Don't be Discouraged, be Encouraged

That God is doing a mighty work at our school is evidence to many of the staff and even some of the students at our school, GCFS. Every morning the staff and administration meet all together to worship, share a devotional, and pray, and during this time I am incredibly encouraged and my faith is built up continually.

We’ve been going through Exodus the last few weeks. Specifically, we’ve been reading about how God called Moses from the burning bush and sends him to Egypt to lead the Israelites to freedom. And God has really spoken to me through the leadership of Moses, and the trials that the Hebrew people face along the way.

One of the major discussions we’ve had was about how God seems to lengthen the process of bringing His people out of Egypt. I mean, couldn’t He have done it with ONE plague instead of a multitude? Couldn’t He have SOFTENED Pharaoh’s heart instead of hardening it? 

For that matter, why is it that God tends to not bring us out of our hardships right away? We know that He calls us to pray through all circumstances, and that He is our deliverer, and He will give us anything we ask for. Therefore, why doesn’t he deliver us right away?

I (and many other teachers and admins)  have been praying all year for our students to experience revival. I’m in charge of the Praise Team at our school, led completely by students. I may play electric, or acoustic, or even lead here and there, but for the most part a small group of students lead. The year started rough, but as it went on the team really grew in unity, skill, and spiritual maturity. The leader of the Praise Team has improved and grown the most! We’ve all seen him take authority as a worship leader, edify and build up the younger members, and face many hardships and dry chapel services without letting his faith waver. Part of the reason (or most of the reason) is because he’s been coming to our church, New Philly, and really getting plugged in and well fed.

Many of the other staff and myself feel that God is going to bring revival at our school through worship. It’s so obvious because the enemy is trying very hard to prevent this from happening. We’ve been plagued all year by technical issues, music issues, sleeping students and more... but I believe God is doing something mighty.

(not our stage, ha!)

During this morning’s service it was especially obvious. I felt in my spirit yesterday after practice, that chapel was going to be off-the-hook on Friday (today). We came in this morning, and the leader had a bit of an asthma flare-up, trouble breathing, face swelling, etc.  When worship started, the music was off too. Guitars were out of tune, the leader’s acoustic battery just cut out (good thing I brought the electric to carry the melody!), the projectors was messing up, and the computer was lagging.

We ended with Arms Wide Open by Hillsong United. I was worshipping and praying for the whole set, but during this song I looked out at the students… and they were worshipping! Not all, but more students than I’ve seen all year had their eyes closed and open hands, and were lifting their hearts to God! Satan is and has been trying to prevent God’s work at our school, but God is already victorious!

You see at our staff devotions the other day, Shelli enlightened us all when she shared that God likes drama. He’s kind of the author of drama. Now, this doesn’t mean teenage, adolescent drama that we immediately think of. But God, many times, doesn’t deliver us right away because when he gets a chance to, He likes to make a big deal of things, to receive ultimate glory… to maximize His glory. I believe the reason that God has waited to bring revival and increase for our school, is because He wants to set us up, and maximize His glory in the process! He’s been giving us glimpses of it, and I can’t wait until it hits us in full!

In what areas have you been praying into and waiting for God to intervene or move? Don’t be discouraged when the situation tends to get worse after you start praying. Instead be encouraged, because often God is merely setting the situation up for sudden, miraculous breakthrough (just like the Israelites in Egypt)!