Main square in Amsterdam
I went with Duncan on a two day trip to Amsterdam at the end of May. Dunc had a work conference for one day and the idea was for me to have the day to myself and meet up at the airport. We spent the first afternoon cycling round the city - not for the faint hearted!! Then had a meal together in the hotel watching a spectacular thunderstorm right outside our window!
Thankfully the next day dawned sunny and warm so off Duncan went and i now had several hours in front of me in an unknown city! Finding my way to the main square of the city i watched and waited to see what to do next. There were some pretty crazy sights - people dressed in skeleton masks and "angel of death" stuff among them!. There were a few Christians who were praying for others in one part of the square!!. I went over and introduced myself and they actually prayed for me (I was just recovering from a virus and felt weary) and for my family too. They were cool people who had come in to Amsterdam to pray for people.
The first treasure I encountered myself was a homeless man called "John" (from Poland originally but been in the UK, even Slough!) He had diabetes and was happy to accept my prayer for healing from that. He was very respectful of my praying and was moved by me caring for him. He said "please go and visit the other homeless people too - they really need some encouragement to know they are seen and not invisible or despised". It was a sad but sweet encounter.
Next i spotted a few young guys all wearing the same red t-shirts and i went up to them and asked what they were all doing - something to do with a children's camp. I told them why i was here from England just for one day and that i was praying for people. I had asked HS about one of the guys before i approached and felt I heard the phrase "head of the household" I started to talk to this chap (whose name was "Richard" and the others sort of backed away so i could talk to him. I told him about the “head of the household”phrase and that i thought it was about him being a leader in his household but also in other arenas of his life
It turns out that his father had left years before and he lived at home with his Mum - so he is literally the head of the household. I said i also felt he was the one in his friendship group and work whose opinion/advice others seek -, they look to him as the leader. He acknowledged with curiosity that this does happen. I then asked him if i could pray for him about his home situation and he was happy to let me do that.
I prayed for the father wounds and gaps in his life to be filled and healed and for other “orphan” issues he had from not being affirmed or encouraged by a father plus the rejection from his father’s absence.. I spoke healing for the negative beliefs he had come into about himself – but declared that God is actually going to use this hard time of his life in such a restorative way – that God has been working strength and skills and abilities in him which will be so important in the next phases of his life. Nothing will be wasted of the pain and struggles but actually be used for his benefit and the benefit of others he leads.
"Richard" was really impacted by this and I could tell he was receiving all the things i was praying through HS. After i prayed he opened up a bit more and said that he had tried to call out to God but it “hadn't worked”. I asked him if he had ever experienced God , the Presence of God? "No, but I would like to"! . So i asked him to put his hands out and i prayed for the presence of God to come. He was really stunned because he felt the tangible presence of God on him!! He couldn't really describe it in words but knew that he had felt something very different and powerful It was such a precious encounter. I can't remember if i had "fathers love letter" - I think i did and i gave him one. It was amazing to be part of that and i won't ever forget my encounter with "Richard" in Amsterdam's main square. Thank you for letting me be on team with you, Holy Spirit!
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