It was in Nepal in April earlier this year, that I was praying about direction for where the Lord wanted me during June-August. I knew that I would be in Asia until May, and I knew that I would most probably be in Latin America starting from September. So I had this 3 month period of time free for I didn't know what!
As I was praying, the Lord gave me a scripture reference of Isaiah 56:7. I opened my bible thinking it may end up being one of those random scriptures about war and bloodshed, as often seems to happen when asking God for a particular scripture (its often just me, not actually him!) but it was actually a legit scripture and not only that, but it leapt out and grabbed me so I knew it was for real!
"These I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”The Lord had also been speaking to me about a period of 3 months and also about a season set apart for intimacy with Him. Through this scripture and other confirmations, I felt led to apply for the Fire in the Night internship here in IHOP Kansas City.
To cut a long story short, I ended up staying longer in Mozambique in order to apply for a student visa with the US embassy. This meant I had to apply for my Mozambican visa to then be extended. However to apply for that visa extension I had to leave my passport with the office. I realised after dropping it off that they wanted me to pick up my passport again on a Friday, when my visa interview with the US embassy was on the Thursday! I went back to the office on the Monday before the interview to ask for my passport back early. They said that maybe I might be able to pick it up on the Wednesday. So on the Wednesday, I went to the office planning to stay there all day if I had to, as I knew I had to get that passport back! I waited 4 hours and Jesus caused them to give it back! The breakthrough came when my mind stopped thinking like "if it doesn't happen then I can just stay in Pemba longer" and instead, started thinking like "I know without a doubt that my God has called me and therefore I AM going to walk out of here with my passport." I entered a rest, not of "whatever happens happens" but rather a rest filled with expectancy and knowing that something was going to shift. Other people were lining up and being refused their passports, being told they weren't ready yet even though they had been waiting since May (the receipt you are given has a pick up date written on it). So it really is a miracle that I got mine back! They had been telling me "no" all day but who knows that a human "no" is powerless when God has decreed otherwise!
The reason why it was so important I get it back is that my visa appointment with the US was the next day, and if I had to reschedule it would be another 2 weeks. Meaning it would be too late for school and I wouldn't even be allowed in the border.
So praise Jesus - He knows exactly where He wants me and has the power to get me there! My visa was approved on the Thursday, I booked my flights that same day, picked up my passport from the embassy on Friday, and flew out Saturday to arrive Sunday at school - just in time for the end of orientation!
I slept 3 hours over 3 plane flights and 2 layovers, arrived Sunday morning and went straight into the Night Watch that night... Thank you Jesus He has helped my body to adjust not only to a completely different time zone but a completely different schedule.
What does the Fire in the Night Internship look like?
Breakfast is from 2:30-4pm every day, and our first class is normally at 6pm. Sometimes we have another class after lunch (lunch is 7.30pm) at 9-10.30pm or a Night Watch staff meeting. On Fridays and Saturdays we go to Forerunner Christian Fellowship instead of having classes. We finish at the FCF meetings at 11pm and leave back to the main campus in time for Dinner. Dinner is 12am and we are to be in the prayer room by 12:45am, where we stay on the NightWatch until 6am. Curfew is 6.30am and Lights off at 7am. Our Sabbath is Thursdays, where we only have a 6pm class and then have time off until 4am where we go into the prayer room for the last 2-hour watch of the Night.
It is different missing out on mornings but it is so worth it as we get to stand our watch in the Night Season, worshipping the Lord and interceding for the nations.
We also have outreaches at Hope City - the inner city prayer room/outreach centre. At church services I will be serving from time to time as an usher. Classes cover topics such as Intimacy with God, the book of Revelation, Tools for the Prayer Room, the Existence and Majesty of God and the Forerunner Curriculum. I am loving the classes here as they do go so deep into the Word of God!! I have always had a passion for scripture and wanted to study at Bible school, and now God is giving me the chance without me even knowing it was coming! All the time in the Prayer Room too is all based out of scripture.
It is so fun because I did not know much about IHOP at all before coming. I just came because God said go - yet as soon as I got here it felt like home (notice how I say that a lot - it changes everything when your home can be wherever the Lord is)! All the content here and the way that they run everything directly relates to the desires the Lord has been giving me since the early years of my relationship with Him. It is like He is picking up a lot of the desires and things I had forgotten about and just handing them to me all at once... It is hard to explain and I don't have the time to go into it properly - but just be encouraged that it is in the place of obedience to the Lord that you will find all your desires fulfilled and you will be brought into the place of His dreams for you... old dreams once forgotten that you had as a child, and new dreams which He gives us and delights in seeing them come to pass! Obedience to the Lord, even when you do not understand it or like it, praise in the place of despair... I could go on... God is good and desires the BEST for us!! Most of all He desires intimacy....
More later
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