The Introduction

I’ve been to these retreats before, but it’s been over three years since the last one and so the teaching was a good refresher for me.

The key to dealing with sin and strongholds in our lives is fourfold—repent, renounce, break and bless—and we did this as a group, repeating after the leader, phrase by phrase for each area covered: the spirits of Pride, Doubt and Unbelief, Rejection, Guilt/Shame/Condemnation, Abuse/Abusing, Sexual Impurity, Fear, Bitterness, Heaviness and Death. A lot to cover in less than 24 hours! Sometimes we made symbolic gestures, like removing the crown of pride and putting on the cloak of humility. It was explained to us that our action in the physical releases action in the spiritual realm.

I went to the retreat, praying for a miracle, and when the leader told us of the words that came to the team as they prepared for the weekend, my hopes were encouraged.
1. Breakthrough—with joy, laughter, release and freedom. This is exactly what I had come for!
2. Sanctity—turning away from sins that hold us back.
3. Action—a word that was often repeated. Jesus said that the kingdom comes with force and forceful men take hold of it. We are to press in. “Press! Press! Press!” he said.
4. Filled—chains being broken. I remembered the vision God gave me of being in a small, dark hut and how I had to choose whether to stay in the chains that shackled me or walk into the unknown.