Retreat

I wrote this about three years ago. I have held back from posting this story until now … and I'm not really sure why unless I was uncertain about how it would be received. Today, I really don't care if some people doubt what I am about to write. To them I say … "Cannot the Lord Jesus do whatever He so chooses? Every now and then He breaks out of the box we keep Him in. I believe this is what happened here."

I want to tell you about a retreat; but not the type where those in a battle turn and run from their enemy. This retreat is of the type where hurting people or maybe those who just feel weighted down with problems, sometimes just life and all it can do to you … come to receive new hope, or to get an attitude adjustment, something … anything that will pick them up and help them tomorrow and the next day, because they don't want to quit or give up.

All of us, no matter who we are, get depleted of strength, both physically and spiritually. As we use up our food source physically; we also use up our Word source within us spiritually. This is why many churches have retreats. Retreats allow you to get away from everything that is draining you of spiritual strength, by placing you in an environment bathed in love and peace, with teachers that can help you find the restoration needed from the Lord.

A young mother in her mid-thirties went once again to her churches semi-annual retreat for women. She had gone to a couple of them before and had always received new insight, purpose, faith, and new commitment. This time was no different. In fact she received much more then ever before. She had been asking the Lord to let her see into the spirit realm. Now before you start rolling your eyes and thinking, "Oh no, another one of those people who see demons on every doorknob" … let me explain.

The spirit realm is real. God is a Spirit. Those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. It's in the Book. There are also two sides to the spirit realm; a dark demonic side … Satan's realm, and a good side … God's side full of the Light of God where miracles and healings take place. Remember, darkness is just the absence of light. This young mother only wanted to see into God's realm where Jesus works His restoration on and for His own people, believers like she was.

The other women at that retreat were there for perhaps as many different reasons as there were women. But they had one thing in common … they loved the Lord Jesus Christ and not only wanted more of Him, but needed more of the power of God in their lives … just like all of us do, if we would be honest with ourselves.

The spirit realm can't be seen with our natural eyes. It can only be seen in small glimpses from time to time if God opens up our "spiritual eyes" and allows us to see in vision form His glory and power, or the working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. All it takes is but a moment in time, but oh, what results God accomplishes in the lives He touches. Some of the women at this retreat will never be the same again. This young mother is one of them.

Let me tell you the best I can of her first glimpse into that supernatural realm we call … "being in the Spirit."

I believe it was the last night of this two day retreat; which night or even the time doesn't matter. After the speaker finished her teaching time, she had the women stand in a large circle so she could minister to them. Since I wasn't there, I'm not sure just how the service proceeded. What I do know from the testimony of this young mother is that she was allowed to see with her spiritual eyes, into this new realm which up to this time had never been open to her like this before.

Jesus showed up.

That's what she said. While the women were praising and worshiping God … Jesus just appeared. He was standing in the middle of this large circle of believers, each one wanting to feel a needed touch from the Master. Just a touch, that's all it would take; some for physical needs, some for spiritual needs, others just wanting to draw closer to the Lord.

She stood and watched in amazement as Jesus went and stood in front of each woman one after another as He went in no particular order from one to another in the circle. As Jesus came to each one, each woman would break into a big smile and their faces would light up in pure beauty as Jesus would touch each face or place His hands upon their heads.

As Jesus walked in and thru this circle; as He went from woman to woman ministering to each one, sparks were flying off of His robe as it touched the floor and as it floated in the air as the Lord brushed by each one of them. Sparks … landing on each woman, lighting up each face, leaving an afterglow; could this be the "Shekinah Glory" that is spoken of in the Word?

One of the women started to dance in a circle, laughing with her arms held straight out in front of her. This was seen at first with the natural eye; anyone there could have and probably did observe her spinning. What the others didn't see was why this woman was spinning around in a circle. Jesus had a hold of her hands, both of them laughing out loud as He was spinning her around in a circle, both of them totally full of joy, free to dance. This was only seen through the gifting of the Holy Spirit allowing her to observe for a few short moments how the Lord gave each one in that circle exactly what they needed.

What I haven't told you yet is that this young mother had invited her older sister to go to the retreat with her. Her sister, standing right beside her kept watching all these other women being filled with joy, seemingly being ministered to by the Lord, but as for herself … nothing. She didn't feel a thing and began to question in her heart … "Is something wrong with me?" She was a believer, filled the Holy Spirit … but yet nothing.

Her younger sister, now watching with both, her spiritual and physical eyes at the same time, saw Jesus with sparks still flying, stop next to her, right in front of her sister. Then, smiling as He looked into her sister's face, (which as of yet didn't show any joy or life because she didn't feel anything from the Lord) He reached out with both of His hands and placed them upon her head. When He did she saw her sister's face just light up, unable to contain the feeling of instant joy and love that Jesus imparted with just one touch from His loving hands.

This makes me wonder what it must have been like to have been touched by Jesus Himself when He walked as a man in the dust of this earth.

Her sister later said that she didn't know what happened to her; that all of a sudden she just felt something come and flow over her … she knew right away it must have been the power of the Holy Spirit. She was surprised to find out later from her younger sister who was watching that it was Jesus Himself who touched her.

Now some would ask me … "Do you really believe that story?"

Yes I do … and I'll tell you why. If you haven't figured it out yet, both of those young women are my beautiful, Spirit filled daughters. I know them. I know the type of lives they live. I know their hearts. God knows their hearts even better than I do.

You see … its hearts like theirs that God loves to fill. God loves to be around them. There isn't anything God loves to do more than to pour His love and power into the lives of those who genuinely desire more of Him. God wants to spend time with us. Allow Him more access to your heart. He wants to share Himself with you.

Was my daughter Tara allowed a glimpse into the spirit realm? Was she privileged to watch Jesus give love and wholeness and restoration to a select few? Yes, I believe she was. It sounds just like Jesus to me.

Tara and her sister Teresa have both experienced something that is available to all believers, which most never receive. And if and when we do receive something special like this from the Lord, we may not even be aware that it may have been Jesus Himself who touched us. But we should recognize His touch, don't you agree?

Anyway, I felt impressed to record what happened to my little girls, now beautiful Spirit filled young Christian women … when Jesus came and touched their lives in a special way.

Thank you Lord …


Comments welcome.