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A Generation IS Emerging
Yohaan Philip reports on Newday 2009, Norwich, UK
There’s something about the presence of God made manifest that is tough to put down in words. How do you aptly describe the thrill in your heart when you see people experience the forgiveness of God? Or when a girl blind in one eye has her vision restored? Or when the Word of God is preached with such authority and power that you know deep down in your gut that His Holy Spirit is about to do something great? You’ve got to have been at Newday to experience that thrill.
This was my first Newday. I had been suitably prepared by some more experienced friends about the joys and pains of what lay ahead of me. Yes, pains – you wake up at 3am to the incessant sound of girls giggling in the next tent only to find your tent un-pegged. Some people found their sun tan lotion replaced with mayonnaise after they had rubbed it into their skin. One unfortunate young lad even had a doughnut launched at him like a projectile missile, from a catapult! But I count this all loss compared to knowing the presence of Christ my Lord.
Rapturous Applause
One of the ways to gauge the pulse of Newday is the rapturous applause that punctuates the worship and the preaching of the Word. And it is a strange phenomenon that 7,000 young people never missed the timing! When you hear glorious truths about Christ preached or sung, one cannot but respond in spontaneous expressions of acknowledgment. Simon Brading’s new song on the resurrection of the Lord, and Jordan Dillion’s Praise the Lord O My Soul quickly became crowd favourites as we rejoiced in the powerful doctrinal truth of the resurrection of Jesus. Matt Redman and Phatfish lead us into some very precious times of soaking in the love of God as they drew our gaze to the splendour and majesty of the Triune God who delights over us with singing.
Such Anticipation
One of the highlights of the conference was Mike Pilavachi. The extent of the impact he had on us was evidenced by the thunderous applause he got when he appeared in the Newday review video a couple of days after he had left!! Mike allowed for a time where we waited on the Holy Spirit, and it’s tough to describe what followed. People were laughing and crying and screaming and jumping and… So, the next night, Mike explained why he couldn’t explain what had happened! When you relinquish control to the Spirit, he takes control. There was such an anticipation of God’s Spirit descending that night and we weren’t disappointed. Hundred’s went forward to be filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues for the first time.
At Newday, over 350 people responded to the gospel - many for the first time. And over 300 people were healed from various illnesses. Whoever said God is dead?!
It was a powerful experience to see young people from all across the United Kingdom, the European continent and the rest of the world come together to worship Jesus. God placed the nations on hearts. A generation of people are stirring, coming alive. Jesus said,‘I will build my church’ and he is carving living stones out of his quarry.
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