The Leaders Retreat from 2-3 Sep at the Singapore Sports School will be a retreat which I will remember for life! Arriving at this place brought back great memories of my last year in YM camp 2005. This retreat was where I got to know a know Andrew Lai who was my room-mate too.
The amazing story begins here...
Rev Wee Boon Hup (The Methodist TRAC President of Singapore) was our guest speaker. The topic was "The Spirit Empowered Leaders". His mentioned as a methodist,we are known to be very conservertive and evangelical. He shared in the past, he use to be a very conservertive pastor at wesley, and over the years God changed him and now he see things differently.
He started his sharing on how God can speak to one in different ways.. e.g. prophecy, dreams or visions. He came to the topic of praying in the spirit and emphasized the importance of it. He went through references throughout the bible on how the holy spirit came to the disciples not once, but many times over and over again. He said that as leaders we should be "Spirit-filled first, in order for the youths to gain that same Spirit-filled life."
As God's truth began penetrating the depths of my heart. The desire to be filled with the spirit and the growing burden to see a REVIVAL in YM just kept resonating in me! He shared how one of his fellow pastors had this vision that this is the time for Methodist churches to see REVIVAL, and it will not pass us by.
His wife than shared her own personally experience abt how speaking in tongues had helped her in her life. She shared of this amazing story of this "intelligence officer" in America who suddenly had the gift of interpretation of tongues from a lady speaking in tongues. This led to the revealing of a terrorist hiding place, which led to the terrorist being caught after that. There was another event where someone had visions of the World trade center crashing. And as we all know now, it actually came to pass.
Prior to this, I always had this assumption that Methodist church has all this constrains of speaking in tongues etc. But with our TRAC Methodist President having a change in perspective on this issue, it gave me some assurance about it, yet still warning us not to go the other extreme.
After his sermon, Rev Wee gave an altar call for the leaders, if anyone wants the gift of tongues to go to the front. As I was so convicted of the message. I took that step of faith to go to the front. (Flashback) Prior to this, I went to this Reinheart Bonke service where he gave an altar call for those who wanted to get this gift to be prayed for. Nothing happened than.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
5-6 leaders went up in response. And immediately as I just stood infront. Without any music even being played yet. My emotions started to run uncontrollably. He began sharing,"if you ask for it, don't anticipate, and most of all, have faith, and you will receive it". I just prayed in faith and followed what was said. And suddenly the holy spirit just came upon me and I fell to the floor pretty hard! No one even laid hands on me yet, but a spiritual "force" just brought me down suddenly. I could hear the leaders behind me in shock as no one was prepared for anything like that to happen.
When I fell my body began to tense up and I was suddenly shaking really uncontrollably. It was as though I was freezing, yet my hands were totally numb and tears just started pouring out of me uncontrollably. Throughout this "strangely warmed" experience I was praying and thinking how I desired this gift of tongues. Flashbacks of my life came before me of God's hand throughout my life. And soon all thoughts abt Jesus came in. And suddenly as I was single-mindedly focused on God alone! My mouth started to vibrate, and as I spoke, there was tongues of a language of mystery! Whenever I pray and wanted to speak it out, it just came out so naturally like my tongue was vibrating so fast! That intimate experience with God brought my faith to a whole new level as He gave me this gift of tongues.
God's presence in the room suddenly felt so strong. I could hear a girl on my left who was also laying on the floor suddenly speaking in tongues. During the whole ministry time, I just started to pray for anything that came into mind. For my pre-believer friends, to thee campus crusade ministry which I was in, for YM REVIVAL, to my small grp, to my family, allmost everything! The spirit was really speaking through me and I finally understood what it meant to be praying in the spirit. It was such a real encounter, where one don't need loud music or a huge band, but just a simple set up of a piano and a guitar was around in that small room
After ministry time, there was this time of free worship! I was so touched and in love with God, I just knelt infront and worship and prayed like never before. It was as though God was literally next to me and till today is the most initimate time I ever had with God. One by one leaders around than started praying, kneeling and worshipping our awesome God.
After the whole incident, some of the leader shared how they were all shocked when they saw me falling down on the floor on my back. But the amazing thing was, I didn't feel any pain at all when I fell back! Leaders began to share their own personal experience to me on how they spoke in tongues too and assure me of how it's from God. And Joshua told me to write it down which is what i'm doing now...
Post Night leaders fellowship
Later abt 14 of us rushed down for a midnight show on "The Devil wears prada". I was surprise to see almost half of us leaders deciding to spend the night out instead of sleeping. Got back to sports school abt 2.20 am and was slept peacefully there after.
Day 2- The worship leader was sharing on how we sld worship without holdin back... we sld jus worship God and feel glad and JOYFUL at the same time! Adriel shared abt "spiritual warfare"! We learn how we can overcome this. He even when on to share that we should not stick to the very traditional methodist style but PRAY in tongues where you can... And being allowed and space to speak in tongues, I opened up my mouth and prayed in tongues!
And as we were praying, I started to tear when I was praying for YM! During worship. EVERY single leader lifted up their hands high worshipping God with all their hearts! I was so touched yet again and i just knelt down in full surrender of God. I prayed with Andrew, shared about the common struggles we face in design school. Before I prayed, I just prayed in the spirit... and the words just came out without hesitation! And singing the last song "HISTORY MAKER" really resonated in my heart! Thats who I wanna be! And YM revival won't be far, If we as leaders take the initiative to change it! =)
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