©  Focus on Jesus.  Focus on Souls.  ©

In the afternoon (7/15), Edmond and Sonya learned a family in church has been struck with circumstances of childhood mistreatment, verbal abuses, illnesses and have no food to eat sometimes.  The younger son just graduated from high school and soon will attend Santiago College.  He and Edmond are in the youth group together.

Also, Edmond heard mom, “I don’t believe you truly want to kill your mother.  Even if it’s true, I am not afraid of you.  We do not live by fear.  God says perfect love cast out fear. (1 John 4:18)  So He will cast out fear in this household.”

Waiting Upon the Lord’s with High Expectancy

Tuesday evening, we started our family time with Jesus at 7:30 p.m.  Mom explained to kids beforehand:

 “Children, lately I have said to you, when something is on your mind, you need to stay in prayer…’until’ you know the Lord has comforted and strengthened you.  Tonight I will do it together with you.  We will start at 7:30 – one hour earlier than usual, and go as long as it may take.  If Holy Spirit doesn’t move on our hearts, we will wait for another hour.  If two hours are not enough, we will wait three hours.  I know He will do it but the timing is up to Him.  And, well, son, if you resist Him and He cannot move you’ll need to sleep in the garage tonight.  Then we’ll do this all over again tomorrow.  Maybe the next day, again and again… until He delivers us.” 

Edmond’s body was present, laid down on the sofa and looked indifferent.  His soul seemed absent.  Mom commanded him sit up several times.  We worshipped and warred against spirit of anger, fear, violence, resistance, confusion, rebellion and stubbornness.  Also, mom proclaimed, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Sonya’s Questions

Sonya joined us at 8:15 p.m. after shower.  Mom also encouraged her to pray in tongue.  Previously she tried but found herself praying through her head, not letting Holy Spirit praying through her.  We reviewed Romans 8:26.  After a little hesitation, Sonya started to sing in the heavenly language with a simple tune. 

“Is He here?  Is He here?”  Sonya asked after praying a little.

“Yes, Jesus is always present with us although we hunger for His ‘manifested’ presence.  Still, we go by faith, not by sight.  When He manifests Himself usually you’ll know.” Mom answered.

“How do you know whether He is here?”  Sonya wasn’t sure.

“For me, sometimes in prayer and worship I sense heat.  Sometimes I don’t feel much at all.  Sometimes, He comforts me and I’ll feel strengthened and renewed.  Sometimes, He tells me why something has happened.  I just know it’s Him.” Mom explained.

“Like when we prayed for Elisa and her kids (last Tuesday) you said you felt heat?” Sonya recalled.

“Yes.  How about you?  Did you sense God’s presence?” Mom was a little curious and continued.  “If you didn’t it’s all right.  We don’t go by feelings but by faith.  We don’t hunt for manifestations either.  Our focus is on Jesus.” 

“Yes, I just felt warm.  But when we prayed for Ladan and her son (last Saturday) I didn’t feel anything.” Sonya replied.

“That’s fine.  Now let’s ask Jesus to show Himself.” Mom reiterated.

The Challenge Game Drags On

Mixed in our worship and prayer was family conversation.  Jesus led our fellowship and discussion.  We read verses in various chapters in Proverbs.  During this time, Edmond drank juice and ate a piece of cake.  He shifted from the couch onto a dining chair, then sank back to the couch.  This young fellow was determined to challenge his mom to the last drop. 

After an hour and half, mom turned the worship music off.  We went waiting on the Lord.  For a moment, Edmond recalled an animal program he had watched in his friend Austin’s house in the afternoon.  He smiled and told us about the parasite he had learned about.  It was a short encounter of a little sweetness.  Edmond soon went back into ‘the challenge mode.’  At 9:45 p.m., mom released Sonya for she would have morning violin camp the next day. 

Mom was certain the Lord would move as soon as Edmond softened his stance.  Mom urged Edmond again.  This young boy was disgusted and talked right back.

“Have you any right to be angry?” After reading Jonah 4 aloud, mom asked Edmond.

Silence.

“Well, you know.  If you refuse to ‘enter in’ worship or resist feeling strengthened by Him then you’ll just sleep in the car tonight.  I had already told you this before we began.”  Mom reminded her son of her tough love.

Enter In Worship

“Enter in? How?” Looking at the clock, Edmond seemed a little amazed mom would ‘really’ insist on him entering in worship when it had already passed 10 o’clock. 

“OK, you don’t really need music to worship.  You just need to open you heart.  You can enter in by thanking Him.  Thank Him for giving you the afternoon to be with Austin.  Thank him for your wonderful mother, of course.  Thank him for your school, teachers, and friends… You have so many things to thank for.”  Mom wondered if she had simply talked to the wind when, in the past, she had repeatedly encouraged kids to enter in worship for umpty times.

Feel strengthened?” Edmond asked in a disgusted and frustrated voice.  Nevertheless, his posture changed, from the couch potato position to leaning forward.

Again, mom quietly proclaim to herself: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)  Then, she answered, “Well, you’ve heard God many times.  Strength and deliverance comes with His Words.  Also, sometimes Holy Spirit will redirect your focus from sadness or negative thoughts to some fun and joyful memories.  You will smile and forget about the nasty thing you were troubled with.”

“Um, then He already did it.” Edmond remembered his recalling the parasite story of the animal film he watched with Austin.

“Well, if it was God you’d feel so good to stay in the good mood most of the time.  Not the other way around – most of the time in bad mood and only a little while in good mood.  Yes, I believe Holy Spirit did remind you of fun memories.  But you have chosen to go right back to the angry mood.  If so, you need to be touched again.” Mom insisted.

The Final Moment

It was past two-and-half-hour mark of waiting on the Lord.  Mom still saw no end to her son’s prolonged resistance.  It had never been this bad.  What has happened in a few short weeks or months?  Mom wondered.

Do you know God loves you?” She asked.

No answer.

“Do you know mommy loves you?” Mom continued.

“I don’t know.” Edmond mumbled.

“Do you know daddy loves you?”

“No.”

“Although daddy may not know exactly how, he does love you.” Mom affirmed.

“Do you know your sister loves you?” Again, mom asked.

No answer.

“Um, OK.  In this case, just ask Holy Spirit whether He loves you, whether your daddy, mommy and sister love you.” Mom instructed.

The Lord’s Gentle Touch

Five minutes before the three-hour mark, mom decided it was time to prepare the car for Edmond to sleep in.  She stood up and noticed he was wiping his nose with a tissue paper.  She walked to the garage, and pull down the back of rear passenger seat.

Edmond came to the garage in tears, “Mommy, I know daddy loves me.  Mommy loves me.  Sister loves me.” 

“How do you know?” Sitting back on the sofa, mom asked.

“I just know.” Edmond sounded a little helpless in explaining and continued to cry.

Mom did not want to interrupt what the Spirit was doing.  Sat quietly, she waited for the Lord to finish His gentle work.  Oh how she longed for this precious moment!

In a few minutes, Edmond’s tears stopped.  He asked for permission to go to bed.  Mom released him with a big hug.  Holding his face in her hands, she told him again, “I love you.”  The young boy’s tears fell again.

In a minute, he came back and pleaded, “Mommy, I am scared because of the dream I had (yesterday afternoon).”

Mom took oil (symbolic of the Holy Spirit) and authority as both the natural and spiritual mother.  She prayed over and anointed Edmond.  Then she tugged Edmond in after he finished brushing and flossing teeth.  We thanked Father for what He had done.

Edmond’s countenance changed after the Lord’s gentle touch, with mighty deliverance. 

Heavenly Father Follows Up

Edmond woke up earlier than usual Wednesday morning.  His voice was calm, not irritated.

“Do you really think mommy faked my happy face and beautiful smile?” Mom asked the next day after her morning prayer and worship.

“I don’t know.” Edmond was unsure.

“You don’t know?  All right.  Let’s see what God says about my happy face.  He says in Proverbs 15:13, ‘A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.’   This is your mother.  Got it?”

Edmond smiled. 

From Edmond’s Perspective

Two days later, upon mom’s request to express what he sensed and thought on the night of the Lord’s gentle touch, Edmond wrote his ‘concise’ comment:

I felt angry…and much angrier. Then I felt happy…then back to angry again. Then I was touched and I felt sad. Then I felt normal. Then I felt sleepy. Then I went to bed.

The Tribute

In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. [Proverbs 14:26]  Once again, Father delivered Edmond from anger, stubbornness, confusion and fear. 

At a level deeper than ever before, Edmond experienced his Helper, Deliverer, Healer and Freedom.  This 13-year-old prince still has other teenage growing pains to look forward to.  These growing pains are primarily emotional and physical.  Devil uses them to bring spiritual attacks.  On the contrary, they become free training for Edmond.  He knows who his supernatural hope is – Holy Spirit, the great Counselor that heavenly Father has put inside of him. 

On March 1, while driving down to San Diego to attend the MCWE New Anointing Breakthrough Rally, Holy Ghost impressed upon mom’s heart that ‘Edmond will be ready at 15 (years of age).’  Whatever this ‘readiness’ means, much preparation will come as Father presents His doing at His timing.  May Father’s will be done.

Praise You, Lord!

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