Let’s Ramp it Up! By Lisa Burkhardt Worley, D.Min.

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

(2 Corinthians 5:20)

Over four weeks ago, I became an Executive Pastor within a church, and the same week this happened, I received an email addressing me as “pastor” and inviting me to a Messianic pastor’s prayer retreat in Woodland, Washington. I thought, How did they know I am a Messianic pastor now? I believed this invitation was significant, and after receiving a green light from my husband and the senior pastor of our new church to attend, I made plans to travel to Washington State for this event.

The retreat is being put on by the largest Messianic Jewish group in the world, led by Rabbi Boris Grisenko. The Kingdom Jewish Messianic Confederation (KJMC) is based in Kyiv, Ukraine. The KJMC oversees sixteen active congregations and Jewish groups in Ukraine, and KJMC now has 56 congregations overall across eight countries, including the United States.

Since many attending are either Russian or Ukrainian, I felt out of place on the first day. There was an hour-long time of upbeat worship with dancing, all in Russian. I loved it, remaining in my seat and clapping in rhythm, but by the next day, I was dancing with the group.

The prayer time was about an hour and intense. Hi volume. Many spoke in a prayer language. I thought that if anyone from outside walked in, they would think we are a cult. And the messages were end-times focused, speaking about eternity, the shaking going on in the church right now as Christ prepares His bride, and charging us to fight the good fight of faith.

So why am I here? What am I taking away that can also help you?

• I realized that as people of God, we need to exhibit His joy more than we do. The worship and the dancing were full of joy and high energy. I kept thinking that many who were at the event came over from Ukraine, where there is war going on, but they clearly have not let the war steal their joy. Nehemiah said, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV).

• I also realized that as the oppression against Jews and Christians rises, we have to intensify our prayers and war in the Spirit. I think of Charlie Kirk’s senseless murder. As Christians and Jews, we are on the frontlines. Many dislike us because of our faith and are actively trying to silence us. The simple popcorn prayers don’t work anymore. We must pray with authority and bind evil from our lives. We must take a firm stance in these last days. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12).
  

• We must overcome all the setbacks in our lives and claim victory over them. One of the speakers, Jonathan Bernis, the founder of Jewish Voice Ministries, shared his testimony about how he almost died from liver failure. He told us to get rid of our “Why God” list. Instead of bemoaning the problems in our lives, we have to trust that God is using them for His glory. We need to proclaim eternity and fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). The enemy wants nothing more than to make us feel ineffective because of life’s setbacks.

I am going back to the retreat for one last session today. I am expectant because I know God has me here for a reason. I believe this retreat is a type of commissioning as I move forward in a pastoral role, but the truths that I have learned are also for you. Let’s ramp up our joy. Let’s increase our prayer life. Let’s live in victory!

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