1 Chronicles 14:11

"God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters."

Lebanon was amazing.  The power of God was so strong.  Tommie hosted a conference on spiritual breakthrough among some of the local churches that he has developed a relationship with in Beirut.  Craig and Christine Westoff, Nancy Devito, Hans Joachim, Rick Sizemore and many others shared the word of God and ministered over the course of five days.

Sunday morning, the majority of us attended a church comprised almost entirely of Philippino women.  These women have left their homes in the Philippines in order to support their families back home.  You must understand that these women are like slaves.  They work all week, all day, for very little pay.  Many are mistreated and abused on multiple levels by their employers.  There must have been close to 70 women that packed out Joseph's church building, a relatively small two-room flat on the seventh floor of a downtown apartment building.  This Sunday morning service is their only breathing hole.  It's the only time during the week they are free from their employers.  After Chris preached about acknowledging and surrendering our pain to the Lord, we began to pray for people.  God displayed so much grace and healing power as He touched people through us.  I had the great pleasure of finding myself between a powerful, loving, jealous God and the beautiful people He wanted to encounter and heal.  Many wept and experienced freedom through the power of the Holy Spirit.

They were a truly inspiring group of women.  They worshiped God fervently in spite of their circumstances.  It was a testimony to me that He is most certainly, always good.

If there is one thing the Lord has been teaching me, especially on this trip, it's about being bold and taking steps of faith to express the impression He gives me - to speak out the words, thoughts, or questions He puts in my mind and on my heart.  Whether it be for my Syrian brother George, Pastor Joseph, our Greek taxi driver, or the Lebanese grad student in the airplane seat next to me.

"For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?" (1 Cor. 2:11)

These thoughts and impressions come for a reason and I'm learning to act on them; to give what I receive.  I don't know what step 2, 3, 4, and 5 are.  I can't take 5 steps at once anyway...  so, why do I try?!  He puts one step before me at a time.  Speak it, say it, do it.  We don't know where God will take us and lead us.  The end-harvest of salvation decisions, healing, deliverances, all begin with the planting of a seed - a decision to take a step, speak a word, extend a hand.

David asked the Lord if he should go up against the Philistines, and the Lord responds, promising David the victory.  Afterward, David declares that God broke through his enemies by his (David's) hand!  God could breakthrough our enemies in a thousand different ways; but He has chosen to do it through our hands - alongside of us.  Thankful to be a part of it in Beirut last week!

Photos to come soon!

Oh, and watch this video.