It is Sunday afternoon and I am on the airplane on my way home from Windhoek. I had a fantastic weekend in Namibia. The fire of God is definitely on Africa! I have to admit, Namibia is definitely a place where I could live and settle down. The African air is crisp and fresh and we even saw wild animals coming to drink from the dam a few meters from the lodge where we ate breakfast – Wow!
The people who served the food in the restaurant wanted me to pray for them, and the man that carried my luggage asked, “Ma’am, before you go home – will you please pray for me too?”
While we were finishing our breakfast a lady come up to me and asked if I would be willing to go and pray for her daughter who is in prison. I walked into the bathroom of the conference centre where I was speaking and a black lady pulled me aside, gave me a big hug and said, “I asked God that you must please pray for me, but I am too shy to go to the front. Please will you pray for me, even if we are in the bathroom?!” I still wanted to reply, and then I noticed she was already on her knees on the bathroom floor. As I knelt next to her, we could both feel God’s power resting on us supernaturally. Black or white – one heart – we are all seeking God!
The theme that Abba gave me for the weekend was “Possess the Land.” There are so few of us that actually know there is a Promised Land, what to say about entering in! Most people put up camp somewhere in the wilderness, and think they will never get out of that place; or they try to walk out of the wilderness in the strength of their flesh. The other side is also true – sometimes we are content to accept where we are, that we no longer thirst for living water and for something more.
During the tea break I had a conversation with someone and she asked, “What is it that keeps us out, Retah?” The same thing that kept the Israelites out: wicked, unbelieving hearts.
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called, “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Heb. 3:12-15)
The Israelites had to receive salvation (getting out of Egypt), deliverance (getting Egypt out of them), and only after being tested, purified and prepared in the wilderness could they enter the Promised Land… and then, only two (Joshua and Caleb) went in.
That is the other dimension that God takes us in – His Sabbath rest, where we are one with Him in Christ. This is where we walk according to the Spirit and by faith, and where His kingdom is established on earth through us. This is a dimension where holiness is part of us, where we walk in freedom, and where we seek to be pure and free with everything in us, and we allow God to shine His glory light in us.
This is not a soul dimension, but a spirit dimension. Here you don’t fight with your flesh, but in the spirit, and where the battle is won supernaturally when you use the keys of God’s kingdom and not your own might. This is where you think with the mind of Christ, and hold the purposes of His heart – not carnal thinking, but a renewed mind.
The road from Egypt to the Promised Land is a journey, but for too long have our manmade traditions and pride kept us from the truth and from this life of abundance that God wants to give. The enemy could kill, steal and destroy - instead of us living in freedom in the Promised Land of Yahweh so that His bride can prepare herself for the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Our broken souls need to be healed in the process, because we are spirit, soul and body. Your soul needs to be saturated in the oil (anointing) of the Spirit, and that is what I pray for my family every day. “Lord, saturate our body, soul and spirit with Your holiness and your blood for our sanctification.” This is how we learn to move into the glory of the Father so that He can manifest through us. This is how the kingdom of heaven will manifest through you – if you are dead to yourself, but alive to Christ – then you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, but walk according to the spirit. This is the place where you will look, act and think differently from the rest of the world. In situations where you would have gotten angry before, you will now be able to bless instead of curse. Choose to love and to forgive. Don’t hesitate to be the least.
The joy in my heart is so overwhelming and now I know that God wants to bring us the victory – and He will do it through His love! Love overcomes evil, and I have learned the power of blessing others in this time. Blessing brings so much victory and freedom!
It is now Monday morning, and I know the web-letter must be put up soon, but today is a special day in my life. We are hosting a 3-day inner healing and deliverance seminar this week, and the speakers will go into detail about deliverance from bondage, bloodline curses, strongholds etc, and the greatest blessing is that my Dad will be sitting next to me!
When we started the seminar I could stand up and introduce my Dad to everyone, and honor him that he is willing to walk this road of healing with us. At his age to come and repent, to lay down, to walk away from the things that held him in bondage and to say “Father, forgive me,” is a honour to witness. Even my younger brother is also here, so my cup is running over! I found my Mom on the carpet in the back of the room while she is interceding and giving thanks to God for what great things He has done. Everything changed in the spirit after we had to fight in the spirit. Not once did I go to my Dad to fight with words. The King did the work in him. (Photo: Retah's Father, and brother.)
While we were still on holiday the kids watched some soccer one night while I was reading the Bible in my room. Aldo walked in and started singing, “Jippy, jippy, yes, yes!” I thought someone scored a goal! “What happened, Aldo?” I asked.
“Grandpa repented, Mom. I saw the drain of hell being closed.” I only looked at him with a question mark written all over my face, because for months he has been writing that we need to “close the drains,” and poor Tinus had to anoint all the drains of our house because we had no idea what he meant. This is how little I understood about all these things.
About a half hour after Aldo started singing his song, my Mom phoned me and told me the good news. “Retah, Dad repented for an hour. Retah, I am telling you – this is for real. He is dealing with the things and Jesus has cleansed him!” My mom just kept on crying and crying on the telephone, and on my side of the receiver I was shocked, because that is exactly what Aldo saw. “The drains of hell were closed because Grandpa repented.”
I honor You my first love – Abba Father! Today I am sitting here with the biggest smile on my face. My Dad, brother, Mother and Tinus are all sitting in the seminar with me learning how to fight the foreign army that Yeshua talked to me about in Jeremiah 12.
Let us run with the wild horses, because Jesus has already paid the price for us to be free!! Let us live as free men, as sons of the living God, in the Promised Land that He has given us.
Love
Retah and the family.
(Some time ago Abba spoke to me about changing my name, just as Abram became Abraham. So I have changed the letters of my name around to Retah.)