Update

Hey Everybody,

This week went really well, and it was our last week of formal teaching, which is crazy to think that I have been at DTS that long that our quarter here is almost over, and that I will be leaving for Colombia in only 13 days. This week our teaching was on Kingdom Culture, and what is means to live in it, and we were taught by a guy named Scott Smith who founded YWAM Arctic Mission, which is based in Homer, Alaska.

His teaching was really dynamic, and the Holy Spirit really used him to touch all of our lives this week. His lectures were really empowering and challenging. He kept showing us and reminding us of the power that God exhibits through people time after time, and how when we live in Kingdom Culture we have that dominion authority as well, to do amazing things, including radical miracles. As a student, body we noticed that God for about a month, or so, has been continually reminding us of this power and authority that we have in Him through our different speakers. So, we decided we did not just want to hear about this anymore, but we wanted to experience it.

Thursday morning during our first lecture a strange sense of spiritual warfare began to fall on the student body, and the night before a friend of mine, named Joel, during our prayer time received a vision of someone walking through the forest, and then all of a sudden was attacked by a lion, which makes reference to 1 Peter 5:8. So, we brought this up to our speaker, Scott, and we immediately went to God received instruction from Him, and then followed Ephesians 6 to put on our spiritual armor, and entered into spiritual warfare.

The crazy thing was is that we did not have to put up a huge fight against the enemy, but what happened was amazing. There was a 15-20 minute time of repentance that took place where we all just cleared out our baggage to one another, uniting the team. As a united team we circled, danced, and sang worship songs attacking the enemy. And then we came together and chanted like William Wallace in Braveheart. It was crazy and had some one walked in and not known who we were they would have thought we were nuts. But what ensued as a crazy release in our hearts, and an amazing since freedom in people's lives. The enemy was defeated, and for the first time since we had really heard about this power, we experienced our authority to fight Satan and his evil spirits and win! It was awesome!

We ended the week through a time of exhortation, which is one of Scott's main spiritual gifts, and he got a word for everyone that he gave to them. What he told me was really interesting. The vision he got of me, was me standing on a Roman ship with all of the rowers, and I was beating/calling out the cadence that was making the rowers row in sync. God told him that this was my job for the Kingdom. He said that God was making me into a man that will give rhythm to his Kingdom, so that his kingdom continues to push into the world. However, Scott warned me and said that for me to do this properly I need to work on grace and love, so that I do not push people to hard. That I need to be gracious to them, and relate to them, and then they will row for me with joy, instead of obligation, and that my main cadence needs to be the resurrection, and the power that comes from it.

To be honest, I am not sure what to think of this, or even all that it means for me. I have been praying into it, and I definitely feel it was from God, just not exactly sure how to pursue it. Everytime I think of this vision I get a peace and serenity that can only come from God, so I am doing my best to take it day-by-day, and to just let God me lead in this task.

Tonights the Love Feast, where all the schools come together for a big celebration, before some of them graduate next week. I actually get to go and start cooking for it in about an hour, and I am really looking forward to that. And then next week we have directors week, and then we are officially on outreach even though we don't leave until Christmas.

I have been praying fervently for all of you; praying that God would show up in your lives in mighty ways, and that he would rock the world of First Baptist. I love you all so much, and thank you all for all that you do for me! If there are any more specific prayer requests that I can pray for please email them to me.

Here are a few prayer requests for me:

+Thanksgiving for God's provision for outreach. He is a great God!
+Preparation for me and my team to Colombia that God would give us visions and direction for what He wants to happen there.
+Prayer for you all as I go to Colombia that God would give you all strength and a peace of mind
+Direction in God's timing for after DTS - There are a few options
-Going straight over to Africa to begin my work over there - Schools start April 25th in Mombasa, Kenya
- Going home and working for undisclosed amount of time
- Traveling around the states speaking to churches, and mobilizing people for God's movement of missions into the world.
- Coming back to Denver for a Phase II to develop more leadership skills and character development
- Going on a back packing tour around Europe doing more ministry and outreach, while spreading our vision with a team of about 10-12 people, and then doing a secondary school (Phase II or School of Ministry Development) in either Denver of Kona, Hawaii.
+That I would be open and willing to all of God's direction
+Against the fear of man in my life.

I love you all and God Bless!


Matt

But we are not a people who shrink back, and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
- Hebrews 10:39