Pairoo

 

            

Pairoo 

By Heather Amazon

August 22, 2010

 

 

 

 

 

pre-trip

I spent last Christmas alone with Jesus.  I had always wanted to do that.  Over this period he was talking to me about some things.  Right before this was my birthday and he was already setting things up for me.  I was planning to buy a pair of shoes the next day.  That night I had a dream that I was getting ready to go and someone was waiting for me.  I was putting on my shoes.  The next day I saw the exact pair of shoes in this shoe store.  They were a rainbow colored pattern.  It reminded me of Joseph’s coat. 

Over this Christmas break, the Lord was talking with me about some things on the couch one day.  He said I was leaving in August.  I didn’t know if that meant leaving the ministry or what, but I kept it in my front pocket. 

I had been in an accident in Cairo like two years earlier and had received some insurance money.  I asked the Lord what is was for.  I thought ‘plane ticket.’ And it had been sitting in my account untouched since then.

Well, we hosted this spring break trip of college age kids in Cairo.  One of them had been saved for less than a year and yet when he spoke I felt glory inside of me.  It struck such a hunger chord within me at that moment for more.  I brought out this book I had read, The Ecstasy of Loving God by John Crowder, for him to read.  I looked at their website to see what more info I could pass along to this kid and then I looked and saw it.  This trip.  Anyone’s invited.  In August.  The cost of my insurance money.  I call Sharon.  She says she was expecting my call and had almost just texted me.  She feels good about it.

Then I doubted.  I second-guessed myself.  I’m just chasing after running after things.  I’m just manifesting discontentment.  Even though during one prayer time I saw I was riding in a two-seater plane the Lord was flying and he was bringing over tall snow-capped mountain peaks.  I later realized these were the Andes Mountains.  Can’t make decisions off that stuff I thought.  No one else is going, this is just me making this up.  I back out.  I tell Sharon, it’s off.  As the deadline to apply approaches, I can’t handle it anymore I cannot not apply.  Sharon understands, speaks some powerful stuff and I go ahead apply. 

I’m expecting to hear confirmation back from them and for two weeks I hear nothing.  I doubt.  I second-guess.  I pull out my application.  (It really didn’t have to be this hard but it was)  I didn’t want to do this first step to the nations if it was just me and God wasn’t sending me.  That night after sleeping agitated for an hour, I wake up to experiencing burning fire and immediately email them at like 11 something at night and reenter my app.  Within minutes I get one small text from John saying “Don’t worry about anything.  You’re all set to go.  Look forward to seeing you on the trip.”  And that pretty much settled it.

Even when I was telling people after that point I was so timid about it.  I don’t know if it was shame over the process or if I was just still raw like ‘what if it happens again.’  Eventually I was just going and the time was getting nearer.  I stayed pretty focused on the ministry I had in front of me. 

God used all of the above in a process of deliverance from fear involved in decision making.  I feared making a decision I would regret.  I had done that it my past and it was making a foothold in my present.  At the end of all this I felt a complete loss of control over my future.  It felt great.  God was going to have His way and I didn’t need to fear standing in His way by making wrong decision.  He is good at leading me.  And He is never ever impatient, disappointed, or without even without gladness over me.

Another thing that happened during worship in church one Sunday the summer before this trip, I was sitting on the floor up front leaning against a wall hanging out with Jesus when I distinctly felt him walk away.  As he walked away (“it’s better that I go”), the Holy Spirit hovered in front of me and introduced himself and just stayed there.  I understood that the Lord wanted me to interact and converse and fellowship and hangout with the Holy Spirit the same way I had been with Jesus.  The Holy Spirit was my new friend and companion.  The entire bodiless Spirit of God that inhabits us, the form of God. 

I felt like didn’t know anything about the Spirit.  It was like I had a warm greeting and all the rest was blackness.  I realized I had no revelation about who the Holy Spirit is or what He likes or wants or desires or how to even recognize Him.  Not what He did in the past in scripture but personal experience and history with Him in the different environments of my life now.  I thought this is definitely going to be a new adventure.  Scary because I don’t know anything but exhilarating because I don’t know anything. 

There was also a time during this season he invited me to trust him more with finances.  I closed every door but His hand to provide.  I remember us having a meeting and in my mind’s eye at a table I slid my checkbook on the table over to Him.  It was a turning point.  There were times I needed more money for the trip and God sent it.  Like twice over, more abundantly than I could have imagined.  Everything I needed the Lord provided for always right on time.  He wrote the checks.  And if you supported me on this trip financially, he wrote them through you.  He writes checks through you.  On with our story…

 

john & ben

The first players I will introduce you to are the people I signed up with for this trip.  They are two separate people with separate ministries, one church, and an intertwined calling.  Before the trip I had read two of John’s books and listened to Ben’s music CD’s but had never heard them speak before.  The two are controversial or offensive but their hearts are to set people free in the truth of the gospel despite the works, traditions, and intimidation of men.

Ben reminds me of a big kid.  He’s the embodiment of the bible verse, faith like a child.  He operates as an advocacy of the glad heart of heaven and a reclaimer of the inheritance of Joy that rightfully belongs to God’s children.  He is super animated in His messages, has fun preaching them, and laughs at things even in the process.  His spirit possesses so much life.  It shined out of his eyes so powerfully.  At one point when he was speaking I thought, I want to eat his eyeballs—to consume what he sees.  It all points back to the Holy Spirit.  He’s comfortable with being a manifestation of and proclaiming the affections of God; the tangible huggable, touchable, squeezable kisses of God.  None of this ever felt too weird, uncomfortable or overboard.  He very much so is just walking by the Spirit and it always feels like the Holy Spirit is so glad He’s sharing this reality.  And to be honest, I’m glad too.

John was the quieter of this duo.  His words were few but he was fully engaged when asked a question or in conversation.  I felt free to follow the Holy Spirit under his leadership.  This was priceless to me.  At one point when we first arrived at the Jungle House, Jorge was giving us the rules of the house.  One of our people had to step up to lead the guys bunk.  John overrided and said “keep ‘em drunk and keep ‘em happy.”

It was obvious he knew what was important and never compromised.  We always had permission to have joy, have fun, pray, laugh, minister.  Even though the people around us weren’t necessarily operating like that, it was so sweet to see the HOLY SPIRIT free to orchestrate everything! 

We were supposed to sign up for ministry assignments.  Jorge wanted lists, names, and time and for them to posted on the wall.  A bunch of us didn’t feel led to sign up for anything and didn’t.  But that first afternoon, we wove through ministry to youth and women and so forth and certain people broke open certain things in the spirit here, then went there, or spoke this, then went to another place, or showed up just in time to specifically minister to this person in a certain way.  IT WAS AWESOME.  And business ALWAYS GOT TAKEN CARE OF.  There was no fear that things weren’t going to get covered.  We were there to pour out love and God more than covered everything. 

His leadership almost wasn’t there but it was strongly so because he fully trusted the Holy Spirit.  I felt totally empowered to break boxes and that even if no one else was doing it or it wasn’t an assigned task but I was supposed to pray over their empty school buildings or dance in an empty field I felt the freedom to follow the spirit and do it.

It was good to see so many fears exposed as such just because John didn’t listen to them.  What others thought, how they were being perceived, what productivity looks like, how everyone was doing or what they were feeling. 

When John was speaking I don’t even remember what he was saying all the time but I felt like I was at the end of a loaded, lit canon.  He is an advocate for freedom from a rampant deception in the church that the cross needs to be added to in holiness, righteousness, works, performance, and spiritual striving.  Between the two of them, it was like the cross was lifted so much higher, given so much more glory, so much more credit, so much more power.  I’ve included notes and sketches from some of their messages at the conclusion of this piece.

I didn’t really talk much with either one of these two.  When they would start talking scripture stuff after someone asked a question, very soon a small crowd of us would be congregated around them listening.  One night I did ask for John’s testimony.  Similar to other radical Christians I love, he was a hard core addict and after he got saved he was put away for a short while in a mental hospital.  He went hard after God and did everything the word said whenever it said it.  He came to the end of himself when Jesus’ words commanded him to gouge out his eyes.  He was sitting there prepared to do it and he couldn’t.  He had the revelation that everything Jesus was saying was to point to Himself.  That Jesus is showing ‘You can’t do it.  I’m helping everyone see that.‘ The gospel is about God has already done.

He’s never come under another ministry or gone to school for training.  He said sure he’s had people pour into him but he’s never come under someone else’s banner.  It’s been the Holy Spirit and him along the way.

Someone had prophesied over him about marriage that he thought didn’t come to pass and he went to go live as a hermit in Alaska.  He was in a church there speaking about a time when he was ready to walk naked for the Lord like Isaiah when his future wife came in the door for the first time hearing this story.

John’s daughter was with him on this trip.  She said that it was basically a birthday present and she had never been on a missions trip before although she’s traveled.  Her eyes were so bright like the sun and her smile covered the lower half of her face.  I loved having her around.  Super striving free, she had a great time and got along with the rest of the team amazing.  I definitely think she’s used to being surrounded by Christian community.  I never saw her operate in fear or shame.  She had total permission to be herself and have fun wherever and whenever she wanted to.  I LOVE having younger people around in ministry.  She was a powerful and wonderful addition to the team.

 

in Iquitos

The last flight I had was from Lima, the capital of Peru, to Iquitos a remote city in the northeast part of the country.  It lies in the land of the beginning of the Amazon Jungle and is only accessible by boat or plane.  It is a city of 400,000 people and has a church seemingly on every corner.  You will find here every denomination that exists in the U.S. 

After some of the team got shuttled from the airport to a Hotel, I chose to head out with the guide that brought us over, a young guy named Nick that was there with his wife for the Congresso staying with the Pastor over the whole thing until we departed on the river the next day.  We pulled up to a flat metal wall in our motocar taxi and after tapping on it, it swung open and inside was a family and some friends sitting down to breakfast.  They were eating French toast and eggs.  We sat down and joined them.

This house that reminded me structurally of homes in the old city of Jerusalem where the outside and the inside weave together and where there plants are in the ground under an open sky and there’s a kitchen table and a living room that somehow come all together wonderfully.  It was given to Jorge by Jesus through a donation. 

I had brought a suitcase full of school supplies with me to donate.  It sat near our table with other boxes that had been expected.  At the head of the table was Pastor Jorge (horhay) practicing his English with his visitors.  He was telling a story and others laughed but I didn’t follow.  Nick translated for me.  The other visitors had spent the previous summer interning with Jorge and were freshly back in Peru for this year’s Congresso.

jorge

Jorge (horhay remember) currently serves as a Baptist missions pastor at one of the largest churches in Iquitos.  Days later, when I was much more accustomed to his accent, Jorge told me of his past one morning.  He was involved with what he called revolutionaries at a young age.  He had been without family at an even younger age.  He was being trained in his mind by others for political revolution and he passed every test they gave him, including influencing elections and more.  In meetings that were held in the wee hours of the morning his leader said the authorities were onto discovering him and he had to lay low. 

His cover involved going to church.  It would make him look innocent.  There was a church men’s trip coming up.  They wanted him to go. The church pastor said he would cover everything if he decided to come.  His thinking was that it would seal the deal.  If the authorities uncovered him, we would have undeniable evidence to prove them otherwise.  The day before the trip, he said yes.  It was on this trip he committed his life to the Lord.

At nineteen he joined his pastor in his ministry.  His pastor had two tribes he had begun discipling and Jorge had another one.  Then Jorge’s pastor, who already had diabetes, became extremely sick with typhoid, yellow fever, malaria, and he died.  Jorge, in his pastor’s absence took over the other two villages.  That was 15 years ago and now every month Jorge visits around 30 tribes.

Jorge immediately had a problem with Ben’s nose ring and the way they were dressed.  Other speakers had always met his expectations.  Needless to say this was going to be a long two weeks for Pastor Jorge.  Ben and John just said test the fruit.

Every year before his Congresso Jorge advertises that Elias Win Valles is coming to speak just to honor the man, even though he is usually not able to make it and Jorge preaches opening night instead.  Elias (Elijah) is Jorge’s Pastor and overseer.  He is like the apostle of that region.  As the Lord had it, this man shows up the first night.  He kicks off the Congresso with the opening message.  After the session, he said he wanted to meet with Ben and John.  For the next three hours, they are fellowshipping, praying, and even weeping together.  Elias says to Jorge afterwards, “These are men of God.  Receive them and their message,” and he leaves.  So how did a group like John Crowder and Ben Dunn ever get connected with Jorge?

britt bennett

The first time I met Britt was when he was the translator for Jorge when our small team was first getting briefed at the hotel in Iquitos.  When Jorge introduced him, another translator stepped in.  Jorge said that Britt was sent down by Adventures in Missions (AIM) to check out his ministry.  AIM told Britt not to believe anything he heard, only what he saw.  Jorge was telling Britt all this stuff about ministering to the tribes in the jungles and Jorge finally said, “Don’t you believe anything I’m telling you?”  Jorge saw he didn’t and got a speed boat together and for four days showed Britt his ministry. 

“Now do you believe me?” Jorge said.  Britt replied, “I’ve only heard half of it and I believe you for twice as much.”  Since then, Britt has been coming to the Congresso for the last seven years.  His son, Britton, was with us on this trip as well.

I noticed from the first day when someone prayed for Britt, he immediately went limp like he had been suffocating without it.  I thought what kind of hunger is that?  I would later find out.  Towards the end of the trip I was able to hear more of Britt’s story and there are some intense things the Lord’s doing in his life.  I think this was set up by the Lord to walk alongside him at this intersection and I know God is writing an amazing story through him. 

I approached him after the briefing session that morning and asked how he got connected with Ben and John.  He said about a year and half ago he was really at a hungry spot in his Christianity for more and he got around to reading John Crowder’s book The New Mystics. 

Britt is a co-pastor at a church in Durango, CO.  He took a team of people, young and old, from his church to do a two week internship at one of John and Ben’s Mystical Schools.  He’s been in contact with John and Ben and told them about Jorge and his ministry and invited them and that was it.  Six or seven people of our team were people from his church.  Britt and his hunger were the bridge tying these two crazy worlds of this happy gospel and the heart of the Amazon jungle together.

 

john mortimeier

Jorge had an idea after his first few years of ministering to tribes.  He wanted to invite them together in one place for a few days of ministry.  He would need sound equipment.  He would also need generators.  Jorge kept going around from church to church in Iquitos to borrow equipment and everyone kept saying no. Nothing like this idea had ever been done before.  The Lord finally led Jorge to someone who would say yes; a Wisconsinite.

John Mortimeier grew up between a small town in Wisconsin and his father’s mission field in the Mexican desert.  He said he didn’t have a good relationship with his father and a man by the name of David Hogan joined them and helped disciple and raise John.  Unbeknownst to John, his father had been preparing to move his mission’s to South America for two years.  Then the day arrived where he was told about it. 

Before I tell you how that all turned out I’m going to share with you one story from his experience in Mexico.  They would travel by horseback between cities, often at night after meetings were done.  He and a fellow missionary’s nine-year-old boy were to travel home after a meeting.  The people in the town didn’t have a good feeling and they pleaded with him to stay.  He left anyways.  He said the atmosphere in the entire area was thick there was a weird spiritual feel in the air.  After hours he passed by a fire in a tree that wasn’t burning.  The spiritual atmosphere of evil was manifest.  He said the later the boy asked, “what is that?”  They could both hear the sound of something running in the distance.  The horse they were on was at a canter and the footsteps were getting closer.  John looked down to his right and he could see the footsteps of a creature running next to his horse but there was no body, he could see the imprint, the weeds move, hear the sound, see the puffs of dust, but no creature he could see.  He was coming up to a river crossing that was just a foot of mud that he would have to walk the horse through.  He had no choice but to face everything.  He finally said ‘THAT’S ENOUGH!’  He got off his horse and started commanding the atmosphere around him and proclaiming things, rebuking things, shouting in the middle of this Mexican desert.  After worshipping and a time of this, he felt an entire break in the atmosphere and (with tears in his eyes telling this) he felt the dramatic peace and presence of God envelope him.  Light began to come over the horizon and the nine-year-old’s father came over the hill yelling at him and told him to get back to the ministry site, he needed to be talked to.  Nobody said anything about the night before.  His dad was telling him he needed to pick between David or Himself because he was leaving and going to South America.

Well John prayed about his decision and he really felt the Lord calling him to South America.  It’s now 30 years, a marriage and three kids later.  John has been coming every year since the beginning and this is the only time the two of them come together for ministry.  He fixes anything with electricity or an engine and then some.  Every year something needs to be fixed, or more like some things need to be fixed every year.

After the first few years with volunteers coming Jorge finally had a kitchen built in what’s called the Jungle House. This is the only one like it in the jungle.  He asked Cindy, John’s wife, if she would be in charge of all of the cooking for the ministry teams that came.  She’s done it every year since.  I ate pancakes, oatmeal, chicken soup, and mashed potatoes. 

 

the team

There were 27 people that came with our group, including one from Russia, one from New Zealand, and one from Germany.  Pastor Jorge brought his own team from the city of Iquitos that was about the same number.  These Peruvians from Iquitos were like any other youth and adults that I’ve seen come and volunteer in my community.  From the time we left on the first boat from Iquitos to the time we arrived in Nuevo San Juan in the second boat it was a 36 hour journey.

Some of this group from Iquitos were around my age.  Young single ladies who love the Lord.  With the help of translators I had some good conversations with them in the bunk house.  One that will introduce you to is Raquel.  She was on all the Congresso poster as the main worship leader for the event.  She sang at every session and slept on the bunk below me. 

She is 33 and lives at home with her parents, as is the norm for all Peruvian single people until they marry.  She was engaged to the male worship leader at their church when two years ago he died suddenly while working the boats on the river.  I learned this and many other stories behind these young Peruvian people giving their hearts to serve the Lord.  I wish I could have had time to hear more.  I could feel the Lord’s heart for her on this trip.

Both of our groups had power packed women in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.  Our oldest group member was 68, Jeanne, and she basically spear-headed the women’s ministry time from our team.  I didn’t see it but I hear the impact was unreal.  Pastor Jorge’s wife said this was basically breakthrough with the women that they’ve never seen before.  I believe a new course was set by what the Lord did through all those women involved. 

Jeanne’s mother awhile back was ministering to this unsaved woman passing through town whose life was a mess.  Years later this women came back to this town and the first night she stayed there she had a dream that Jeanne’s mom came to her and invited her to live for Jesus.  When she woke up she found where Jeanne’s mother lived.  She knocked on the door and Jeanne answered.  Her mother had died the night before in her sleep.  The woman came in and Jeanne led her to the Lord.  Both of them were on this trip with us.

A woman by the name of Debbie wasn’t going to come on the trip as her mother was coming to the close of her life.  Her mom passed away a few days before the trip and her mother’s last wish was that Debbie come.  She skipped her mother’s funeral and was on the trip with us. 

There were also lots of father’s on the trip, married men with children and some grandchildren.  It felt good to have fathers around in mass; men that are friends with the Holy Spirit and love the Lord with all their hearts.  There was a lot of selflessness, gentleness and consideration through these fathers.  It felt like a very sturdy team with all these pillars. 

The single college age people on this trip were some of the drippiest people I’ve met in regards to ministry.  Just dripping wet with the Lord’s presence.  It was fun to see the Lord love on people strongly through their words, prayers, and actions.

other ministries

Before people even showed up at the Congresso, there was one day of prep.  We were told not to do any busywork we were asked to do.  Go swimming instead.  I chose intercession and went to the school at the end of the village and prayed there and various other places.  On the river I actually heard ‘thousands and thousands.’  I really believe the Lord is establishing a utopia of freedom in the jungle, and people are coming.  Like Field of Dreams.  If we let Jesus build it, people will come—thousands and thousands of them.

Debbie, whose mom had passed, had a vision before she came on this trip.  She saw major spiritual shaking over the jungle. ( There was a literal earthquake in Peru while we were there.)  She said it was not normal spiritual warfare, just the heart of God being made manifest on the earth. 

In the afternoon there were no main sessions and other ministry went on.  I already mentioned the women’s meetings, there was also ministry to youth, kids, and a clinic running all at the same time.  The first afternoon was when I went to the youth meeting.  There were three people from our team speaking to 18 to 25 year-olds.  I added a little something on the end and then we prayed for them.  It was in the empty school I had prayed for and there was somewhere around 80 youth. 

Towards the end of our speaking, Christina, one of our team members came in just in time to ask if anyone hasn’t given their life to the Lord yet.  One named Victor came up.  Then she asked who wants to experience more of the Holy Spirit and three-fourths raised their hand.  She said ‘fire tunnel’ and after the first two hit the floor as soon as we touched them we just started going down the line.  The Lord was moving on them.  I guess the second day was even better.

I went to the clinic the next afternoon.  I had a hard time for some reason going up to the people and trying to figure out who was there to see the doctor and why.  Raphael was a team member there that was really helpful with that.  I seem to remember two little kids with fevers that visibly stopped being agitated and possibly their fevers broke.  They were learning hygiene and other practical healthy lifestyle things as well at this clinic. 

And then there was the kid’s ministry.  A group of young Iquitos Peruvians had been preparing for the months to lead this.  There were about 400 kids from dawn until dusk.  I think there were 4 sessions they led a day.  I got to see most of the 6:00 – 7:30 am ministry times.  All we could really do is show up and sit with the kids and laugh and motion with them. 

And then there’s always relational ministry in the down times.  Some of our team hung out in homes and others had crowds of children around them whether they were bathing in the river or walking down the sidewalk.  A couple people put up a tire swing in a tall tree and I would wake up to kids laughing on it and go to bed with kids laughing on it.  I think it was their first. 

 

the tribes

These people are the compelling reason on God’s heart to bring such mixed bag group of his sons and daughters out to these remote areas of the Amazon Jungle.  In all their beauty, these people are the forefront desire on God’s heart for them to experience His love. 

Britt has spent some time down here outside of the Congresso.  He was asked to speak in one of the villages and was trying to gauge where they were all at.  He started by asking them, “How many in your village are saved?”  “All of them.” one replied.  “All sixty of you?”  “Yes,” they said, “last year we went to the Congresso.”

Jorge told the story of another tribe.  One village shot any outsiders.  Jorge was yelled at from the shore, “We don’t want you here or your message.  If you come we will shoot you.”  He replied, “There are people here who know me that I have come to see.”  The people said he had one hour.  When Jorge went on the land in the village, he stood there and said “Lord you said wherever I set my feet is your land.  Give me this village.”  He stayed two hours then left.  That village is now coming to the Congresso.

There is one tribe on the Chambira River called the Urarina (Ooda-deena).  This specific tribe stays in different villages that spans the upper Amazon region.  Apostle Elias shared that he just heard about another gathering of them.  From Iquitos you need would need to travel up the river 4 days, then drive to a tiny airport, then make a flight plan from this one small to another (that’s the nearest flight path) then veer off it and land in this extremely remote area.  He said here he just learned that 2,500 Urarina’s gather every Sunday to worship the Lord.  Some walk two days every week to get there and there are NO outsiders, missionaries, or other Peruvians involved there.  The sounds of worship in the Jungle only the Lord hears.

But some Urarina that are closer come to the Congresso.  They are culturally under a lot of restraints and the strain of it is displayed on their faces.  Right here is where all this talk about the kingdom transforming a culture meets the road.  From a worldly perspective some think ‘preserve their culture.’  From a kingdom perspective you think ‘Jesus died to bring them into His culture.’ 

The Urarina women are often separate from the men.  The children with the women.  Couples don’t sit together.  I was told the women don’t look others in the eye, especially other men.  They are not affectionate, I observed, even with each other.  One obvious one was that they barely ever smiled, even when amongst themselves.  This was obviously harder for some of them than for others.  I was at the head of a greeting line when I noticed a series of men that wouldn’t look me in the eye even when I really got in their face with a big smile and blessings. I knew they were Urarina and realized the women were just under whatever the men are really under.

The Urarina women all dress the same.  They have red tops and blue skirts.  One of our leaders saw one of the teens with a lime green jacket on and he joked, “She must be the rebel.”  Even when they didn’t smile, every one of them wanted affection.  It was so good to see smiles make their homes on the faces of so many of the women. 

As for the other tribes that were there, they often dressed like we dress.  As I walked down the side walk many offered a warm greeting.  The youth I saw in one of breakout sessions could have been youth from any city stateside.  I saw the universality of the heart that the Lord has made.

The young man that was driving alligator hunting canoe was my age said that he had become a Christian seven years ago but fell away for five years and is now right again with the Lord.  I heard this falling away pattern more than once there and don’t doubt that people tire of striving, earning or performance.  Only after this trip do I clearly see that this is a rampant deception in the church globally that is placing a veil over, I would assume, millions of people. 

In the dumps, I asked one young man about his relationship to Jesus.  He answered, ‘I go to church on Sundays.’ And ‘my mom’s evangelical.’  Clearly he has no understanding of the salvation of God.  It was like I was back in the tiny town I live in in Cairo, IL.

I’m supposed to be writing about the people in this section but this is something that greatly affects the people and I loved being a part of a team that clearly called it out as a lie and that freedom is rightfully ours as children of God, not slavery, through what He alone could do on the cross.

   

 

the meetings

John asked our team to be at the main sessions.  In the big meetings our ministry looked a variety of ways.  John said he wanted us all there because we set the atmosphere.  And that we did.  Whether dancing, singing, shouting, or laughing, Ben and John could count on us to be fully and freely engaged with the Holy Spirit during the worship and ministry parts of those meetings. 

When Ben was the first one speaking, it felt like there was a brick wall that was standing there in front of him.  He was the designated demolition ball for the first round.  There was little response.  I even prayed about during the service while he was speaking, like “What’s going on Lord?”  I saw a picture of seeds and I saw the mature plant.  That put faith in me that the mature plant would be born of these seeds. 

One of the most practical powerful demonstrations of God’s love concluded this service.  The team came up to the front and the rest of the entire audience of 1,200 people formed a line.  They came through the line up front for greetings but they got more than that.  They were marked with eye contact from God accompanied by his blessing and his affection.  Hugs, kisses, long embraces, and hands of tenderness.  This was so powerful from both ends and I felt the grace of God and the power of His love all over it.  The brick wall was officially demoed at this point.

Then John was up.  So there’s this destroyed wall and now it felt like there was all this rubble.  That’s what John was walking into.  If this structure was being demolished, what does everything look like now?  It felt like his job was to walk through all this rubble and save only that which is truly valuable; that which was to remain.  It was still a time of shock but desperate people were coming out of the rubble.  John was reestablishing and fortifying the skeletal structure of the gospel for rebuilding. 

And by the next day when Ben was up to speak again on Joy, it broke through the ground.  When he was speaking on joy it felt like waves of this ocean of heavenly sound, this heavenly hope and he would just hit it again and again and it was like each wave was washing away more sand and more residue to expose the kingdom jewels on this foundation that remains.  And then breakthrough.  One of the Iquitos intercessor women sitting in the front just broke out in the joy of the Lord.  She just sat there laughing with her arms up to Jesus and Ben highlighted it and everyone saw, it was like it gave the Peruvian people permission to have joy.  It was on and Joy broke through the ground in the Amazon Jungle…and it spread.

People only got freer and freer, and there was only more and more break-through from then on.  Pastors were rocked, people were healed, marriages were healed.  One entire session Ben called a dance party and said, “We are learning how to worship the Lord through dance.”  I was called over by someone on our team to dance with four straight faced Urarina women.  The Lord’s so fun.

Another time was specifically a time to minister healing.  John had opened that night by saying if God doesn’t back up this message with healing you can call him a false prophet and send him back up the river.  I was out in the crowd praying for people.  The team said if we get any words of knowledge to come tell them.  While I was praying I got neck pain.  I went up and told him and he immediately pointed to the women who had just come up to receive prayer for that.  People were giving testimonies of healing on stage but honestly I didn’t hear one of them I was so engaged in what I was doing with people during that time. 

One team member and I were praying for a man with deafness.  Ben comes up with a translator, finds out which ear, says this is easy, and almost boxes his ears playfully, kissed his ear or stuck his finger in it or something and immediately whispers into it and the guy repeats what he says.  The guy repeats what Ben whispers a couple more times, he’s healed and Ben moves on.  I watch this guy whose ear Jesus just healed two thousand years ago.  He goes and sits down with this almost stupid grin/gaze on his face.  I go get my camera and take a picture with him. 

And then there was the last night.  Ben and John weren’t preaching and they were playing in the bunk house and some of the team were being super silly.  Seeing that this may move into the main sanctuary, Jorge said there were alligator hunters leaving right this minute.  Three canoes of us went.  When we came back at 4:00 AM the next morning, the WORSHIP AND DANCING WAS STILL GOING ON.  This had never happened at the Congresso before and the cool part about it was that most of our team wasn’t there, the Lord’s presence was!!

the Lord’s presence

Yes, this is what I was made to exist in and to bring others in with me.  I did feel joy.  So much joy.  So much goodness.  The ripeness of the heart.   I didn’t necessarily look like anyone around me but no one seemed to have a problem with that. Complete freedom.  So beautiful.  Jesus, can I spend my life at the ministry alter?  Can I just puddle jump from you loving on one people group to another?  Yes, I would love to spend a life time with you there.  As long as you show up I’ll go.  As long as you’re the one inviting me, I’ll come. 

The team that came with Ben and John were friends with the Holy Spirit.  It was like God’s manifest presence was always welcome among us and He knew it. He could interrupt whatever we were doing whenever He wanted.  This trip had so little striving relationally. Peace, acceptance, edification.  I noticed an absence of complaint.  And people knew how to fellowship deeply quickly.  People weren’t afraid of being known.  I asked one women what the coolest part of the trip was for her and she said, “The way our team moved as one person.” 

Before I left on this trip, I remember saying I don’t want to come back from this trip and be the same person doing the same thing.  I want it to alter my normal.  And as I was coming back I became sober-minded about some things.  I’ve done a lot of exhilarating things in my life and seen a lot of exotic places and I’ve officially become ruined.  I came to an end, at the end of this trip. 

There is no experience left that my soul is thirsting for that even compares to experiencing God’s presence.  No other place or event is worth waiting for because I already possess and have arrived in His presence. It’s almost like there was an end to a season of waiting in my life.  Waiting to do real ministry, waiting to go other places, waiting to graduate from my training, waiting for something else, even waiting for revival.   The ecstasy of my soul can be found anywhere in my union with God that he finished for me.  It’s the only thing that makes any place worth living in. 

 

 

the glad message, the happy gospel, the good news

BEN DUNN  10:30 AM first message.

Christ perfect sacrifice.

Every Transgression ever was absorbed into Christ.

Minister love and affection into crowd.

God is a happy God. 1 Tim 1:11 Believe men or word?

This is what we trust in, its free

Extended joy, party, fiesta

We preach the gospel, glad message

                When the truth comes, it will set you free

                Free from:          1.Depression

                                                2.Sin

                                                3. Sickness

                                                4.Oppression

                                                5.Wrong Ideas of who God is.

Feel free to enjoy Him at any moment.

Full permission to experience God.

Right to rejoice, laugh.

Other people have probably preached

 A salvation that’s based on performance

Hard Work

Salvation is effortless, free, gift.  Gift of God.  Ephesians

Not by our performance.  You can’t boast.

It’s not your performance that saved you.

                Overjoyed, overwhelmed, it feels good.

He didn’t expect us to clean ourselves up.  He didn’t say, clean yourself up.  Pray yourself clean.

He said

I know you can never come to me.

So I will come to you can squeeze you and give you a free gift.

That’s the fountain of our craziness.

God is all about fun.

If your wondering, its because we’ve received the gospel.

The gospel set me free from fear of men.  I don’t give a rip about offending anyone. 

The frequency of the gospel is a smiling, a loving, happy believer. 

Sweet.  God is sweet.  God loves you.

Love revolutionize the culture in villages.  Break Bondages.  Bondages of not receiving affection and kisses.

And when we’re saved, we still do NOTHING except enjoy the Lord.

Your full time job is enjoying happy God.  Lover of God.

This is our river of Joy.  God did everything.

2 Cor 5:17 Uno con Christo.  One with Christ.  Union with Him.

The old disappeared at crucifixion. Dead. We were crucified WITH Christ.  In newness of Life We rose with Him.

Believer:  conscious awareness that YOU ARE ONE WITH GOD

False preachers will tell you that you are far away even as a believer.

There is Jesus in my belly, in my heart by Faith.

Whole point of salvation.  You are now separate from anything that separates you from God.

Colossians.  This is the hope of Glory.  God living in us.

Lie.  Sin does not cause separation from God.

Belief in lies of separation cause sin.

What happens when he washed away all of our darkness, all gone,  We BECOME holy.

Only happy holiness comes from God.

The gospel is that Jesus did everything.  There is nothing left for you to do. 

Enjoy the fruit and juice of the tree of life.

Repeat:  Thank you for making me perfect.  Thank you for making me perfect.

JOHN CROWDER  7:00 PM 

You are revival.

Because you showed up. Poof. Fire.

Acts 2:1-15  Not baptized once

You have wine, give it out.

You have rivers of living water, give them out.

Ephesians. Strange things began to happen. Wonders.

He does not leave you hungry or as orphans, promise of Father.

He wants to work miracles through you.

Your hands are going to heal the sick.

You are His Body on the earth.

You have been pulled out of a powerless existence.

Holy Spirit does not come because we pray.

Holy Spirit does not come because we fast.

Jesus Christ is a free gift.

Whoever wants the Holy Spirit can have more and more and more.

You already have the fullness of God.

He wants you to see His power.

He wants to see his power flow through you.

Jesus wants to take care of you.  You need to trust.

You are altogether lovely.

There is no imperfection in you.

You are completely holy.

There’s a lot of glory here tonight.

Important thing.  Stop getting so important.

Get like a child.  Play. Laugh.

You cannot get closer to God than you are right now.

JOHN CROWDER 9:00 AM

Glory is the tangible presence of God. 

Earth will be full of the knowledge of the glory.  Not future filling.  Heaven and earth are full of the glory.  It’s already here.  All over the earth already, we just don’t have a knowledge of it.  Carriers of his Presence.  Holy Ghost mosquito got you.

You can show the presence of God.  People want to drink sweet water.  It’s kindness that leads up to repentance.  Feel the presence of God.

Maybe God can do for me what God has done for you.  Bless you to make jealous, why you?  You can have the blessing too.  Live a life in the presence of His glory.

Manifest presence, things become seen, touchable.

People will tell you they have joy down on the inside but its not on their face.

God wants His glory to be SEEN in/through your life.  God wants blessing to manifest in your life.  Family, finances, health.  Others think, ‘Wow, maybe God can do that for me too.’

We birth those blessings into the world.  YOU ARE BLESSED.  Before there is breaking of poverty, sadness, you need to know you’re blessed. You have to realize Jesus already Healed you.  Jesus has already given you your spiritual blessings.  Jesus has already purchased you a really good marriage.  Jesus has already purchased your promises/promised land for you.

FAMOUS through your blessing.  Wants all the nations to know you for your blessings.  Carriers of God. 

No Work, Gift received.  God’s intimate friendship that graces his house.  Even the rocks, the hard places, poured out oil for Job.

Favor of God was on Job.  People shut up to listen to him when he came to town.  God respects you.  God did not intend for you to be kicked around.

FAVOR IS NOT EARNED.  The first moment you try to earn favor you cut yourself off from it.  It’s about trusting that your dad is really really good.  God gives freely to His children.  God is most happy when your satisfied in Him. 

God doesn’t need your help.  To say that God can’t save the world single-handedly.  He did not come for workers, Sons and Daughters.  Do we do things for God?  Yes, but WE don’t do anything, God working through me. 

Fruit will be joy, love, not trying to be loved.  I GET to do things for God, to serve. 

Missionaries.  More Bricks, Less Straw.  They do not understand basic principle.  The cross of Jesus Christ.  He came to do for us, what we COULD NOT do for ourselves.

Perfect Sacrifice à Perfect Salvation.  You are perfectly saved.

Completely Evil Free, Sin Free.

Paul said if you add one thing than our have cut yourself off from grace.  Finished Work.  Done.

The more you trust, the more you will see your hand prosper, the more healing.  Trusting, Trusting, Trusting in the goodness and sweetness of your Father.

God loves you with perfect love.

Not talking about stupid little sins.  God doesn’t care how you dress.  Little rules, little regulations, little add-ons, to make you better.  You show you spit on the work of the cross.  That was not good enough fore me.  I still have to help God out.  Your Son was not enough.

God doesn’t just hide his eyes from your sins, didn’t just cover up your sins, Reached into your heart and pulled all the way out of there, pulled all the evil out of you.  He erased Evil, Poverty, Cold Heart itself.  ALL NEW soft, tender.  Heart that can feel joy.  Ezekiel.  Heart of stoneà heart of flesh.

People/hearts who feel the love of their father.  Some will tell you love is just action.

Love is enjoyment.

Love is delight.

Love is when you want to be with somebody.

Love is embracing.

Love is love.

Love is NOT working harder.  Huge LIE that’s infected the church for years.  God’s not looking for your labor, he’s looking for your heart, looking for your heart to trust that he is good.  That he saw your need, and erased your need.  Took away your lack.

Look to a higher reality.  Your lack has been removed.  You will birth invisible into the world around you. 

We do work but God is your provider. 

Gen 28:13.  Jacob.  He inherited lands, rich.  Jacob has a misunderstanding.  Through he had to wrestle God, serve as a slave for years, to earn God’s blessings.  He was trying to do what only God could do for Him.  Vision while RESTING in the promised land.  Heaven is OPEN Jacob.

Where you REST.  This land is yours.  Trust, rest, God has already blessed you.  Changes the way you do everything.  We’ve got a very rich daddy.  Beyond what you can imagine.  Heaven is where you already are with Jesus.  We can experience the blessings of heaven right now.  Did someone tell you have to die first to experience heaven?  LIE!  Jesus is heaven, he is the glory of God.  You have ALL of Him.  All of heaven.  Rest/Trust in what he has done for you. 

You are not a separate individual in relationship with Him.  You are connected to Him.  You no longer live, He lives in you.  You are a new creation in union with God. 

Health is only a breath away.  You don’t have to beg your dad.  If you ask, he’s not going to give you a stone. 

God’s glory can manifest in many ways. Not everyone has to look like Ben or John.  As long as it does not look like this (stern mean face).  Touches us in many ways.  Same father.  Full of love.  Full of peace.  Full of blessing.

BEN DUNN 

Joyful noise practice.  Practice Manifestation of Joyful Noise.  Laugh.  Loves Joy.  Joy Discipleship.

This is what no joy looks like.  This is what Joy looks like.

If you want ot see your city filled with Joy, it starts with you letting it flow out.

Nature of God always joy, he laughs.

Joy GIVES GLORY to God.  Enjoying our God brings Glory to God.

2 Cor 5. This is how we honor God, respect God, Enjoy, Play.  God loves it when we enjoy Him.  It actually shows your truly His.  When he looks at you, and You look at Him.

There’s only one thing that can produce fruit:  He loved us first, that’s why we love Him.

This is/He is the tree of life.  There is only One Tree.  When that tree is planted deep in your heart, it produces fruit.  Why?  Because he planted the tree in you.

You have a new heart.  Christianity: God pours out his blessings on you.

God is not trying to clean you up after you become a Christian. 

Everyday you can live a holy life. That’s why we’re so crazy.

God told me.  I believed it.  And I went crazy.  In His Love.  Forgot cultural rules, dress, I just fell in love. 

BEN DUNN

In our church perfectly acceptable to love, Hugs and kisses, husbands and wives in church.  Brings glory to God.  Dance.

Wife Stephanie completely paralyzed from neck down.  Two months passed with her in hospital.  Finally brought her home.  Condition will never change. 

Ben felt led to go on a trip to Korea.  Gone for two weeks.  Wife was super vague over emails that someone read to her and transcribed back.

Wife met him at the airport completely healed.  That was seven years ago.  No sickness in her body whatsoever since then. 

How would you like that?  My bible says your body has been made whole.  Jesus broke his body to make yours whole.

Romans 8.  Those he justified, he also glorified.  Carrying the glory.  Body raised from the dead in the power of Jesus.  Life is in your body.  Command death to leave.  Life to reign in you.   Impartation of life in every person.

JOHN CROWDER 2:00 PM Conclusion

Where does the heart of this joy come from?  When Jesus died on the tree we were there with Him.  I no longer live.  Jesus Christ using your body.

Joshua.  New land.  You always have the right and freedom to enter into the fullness of God’s presence that lives inside of you.

Baptized into death.  Not what you do or don’t eat.  You are dead to works.  Resurrected into Joy.

Joshua Chp 1.  Moses is dead.  Old ways of trying to please God, of trying to please God in your own efforts is dead.  Time to Boast in His sacrifice.  Time to trying to clean yourself up is dead.  Baptized.  Crossed over into new land.  Into the land of heaven. 

The healer is inside of you.  Not counting your sins.  Every single speck of sin has been wiped away once and for all. Be BOLD.  BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS.  BE BOLD AND COURAGEOUS with this JOY.

You have God inside of you.  Do you believe that or is God a liar? 

Big God.  That should make you bold.

Don’t forget one mighty man slew thousands.  His name means Resting in God.  Peace in the Rest of God. 

Do you know what your spiritual weapons are?  Love.  How might are you now?  Joy.  Don’t you like it when somebody loves you?  Use your weapons.

Fruits of the Spirit, River of God.

BEN DUNN Conclusion

Gen 15.  I want to make you famous so that everyone sees who I am.  Until all the nations of the world seek that blessing and they know its from me.

Rom 6:1 How do we conclude this gospel?  Sin.  How can we when we have died to it?  It’s no longer my desire.  Joy, when we realize we have died to sin. 

It’s not a process.  He died.  As he died, so did you.  This is the gospel.   Baptism that you have shared in Christ’s death and buriel and NOW sharing in his new life.  Never to go back.  Never.

Declaring to the world the new has appeared.  Not baptized into repentance.  Baptizim of Grace.  Declaration that it is finished.  That’s what Christianity is all about.

Before filled with darkness, evil nature, sin.  He came Himself.  We are connected with Him.  Not far off.  Co-Crucified.  Co-Buried.  Co-Raised.  Co-seated.  Co-Heirs.  Co-Laborers.  It’s not our work, we’re sharing in the work of Christ.  We can rightly say ‘I have been raised from the dead.’

You have raised from Sin into Holiness.  Allegria.  Dance.

Romans 6:6  Your old man was crucified.  ALWAYS RIGHT WITH GOD.  My old man was crucified. Gone.  Floated down the river.  We have to believe we live with Him.  Live forever unto God.  You are dead to sin .  You are alive to God.

UNBROKEN FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD.  No one can break it, No one can come between it.

The devil  is powerless.  He is less than nothing.  Less than zero.

By the faith of God Himself you will lived without sin.  Corinthians.  Now Passover Lamb has been slain.  Let us live in celebration unto God.

Ordination to preach, proclaim, live, enjoy God.