Asian Adventures

China Reach

The trip in May marked my third journey into China. It is a curious feeling to remember the fear that I felt about traveling to China in 2013, when the Lord first called me. I am in such an opposite place now. It seems as though each trip I take the more of my heart is invaded by God for China.

The teaching continues to grow more tailored for China. In brief, the teaching centers around The Kingdom of God in terms of sonship. This teaching attacks the orphan and slave spirit and mindsets. Our ministry times have proven to been powerful as God has used the teaching to create fertile hearts.

As I have built relationships with the students, my heart has been captured. What I have discovered is a childlike innocence locked away behind walls of rejection. I uncovered a capacity for laughter and joy in these people that has taken me completely by surprise.  The richness of what God has created in the Chinese people is absolutely undeniable.  

God Does It Again.

On Friday, April 15, 2016  Miranda (the girl in the picture)  came to me after intercession and asked me to pray for her wrist  which was broken. She had a cast on and planned to see the doctor that morning. She was in great pain and asked for healing prayer. 

So we prayed..

At lunch the same day Miranda told me that the doctor discovered that the fracture had healed. The cast; which she was suppose to have for three months was now healed after only two weeks. Miranda left her appointment with two things: First, a brace to protect her wrist; and second, a miracle to speak of God's glory. 

Praise the Lord! A God who heals.

Azusa Now

It has been just days since the “Azusa Now Call”, and I can still feel the power of what God ?did? at the Memorial Coliseum. As the Lord unpacks what He did in Los Angelas I will see more; however, one thing stands out as clear and bright as day: Unity
I could hardly believe my eyes when a Father of the Charismatic Catholic movement testified to having the same roots as many Christian churches have in the Azusa street revival.
I witnessed a wonder when this man basically repented for the separation of the body of Christ from one another at the hands of the Catholic faith. As a sign of reconciliation, he knelt down and kissed the feet of Lou Ingle. Witnessing this, I knew I was seeing a significant shift in our body.

Moved by the humility of this Catholic brother, Lou called all the fathers of different Christian faiths out to be apart and witness as he returned the honor and kissed the Catholic’s feet as well.
Watching this take place made one thing crystal clear: God is moving to reunite His bride by dissolving the barriers that individual denominations have built over the centuries. God has made it clear that we are to be one body with many parts, each part performing a different function, but still connected to the heart of Christ; for there is only ONE Bride of Christ.

April Update

April is an exciting month for the Sweazy’s  ministry. This week we are having a bible siminar for 5 days, 8-5 everyday. The focus is sharing the Gospel through story telling .  I love to tell stories, so I am very excited about this.

Then, thursday night, there will be a prayer ralley as the kickoff for the “Azusa Now” weekend (4/8-4/10). Angel and I will be going to L.A. to participate in the Azusa Now event.  It is being held on the 120th anniversary of the Azusa revival that took place in New York.  We are believing for a fresh outpouring of the anointing of the Holy Spirit over the body who gathered in LA, and nothing less than miracles, signs, wonders, and salvations to break out, and flow outward, over our nation!

Right on the heels of that event, the very next weekend here at Richardson Springs, there will be a open house and historical tour led by a member of the Richardson family. This event has already attracted hundreds of guests. These guest may, or may not, know Jesus as Savior. Everyone is preparing to repersent our King the best we can as keepers of a place set aside for rest, renewal, and revelation.

Then, finally, on April 29 and 30 we are apart of a crusade called “Chico Alive”. This crusade is the first event in a whole movement called the “The Golden State Awakening”. Angel and I have joined the team facilitating the Chico Alive event; so, during this month we will be making arrangements for the crusade. I have been asked to facilitate the last day of the crusade, when we will be having a celebratory BBQ and doing baptisms. Please pray for Angel and I as we work to organize this days happenings.

As you can see we have a lot going on this month. Please pray for Angel and I: that we will work only from a place of rest. Please pray for the sucess of all these events. Thank you so much. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Lessons From Africa

While in Africa, I found myself in a challenging situation. The YWAM team had been in country for a month. During that time we traveled a lot, and ministered along the way.  The leadership team did not realize it; but, the team had began to experience fatigue.

During an evening of sharing, the most of the team expressed that they were exhausted.  Our response was one of surprise. We had rested a little; so, we did not change anything. We believed that the team just needed to adjust; however, the issue did not go away.

Our first course of action was to increase the time off by ministering half days. This did not work; what we discovered was this: the group needed to rest in God, not just physical inactivity.

This greatest personal treasure I recieved from the trip to Africa was this: The Rest of God. I learned that inactivity is NOT rest. Rest is a place prepared by God exclusively for the saints, the children of God. Faith is the doorway; AND, it is available to everyone who knows Christ as their Lord and Savior. ref Hebrews 3:7-13

Africa At Six Weeks

We have been in Africa for six weeks now, and things have been both mountain peak and valley low experiences.  Both extremes have taught me valuable lessons in life and ministry. 

By far the most powerful lesson has been the roll of intercession during outreach. I knew the importance and power that came with intercession; however, I have seen a level of power that was unexpected. 

Eioffe, one village we visit demonstrated the need for a deeper commitment for intercession. The village was under heavy demonic oppression. There was illness everywhere, economic breakdown, and wide spread abandonment. 

Even though this village was under such heavy oppression we still saw eight salvations. 

Later that evening the team expressed the feeling of being unprepared for the village, so we prayed. As we listened it became evident that God wanted us  to assign teams to stay back and pray for the village while we ministered in the village. 

The results were incredible. On the second trip there was no discernible oppression at all.  We saw God heal one woman who could not walk before we prayed. After prayer she rose to her feet and begun to walk around her house.

In another home two woman who had pain in their body received prayer. After praying twice each woman's pain left their body. 

More salvations were found.  One man, a life long Muslim tracked us down after hearing we were in town. His name is Solomon. Solomon had hard our testimonies the week before and had been touched by Jesus. He renounced Islam and accepted Jesus. 

So much happened during the second trip to Eioffee. These testimonies are a tiny sampling of what God did through deeper intercession. The difference the prayer made was incredible.   

Family Fun With God

It is funny to think that two years agoI had just began my YWAM journey going to Brazil with my family.  Now here we are in Africa doing it again. 

 What a great adventure we are on! 

Our first day of ministry in Aura was really good. We were sent to a Sudanese refugee village to minister.   The whole family ministered: I was allowed to speak to about 20 woman about how large God's  heart is for the world. Angel was telling bible stories while Gabriel, who illustrated the stories drawing pictures in the sand.  Hannah and I went door to door in the village while Joe played soccer with the boys In the village. 

One exciting testimony from the door to door ministry. A woman who could not stand or walk received prayer.  After receiving prayer she rose to her feet and walked. Praise the Lord. 

The day ended and we are excited to returning next week.