*CROYDE 2009* Part 1

What an amazing weekend! I got back home from our Youth Trip to Croyde last night and so much happened over the two days we were there that I've decided to do a special 4-Part Series this week here on the Blog. It will cover some of the key moments from the weekend as well as some of the funnier goings on. Today, we start at the er...beginning. During our Tuesday evening ENERGY meeting we had spent some time praying about our time away. As a Team we knew that God was making some big promises about the impact this time away would have on our lives and what He wanted to do. This was going to be a weekend of breakthrough and it would be one of the best things we've ever done. We also believed that it would be a wake up call for some of the young people as well as a turning point in their lives with Him. We were not disappointed.

As the young people were arriving after the long journey from Bristol, we settled into what was going to be our home for the weekend (St. George's House) and unpacked. Food was served and then we began to gather in the meeting room. Although tired and excited all at the same time, people were in good spirits. The first night's meeting can often be a slow start as people take time to adjust and focus on God. I shared briefly from Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing." This was a word the Lord had brought to my attention that morning and I felt it would be a taster of what was to come during our time in Croyde.

From that moment, Holy Spirit presenced Himself with considerable force and power in that room. It is no exaggeration to say that it was one of the top three most powerful manifestations of Him in my life. There was a heaviness of His Presence and a spirit of repentance began to break out in the room. Some of the youth started to sort themselves out with God and put right areas of lukewarmness and sin. It was like a cleansing process had begun. Others were just relieved to feel the flow of Holy Spirit move in their lives again after dry, difficult times. It was a precious, holy moment and completely God-led.

After this, I knew we (the Team) needed to pray and prophecy over any of the young people who wanted this. A fresh authority and release of the prophetic gift began to flow and we spent an hour to an hour and a half simply ministering to these young people. The words were strong, challenging, encouraging and accompanied by signs of Holy Spirit enfolding each young person with His Presence. I rarely prophecy in the first person but such was the anointing on the proceedings that the words were forming so easily in my mind and the words flowed out of my mouth without such a minimal effort that I realised I had been speaking in the first person when I was prophesying.

The impact on the youth was profound; some were quietly weeping and taking in all he was doing. Others were praying for one another. Those who had been spoken to were writing down what had been said. A few were deeply challenged by the pure power dynamic of God in that meeting, something we are not used to seeing even in the excellent services we have at BCC!

By 11.20pm (!) things had slowed down and there was a quiet, gentle peace in the room. In all things we need to go when God says "Go!" and stop when He says "Stop!" It was time for some hot chocolate and some sleep.