
And so we were
there, we studied them.
00:28:52.56\00:28:54.76
Alex shared some information
00:28:54.80\00:28:56.26
and then we
prayed over the place.
00:28:56.30\00:28:58.97
And we prayed
while we were inside,
00:28:59.00\00:29:00.44
we prayed while we were outside,
00:29:00.47\00:29:01.80
and we continued to
pray for it after we left.
00:29:01.84\00:29:04.61
So spiritual
warfare became very real
00:29:04.64\00:29:06.64
in that moment to
you in your experience?
00:29:06.68\00:29:09.54
Esther, you came
also on this mission.
00:29:09.58\00:29:11.58
You were from
Singapore, is that right?
00:29:11.61\00:29:14.05
Yes, I grew up in Singapore.
You grew up in Singapore.
00:29:14.08\00:29:16.08
You're studying right
now in the United States?
00:29:16.12\00:29:17.62
Yes, I am.
00:29:17.65\00:29:18.99
Now, Esther, share with me about
00:29:19.02\00:29:21.46
why you came on this mission
and how this impacted you?
00:29:21.49\00:29:24.23
So I came on this mission
00:29:24.26\00:29:26.39
because someone
recommended me to come on it.
00:29:26.43\00:29:28.46
And I was thinking,
00:29:28.50\00:29:29.83
"Oh, it might be
a cool opportunity."
00:29:29.86\00:29:31.67
But actually,
00:29:31.70\00:29:33.03
even on the taxi
ride to the airport,
00:29:33.07\00:29:35.00
I was thinking,
"This is ridiculous.
00:29:35.04\00:29:36.74
I don't want to go."
00:29:36.77\00:29:38.34
I don't know what I'm gonna do.
00:29:38.37\00:29:39.81
And then I went and
really just wanted...
00:29:39.84\00:29:42.71
I prayed for a spiritual revival
00:29:42.74\00:29:44.71
because, you know,
00:29:44.75\00:29:46.08
sometimes when
people work in ministry
00:29:46.11\00:29:48.22
or for so long and
you get kind of tired
00:29:48.25\00:29:51.02
or you get burned out,
00:29:51.05\00:29:52.65
so I was asking for
the spiritual revival.
00:29:52.69\00:29:54.72
And actually, God gave
that to me during this trip,
00:29:54.76\00:29:57.53
and I learned about
the privilege of prayer.
00:29:57.56\00:30:00.66
Yeah. Praise God.
00:30:00.70\00:30:02.03
Now we have to understand
00:30:02.06\00:30:03.40
we spent every morning together,
00:30:03.43\00:30:04.77
like here in the
prayer room in united prayer.
00:30:04.80\00:30:07.17
Every morning and evening,
00:30:07.20\00:30:08.54
we came together
to seek the Lord,
00:30:08.57\00:30:10.11
to ask Him to
show us how to interact
00:30:10.14\00:30:12.34
with these people that
speak a different language,
00:30:12.37\00:30:14.34
these people who
don't even realize
00:30:14.38\00:30:15.84
that there is a God.
00:30:15.88\00:30:17.21
And so God brought
revival to our own lives,
00:30:17.25\00:30:19.51
He healed broken hearts,
and He bonded us together.
00:30:19.55\00:30:23.02
I believe we saw a glimpse
00:30:23.05\00:30:24.62
of what the Book
of Acts talked about.
00:30:24.65\00:30:26.52
And all of us,
we could feel that
00:30:26.55\00:30:28.46
this unity was so beautiful,
00:30:28.49\00:30:30.09
and it gave us
confidence that God was with us.
00:30:30.13\00:30:32.93
Now, Sarah, you were
also on this mission.
00:30:32.96\00:30:35.60
And I remember, you
were part of my car,
00:30:35.63\00:30:37.53
going around the city
and sharing the GLOW tracts
00:30:37.57\00:30:40.10
and praying with people.
00:30:40.14\00:30:41.47
And share with me an experience
that you had on this mission?
00:30:41.50\00:30:44.91
So one evening, well,
00:30:44.94\00:30:46.57
most evenings we always
try to finish the territory.
00:30:46.61\00:30:50.08
So we didn't want to leave
00:30:50.11\00:30:51.65
without every house in
that territory being done.
00:30:51.68\00:30:54.58
So I remember one time
it was time to go back,
00:30:54.62\00:30:56.89
but we only had
like two apartments left
00:30:56.92\00:30:58.52
and we're like,
"We can't go back.
00:30:58.55\00:30:59.89
We're not done."
00:30:59.92\00:31:01.26
And so we were
finishing one area
00:31:01.29\00:31:04.56
and I were finishing it.
00:31:04.59\00:31:05.93
And we came across a gentleman.
00:31:05.96\00:31:07.50
He's probably in his 80s.
00:31:07.53\00:31:09.53
And we started talking to him
00:31:09.56\00:31:11.53
and what caught his eye
was the prayer GLOW tract.
00:31:11.57\00:31:15.34
And he was like,
"Oh, what's this?"
00:31:15.37\00:31:18.54
And so we started
explaining it to him,
00:31:18.57\00:31:19.91
and he didn't know
that it's okay to pray.
00:31:19.94\00:31:22.18
You know, he thought,
you had to go to church
00:31:22.21\00:31:24.81
or something for that.
00:31:24.85\00:31:26.31
And another time, we
knocked on a lady's door,
00:31:26.35\00:31:29.25
and we asked her
00:31:29.28\00:31:30.62
what she wanted
us to pray about.
00:31:30.65\00:31:32.19
And she's like, "I
just lost my uncle,
00:31:32.22\00:31:34.42
and I have no hope of
ever seeing him again."
00:31:34.46\00:31:37.43
She's probably in her 40s.
00:31:37.46\00:31:39.39
She'd never heard
the word heaven before.
00:31:39.43\00:31:41.43
You know, and that made
00:31:41.46\00:31:42.80
a big impact on
my life, you know,
00:31:42.83\00:31:44.27
not everybody, you
know, in the world,
00:31:44.30\00:31:46.30
maybe not
everybody in your community,
00:31:46.33\00:31:48.07
or maybe even your
next door neighbor has
00:31:48.10\00:31:49.74
ever heard the word
Jesus before or heaven.
00:31:49.77\00:31:52.41
We think because we
have Bibles everywhere,
00:31:52.44\00:31:54.34
everybody knows, but they don't.
00:31:54.38\00:31:56.68
So we need to make
sure that wherever we are
00:31:56.71\00:31:59.11
that we're always
sharing God's love with them.
00:31:59.15\00:32:01.48
Amen.
00:32:01.52\00:32:02.85
God has given us
divine appointments
00:32:02.88\00:32:04.39
on this mission
leading us to people
00:32:04.42\00:32:06.55
who needed in that very
moment to hear about hope,
00:32:06.59\00:32:10.09
and that there is a
God and that there is a way
00:32:10.13\00:32:12.33
out of this
darkness in this world.
00:32:12.36\00:32:14.93
We don't usually go
to first world countries,
00:32:14.96\00:32:17.13
but there are people hungering
00:32:17.17\00:32:18.60
and thirsting
for something more.
00:32:18.63\00:32:21.57
And when we pray,
and we tell them that
00:32:21.60\00:32:23.41
we're praying for them,
00:32:23.44\00:32:25.04
when they see
those prayers answered,
00:32:25.07\00:32:27.11
isn't that the most
convincing argument for a God?
00:32:27.14\00:32:30.18
So let's have faith
as we go around the world
00:32:30.21\00:32:33.05
as we share with
people around us about prayer.
00:32:33.08\00:32:36.12
Now, Marselinny, you
came also on this mission.
00:32:36.15\00:32:39.09
And why did you
come on this mission?
00:32:39.12\00:32:40.82
Share about that.
00:32:40.86\00:32:42.26
Yeah, so at first my experience
00:32:42.29\00:32:44.06
was different than
Esther and Victoria is
00:32:44.09\00:32:46.56
'cause I wasn't
planning on going to Iceland,
00:32:46.59\00:32:48.90
I saw the
trailer and I was like,
00:32:48.93\00:32:51.73
"I don't even
know where Iceland is.
00:32:51.77\00:32:53.37
I wouldn't be
going alone," you know?
00:32:53.40\00:32:55.17
And so I just had
no intention of going
00:32:55.20\00:32:58.31
and my church and
some sponsors supported me
00:32:58.34\00:33:01.74
and encouraged me to go.
00:33:01.78\00:33:03.18
And I was
definitely inspired to go,
00:33:03.21\00:33:06.95
even though it was definitely
out of my comfort zone.
00:33:06.98\00:33:09.15
But I felt God using me
00:33:09.18\00:33:10.89
in that situation to get me out.
00:33:10.92\00:33:12.25
Praise God.
00:33:12.29\00:33:13.62
When we ask God to get
us out of our comfort zone,
00:33:13.66\00:33:15.56
He will do that.
00:33:15.59\00:33:16.93
And He will give
us amazing experiences
00:33:16.96\00:33:18.49
when we let go of
our personal agendas,
00:33:18.53\00:33:20.56
and say, "Lord,
just lead me to a person
00:33:20.60\00:33:22.90
to witness to,"
00:33:22.93\00:33:24.27
and you have that chance
today to do that in our outreach
00:33:24.30\00:33:26.74
just after this.
00:33:26.77\00:33:28.10
Now as we went on this mission,
these divine appointments,
00:33:28.14\00:33:30.51
it was wonderful to see that
00:33:30.54\00:33:31.87
we had the chance to meet people
00:33:31.91\00:33:33.84
who were saying, you know,
00:33:33.88\00:33:35.31
"You came just at
the right moment."
00:33:35.34\00:33:37.31
One lady, I knocked
on the door and she said,
00:33:37.35\00:33:39.21
"God must have sent it to me
00:33:39.25\00:33:40.88
because I
needed this right now."
00:33:40.92\00:33:42.98
The people were
crying, people hug this,
00:33:43.02\00:33:44.62
and this is in secular Europe,
00:33:44.65\00:33:46.35
the place we
think, where you can't do
00:33:46.39\00:33:47.76
anything like this,
and God proved us wrong.
00:33:47.79\00:33:50.19
It was nothing we did,
00:33:50.23\00:33:51.56
but it was what the Holy Spirit
could do when we intercede
00:33:51.59\00:33:53.93
for people in darkness.
00:33:53.96\00:33:56.16
This prayer mission
changed our lives forever.
00:33:56.20\00:33:59.50
And I believe it can do
the same for you as well.
00:33:59.53\00:34:01.70
What are some things...
This was just in August.
00:34:01.74\00:34:03.54
So this is just
a few months old,
00:34:03.57\00:34:04.97
fresh out of the oven.
00:34:05.01\00:34:06.34
What are some things that
have happened in your life?
00:34:06.37\00:34:08.61
How have you changed the way
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.45
you do life in
ministry here in this world?
00:34:10.48\00:34:13.15
I think, Esther,
you wanted to share
00:34:13.18\00:34:15.88
a little bit about
your college experience?
00:34:15.92\00:34:18.29
Yes. So my
college is very secular.
00:34:18.32\00:34:22.76
It's very extremely liberal.
00:34:22.79\00:34:24.99
So it's very hard to
reach out to the students.
00:34:25.03\00:34:26.96
And we have an
Adventist group there.
00:34:27.00\00:34:29.33
And so here's a little
story. I won't make it too long.
00:34:29.36\00:34:32.17
But so before to Iceland tour,
00:34:32.20\00:34:34.37
we were
planning to have a gospel
00:34:34.40\00:34:37.17
concert at the school
00:34:37.21\00:34:38.67
and we were
trying to collaborate
00:34:38.71\00:34:40.34
with the other
Christian groups there.
00:34:40.38\00:34:42.08
And we actually
didn't plan out anything
00:34:42.11\00:34:44.78
and it was only two weeks,
00:34:44.81\00:34:46.65
I think about two
weeks after the mission trip.
00:34:46.68\00:34:49.08
So we came back
00:34:49.12\00:34:50.45
and then I was
talking to our members,
00:34:50.49\00:34:53.36
and we were saying, "Well,
we don't know what to do."
00:34:53.39\00:34:54.92
And I was
talking to the Christian,
00:34:54.96\00:34:57.16
the non-Adventist
Christians and we were like,
00:34:57.19\00:34:59.53
I told them, maybe
we should pray together
00:34:59.56\00:35:01.73
because during this mission tour
00:35:01.76\00:35:03.37
we learned how
to do united prayer.
00:35:03.40\00:35:05.13
So we were saying,
00:35:05.17\00:35:07.70
we should do
united prayer together.
00:35:07.74\00:35:09.34
And then we did
that every Sunday.
00:35:09.37\00:35:11.34
And the gospel
concert was really great.
00:35:11.37\00:35:15.01
And I could talk
about that sometime later.
00:35:15.04\00:35:17.45
But after our
last prayer session,
00:35:17.48\00:35:20.48
after the gospel concert ended,
00:35:20.52\00:35:22.85
the non-Adventist
Christians were telling us,
00:35:22.88\00:35:25.65
"Well, this united
prayer thing is so great.
00:35:25.69\00:35:28.36
We should continue
doing it afterwards."
00:35:28.39\00:35:30.43
So we did not end up praying
00:35:30.46\00:35:32.96
just for the
concert, but we also prayed
00:35:32.99\00:35:34.90
for the entire
campus, all the world leaders,
00:35:34.93\00:35:38.47
politics, and we
gather every Sunday at a room
00:35:38.50\00:35:41.70
and we pray together.
00:35:41.74\00:35:43.14
Praise God. Praise God.
00:35:43.17\00:35:44.51
You know, we at GYC,
00:35:44.54\00:35:46.17
we believe in public
campus ministry, amen?
00:35:46.21\00:35:48.01
Amen.
00:35:48.04\00:35:49.38
The world comes
into the universities
00:35:49.41\00:35:51.31
and we can reach these
people with the power of prayer.
00:35:51.35\00:35:53.82
And so we are excited
to see what God will do.
00:35:53.85\00:35:55.78
We have another testimony
in that regard from Marselinny.
00:35:55.82\00:35:58.05
Share with us what happened
00:35:58.09\00:35:59.42
when you went
back to your campus?
00:35:59.45\00:36:00.79
Yes.
00:36:00.82\00:36:02.16
So there was a lot of
00:36:02.19\00:36:03.53
different
testimonies that I had.
00:36:03.56\00:36:04.89
I did want to share one from
00:36:04.93\00:36:06.56
when I went into
the mission trip,
00:36:06.59\00:36:08.86
which kind of
inspired what happened after.
00:36:08.90\00:36:11.47
So we went with
groups from the Iceland,
00:36:11.50\00:36:16.07
our Iceland team, but
the first time we went out,
00:36:16.10\00:36:18.61
we went with the
church, the local church.
00:36:18.64\00:36:20.81
And one of the
ladies I went with,
00:36:20.84\00:36:22.18
I was kind of nervous
00:36:22.21\00:36:23.55
because I didn't know Icelandic,
00:36:23.58\00:36:26.55
you know, and then
I was praying like,
00:36:26.58\00:36:27.98
I know two words in
Icelandic and it's like,
00:36:28.02\00:36:30.05
thank you and how
to use the restroom
00:36:30.09\00:36:31.92
or find the restroom.
00:36:31.95\00:36:33.29
And I'm like, "I can't
really get by with that."
00:36:33.32\00:36:35.09
So luckily, she was
able to speak mostly English.
00:36:35.12\00:36:38.99
And then she was very energetic.
00:36:39.03\00:36:42.00
She would go
running to all the doors,
00:36:42.03\00:36:44.53
and I'm kind of an introvert.
00:36:44.57\00:36:46.20
And my roommate knows
that, I'm very, very quiet.
00:36:46.23\00:36:49.14
And so she went to all the doors
00:36:49.17\00:36:51.17
and then she started
praying with everybody.
00:36:51.21\00:36:54.34
And we prayed
with I think every door
00:36:54.38\00:36:56.64
we had a prayer
which was such a blessing.
00:36:56.68\00:36:59.71
And some people
were painting the house
00:36:59.75\00:37:02.68
and then they asked
prayer for money, family career,
00:37:02.72\00:37:05.82
and then another
lady just lost her job
00:37:05.85\00:37:09.99
and she's trying to find a job
00:37:10.03\00:37:11.39
so it's definitely something
that we wanted to pray for.
00:37:11.43\00:37:15.63
And then afterwards,
00:37:15.66\00:37:17.00
what was the most
meaningful for me was that
00:37:17.03\00:37:19.77
when we were walking back,
we were ending our time there.
00:37:19.80\00:37:24.51
This woman who was
my partner from Iceland,
00:37:24.54\00:37:27.08
she opened up to
me about her childhood
00:37:27.11\00:37:30.28
and what she went through,
00:37:30.31\00:37:31.65
and she opened up about
how her husband loved her.
00:37:31.68\00:37:34.35
He's in a different country.
00:37:34.38\00:37:35.95
She has to take care
of her children here.
00:37:35.98\00:37:39.79
And what I learned
from that is oftentimes,
00:37:39.82\00:37:43.49
the people we think
we should be reaching
00:37:43.53\00:37:45.53
are actually
right in front of us.
00:37:45.56\00:37:47.63
And I was like,
that was the most.
00:37:47.66\00:37:49.70
So we prayed together.
00:37:49.73\00:37:51.07
And after the prayer,
we were just all emotional.
00:37:51.10\00:37:53.54
And it was just a huge blessing.
00:37:53.57\00:37:55.17
Yeah.
00:37:55.20\00:37:56.54
When we pray
together, when we unite,
00:37:56.57\00:37:58.37
the Holy Spirit bonds us into
this true fellowship experience
00:37:58.41\00:38:02.04
that we read about
in the Book of Acts.
00:38:02.08\00:38:03.61
Now you went back to
your college as well,
00:38:03.65\00:38:05.95
and you were part of
a campus ministry there?
00:38:05.98\00:38:07.32
Yes.
00:38:07.35\00:38:08.68
So the campus ministries
group that I helped out
00:38:08.72\00:38:11.29
with it's called
Adventist Students
00:38:11.32\00:38:12.65
for Christ or ASC
00:38:12.69\00:38:14.26
and it's similar to
what Esther mentioned.
00:38:14.29\00:38:16.12
And before the
school year starts,
00:38:16.16\00:38:18.56
there's organizational booths
00:38:18.59\00:38:20.86
and we were able
to actually kind of
00:38:20.90\00:38:22.36
do the same
thing, have GLOW tracts,
00:38:22.40\00:38:24.17
just have a
booth of GLOW tracts.
00:38:24.20\00:38:26.07
And when the students came,
00:38:26.10\00:38:27.47
we would pray with the students.
00:38:27.50\00:38:30.97
And it was a blessing
00:38:31.01\00:38:33.27
because
compared to last semester
00:38:33.31\00:38:35.54
to this semester, the
Lord really multiplied.
00:38:35.58\00:38:37.91
And there was a lot
more people who came in,
00:38:37.95\00:38:39.85
and that was
just a huge blessing.
00:38:39.88\00:38:41.85
So we're just the beginning of
what God is trying to show us.
00:38:41.88\00:38:44.39
I believe God has led
GYC, as I mentioned earlier,
00:38:44.42\00:38:47.16
into more focus on prayer
00:38:47.19\00:38:49.32
and seeing what God can
do when we trust Him fully.
00:38:49.36\00:38:52.59
And so this prayer
mission has inspired us,
00:38:52.63\00:38:55.03
it has changed us,
00:38:55.06\00:38:56.43
it has changed the
way we think about prayer,
00:38:56.46\00:38:58.83
more than just something
we do in the beginning,
00:38:58.87\00:39:01.14
in the end of a
program or before the meals,
00:39:01.17\00:39:03.81
it really has
radically revolutionized the way
00:39:03.84\00:39:06.07
we look at the
world, understanding that
00:39:06.11\00:39:08.18
we are in a great
controversy, understanding that
00:39:08.21\00:39:10.91
we can with the
power of faith and prayer,
00:39:10.95\00:39:14.18
break down strongholds
of Satan in this world.
00:39:14.22\00:39:16.58
Amen.
00:39:16.62\00:39:17.95
Now one other
testimony, that's very powerful.
00:39:17.99\00:39:20.09
Eric, you want to
share with us as well.
00:39:20.12\00:39:23.16
You got a phone call
when we were in Iceland,
00:39:23.19\00:39:25.29
and just share
with us about this?
00:39:25.33\00:39:26.66
Yeah.
00:39:26.70\00:39:28.03
So, you know,
sometimes you go into things
00:39:28.06\00:39:29.63
and we plan for
this mission trip,
00:39:29.66\00:39:31.27
and things go well,
and things don't go well.
00:39:31.30\00:39:33.74
Well, one of the
real challenges for me
00:39:33.77\00:39:35.77
in my personal life is I
got married two years ago,
00:39:35.80\00:39:39.57
and I got married to
someone else you've seen
00:39:39.61\00:39:41.84
on stage once
in a while, Esther.
00:39:41.88\00:39:43.81
Esther Louw is my wife's name.
00:39:43.85\00:39:45.71
And for some time
leading up to this,
00:39:45.75\00:39:50.59
she had been going
into worse and worse health.
00:39:50.62\00:39:53.56
Right after we got
married she got really sick
00:39:53.59\00:39:55.82
and she had her gallbladder
out and we were just,
00:39:55.86\00:39:57.43
like, "Why's her body
just like not doing so well?"
00:39:57.46\00:40:00.76
And it got to the point
where it's worse and worse
00:40:00.80\00:40:02.83
where she was, some days
having to go in on crutches
00:40:02.86\00:40:05.17
'cause different
muscle groups are locking up
00:40:05.20\00:40:06.74
and she had like heart issues.
00:40:06.77\00:40:08.10
And we were just, like,
00:40:08.14\00:40:09.47
"What in the world is going on?"
00:40:09.50\00:40:10.84
We went to doctor
after doctor after doctor.
00:40:10.87\00:40:13.14
And finally
once we had basically
00:40:13.17\00:40:15.18
exhausted every single
option around Andrews University
00:40:15.21\00:40:18.01
where I've been studying,
we said, "Well, you know what,
00:40:18.05\00:40:20.95
the only option we have
left is to go to Mayo Clinic."
00:40:20.98\00:40:23.69
And so last Thanksgiving, 2018,
00:40:23.72\00:40:26.65
we went to Mayo Clinic
00:40:26.69\00:40:28.02
and we saw half a
dozen specialists,
00:40:28.06\00:40:31.39
and nothing.
00:40:31.43\00:40:33.73
And so now we're planning
for this Iceland mission trip
00:40:33.76\00:40:36.33
and I've got this
going on in my life
00:40:36.36\00:40:38.23
and I'm worrying
and we're praying
00:40:38.27\00:40:39.83
and we don't know
00:40:39.87\00:40:41.20
what's going on with her Sunday.
00:40:41.24\00:40:42.57
She's totally
fine and other days,
00:40:42.60\00:40:43.94
like everything's going insane.
00:40:43.97\00:40:45.57
And she can hardly
get out of bed and move.
00:40:45.61\00:40:47.51
And finally it gets to the point
00:40:47.54\00:40:48.91
where we're on the mission trip,
00:40:48.94\00:40:50.65
and I'm praying that
she's going to be okay,
00:40:50.68\00:40:52.28
you know, sometimes
she has some good weeks
00:40:52.31\00:40:53.75
and sometimes she doesn't.
00:40:53.78\00:40:55.18
So I'm just praying
that things go well.
00:40:55.22\00:40:57.52
And one morning we
come to the prayer group
00:40:57.55\00:41:00.49
and I get a text.
00:41:00.52\00:41:02.62
And she texts
and she said to me,
00:41:02.66\00:41:04.89
"I think we're going to
need to get a wheelchair."
00:41:04.93\00:41:07.76
Because it had
just gotten to the point
00:41:07.80\00:41:09.13
where just some days
00:41:09.16\00:41:10.50
she could not move certain limbs
00:41:10.53\00:41:12.30
and it would last
sometimes up to a week
00:41:12.33\00:41:14.50
and we just didn't
know what was going on.
00:41:14.54\00:41:17.01
And so, here we all were
praying like, "God," like,
00:41:17.04\00:41:19.17
"what do we do?"
00:41:19.21\00:41:21.34
You know, like, once
you go to a wheelchair,
00:41:21.38\00:41:22.71
how do you go
back from that, right?
00:41:22.74\00:41:24.08
It just gets worse and
worse sometimes, it seems.
00:41:24.11\00:41:26.21
And so we pray there and I just,
00:41:26.25\00:41:27.58
I didn't know what to do.
00:41:27.62\00:41:28.95
I was just floored.
00:41:28.98\00:41:30.32
I focused on the mission
trip, I tried to be supportive.
00:41:30.35\00:41:32.72
But here I am
stuck in Iceland, right?
00:41:32.75\00:41:35.42
And so we're going through
00:41:35.46\00:41:36.79
and I've got these
two things in my mind.
00:41:36.83\00:41:38.29
Well, finally we get
back to the United States.
00:41:38.33\00:41:41.90
And we have one or two
more specialists to see,
00:41:41.93\00:41:43.90
we have a neurologist,
00:41:43.93\00:41:45.27
we've already
seen one at Mayo Clinic
00:41:45.30\00:41:46.63
but we have one more to see.
00:41:46.67\00:41:48.00
And we're just saying, you know,
00:41:48.04\00:41:49.37
like, "What do we do,
00:41:49.40\00:41:50.74
they couldn't
find anything there.
00:41:50.77\00:41:52.11
What's the chances
00:41:52.14\00:41:53.48
they are going to
find anything here?"
00:41:53.51\00:41:55.11
And so finally, some
family member said, "Eric,
00:41:55.14\00:41:57.88
have you
considered an anointing?"
00:41:57.91\00:42:00.25
And so we're thinking, well,
00:42:00.28\00:42:01.62
you know, this
exhaust all our opportunities
00:42:01.65\00:42:02.98
and then do an anointing.
00:42:03.02\00:42:04.35
Sometimes we treat anointing
00:42:04.39\00:42:05.72
as some kind of
last resort, right?
00:42:05.75\00:42:08.46
And after being in
Iceland and seeing God work
00:42:08.49\00:42:10.83
so powerfully to answer prayers
00:42:10.86\00:42:12.49
just like that,
I said to myself,
00:42:12.53\00:42:14.90
you know what?
00:42:14.93\00:42:16.63
"Let's just do it,
00:42:16.67\00:42:18.00
because we're just about at
the end of the line anyway."
00:42:18.03\00:42:20.34
I mean, we've already
seen these types of specialists
00:42:20.37\00:42:22.54
before, what's the
chance that number 57
00:42:22.57\00:42:24.77
is gonna figure it out, right?
00:42:24.81\00:42:26.34
And so we decided
to have an anointing
00:42:26.37\00:42:28.38
and I was blessed to
have Alex be a part of that.
00:42:28.41\00:42:32.01
And we prayed.
00:42:32.05\00:42:34.32
And as we were praying,
my wife shared with me that
00:42:34.35\00:42:37.12
she just felt God's presence,
like suddenly He was there.
00:42:37.15\00:42:40.66
And she's
praying, we're praying,
00:42:40.69\00:42:42.52
and we get up from that.
00:42:42.56\00:42:44.79
And she just sends us
00:42:44.83\00:42:46.19
this great piece
that God loves her
00:42:46.23\00:42:48.16
and that
everything will be okay.
00:42:48.20\00:42:51.10
And I'll tell you
what, from that point on,
00:42:51.13\00:42:53.34
she hasn't had a single problem.
00:42:53.37\00:42:54.70
God completely healed
her as far as we can tell.
00:42:54.74\00:42:56.91
Praise God.
00:42:56.94\00:42:59.07
In fact, she'd been
having heart rhythms going up
00:42:59.11\00:43:02.84
and down a little bit crazy.
00:43:02.88\00:43:04.21
We looked on her
watch which tracks that.
00:43:04.25\00:43:06.55
And you see it just
going crazy, crazy, crazy
00:43:06.58\00:43:08.52
for months leading up to that,
and then stable ever since.
00:43:08.55\00:43:12.72
Praise the Lord. Amen?
00:43:12.75\00:43:14.32
Amen. Hallelujah.
00:43:14.36\00:43:15.92
The power of
prayer is real, friends.
00:43:15.96\00:43:18.83
We've seen it in Iceland. I
think we just saw a glimpse.
00:43:18.86\00:43:21.60
We didn't know
what we were doing.
00:43:21.63\00:43:22.96
We just said, "Lord, we're
here and whether we fail or not,
00:43:23.00\00:43:26.00
we trust You.
00:43:26.03\00:43:27.50
And we leave success up to you,
whatever success looks like."
00:43:27.54\00:43:31.44
Some of these
things that we did there,
00:43:31.47\00:43:33.14
some of the prayers we prayed
00:43:33.17\00:43:34.64
will probably not
be answered for years.
00:43:34.68\00:43:36.75
But we committed
ourselves as missionaries.
00:43:36.78\00:43:38.55
We collected all
these prayer requests
00:43:38.58\00:43:40.05
and wrote them down.
00:43:40.08\00:43:41.42
We committed
ourselves to continue to pray
00:43:41.45\00:43:43.75
for these people
00:43:43.79\00:43:45.12
because it's not
just a onetime thing.
00:43:45.15\00:43:46.49
You got to intercede.
00:43:46.52\00:43:47.86
There's a
spiritual war going on.
00:43:47.89\00:43:49.92
Do not give up on prayer.
Do not give up on people.
00:43:49.96\00:43:54.00
And God can reach
entire countries for Him.
00:43:54.03\00:43:57.17
In fact, I told you we
knocked on the President's door.
00:43:57.20\00:43:59.57
We're able to pray for
the leader of the country.
00:43:59.60\00:44:03.17
Just the other
day Gavin Anthony,
00:44:03.20\00:44:04.84
their Conference President
of the Icelandic Church
00:44:04.87\00:44:07.28
was invited to the President
of Iceland in his home.
00:44:07.31\00:44:10.31
Yes, last two days ago.
00:44:10.35\00:44:12.08
And he had a one on one
00:44:12.11\00:44:13.45
sit down with the
President and his wife.
00:44:13.48\00:44:15.05
And he was able to
tell them that, you know,
00:44:15.08\00:44:17.02
he's praying for them
and had a connection there
00:44:17.05\00:44:19.62
and had an opportunity to share.
00:44:19.65\00:44:21.42
God opens doors when we pray.
00:44:21.46\00:44:24.13
The church in
Iceland is very small,
00:44:24.16\00:44:26.23
and is struggling.
00:44:26.26\00:44:27.60
There is about 100, and
maybe 150 active members,
00:44:27.63\00:44:30.43
but they have seen that
00:44:30.47\00:44:32.30
God wants to do
something with them.
00:44:32.33\00:44:35.30
They have found
new courage and hope.
00:44:35.34\00:44:37.91
In fact, there
was a constituency
00:44:37.94\00:44:39.27
meeting going on,
00:44:39.31\00:44:40.64
speaking about it, God
interrupting your agenda,
00:44:40.68\00:44:42.88
constituency meeting
going on during our mission.
00:44:42.91\00:44:45.51
And we decided we will go
and pray for that as well,
00:44:45.55\00:44:48.08
because this is important.
00:44:48.12\00:44:49.68
And the decisions
that were made there,
00:44:49.72\00:44:51.29
the Lord led, they told us that
00:44:51.32\00:44:52.82
they felt the spirit
move in a special way.
00:44:52.85\00:44:55.99
And the wonderful thing was that
00:44:56.02\00:44:57.46
the three executive
officers of the conference,
00:44:57.49\00:45:00.33
they chose to
become, all three of them
00:45:00.36\00:45:02.96
are now in charge of
prayer ministries for Iceland.
00:45:03.00\00:45:07.84
Prayer has become the
most important thing now
00:45:07.87\00:45:10.84
in that little
country and for us here.
00:45:10.87\00:45:13.01
And I pray that for you as well,
00:45:13.04\00:45:14.81
this will impact you.
00:45:14.84\00:45:16.54
I want to thank
our missionaries here,
00:45:16.58\00:45:18.18
those who are here and
those who couldn't make it
00:45:18.21\00:45:21.18
for being part of this journey.
00:45:21.22\00:45:22.88
I believe this is
just the beginning.
00:45:22.92\00:45:24.25
I believe God
is going to take us
00:45:24.29\00:45:25.79
into another experience.
00:45:25.82\00:45:27.52
And so, I want to invite
you all to be part of this.
00:45:27.56\00:45:30.29
So thank you so much
for being up here with me.
00:45:30.33\00:45:33.60
As we close
tonight, this morning.
00:45:33.63\00:45:36.83
I want to wrap up
00:45:36.87\00:45:38.20
and I want to share
with you a scripture.
00:45:38.23\00:45:40.97
If you have your
Bibles, open to Jeremiah 29:7.
00:45:41.00\00:45:45.87
Jeremiah 29:7.
00:45:51.78\00:45:54.25
Here the Bible says,
the Lord says to you and me,
00:45:58.52\00:46:02.42
to God's people,
00:46:02.46\00:46:05.49
"But seek the
welfare of the city
00:46:05.53\00:46:09.16
where I have
sent you into exile."
00:46:09.20\00:46:11.43
Are we in exile, yes or no?
00:46:11.47\00:46:14.04
We are waiting to go
home, right, to heaven.
00:46:14.07\00:46:16.94
But right now we are in exile.
00:46:16.97\00:46:18.74
"Seek the welfare of the city
00:46:18.77\00:46:20.98
where I've sent you
into exile," and what?
00:46:21.01\00:46:24.85
Pray.
00:46:24.88\00:46:26.21
"Pray to the
Lord on its behalf,"
00:46:26.25\00:46:30.39
become an intercessor,
00:46:30.42\00:46:32.35
"for in its welfare,
you will find your welfare."
00:46:32.39\00:46:37.79
We're waiting for
the Lord's return.
00:46:37.83\00:46:39.53
I believe we're
closer than ever before.
00:46:39.56\00:46:42.90
We're not called to wait in idle
00:46:42.93\00:46:46.94
and just to sit around.
00:46:46.97\00:46:49.37
We're called to intercede,
00:46:49.40\00:46:51.81
to become that
light in our city.
00:46:51.84\00:46:55.44
We implore to seek the welfare
00:46:55.48\00:46:57.05
of the people in
our sphere of influence.
00:46:57.08\00:46:59.88
And that welfare is Jesus.
00:46:59.91\00:47:02.78
But we cannot
break through darkness
00:47:02.82\00:47:04.62
with our logic arguments.
00:47:04.65\00:47:06.25
Yes, Adventism has the
most beautiful message,
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.62
the most
logical system of truth.
00:47:08.66\00:47:13.36
And we have to present it.
00:47:13.40\00:47:15.16
Our message is
powerful. It will change lives.
00:47:15.20\00:47:18.20
But we need to do it
in a prayerful mindset,
00:47:18.23\00:47:21.30
making prayer the first work
00:47:21.34\00:47:23.57
and continually intercede
for the people around us.
00:47:23.61\00:47:26.74
It is the most powerful
tool that God has given us.
00:47:26.78\00:47:29.11
And I believe we have
only vaguely tapped into it.
00:47:29.14\00:47:32.55
If we want to
see the glory of God
00:47:32.58\00:47:33.98
revealed throughout the world,
00:47:34.02\00:47:35.75
as Isaiah 60 and
Revelation 18 talk about,
00:47:35.78\00:47:38.72
this will happen when
we let the Holy Spirit
00:47:38.75\00:47:41.69
fill our hearts
to its completion,
00:47:41.72\00:47:45.49
when Jesus is
shining through our lives,
00:47:45.53\00:47:48.16
when we lose all fear
of sharing with people
00:47:48.20\00:47:50.67
that we believe in a
God who hears prayers.
00:47:50.70\00:47:54.50
I want to encourage you
to make a decision today.
00:47:54.54\00:47:57.67
Become an intercessor,
00:47:57.71\00:47:59.24
become a prayer
missionary warrior.
00:47:59.27\00:48:03.04
They're almost 2,500,
maybe 3,000 of us here today.
00:48:03.08\00:48:07.25
What will happen,
00:48:07.28\00:48:08.68
when we start to pray like this?
00:48:08.72\00:48:11.59
Eric, what do you
believe will happen?
00:48:11.62\00:48:14.72
I believe that God will change
the world in this generation.
00:48:14.76\00:48:17.49
Amen. God can make a difference.
00:48:17.53\00:48:20.13
He will make a difference.
00:48:20.16\00:48:21.50
He's promised us
that if we unite with Him,
00:48:21.53\00:48:24.33
we can make a difference,
not in our own strength.
00:48:24.37\00:48:27.70
It's none of us. We
surrender all, it's all Him.
00:48:27.74\00:48:30.94
But how can He use us if
we're refusing to be used?
00:48:30.97\00:48:34.51
And so I want to challenge you,
00:48:34.54\00:48:35.88
on your seats you
have a commitment card.
00:48:35.91\00:48:38.11
You'll see it,
00:48:38.15\00:48:39.48
there should be
one in every seat,
00:48:39.51\00:48:40.85
maybe on the floor, look around.
00:48:40.88\00:48:42.22
I want to challenge you
to fill one of these out,
00:48:42.25\00:48:44.65
say, "God, in 2020, I
want to go all out for You.
00:48:44.69\00:48:48.42
I want to go beyond GYC.
00:48:48.46\00:48:50.23
I want to serve
in some capacity."
00:48:50.26\00:48:52.86
Maybe it's something
small, maybe it's something big,
00:48:52.89\00:48:55.20
whatever it is, you
can fill in the blank,
00:48:55.23\00:48:57.73
if you have something
that doesn't fit, kind of,
00:48:57.77\00:49:01.60
the suggestions
that we have on the card,
00:49:01.64\00:49:03.87
but whatever it is, say,
00:49:03.91\00:49:05.24
"God, I want to go
all out for You in 2020."
00:49:05.27\00:49:08.74
And then one thing
00:49:08.78\00:49:10.45
that I want to
mention as well, last year,
00:49:10.48\00:49:13.42
we heard back how you
as GYC had been involved.
00:49:13.45\00:49:18.39
We asked you to fill
out and text in numbers
00:49:18.42\00:49:22.52
of how many
people that you've been
00:49:22.56\00:49:24.03
influential in witnessing to,
in praying for, in baptizing.
00:49:24.06\00:49:28.50
And praise the Lord,
00:49:28.53\00:49:29.86
we had thousands of
Bible studies completed.
00:49:29.90\00:49:31.97
We had over 750 baptisms,
just represented among you.
00:49:32.00\00:49:36.84
And so today we
want to ask you as well,
00:49:36.87\00:49:38.87
as you fill this out,
00:49:38.91\00:49:40.98
we also want you to
pull out your phone.
00:49:41.01\00:49:43.35
Because in the GYC
App that we're using,
00:49:43.38\00:49:45.91
we have a form you can fill out.
00:49:45.95\00:49:47.98
It's in the menu,
it's called iServed.
00:49:48.02\00:49:50.95
It's the iServed menu.
00:49:50.99\00:49:52.62
And this is where you can share
what you did this last year.
00:49:52.65\00:49:55.22
What did you do in 2019?
00:49:55.26\00:49:57.76
We have an option for other,
00:49:57.79\00:49:59.33
we have several
options as well that
00:49:59.36\00:50:00.83
we're trying to calculate.
00:50:00.86\00:50:02.20
And we just want to see
00:50:02.23\00:50:03.57
what impact you
have had in the past year
00:50:03.60\00:50:05.93
or so you can go
either on the app
00:50:05.97\00:50:07.30
or to GYC web.org/iserved.
00:50:07.34\00:50:10.77
So check that out.
00:50:10.81\00:50:12.14
But we want to challenge you,
go all out for Jesus in 2020.
00:50:12.17\00:50:15.28
Amen.
00:50:15.31\00:50:16.64
Friends, I'm tired of imagining
00:50:16.68\00:50:19.51
what will happen
when we trust God.
00:50:19.55\00:50:21.92
I'm tired of imagining
when the latter rain will fall.
00:50:21.95\00:50:25.52
Why don't we go on our knees
and ask God to give it to us,
00:50:25.55\00:50:28.52
starting today, transforming
our hearts to become active,
00:50:28.56\00:50:32.79
living sacrifices for Him,
00:50:32.83\00:50:35.36
people who are
willing to look crazy
00:50:35.40\00:50:38.03
for the world in
order to save some?
00:50:38.07\00:50:41.90
Jesus did this for us,
00:50:41.94\00:50:43.77
and we're called to
do the same, friends.
00:50:43.81\00:50:46.78
Prayer is the
beginning of that work.
00:50:46.81\00:50:49.44
You might not feel like
going in outreach today.
00:50:49.48\00:50:51.85
You might not feel
like caring about people.
00:50:51.88\00:50:54.52
I understand, I've been there.
00:50:54.55\00:50:56.28
And sometimes I
still struggle with that.
00:50:56.32\00:50:58.89
But when you go into prayer,
Jesus will change your heart.
00:50:58.92\00:51:02.79
He will pour His love into you.
00:51:02.82\00:51:05.06
And you will be encouraged
to love the people around you.
00:51:05.09\00:51:10.47
I want to encourage
you this morning GYC
00:51:10.50\00:51:13.34
to make a commitment with Jesus
00:51:13.37\00:51:16.17
and to become
00:51:16.20\00:51:17.71
a praying warrior
missionary for Him,
00:51:17.74\00:51:21.28
not just today on outreach,
but for the rest of your lives.
00:51:21.31\00:51:25.51
Are you willing to go? Amen?
00:51:25.55\00:51:28.55
Are you willing to go
and do something for God
00:51:28.58\00:51:30.79
no matter how
small or big it is?
00:51:30.82\00:51:32.32
If you're willing to
make that commitment,
00:51:32.35\00:51:33.69
would you stand with us today?
00:51:33.72\00:51:36.36
Would you stand and say,
"God, I want to fill this out.
00:51:36.39\00:51:39.13
I want to do something for You.
00:51:39.16\00:51:41.70
I want to make 2020 one step
00:51:41.73\00:51:44.30
further outside
of my comfort zone,
00:51:44.33\00:51:46.33
one step more involved with You,
00:51:46.37\00:51:48.44
one step further than before.
00:51:48.47\00:51:50.61
I want to change the world.
00:51:50.64\00:51:51.97
I want to go beyond GYC.
00:51:52.01\00:51:53.61
I want to make a
difference where I am?"
00:51:53.64\00:51:56.34
Amen. Let's pray.
00:51:56.38\00:51:57.71
Let's bow our heads.
00:51:57.75\00:52:00.18
Father, we are nothing.
00:52:00.22\00:52:02.25
We're dust and You love us.
00:52:02.28\00:52:04.39
Unbelievable.
00:52:04.42\00:52:06.32
And yet we recognize that
00:52:06.35\00:52:09.12
You have a
calling upon our lives.
00:52:09.16\00:52:11.23
Thank You that
You want to fill us
00:52:11.26\00:52:13.19
with a spirit.
00:52:13.23\00:52:14.56
Thank You that You
want to make us like Jesus.
00:52:14.60\00:52:17.00
Thank You that we can
be part of this mission.
00:52:17.03\00:52:21.34
Lord, thank You that
00:52:21.37\00:52:22.70
there are angels
waiting to work with us.
00:52:22.74\00:52:25.84
You've promised
us that when we seek
00:52:25.87\00:52:27.58
the welfare of the
cities in our lives,
00:52:27.61\00:52:30.28
the places we live, the
places we interact with,
00:52:30.31\00:52:32.91
the people we know that
00:52:32.95\00:52:34.62
You will do a
mighty thing if we let You.
00:52:34.65\00:52:38.39
Iceland was just
a glimpse, Father.
00:52:38.42\00:52:40.59
I know You have much
more in store for us.
00:52:40.62\00:52:42.86
So as You see these
commitments this morning,
00:52:42.89\00:52:45.59
as these young
people are about to go out,
00:52:45.63\00:52:48.66
I pray that You'll give
them incredible experiences,
00:52:48.70\00:52:51.60
that You will
transform their hearts.
00:52:51.63\00:52:53.50
And as we leave GYC
00:52:53.54\00:52:55.27
that You will make this 2020
00:52:55.30\00:52:58.04
the year where the
latter rain is poured out
00:52:58.07\00:53:00.84
on all of our lives.
00:53:00.88\00:53:03.11
Use us, Father, we're Yours.
00:53:03.14\00:53:05.48
We pray in the name of Jesus.
00:53:05.51\00:53:07.32
Let everyone say, amen.
00:53:07.35\00:53:09.38