We are excited to announce the upcoming WIT conferences for 2011!
Dates- March 10-13
Place-Tampa, FL
Dates- March 31-April 3
Place- Lake Placid, FL
Dates- April 7-April 10
Place- Lake Placid, FL
Are you willing to do whatever it takes?
Are you willing to go after God, instead of having others do it for you? Are you willing to be real?
Are you willing to be released from the fear of being transparent?
“Success in marriage is not measured by the absence of misunderstandings, but rather by how quickly you course correct and reconnect after a conflict. If the words, “We need to talk,” strike fear in your heart, then this conference will give you the tools and confidence to pursue connection, overtake the host of issues you are facing and recover all God has ordained for your marriage. Newlyweds will gain valuable skills to keep little issues from becoming big ones. Mature couples will find new ways to resolve old problems and achieve lasting resolution.”
For more information on this conference including conference topics, pricing, and locations, please visit the Noble Call website. Noble Call Institute is the ministry of Chris and Ann Hogan.
We are blessed and excited to offer a full ten day Journey for mothers, for the very first time! Last year the Lord honored us with the opportunity to offer a shortened Journey for mom’s in order to give them a time of rest and refreshment.
This year, God has made it possible for us to hold a full length Journey to the Heart for mothers. We hope and pray that this will be an opportunity for the mother’s to have an incredible experience with the Lord, and with each other.
Dates:
Wednesday, September 22, 2010 – Saturday, October 2nd, 2010
Cost:
ATI Member: $50 per day (Total of $500)
Non ATI Member:$80 per day (Total of $800)
Travel Information:
The Journey will begin and end at IBLP headquarters in Oak Brook IL.
If Flying:
Please book your tickets to arrive on Wednesday September 22nd between 8:00AM and 5:00PM.
Please book your tickets to depart on Saturday October 2nd between 8:00AM and 7:00PM
Airports: Tickets may be booked for either Chicago Midway airport (MDW) or Chicago O’Hare airport (ORD). Pick up and drop off will be provided for both of these airports at no extra charge if flights are booked within the time frames specified above.
If Driving:
You are welcome to arrive at Headquarters any time between 9:00AM and 5:00PM on Wednesday, and you are welcome to depart at anytime on Saturday.
For directions use the following address:
707 West Ogden Ave, Hinsdale, IL 60521
As a note, registration for the Journey will actually be held at our Staff Center which is about an eighth of a mile up Adams road and to the right.
Items provided:
How to pack:
Journey Overview:
The Journey begins on Wednesday September 22nd with each attendee having a personal interview with Mr. Gothard at some point during the day. The first official session will start at 7:00PM Wednesday evening.
Thursday will be a time of completing personal interviews, getting to know team members, and teaching sessions on various topics such as Lies we Believe, how to Hear the Voice of God, and how to Prepare your Heart to Seek the Lord.
Friday all Journey attendees will travel up to the Northwoods of Michigan where the real Journey begins. For the next five days, (Saturday through Wednesday) there will be much individual time interspersed with group prayer and discussion time as the teams work through the Journey to the Heart binder, and simply take time to seek the Lord. In the evenings there may be speaking sessions, or various DVD messages or testimonies.
Monday will be a day of delighting in the Lord through fasting and seeking Him.
Thursday morning the teams will leave the Northwoods and return to Headquarters in time for an evening meeting. Friday will be follow up training, and practical counsel for going home. Saturday everyone will return to their homes and families.
Our hearts desire and prayer is that this will be a precious time of refreshing, healing, brokenness, and sweet fellowship with Jesus. The most wonderful thing on earth is to know and abide in the love of our Savior, and we hope that this Journey will be an opportunity for you to be reminded of how much Jesus loves you.
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19
When your registration has been confirmed we will be sending you some powerful material to help you prepare for the Journey.
If you have any questions, concerns, or needs including things you would like us to pray about before you come, please don’t hesitate to call, write, or email us.
It is our privilege to serve you.
May God bless you as you seek His face.
In Christ,
The Journey to the Heart Office
630-323-9800 Ext 522
JourneytotheHeart@iblp.org
When I attended the “Whatever It Takes” singles conference, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was in for! At first, when the conference began, it seemed like a normal type of conference. But once it all started, with a “bride and groom” coming down the aisle, it was evident we were in for a fun week. But the great thing about this conference was not only that it was fun, but also that a depth of truth was shared that few people want to talk about; that of moral bondage – and finding freedom. So much is hindered spiritually in an individual’s life when the responsibilities of ones moral life are neglected or hidden. As Scripture says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).
The powerful lessons and testimonies covered in the sessions are so needed in the lives of couples and singles alike; especially now! But one thing that amazed me personally in being at the conference was the salvation of the Lord Almighty from any human situation. The testimonies were so amazing as the people shared where they had been, and where God has brought them. It made me realize that we are never so low that He cannot reach us, and take us to a place we could never have pictured ourselves arriving to… and without His grace never would. The words from scripture rang true that week: “…a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Psalm 51:17) and “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).
The next WIT Singles’ Conference is scheduled for August 12-15th, 2010 in Indianapolis, IN. More information is available on the Whatever It Takes website.
(Pictured above, left to right) Top: Elijah Lloyd, Grant Anderson, Caleb Stevens, Ryan Barth, Johnathan Shepherd, Jesse Case, Reuben Lanctot, Nathan Burkhalter, Peter Corduan, Joshua Gonzalez 2nd Row: Keegan Martin, Jordan Steele, Daniel Hanson, Erwin Xia, Jordan Williams, Joshua Koehn, Micah Fortune, Cody Price, Josiah Schilling. 3rd Row: Jeremiah Stevens, Ian Boyes, Samuel Waller, Tony Lopez, Dr. Paine, Timothy Piotrowicz, Preston Cole, Carlos Lopez. Bottom Row: Joseph Wu, Peter Brecht, Joe Shepherd, James Staddon, David Waller, Juda Armas, Ezra Lanctot.
Those pictured above went on a Journey to the Heart this past week. Please pray for them as they are headed home and are striving the serve and honor God.
It’s a little hard to actually describe something like the WIT singles conference, because it involves SO MANY different, and sometimes opposite, emotions. But one word that describes it for me is REAL! It wasn’t about appearance, it wasn’t about pretense, it wasn’t about maturity or representation. It was about being honest and humble. It was about finding out and giving up the things that keep us from Jesus. They talked about the things which create distance between us and God, and discord between us and others. The lies we believe, the fears we have, and the sins we keep hidden. Truth after truth after truth was spoken, and then affirmed whether it was with a story, or a HILARIOUS skit, or Mr. And Mrs. Speed disagreeing right on stage. There was much pain and a lot of sorrow and grieving, but ultimately there was SO MUCH hope!
The amazing thing about the WIT conference is that the truths keep coming back to you. “Core lies” how many times I heard that phrase in three days I don’t even think I can count! I believed that they existed, and I heard the Speeds talking about them the whole time, I even probably knew what mine were; but my mind was so wrapped up in other things that I didn’t dive into that and root out those core lies and how they affected my everyday life. But, just recently I was thinking about different situations and why I reacted certain ways, and the realization of “I just reacted that way because I was hearing this lie, or that lie!” practically ran me over! It was amazing to see how what I had heard last year was coming back, and helping me to identify the root causes of some of my really dumb reactions and attitudes.
The very best part of the WIT conference itself though, was the communion on Saturday night. God was there. It was so incredible to be in the presence of a Holy God, and just give it all to Him. Lifting hands to heaven in praise of a God who loves, forgives, and NEVER fails. I can’t, I just can’t describe that. Those hours in that place blinded me with the truth that no matter how I fail, no matter how I falter, no matter how I let God down, He will never reject me, He will never condemn me. His blood covered ALL my sin, every mistake I will ever make, and it took away every bit of condemnation. God only looks on me with love! He desires to free me from the bondage of my sin and struggles, not judge me for my failures.
The truth, the fun, the times of discussion, the open hearts, the incredible fellowship of people seeking God was something that is rare, and so precious!
Perspective is a big part of life. It’s a big part of photography obviously too. Photography just channels your perspective to see what the artist wants you to see. It’s an endless game of finding the right height or twist of the camera to get an image just right. People spend fortunes learning how to see life through a camera. I know I have.
But today I was thinking back to a time in my life when my perspective was way messed up. A time when I thought that the way I was was the way I was going to be for the rest of my life. I had some deep habits that I really didn’t like and I couldn’t kick. And it left me more and more unhappy with myself everyday. I had deep agreements that I made with the enemy about myself, lies that I believed must be true about myself. Just like this image, my perspective of life and the freedom I have in Christ looked okay, but in reality I was totally upside down.
From the outside you might think I was a pretty good guy living life a step better than everyone else. Or that’s how I hoped everyone was seeing me. But on the inside I knew it wasn’t true. But I couldn’t find the truth because of my deep-seated pride. I was "doing okay!" At least that is what I thought from time to time. I figured I would get things straightened out on my own or learn to live with the way I was living life and be happy with it since there was obviously no other choices. I was bound by sin and pride. Changing was out of the question.
Through a series of events God was merciful enough to me to allow my habits to be exposed to some of the people I held dearest. I broke their hearts. It was then I was left with nothing but to find truth. My perspective was so wrong. I couldn’t see things right. Something inside me screamed it was over and there was no point in going on and to just give up trying. I could never change. But there was a small voice that said, "The only way out is to find truth and and the only way to find truth would be to humble myself." And no matter what I was to submit to the authority of my parents. That was hard. I knew at this point the only thing I had left in this world was my God. I realized that my life was not my own anyways. I was living as if I could make all the final decisions, and I needed to give that authority to my heavenly Father.
In my quest for truth I found the Psalms really spoke into the place where I was. One of the scriptures I really hung on to for strength was Psalm 30. The whole chapter is chuck full of what I needed for where I was at that time, but these verses especially meant the most and gave me right perspective.
" To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!"
God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. And as upside-down as our perspectives can get sometimes, God wants to see each and every one of us turn to him and live in his strength and freedom.
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
~Psalms 16:11
It’s time to confess and forsake these false joys of our hearts that leave us feeling empty and dirty and turn to the one who promises "fullness of joy" in his presence and true "pleasure" at his right hand.
Draw close to him and he will draw close to you. That is also promised in the Psalms. If you haven’t ever read that book of the Bible or it’s been a long time since you last did I would challenge you to go there with any questions you might have and see what Father answers you there. I can’t wait to hear what he shows you.
Praise God that he is a Father of mercy and second and third chances.
Resources I found helpful:
Scripture
The ultimate source of truth. I memorized a lot of it because I had to change my perspectives and thinking patterns.
Walking with God by John Eldredge
This book did more to challenge me and the way I saw myself before God than I think any other book. It explains what I meant by "agreements" with the enemy and lies we believe about ourselves. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages.
Your Relationship with God by Dr. Gary Smalley.
This is a book about Dr. Gary Smalley working through some hard times himself and it really encouraged me to build some practical disciplines into my own life.
Signing off for today. God bless your socks off,
Capture. Create. Discover.
Something Amazing!
Britton Felber
Britton attended the WIT! Singles conference in 2009. He is currently maintaining and perfecting a brilliant photography business, where he combines innovative, new concepts with hard work to produce a satisfying result for all his clients. Britton’s everyday life can include plane-hopping from one photography engagement to another. He also travels with his parents and five brothers visiting different places, where he enjoys capturing the beauty of God’s creation through his lens.
I went on a Journey to the Heart in 2007. I knew that I’d have some stuff I’d need to get cleared up before I left, as I didn’t really want to be calling home to confess stuff to my Mom. I’d been meaning to go for a while, but had simply procrastinated in my confessions to my mom. Finally, I realized I could hesitate no longer, and after confessing some of the transgressions to her one night, I signed up to go. As previously stated, I had confessed “some” of the things I’d done to her, using justifications such as “That’s a sin against God” or, “she doesn’t need to know” as excuses to not confess everything. These were just lies that Satan had used to keep me in bondage even longer. I went on the journey, and it didn’t seem like anything special. At this point in my life, I was in a stage of “spiritual deafness”. I knew God heard my prayers, but I believed I was too far away from him to hear the answers.
In a way, it was true, as sin can deaden the conscience and will prevent our spirit from communicating with God’s as a result. Despite this roadblock, God was good. I had one question on my mind going up on the journey, and through one of the other guys up there, God provided the answer to my question, and the next step for me. I was still in high school, but I was anxious concerning what I would do after I was finished. On my journey, God gave direction for the next step after graduation, and I was able to start preparing to go through Basic Training down at the International Alert Academy.
With the fact that I needed to prepare for Alert in mind, I was aware of the money needed, and physical preparation necessary to go to Basic Training, but had faith in God that, despite the fact I still could not clearly hear God’s voice, He’d revealed his direction, and would provide for it. During my final year of high school, I got a call from a friend concerning an offer to work for him doing landscaping over the summer. This was in reference to an off-handed comment I had made to him at a party one month before I’d gone on my journey, stating I thought it would be fun to work with him some time. Over the course of the summer, I got physically fit by way of spreading over an acre of mulch, and various other activities. During my time of employment with him, I made $300 more than was needed for Basic Training! To see God provide a way to get the necessary funds as well as providing me with an all-day workout schedule confirmed once again his direction in my life.
After bidding my employer and friend a farewell, and thanking him for the summer job, I departed to Texas for 9 weeks of intense physical and spiritual training. During that nine week period, I was in the word on a daily basis, memorizing, and meditating, but I still didn’t feel any closer to God, and I still didn’t feel as if I could hear his voice. The scriptures were not coming alive to me. I had no doubt about my salvation, but I was desperately aware that something needed to change. Even after finishing that program, I felt as if my relationship with God was merely confined to me getting in trouble, and Him getting me out again.
After the completion of Basic Training, there was a ten month period wherein I returned to neglecting the Word, and only praying in times of dire need, or when constrained to do so.
I heard about the WIT Singles conference about 3 weeks before it actually happened, with my sister planning on attending, and both her and my mom lobbying for my attendance. There were still those lies I believed about the sins which I’d committed in the past, and a new one had been added to the list. “Those are so far in the past, nobody would care about them anymore.” The truth was, they really weren’t all that far removed from the current time, and I still struggled with them occasionally. There was also a young lady whom I’d been interested in pursuing a relationship with, and so I signed up to go. Shortly after I signed up, events changed and I realized that the relationship I had envisioned wouldn’t work, but I was already signed up, so off I went.
Man, I did not know what I was getting into. Being in sessions all day doesn’t appeal to most people, but the material was refreshing, and surprisingly relevant. And to be perfectly honest, if you’re going to be hanging out in sessions all day, it might as well be with several other young people to converse with during breaks. Aside from the principles learned, the biggest for me of which was building a relationship with God, the biggest breakthrough I had was after the teaching on being completely open, and confessing everything, bar none, to your authorities, at the end of the week, I made a call home to my mom and just confessed to her everything, starting with the one thing I had been withholding from her for over 5 years. After that, I experienced such a joy and freedom, and as Paul Speed had mentioned earlier in the week, “You know you’re free when you’re able to make a choice. As a slave to Satan, you’re forced to do whatever he wants you to.” I had that freedom to make a choice. I also started experiencing the voice of God speaking to me, and giving clear direction from his Word.
Now, the hard part is going to be making the right choice every day, for the rest of my life, and by God’s grace, I will be able to.
Stephen is currently working at the IBLP Headquarters. For more information on the programs mentioned above, please visit: WIT! Ministries, The Alert Academy, or Journey to the Heart.
When Satan binds a father through hidden sin, he is free to enter the lives of each family member to torment them. Struggles in a child’s life such as rebellion, lying, fears, moral failures, and other problems are often a direct result of hidden sins in the father’s life. In Mark 3:27, Jesus said, “No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.”
If the enemy can bind the father through hidden moral failure, he can then easily plunder the father’s “goods”—his wife and children. Satan’s ultimate goal for destruction is not focused only on the father, but also on the man’s wife and children. Satan may even leave the father alone, once the father has given him access to his family through unconfessed sin. A father may be gaining victory over his own sin, but as long as he refuses to humble himself and make a full confession, Satan is free to actively torment his wife and children.
Our children are like mirrors that help us see our own lives more clearly. Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” Thus, if we see signs of rebellion, lust, or any other sin in our children, we must first ask ourselves where those sins are present in our own lives. Just as sin in a father’s life is a powerful tool for Satan, so a father’s open, humble confession is a powerful tool against Satan. A father’s honesty about his own sin releases him from Satan’s bondage and frees him to fulfill his role to his family as their protector.
~Paul Speed
4 Days 2 Freedom
WIT! Ministries
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)
❒ Examples in Scripture
● 2 Samuel 9—Mephibosheth was crippled from a very early age because his nurse believed that David was out to kill the descendants of Saul and Jonathan. He lived in a far away land, crippled and in fear, because he believed King David wanted to do him harm. In truth he was heir to the covenant between David and Jonathan, but was living in a desert because he believed, “I am nothing more than a dead dog.” David mercifully repeated the truth to him: to bless and restore him in the kingdom.
Just because we stumble and spiral downward time and again, only means that God continues to pursue us over and over again.
● 1 Kings 18–19:18—A great spiritual showdown had just taken place, with Elijah commanding the people to take a stand between which God they would serve. The prophets of Baal were slain, and the great drought miraculously ended. Jezebel sent a threat to his life, and he ran in fear. He stated his lie twice: “…I, even I only am left.” (1 Kings 19:10,14) God spoke the truth directly to his lie, “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal…”
❒ Danger of a Lie:
● Lies affect your relationships with others as well as with your heavenly Father. (Psalm 51:6)
● Your lies will feed the lies of others. Reactions based on a lie will reinforce the lies being spoken to others.
● Lies are used to excuse character flaws—a cop-out for shortcomings.
● Some traits attributed to “just my personality” are nothing more than a mask for the fruit from deep-seated lies.
● You are created in the image of God; Are these accusations against your character true of the attributes of God? Where in the character of Christ do you see your lie? What are we believing about ourselves that does not line up with God’s character?
Separate Person from Performance
Do the circumstances of life dictate who you are as a person? You may never “get it together” or be “as smart as” others, but does that change who you are in Christ? If nothing changes in your outward circumstances, are you still loved and accepted in Him?
❒ How Do We Believe a Lie?
1. Validation—Whoever you give the power to validate you, you also give the power to destroy you—invalidate you.
● Do NOT look for a spouse to meet your needs, and to fill voids in your life! Many marriages come to each other looking to take what the other person has that you want or are lacking.
● Disappointment comes by expecting from another what only God can give. Allow God to answer your core questions. (Isaiah 57:15; Micah 6:8)
2. Hurt/Rejection—The enemy comes in on the tail end of a wound with a lie
● Many times you are hurt or rejected by the very thing you look to validate you. If that painful experience is not responded to in the grace of God, bitterness will take root. Satan will add incident after incident throughout life to reinforce it.
3. Bitterness—Comes when we “sit down” and have a conversation with the Enemy.
● We shake hands with the Enemy and make an agreement
● If we do not take hold of the grace of God, you become the victim. Victims never get free. 4. Lie—Conclusions about your identity based on circumstances or acceptance by others.
● “Because of this circumstance (this person who hurt me), therefore I must be ___________ (worthless, stupid, on my own, etc.)”
❒ Use Irritations to Identify Core Lies
Allow God to show you the issues of your heart, one at a time, level by level. ● Ask God what is keeping you from discovering your lie?
● “Why do I react this way? Why do I have these habits? Why can’t I respond to others and engage emotionally? What is it inside me that leads me to choose to not lay my life down?”
● When we humble ourselves, take our own responsibility and die, God raises us up from the grave to walk in resurrection power.
● You cannot identify your lie and find the truth if you are hiding sin and/or bitterness. When the grace of God is resisted, freedom is bound.
● Certain facets of life, capabilities, abilities, failures, etc, may be true, but what is the deeper lie that pins that to your character? What is the deeper lie from the Accuser of your soul telling you about yourself as a person? i.e.: “I can’t do this or that, therefore I am ____________” (worthless, a ‘nobody’, etc.)
● Repent—take responsibility for making an agreement with the Enemy and agreeing to these lies, instead of just succumbing to the “fact” (lie) that he doesn’t love you, you’re not worth pursuing, you’re abandoned, etc.
● Cry out for God to show you your true character, of who you are in Christ, Whose image you are created in! Expose the lie you have accepted as truth for so many years, and renounce it in the name of Jesus.
❒ Speaking Truth to Others
“Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Engage – Pursue – Restore to Truth vs. Fear – Run – Abandon
● Satan is the Father of Fear and Lies who seeks to divide and conquer. (John 8:44)
● Lies are woven into the things that you fear.
● Reach into the lives of others when they are reacting. Ask them, “What are you afraid of?
Whatever is driving and tormenting you right now is not of God. What is the truth in this situation? What is this saying about His character?”
● When dealing with your children, look for possible lies they are believing which would affect their behavior. They may not always be in rebellion, but are hearing the Enemy’s lies, causing them to withdraw from the rest of the family.
● Just because you identify your lie, does not mean you won’t hear it again. But once you are on guard, you have the weapon of Truth to now recognize it as such, and can speak the Truth to it.
List of Common Lies:
● I don’t have what it takes
● I’ll never be man enough
● I’m not adequate for the task
● If I’m not perfect, I won’t be loved
● I’m Stupid
● I’ll never measure up
● I don’t fit/belong
● I’m just passive
● “He doesn’t love me—if he did, he would ___________”
● I am on my own—abandoned to do it myself
● I am not special, and have nothing to offer
● If I do not control, I will be hurt. I must protect myself
● I don’t need anyon!
● I’m worthless, not deserving
● I’m not needed
● I’m not worth pursuing
Personal Reflection:
❍ When you begin to spiral out of control, what are you hearing? (I’m an idiot, I’m inadequate, I’m on my own, etc.)
❍ What is your first memory of hearing this lie? Where was the grace of God resisted?
❍ When did you enter into a conversation, shake hands with the Enemy, and agree with the lies he fed you about yourself, your spouse, your children, or others?
❍ Identify Commands of Christ that have been violated.
❍ Take responsibility for having that conversation with the Enemy.
❍ Take your questions to God, and allow Him to answer.
❍ Cry out to renounce the lie, and speak truth to replace it. (Speak it out loud!!!)
❍ Resist bitterness, grab hold of God’s grace, and walk in His Truth.
(Photo via Flickr)
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