Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
Friends, I thought long and hard about sharing this testimony and decided to do so with the hope that it will minister to someone out there. Some may find some parts of this message quite amusing and it’s okay to laugh. One should laugh at one’s self from time to time. At times we need to be reminded that no matter how anointed we are we are still very human.
This message is about my experience at a spiritual retreat I attended in 2013 with fellow laborers in Christ. I had never gone on this yearly retreat. There had always been one thing after another that prevented me from going. But thankfully, this particular year I had the time off from work and was determined to go and so I signed up and made the payments. I was actually excited about the trip until I found out it was going to be without food for SEVEN days! Then I thought to myself “it’s not too late to back out or is it?” but for some reason I didn’t back out…
So on the day of our departure, a group of us were to leave for this trip in a van. I showed up at our meeting point with THREE pieces of luggage! The nice lady who was helping to coordinate everything asked me what I packed and I said “towels and other necessities…” What I held back was that I had packed LOTS of apples, pears, and carrots in case I got hungry! I rationalized this by telling myself that since we were allowed to drink juice on this retreat then fruits were not that much of a deviation from juice. I thought to myself that when you squeeze fruits juice comes out doesn’t it??? Anyway, the coordinator convinced me to leave some things in my car as the location of the retreat provided towels and stuff. So I went back to my car and left some clothes in it but still managed to stuff the apples, pears, and carrots in my one luggage!
The drive to the retreat was nice. We sang praise songs and listened to praise CDs. Beloved, all I could think of during the drive was designer stew (a Nigerian sauce made with green peppers, red onions, garlic, ginger, and other spices). I thought to myself “I’m really going to need divine intervention as this is only day one of the seven-day fast!!!”
While at the retreat, the power of God was mighty to heal, save, and deliver me from my apples, pears, and carrots!!! The divine intervention was that I was not even hungry!!! To cut a long story short, I brought back every single one of my apples, pears, and carrots. I did not consume a single one though they were in my possession throughout my stay at this retreat! Friends, obedience is better than sacrifice. Whatsover instructions you are given, do it!!!
John 2:5 …Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
When Elisha told the widow whose husband left her in debt to go and borrow empty vessels she obeyed and for her obedience she got automatic debt cancellation!!! Romans 6:14 tells us sin shall not have dominion over us. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that food will not have dominion over us!
Friends, I can honestly say that since this 2013 prayer retreat God has indeed taken me from glory to glory in this area. I pray in the mighty name of Jesus that He (God) will catapult you to a greater dimension in Jesus’ mighty name! Receive divine strength in Jesus’ name! May you mount up with wings as an eagle! You will not be tired! You shall run and not faint! You also can do ALL things through Christ that strengthens you! Remain blessed in the awesome name of Jesus!
For more uplifting and inspirational messages by this writer simply google “Ebooks by Margaret Morenike Doherty”
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