Rejoice! Our names our written in Heaven

We arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica and the only information we knew was to hop on a green bus. So we put our trust in the Lord and hopped on that green bus, late that night. Our squad dropped off two teams first, then another two teams, and finally after 3ish hours my team was dropped off in an unknown location. 

Our Host, Phil and Gaby greeted us, brought us in and showed the girls their room, and Nathan and I our room. There was three random Costa Rican men sleeping in our small room, but nevertheless at 4am I went right into sleep. 

The next morning, I woke up around 7 full of energy. I was in a city called Turrialba, I sat down and had coffee and breakfast with the host. We talked about the ministry and how we all ended up here. I immediately knew we were going to love it here. I then looked around and saw how beautiful it was here. The volcanoes, birds, trees, etc. Then I got to meet all the locals at the house. There is probably 14 of them here, ready to serve the Lord. 

(view from my bed)

 It was a rest day for us, but our host asked if we wanted to go do ministry that night. So that is what we did, jumped right into it. We hopped in a car and drove about twenty minutes to a house out of town. The family had a little boy who had been seeing dark shadows in his room at night. He had not been able to sleep, and it was not the first time. 

This household was experiencing spiritual warfare, and we got to go cast the enemy out. We read scripture, we prayed over the house and the family, and we worshiped in the house. The little boy could not say the name of Jesus when we arrived. But after calling upon the Lord and filling the house with praise the boy was able to speak Jesus.  

In scripture, we see Jesus Cast out demons, and in Luke 9:1-2 it says, “When Jesus had called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

Later on in Luke, Jesus sends out seventy two others. and in Luke 10:17-23 they return. 

¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”

¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

²¹ At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²² “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

²³ Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. ²⁴ For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

It is truly amazing, Our names are written in heaven! But yet we get so caught up in the world. Praise God!!!!