💢Storm at Church

Date: 2/4/2020

I'm going to church in a large set-up tent outdoors. Bishop Henry is going to preach, LP Antoinette is going to lead worship, Daisy (or Prof's wife) is going to assist her. As I arrive, I see my mother and my brother George in the group of people waiting for church to begin and I also see some other Africans, although not names. As we wait, it turns out that LP needs to go, so I'm asked to lead worship. I ask for her lyric sheet so I don't mess it up and she gives it to me. I ask everyone to settle down as we begin a time of worship. The crowd is growing with more Africans and the crowd begins to get unruly. Then Bishop Henry needs to leave and I'm asked to lead the congregation. I'm starting to feel overwhelmed. I don't know how to lead such a roudy bunch of Africans growing in numbers and they won't seem to listen to me. Then this huge storm begins to howl outside and soon rips parts of the tent we're under. Everyone begins to be afraid of this huge and powerful storm, and at this point the number of Africans had about tripled. Then one church lady in a beautiful dress and hat, standing by one of the large tent posts, begins to be sucked into the storm. I, afraid it would take her away, approach the storm with a new authority, power, and determination. I point at where she is standing, clinging to the pole, and I address the storm directly and sternly. With an extreme fierceness in my voice and in my eyes, I command the storm to calm down and to let her go. Instantly, the storm winds come to a hault and release this frightened women. At this point, there is no longer any member of my family or any white people, only local Africans. Then everyone in the tent church applauds, saying "Now that's how you do it (pray)." I now had their attention and their respect and I knew I could lead them from then on, and they would follow. LP arrives back on scene and is trying to find a way to travel to another place, I offer to help, but she insists that she doesn't need any help and moves on. End. --------------------------- Me thinking through possible meanings: Meanings... 1. I will be expected to do more and I must be willing to step up when responsibility is given/offered to me. 2. I need to take prayer more seriously and realize the power of prayer and the authority I've been given over creation and the enemy simply with my words. 3. In the future, as I plant churches, evangelise, and peach in Africa... People aren't as likely to respond to the words of an outsider. God may need to use power encounters to open the eyes of the people and make them realize He is who He says He is, that His power is greater than that of the enemy and any other witch craft or voodoo. 4. As people gather to hear God's word preached and churches are being planned, there will be storms that try to frighten us, take our sheep, and break up the Church. But we must stand on the authority God has given us and fight whatever is fighting our sheep. 5. Lastly, the further into the work of God I go, the less I will see of my blood family. Ultimately, I somehow know that in some way, shape, or form... I will see the dream come to pass. May all the glory be to God Almighty, the One who has created all things to work out for the good of those who love Him.