April 26, 2011 Easter Camp Edition

Well hello everyone!!!

I pray everyone is well! I must apologize because though I wrote a blog last week it somehow did NOT post :(. To make matters worse it didnt save either! Oh well, thats what you get sometimes with technology!

So this blog post is really special to me. I will be sharing about what God did this past Easter weekend. I was so honored and blessed to go to a huge youth event called Easter Camp over the last four days. I went with Northcity (the church Kingdom Reality Ministries is affiliated with) as a youth leader. The event had over 3,000 kids attending. I had seven freshman boys in my group, out of the 120 kids that Northcity brought. It was an incredible camp to say the least.

The first night there was so much hype, anticipation, and excitement, but the worship at the opening meeting was not the greatest. I could feel the spiritual battle going on for the kids attention. It was actually kind of crazy experience for me. With 3,000 kids that came from all kinds of walks of life the devil really tried to distract and take the attention of everyone that first night on Thursday. I walked away from that first night kind of disappointed, but felt fired up to contend for the Spirit of God to truly come and fall in that place. The enemy seemed to have won round one, but I knew God always has the last say.

The next day, Good Friday, we had all kinds of  activities like bands, games, including a touch rugby tournament and just time to hangout after the morning meeting. I tried to branch out and meet as many kids as I could. I actually did a pretty decent job of remembering most of their names! It was a really fun day to just hangout, eat food, plus I learned how to play rugby! Friday night came pretty quick and it was once again time to go to the "Big Top", (what they called the HUGE tent that 3,500 people met in). Worship seemed to be a bit better and many Northcity leaders were right outside contending for the Spiritual atmosphere. Breakthrough had not quite come yet, but there was a spiritual climate shifting taking place. Friday night was so amazing because one of the kids in our group asked the Lord to come into his heart. I was the one who was blessed by leading him in the sinners prayer. It was so incredible to have him receive the Lord and in the presence of his friend who had brought him. God began to change Josh right there on the spot. You could see it in his countenance. Things began to lift in the spirit and I began to pray for bigger and greater breakthrough for the kids.

Saturday morning's six a.m. wake up came quite fast, but I was really excited to eat breakfast and go worship during the morning meeting. Worship that morning was much better and God was moving in a greater capacity. Kids were more free to raise their hands and sing to God. That day we had tons of fun. My relationship with my guys had really grown and we hung out most the day. Also I played in the soccer tournament that day, and Northcity won the tourny quite easily! Man I love sports :). Anyway that night as the leaders were praying for the meeting, I was feeling a lot of tension in the spirit and was really challenged to break through it. So as the sea of blue (the color everyone from Northcity was garbed in) crossed over to the Big Top, I began to pray and just speak life and activation of the Holy Spirit over the kids and the Big Top. Finally we experienced breakthrough. Worship was good and God was noticeably there. After worship, the speaker got up and began to share about the Holy Spirit. I guess this was pushing the envelope for Easter Camp. He pretty much showed the kids how to pray for your neighbor in a very simplified form. It was awesome the way he delivered his message. Then he simply prayed and sat in the presence of the Lord and waited to see what the Holy Spirit did. People began to get the joy of the Lord, and laugh. Other kids cried. Finally God's presence had fallen on 3,00 youth. Kids who barely knew the name Jesus. Now they were having a God encounter. The speaker then asked if anyone experienced the Holy Spirit, or wanted to accept Christ into their heart. So in front of a sea of youth someone from my group named Ben nudged me and asked me to stand with him. I looked at him and smiled. We were the first to stand in front of 3,000 kids, Ben's peers. I put my arm around him and stood up straight and as proud as I know how to stand. I felt that there was no shame over him. Only a hunger that can only be filled from the Living God. Once we were released to pray, we had all the guys from our group come and pray with us. Once again I was honored to pray a sinners prayer with Ben and God came into his life. When we asked if anyone else wanted prayer, a small quiet, Asian boy stepped up and wanted Jesus in his heart. My heart was leaping but I kept my composure as we prayed. Many others in our group experienced the Holy Spirit that night and literally could not explain in any way what they felt or what God had done. All they knew is they were some how changed. What a blessing that night was for me. I was, and still am humbled that God would put me in that situation. I was overwhelmed that night.

The following day we went through another similar routine. Breakfast, worship in the morning, games and hanging out during the day, and dinner before the night meeting. Northcity ended up winning the volleyball tournament! Haha it was so awesome! After spending a whole day hanging out with the kids from my group, I could sense the hunger they each had for the presence of God. Some previously knew God, others were literally new Christians. I was excited to see what God was going to do. Let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing like worshiping with kids who look up to you, some of them who don't have a father, some who don't have a good male influence in their lives at all. I really tried to reach out to the Lord and press into the presence of God. I really tried to model what it meant to worship. To be free. To be open to the Lord. To be with them while worshiping the God of the universe. It was an incredible time. The message Sunday night was awesome. The lady talked about living in the world and not being of it. After her talk I gathered the group of guys and just was blessed to pray for most of them. After we prayed I just felt like the Lord wanted me to challenge the kids. So I did. I challenged them to being guarded and protective of their mind, heart, soul, and spirit. I challenged them to be mindful of what movies they watch, what music they listen to, what they think, staying pure and leaning on God for strength. I talked about how a true man resists temptation and lives a holy, pure life unto the Lord, and how society has given us a false perception. I was very passionate about the subject and each one of the kids were attentive and were really taking in what I had to say. I talked I prayed and then hugged each one, speaking words of life over them and telling them I love them. What a blessing.

I really felt God's heart over the weekend and felt like I had been placed as a leader to really father the kids. I was so honored to teach them stuff all weekend. Everything from things about the Lord, to how to shoot a basketball, and how to work efficiently and effectively. Though I was there to bless the kids, I was the one who felt blessed beyond what I had perceived. Anyway friends, I challenge you all to be aware of the people around you. They may be more hungry for the Lord then you realize. A question never hurt anyone. So be bold and ask if you can stand in prayer with someone. Ask the Lord for guidance and words to be able to approach people. Also be careful and aware of what you feed your soul. Speak words of life and affirmation, for life and death is in the power of the tongue.

Anyway I thank you soooooo much for reading this and hope it blessed you in some way, shape or form. Blessings friends and family!

Love, Derek

P.S. If you would like to partner with me I would love for you to commit to praying for me and for the people I am in contact with here in Christchurch, NZ. Secondly if you would like to give financially feel free to give as the Lord leads you. Just click the "Donate" button on the right hand side of the page and follow the instructions. Any amount would greatly bless me. :)