Meetings in Paris (18 - 20 September, 2009)We are very honoured to be invited to join Belleville Church family retreat (18-20 September). The retreat coincided with the Jewish New Year. It is also the start of the academic year in France. Throughout the conference God was saying to the church this is a new season, a new beginning – a new day and a new way, a new land and a new stand. He was bringing the church as a community into a new place. There is a strong sense that what God is doing in France is far bigger than ourselves (themselves).
Friday 18 Sept night (Leadership meeting)The first night of the retreat. Lesley Anne told how God had commissioned her to France when she was doing Holy Given school in Brazil three years ago – the vision she had of Joan of Arc, in full armour, with the sword in one hand, charging forward, fighting for the heart of the king (King Jesus). Pastor Serg also shared of how God had healed his heart problem through Lesley Anne the first time she visited Belleville church 2 years ago. God was telling the church this is a new beginning, they are to align their hearts and lives with God’s. He was encouraging us to be transparent in our hearts to Him and to each other, and to be vulnerable so our hearts can get healed in the community. He will reopen the well. The church is to be under the river, free flowing. Saturday 19 Sept morning (Leadership meeting)The day of Jewish New Year. God continued the theme of new beginning. The community of faith appropriated the cross and separated ourselves from the past. People had words of God unblocking wells. Genesis 26: 22-26 – Isaac reopened the well of Abraham and named that place Rehoboth, meaning ‘open space’. The body prayed for Pastor Serg. God is calling the body to submerge ourselves in the river. As a symbolic gesture, we waved a long blue banner over our heads and swam under it, enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit. Lesley Anne did frog strokes in honour of the French bride! (The French was nicknamed ‘froggies’ because frog legs is one of their famous delicacy.)
Saturday 19 September afternoon Church family fun game timeSaturday 19 September evening God moved sovereignly and powerfully through the community that night, bringing a holy separation to the body, as the whole church came forward in response to a call to align ourselves with Him – a new day and a new way. Many were delivered and set free. Sunday 20 September morning The Holy Spirit led Lesley Anne to have a 3 hour session in private with Pastor Serg. God was ministering powerfully and deeply to him. Meanwhile the body of Christ was standing with their leaders in praise and worship downstairs in the auditorium. We danced and worshipped under the blue banner (the river), there was great freedom. Lesley Anne spoke on Gen 12, Gal 5:1 and John 17. God has brought the community from Egypt through the waters (Red Sea) into the promised land – land of freedom, we are to stand firm, stay free (i.e. we are no longer in control). Lesley Anne felt God wanted to anoint His bride with glory to seal what He had done over the weekend. We had a Holy Spirit blow out party!Sunday 20 September evening - St Laurent Reformed Church, ValenceLesley Anne spoke on John 17 - God is anointing His bride through holy intimacy, to be totally dependent on Him and to be totally free. She heard the sound of freedom for France. France will no longer be afraid. (There has been a long history of persecution and bloodshed of the protestant Christians in the region and the church has been muzzled.) The Holy Spirit came powerfully that night as the entire congregation came forward wanting more of Him. God ministered deeply to many, bringing healing, deliverance and greater freedom.Prayer points:
• Praise God for the foundation he has laid down in France. This foundation has been steeped in blood. We thank God for all those who had gone before us, who had laid down their lives (literally) for their bridegroom king. We also thank God for the prayers of all the saints that had gone before us. The French bride stands in a rich heritage of mighty moves of God through the centuries. He is reopening many deep wells in different regions once, restoring to the Bride the prophetic, healing and passion for her King. There had been many mighty outpourings in the south in the 16th, 17th and 19th century in particular, and with that intense persecution (from the Catholic state).• Please pray for Lesley Anne. She has been unable to sleep at night ever since she landed in Paris. This trip has been pretty full on. The Holy Spirit has been using Lesley Anne to minister deeply to church leadership at a governmental level. What God is doing is awesome but intense and it is taking a lot out of Lesley. Also we are contesting for the destiny of France, we are tapping into hundreds of years of heritage but we are also coming against hundreds of years of opposition (in the spirit).• Pray for the various meetings with pastors, leaders and intercessors in the region for the rest of this week. Pray that God will bring great freedom and set them ablaze. • Pray that Lesley Anne will be fully rested and refreshed before she heads back to the UK onto Asia. • Pray also for our health. Jon is suffering from allegies and it won't clear.- Love, Lydia Haines
