Today marks the first day of week 5 of Discipleship Training School! This week we have one of my favorite people, Brian Brennt, is here speaking to the DTS for Freedom Week. Brian is one of the leaders for Circuit Riders, the ministry I was with in California. He carries so much authority and permission for people to be freed from their strongholds. My life has been so impacted by his faithfulness to God, so I’m stoked to see what happens this week. During my DTS, his week was one of the most pivotal moments where I had a heart encounter with Jesus and He became so real to me. We had an anointing day and I couldn’t stand up under the power of God. I’ve only fallen under God’s glory four times and three times were in that one day. God marked my heart and revealed Himself as the All Powerful One.
We’ve had crazy experiences so far and this will only add to the list. A few weeks ago our leaders were inspired by the story of King Asa and felt God asking us to burn our idols. I was stoked, but then the Lord asked me to burn something. I really fought it, but I knew he was right. I owned a shirt that had a ministry on it. I thought the shirt wasn’t linked to anything, but then God asked me to burn it. I didn’t want to and I knew something was wrong in my heart.
I prayed to find out why I needed to burn it. He spoke to me, “You’re not burning this for a past issue or something you’re dealing with. I am the God outside of time and I know your future and past. You are burning this for your future struggles. I never want you to find any identity in the things you have done or been a part of because your identity should only come from sonship. Any identity you have outside of me is wrong.”
I was undone. This made it so real to me the importance of sonship. If my identity is “Missionary at YWAM” or “Guy that has seen x amount of salvation's,” then something is wrong in my heart. God loves me regardless of what I do, however, He loves partnering with me and letting me see His kingdom come. A father should love their child regardless if they do all the yard work, but it pleases a dad to see his son working with a heart of love for their father.
That being said, this day was crazy. So many people gained freedom from anxiety, fear of what people think pornography, hatred, jealousy, passivity, etc. Without anyone prompting them to do so, people willingly destroyed iPhones, iPad, and MacBook’s as a declaration that Pornography and how they look to people will never rule their life. Many tears were shed, scarred hearts healed, and family’s restored.
That was the kind of freedom we got on week 2 so I don’t even know what this freedom week is going to look like. I have never seen such a hungry group of people running after Jesus. We still have 7 more weeks left it’s crazy! Be praying for greater breakthrough as we continue being formed into the likeness of Christ.
Blessings,
Christian Winter