Encounter Retreat Report

Finally, I am posting about our Encounter retreat last weekend. It was above and beyond the last one and God moved in such a mighty way! Christy led us in praise and worship and she did a fantastic job! The presence of God was clearly evident which made it easy to step right into ministering!

I shared on Friday night a sermon entitled, “Break the Box.” This message encouraged everyone to approach the Encounter with a holy abandonment. The atmosphere was charged and ready and the people just soaked up the Word.

Pastor Lokasi ministered on “My Identity in Christ.” It was powerful and the people seemed to just breathe in her words and challenge to see themselves in Him. Pastor Ron ministered on the “Encountering the Cross.” This message is visual and reminds us of what Christ did for us on the cross. It can be intense and the time of ministry is so intimate and moving. After the message, each participant is invited to come up front and nail a sheet of paper listing their sins to the cross. Our leaders stand with them, encouraging them and praying as they nail.

On Saturday, Emilio taught on “Forgiveness”, My husband, PC taught on Breaking the Chains of Your Past” and I taught on “Praise and Worship: Your Arsenal.”

After Craig taught on Breaking the Chains of Your Past,” the participants came up front and destroyed a profile that contained “chains” from their past and present. They were also given a hammer and encouraged to “break” through any of six or seven areas displayed on cinder blocks that had affected their lives. That was incredible! It is symbolic, of course, but something happened in that place when those bricks were broken.

We closed with a relevant teaching on the power of the Holy Spirit. At the end, we had a time of impartation and ministry where Craig and I flowed prophetically as God moved us.

The testimonies are still pouring in. God set so many free! Two women came to me and shared how the “Break the Box” message helped them to move past a victim mentality. They had both been raped several times by family members. It started for one at age 10, the other at age 7. Others shared how God had healed their marriages. One husband shared how his wife had decided to leave him after lunch on Saturday, but God worked a miracle and they decided to let Him work it out. One young man got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit! He didn’t even know Christ when he came, yet at the cross on Friday night; he sobbed and asked Jesus to become Lord of his life!

I have posted some photos here…. I wanted to share the fruit of your prayers! Thank you for praying with us for this weekend!