I was recently in several revival services where a worship leader by the name of Eddie James was ministering. He also has a ministry for young people called Dream Life. He takes in young people who have been in some kind of addiction, perversion or abuse. These kids come to his services, get COMPLETELY delivered from their addiction or perversion and if they want to, they are able to go to the Dream Life program for a year or more. In these revival services, the Dream Life young people helped Eddie James do all of the ministry, including laying hands on people to be delivered from bondages just like they were. Wow! It was amazing!
I was so inspired and stirred in these meetings by watching these young people radically worship God and minister to people. Watching them, left me feeling unsatisfied with the lack of people being set free from bondages in this ministry. I have a relationship with the people here, I pray with them and I encourage them, they see answers to their prayers, but I cannot say that I am seeing signs and wonders on a regular basis in this ministry. I see change over a long period of time, but I don't see people delivered and walking in freedom. And I want to see this! I sat in these meetings night after night being ministered to by God while at the same time being so stirred with a hunger to see God work in POWERFUL ways in my neighborhood and my city.
There will be a Greater Outpouring in the city of East St. Louis and this city will be turned upside down. East St. Louis will grow more beautiful from the inside out. But as I sat in these meetings my eyes were opened to see that in order for this city to be turned upside down for JESUS, there has to be a powerful and anointed move of the Holy Spirit, including God doing signs and wonders through His people.
The people in this city, specifically in the projects, like where I live are so completely bound by addictions, violence, perversion, abuse, depression and a broken heart. They need to be completely SET FREE. I am being refreshed in my heart that when JESUS was here on this earth He not only healed people, provided for them, and loved them, but He set them FREE from their bondages, right on the spot. They didn't have to gradually become free over a year's time, they were instantly set free (Luke 8:35-36, Matthew 4:24, Matthew 17:18, Mark 1:34). I want to see this same FREEDOM that Jesus ministered, in the lives of these people who I love. Somehow, I haven't applied this in my life or the majority of the time I minister to the people here. I don't think I have truly known in my heart that God wants to do this for people. I believe God wants to give people a running start by setting them free from addiction. This way, because the addiction isn't filling their desires and controlling them, they will desire Jesus... the ONE who delivered them.
On Thursday afternoons, I pray for the city of East St. Louis and for God to bring His GREATER OUTPOURING in this neighborhood and this city. At times it gets dry and I can't sense God doing anything. But, lately I have been sensing His stirring. He is stirring something up in this city and the John DeShields neighborhood. It's almost like a stirring deep in the hearts of people that can't be seen. I belive it's just below the surface. It's a hunger, a thirst. Something big is going to happen and when it does, these people and East St. Louis will NEVER be the same.
I'm on a quest, because I'm not satisfied. I know that God has so much more for my city. I am asking Him for more opportunities to minister complete deliverance to people and asking Him to teach me His ways of doing it. I long for the people here to be FREE from what they are in chains to and JESUS is the one who can set them FREE!
Below is a list of the ministries mentioned in the first paragraph;
Eddie James Ministries: http://www.ejworship.org/
Dream Life: http://www.dreamlifeministries.org/
