Tabitha Arise Ladies Retreat(15 -18th February 2019)/ Jesus Retreats with His Disciples

Matthew 14:22-23

“Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there”.

• Perpetually, Jesus withdrew from people, daily life activities, and the demands of His ministry to be alone with the Father and pray.
• This is how He began his ministry - “At once the Spirit sent [Jesus] out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan.” (Mark 1:12).
• It’s how He dealt with the constant demands of His ministry and cared for His soul - “Despite Jesus’ plea that his miracles be kept secret, the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16; also Mark 1:45)
• It’s how He dealt with grief - “When Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been beheaded, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.” (Matthew 14:1)
• It’s how He taught His disciples and made important decisions - “Jesus went out to a mountain side to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him.” (Luke 6:12-13) - “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray.'” (Luke 11:1)
• It’s how he prepared for important ministry events - “Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.” (Mark 9:2)
• It’s how he prepared for his death on the cross - “They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.'” (Mark 14:32).
• Jesus, our greatest example demonstrated the importance of retreating, getting away from the multitudes so that His ministry would be fruitful and effective.

To Receive Divine Instructions through Divine Communication

• Jesus did only what His Heavenly Father instructed Him.
• John 5:19(NKJV) 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
• If Jesus did not set aside time to be with the Father and to commune with Him, He would not have known the heart or the desires of the Father.
• What He saw His Father doing, so Jesus too did the same, no wonder His ministry was fruitful, Jesus always wanted to please His Heavenly Father, to do the will of the Father and not His own will so I believe He saw it necessary to check with the Father that He was still on the right track and has not gone off track.
• That should be our goal and desire too.
• That is why time has been set aside once again for us to go and commune with the Father, away from the multitudes (which come in many forms) worries and thoughts, children, spouses, parents…etc, our jobs and businesses, even our ministries + church activities, our homes.
• Anything that is capable of distracting our focus off Jesus is a multitude.
• Jesus sent the multitude away and went up on the mountain alone to pray that He may receive from the Father.

To Receive Spiritual Strengthening, Empowerment & to Replenish

• Luke 22:42-44 (NKJV) 42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.
• Jesus also received the strength and the power to perform the miracles which He did. He healed the sick, opened blind eyes, made the lame to walk, fed the multitudes and delivered those possessed with demons, taught the Word of God with such authority and conviction.
• If the Holy Spirit does not empower us, outside of ourselves we can do nothing.
• John 15:4-6(NKJV) 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing”.
• All the miracles and the work Jesus did took a lot out of Him so taking time out allowed Him to replenish or to recharge, this was necessary to continue an effective and fruit-producing ministry.
• God has a purpose for each one of us and it is through continual fellowship with Him that we too will be able to enter into purpose as clearly demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Confidence in God and boldness in ministry.

• John 11:40-42 (NKJV) 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone [a]from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

• Jesus did not stutter or was unsure of Himself or unsure of  what to do in the presence of the people.
• He was confident that whatever He asked the Father will be done, why because Jesus had aligned Himself to the will of the Father through daily communion with the Father.
• Our own ministries can be just as fruitful, if we can maintain a genuine fellowship with the Father and align ourselves with His will then whatever we ask, He will grant us.
• For some of us, this retreat may serve as a booster, to move you to the next gear in your walk with Christ and for others, it may be a starting point to your continual divine fellowshipping with Jesus.
• Whatever the circumstance, let us begin to prepare our hearts and look forward to retreating with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV) 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

• He that knows our every weakness, He will be on the standby to instruct us, to correct us and to strengthen and empower us.
• It is our Lord and Saviour who is able to help us. God has been beseeching us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, Jesus is able to help us where we are struggling, so make an appointment to meet up with Jesus at the retreat.
• If your desire is to produce fruit for the Kingdom of God and to enter into His fullness, solitude with Jesus is essential, we must begin now and at the retreat, let Jesus put His stamp of approval on our lives and from there henceforth, He will begin to send us out two by two into the nations of the earth.

PRAYERS

• Thank God for our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ who has demonstrated to us the importance of solitude and daily communion with the Father.
• Thank You also Lord for the forth-coming retreat, a time You have set aside for women to come and meet up with the Saviour Jesus Christ.
• As we ready ourselves for this retreat, Father help us to get rid of the physical multitudes and those of our minds so that nothing will distract our divine communion with Jesus.
• Lord use this retreat as a turning point for every woman where dead ministries will be resurrected, new ministries will be birthed and life purposes will be realised in Jesus’ name.
• Father, may the weight of Your glory be so heavy over us and cause us to surrender our will to You, that You may begin to use us as You wish in Jesus’ name.
• For every heart that is expectant and hopeful to meet up with Jesus at this retreat, Lord let none of our expectations be cut off in the mighty name of Jesus.
• For every woman You have purposed to be at this retreat, Lord cajole them and provide for them financially in Jesus’ name.
• Father we place every planning, from the smallest to largest into Your capable hands, we ask that the Holy Spirit take responsibility of every detail concerning the preparation of this forth-coming retreat in Jesus’ mighty name.