My name is Antony, Lead Pastor if Mavuno Church-Hillcity Campus in Nairobi, Kenya. I was connected to Freedom Prayer was while I was going through Onward Church Planting Training In 2019. We had come for an Onward intensive session in Nashville and part of the itinerary was to experience Freedom Prayer.
Before the Freedom Prayer experience, the Lord had revealed to me about the ministry and leadership wounds I have been carrying for many years. Because of these wounds I have been struggling with rejection and low self-esteem. I was angry and bitter with leaders who hurt and betrayed me in the different seasons of my leadership and ministry journey. Unconsciously I had believed some lies peddled by the enemy about myself and ministry future. I was almost giving up on my calling and Kingdom dream because I didn’t have the strength to fight again.
During the Freedom Prayer, the Lord showed me and the facilitators some of the lies I had allowed to define my life. The wounds from my spiritual leaders had built a wall around me that made it hard for me to trust people. I was suspicious and focused on men’s approval rather than God’s. I was made to believe that I had to perform to be accepted. I was able to confront the lies with God’s ultimate truths about me. I am a Son of God and not a slave. My identity is in God and not in my performance. During the prayer session, I heard the voice of the Lord say ‘I am the Lord your Father and your Shepherd’.I sensed my Father’s love and goodness towards me as we prayed. Because of that experience, I was able to forgive and let go of every single person that had hurt me. I confessed of being manipulative, controlling and proud as a leader. I felt much lighter and at rest after the experience.
The facilitators were in the Spirit as they shared about Isaiah 61 over my life. That Word has continued to define my ministry journey. The biggest testimony for me after the Freedom Prayer experience is that I have a new perspective about everything that happens to me. Regardless of what happens to me I now know that I am a Son of the King and I am loved by Him. My relationships have improved and I longer take offense or harbor resentment in my heart.
I recommend Freedom Prayer to any leader in ministry and in the corporate world.