Let Your Spirit Overwhelm Me

So I wanted to expound a bit on the whole spiritual warfare thing.

I've never really been to sure what spiritual warfare FEELS like.. I mean I've expierenced it before in ways like bad things happeneing in a row that seem coincidental.

But in Tokyo, I felt what I could only describe as an unexplainable weighty-ness at certain times. Especially when we ventured to downtown Tokyo, to the WTC and Tokyo Tower. It was so bad I had to get down on my knees in the rail station and cry out my love to Jesus... and again as a team at the Tower. After that second time I felt 100% better, which was very comforting but very noticably different. I will definetly make it a point to get on my knees more often ... my God inside of me is truly greater than he who is in this world.

Amen.

Osaka!!

Okay hello! Sorry I havn't updated my blog since I've been in Osaka very much :)

Long story short the church were staying at is AMAZING :)

Like the people are so cool.. the worship leader, "Masa" has long black hair and funky style but most importantly he is very hungry to try new things and join with us on our "IHOP stuff" hehe :)

Love it.

Its also refreshing that there are some Americans and English speakers as well, quite a few. We've been doing a bunch of ministry, and I've even been set free from the spirit of performance in a large measure.

...really theres no way a blog can capture the awesomeness of this trip :)

God has taken care of us SO much.

I have only had to pay for one small meal since I've been to Osaka, cuz I insisted.

The Japanese people are amazing, end of story.

-Jeffrey Simonson

Well...

Turns out the church were staying at has internet, and 4 computers for us to use.!!

So last night was pretty tight!!

We ended up going to Shubuya (spelling?) Crossing, which is the largest crosswalk area in the world pretty much.

We broke out in some caroling and worship/gospel music! Drew some small crowds and stuff and prayed over a good amount of people, etc made some friends :) very awesome.

On our way home we experienced our first train squish. and by that I mean getting on a subway so packed you have 5 Japanese men literally crammed against you on all sides. It was kinda funny, but my back hurt afterwards.

After that LONG day, we woke up this morning at 5 to board the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) for Osaka... it was pretty darn fast I'll just say! I got to see Mt. Fuji on my way over here!

Okay, now to sum up Osaka: Uhhh... awesome. Its like this HUGE... HUGE,.... HUUUUUUUGE HUGE HUGE never ending city, but it feels different then Tokyo, like a lot ... better. :)

And the people were staying with? Awesome...!
We straight up did a Harp & Bowl workshop on the spot for a few hours, taught them how we do it IHOP Style! It was awesome, got a intercession set going and at least two rapid fire lines going ;)

Then we did a 3 hour prayer meeting where our team played worship and prayed and invited the Holy Spirit to do good things. etc etc :)



Anyways I'm mega tired again/. haha. SLEEEEP.

Mega big props shout outs to B.Nosler, for bein the only one to let me know what she thinks bout my bloggin. haha

Love ya'll. Muchi muchi.

Goodnighto maxo, from JP

The CrossRoads

Hello.

First off, going to be a short update.
Must get up in 4 hours to catch some trains then board a 2.5 hour train ride on the Bullet Train to Osaka.

The church were staying at wont have internet so there probably wont be any updates realistically for the next week.

Long stories short:

Last night we had an amazing 3 hours prayer session where the Holy Spirit broke out.
Lots of crying and weeping, more Lord

Today we moved a LOT of furniture.
Went to umm Shubuyu (spelling?) Crossroads, which is probably the busiest crosswalk in the WORLD. It was amazing.

Did some caroling/gospel there and did outreach as well as praying for people. Very good things.

Anyways I forced myself awake to write this, I'm going to sleep now.

Pray for finances.
I've got about 5 dollars to my name in my pocket and not much more in my bank.

8052342376
is my mums number if you wanna help support me, shes the one to contact!

Love and blessings, pray for strength, fruitfulness, increasing of faith and heart.

Jeffrey Scott Simonson

Today!

So 4 of us went to the eye doctor and cell phone store today, and the rest of the 9 walked to the shopping mall nearby. I went to the mall :)

We did prayer walking and singing the whole way, and just sat and worshipped God in the courtyard for a good 25 minutes! Then we went in and prayer walked the store, played worship songs on a piano and attempted to treasure hunt. I was a little shy though.. the Language barrier is intimidating.

Now in a few minutes we are going to TCU (Tokyo Christian University) to minister and talk to some students. It is a very conservative school. Pray for favor and an open door for love.

Also pray for strength.

On a side note, the people here are so nice... :-]

but so many need hope and love, you can see it on their faces, especially the railways.

Jesus reigns!

Amen

Tuesday (Worship, T-Tower)

Yesterday was quite amazing, especially for a "day off"

We started it off by getting all ready, doing a hour and a half of corporate worship and then praying and ministering prophetically. Our Korean team mates really got called forth in their destiny, as we spoke the truth over them and broke some chains off them.

God also showed me a few things He wants to do with me in the future, including setting the captives free and how me and my wife are going to be symbols of hope (in Christ Jesus) for the hopeless.

Praise the Lamb! :)

After that we left for down town Tokyo.

We ate at a grocery bstore on the way there, and were entirely too loud (silly Americans :] ).

Then we continued walking to the railway, but our team leader Toni-Lynn forgot her inhalers and was having real trouble, so me and Paul Kim ran all the way back home and got them and had Jennifer drive me and him back to the group, where we then boarded the rail system.

Also it should be said that a lot of time is spent on the railways. We switch trains 2 or three times just getting from our house to where were going next, and many times the cars are super packed!!

Anyways, next we got off at the main Tokyo station and proceeded to go to the World Trade Center in Tokyo so we could see the Tokyo-Tower. Somehow we asked a few times on the 39th floor and a CEO of a company (which were pretty sure has very close ties to Exxon Mobile??) let us ALL into their private top floor party to have a grand view. Such favor.

Pray for that CEO, that he would be a Cyrus for the Kingdom of God in Japan.

Also pray for the door assistant Magumi, a very proficient English speaking girl. She spent a year in California, and sounded just like my Korean room mate back in Missouri, haha! Let God encounter her in a mighty way!

Anyways, then off to the tower! We boarded taxi's and got off.

We bought tickets and intended to go to the very top but when when we got to the main observatory which was halfway up, we found out the top closed at 9:30 (phooey!). .. but wow was the view AMAZING!. I even spotted a bridge over the Tokyo Bay that is lit up like a rainbow and every 15 feet there was a touch-screen with a time-lapse night to day view of your current position. There was also a 3x5' glass floor panel that you could walk over and that was pretty scary from up so very high, heh.

Long story short we went home after all that, debriefed and I fell hard asleep.

There is more to the story, such as the spiritual warfare that we encountered, but I will save that for my next post.

Blessings and honor and love to you,

Jeffrey Scott Simonson

Much Needed Update

(Don't forget that I am 17 hours ahead of California time)

So Monday we met some members of the Altar-HOP (House of Prayer) in Tokyo.

Long story short we went on whats called a treasure hunt, where you pray to God to show you things and people and places prophetically so you can minister to people.

Well God led my leader to a man in an video game shop, who ended up asking Jesus to come into his life and show Himself to him. So awesome!! Jesus touch that man. I'll

Outside and just to the left of that Video Game shop was a fortune telling place, where people were lined up inside to meet the reader. A few feet outside were two girls who were waiting for almost two hours, and God showed me two very simple things for them, that one was called to be a dancer for Jesus, and that the other had a heart for justice.

Long story short the entire group ended up prophetically ministering to them and praying that Jesus would reveal Himself to them, because asking to receive Jesus into your life is a very big descision in Japan (as it should be anywhere). It was awesome though two other team mates got words from the LORD that lined up exactly with what He showed me in my heart about them. It feels very good knowing that you hear from the LORD, even if its in small impressions.

I believe the two girls names were Kyoko and Nana(?).

Please pray that my ears would be increasingly opened to what the Father is saying in every moment, and the boldness to act upon those things so that I may grow.

Pray also for UNITY among the team, though we have had much, there have been moments of misunderstanding. Pray that we would continue to grow, especially me. I seem to have the most growing to do, though I bow before Jesus and say 'Yes!'

Tuesday, 14, 2010

Okay Day 3 in Japan!

Not much time to update the blog today, but last night was super cool and fun.

Think were heading out to Tokyo downtown today.

The trains are fast but still takes a good amount of time to get around.

Journaling

I have been Journaling my time here..

Hopefully I can transfer some of that to here :)

Peace and blessings

Mark 10:30

Mark 10:29-30 (New International Version)

²⁹ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰ will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.

Oh my gosh.

SOOoooo Good!

This verse just hit me yesterday.. that no matter where we go, where there are believers, we have FAMILY! Every church, every house of prayer, every missionary.... Family.

I love you :)

My Flight

PS - Me and my flying buddy took a unique route from the rest of the team and had a 19 hour lay-over in New York City. I had never been there and was quite excited.

We got to venture downtown and meet an old IHOP friend (Paul Eastman) who is helping run a Justice House of Prayer in downtown financial district.

So very cool!

We attended a 3 hour prayer meeting of theirs, ate some local food.

The prayer meeting was awesome, some good harp-n-bowl.

I felt a great and tangible hope for NYC, and I fell in love with the people and culture even in that short time, just as I am so far in Japan.

Then we stayed with Paul and he drove us to the airport in the morning.

Had a nice 14 hour flight :)

PSS - Were not exactly staying in Tokyo, its a suburb nearby, but we will be traveling there.

Talk later, limited computer access for myself.

I LOVE YOU JESUS!!! THANKS FOR SENDING ME!

In Japan!

Hello everyone :)

MAde it into Japan yesterday, and just got done doing some shopping for our stay here.

Had some amazing time with the Lord today, about to do some team worship time and prayer, and going to a prayer meeting locally tonight.

Met a really nice local woman today in the store. I was smiling so big the whole time/...

I love this place! !

----

So were staying with our friend Jennifer Gracey, whose place was quite the mess when we arrived (not her fault, she inherited quite a messyness from people who were staying before) and we have spent much for the morning serving her by cleaning up the place. It looks great!!

My time with the Lord has been great.

Pray for Unity, Boldness, Endurance, Quick-Adapting/Maturing, Joy and Breaking of Hearts for the Locals.

Lovingly Jeffrey Simonson!

Tickets Acquired!

I have a 37 hour trip from Kansas City to Tokyo!

including a epic 19.5 hour layover in JFK!

HERE WE GO!!!

Plus Fifteen hundred!

God has come through! Booking my tickets tonight!

Blessinsg on that, have a long day ahead, but wanted to spread the good news, Gotta go nap now and get ready!!! :)

New Team Member!

A new member was added to the team today! :)

Paul Kim !!!

Oh I see the rain!

So last night my friend from Kansas City came and picked me up for a night to hang out (he is older than me by a few decades). We went out to dinner which was amazing and then took me to a mens group he is apart of. It was awesome! Got to be real with some fellow men, share about IHOP and my Japan trip and speak some of the Father's heart to fellow struggling brothers.



Iron sharpens iron.

May God bless those men!



Onto today!

The enemy is trying to attack, ha. I got the debt collectors from two different angles trying to yell down my throat for some things that were supposed to be taken care of.

Praying protection and grace and making a few phone calls, but not worried. :)



Onto MORE good news!:

Got to hear awesome testimonies from back in California.

I was talking to my friend who is just finishing up a Youth With a Mission (YWAM) EMT-Crisis Response school in San Fran, when I got to ask about her sister, Allison, who attends Biola University. She then mentioned how some "house of prayer people" had recently came and rocked her school and planted amazing seeds among good soil, even changing her life. Its then that i realized that my room mateshad gone on that ministry trip... and were apart of the group sent to Biola.

A few questions later and my Team Japan leader, Toni-Lynn, remembers completly meeting and praying and hanging with Allison for a few days!



Jesus is so rad! That my current room mates would be able to go and change my friend's life in California! Wow!



Also the other night, God showed me another aspect of His majesty; He showed me that a flame of fire never stops moving. It is constant energy, constantly consuming, constantly wanting to expand. The ultimate expression of passion. Thats my GOD! The All-Consuming Fire!



Prayer requests:

• That I would be SLOOWWWWW to offense.


• That i would increasingly hear the Fathers voice, in all ways
  

TEN DAYS!!!

Oh my goodness, ten days!

Fasting and praying that I'll be totally blessed beyond anything in Japan.

Still need about $2000!
JESUS I trust you! :)

Update :) - Struggles, Overcoming, Determination, and Mystery

Hello!!! :)

So here I am, at last.
This whole blogging thing can admitedly be hard to keep up with at time!

Anyhow, lets update shall we?

God has been surely steering my life... revealing my heart and the lies that I have been believing during times of testing. Without going into crazy details lets just say there are things that I needed to get free of before going to Japan. there was even a point where I cryed out to God, "Jesus, its NOT WORTH IT to go to Japan if this is what my life is, I give myself to your hands, only you can help"

Oh and how he did! He proceeded to remove things from my life I was unwilling to do myself, untill my eyes slowly opened and I was left with the mighty iimpression; I have no option but to fully submit to this Man sooner rather than later.

...and I did, because He has proven over and over that He is trust worthy!
Anyways Lifes been great even during the times of testing and after them.

New tests of course have arisen, but I am always choosing to take the posture of 'not my way, but yours Lord, do what you want, show me the way!'

~

So we've been increasingly meeting about Japan and having intercession meetings. It has been so good! Were slowly growing closer as a team and God is revealing His heart and intents for this team. Some of those that I have identified are; Love, Unity, Dying to Self, Walking in Resurrection Power, Finding Joy in the Midst of Oppression, Trust, Belief, Faith, etc.

I for one have believed from the moment I signed up that God wants me to go on this trip and will provide. As long as I have remained steady in my belief that going is in His will, there has been no doubt about His provision. What a gift God has given me! Thank you jesus!

So.. Where am I now?

-Well I am finally getting real serious about this support thing, as God has givin me the heart to reach out to my friends and just ask. So I am begining to see God come through just like so many have prophecied he would for me. Pray that God would give me an ABUNDANCE of finances, so that I may bless everyone around me during this time of sending and especially in Japan... I would love to show God's love through the simple act of giving and listenening to a young Japanese man/teen/'s heart and speaking love to him over a good meal. :-)

-As far as my intentions about the Illustrated Book of Revelation (though a seemingly unrelated item), it has been somewhat on the backburner, but I have completed a general outline in my study guide of all the passages I would like illustrated. Pray that God would provide partners for me in this.

-Had to spend 14 of my dollars on the new Jesus culture CD/DVD combo. I'm trying to pay for music that I want now adays. I'm very excited though about this new release. Pray that someday I will somehow be able to bless Jesus Culture back!

-Attending the prayer room every opportunity I get. Which is NOT as often as you would think or I would like. Pray that God would continue to bless IHOP and continue to grow the community here as a whole.

-I am attempting to go deeper in Jesus in the simple way of asking questions of Him. 'What do you have for me today Lord?', 'How could I have done that in a more loving way?', 'How can i serve those around me?'

So in to finish I would like to ask you: Will you partner with me in sending citizens of the Kingdom to Japan, that we may show them the love of our ever-so-worthy KING?

I check this email everyday:
kingcalamari@gmail.com

Bless you, and please send me prayer requests!
Willing Servant,
Jeffrey Scott Simonson

So here is a transcript of a message I wrote to a very close
friend to Hiedi Baker. They are both full time ministers in Africa who
experience constant miraculous works of the Living God and His constant
Love! I copied my reply here because it seemed like an adequate and quick
way to update everyone of my current situation briefly.

Thanks for the quick message :)

I LOVE HIM!!!! He is sooo sooo sooo faithful.
He turns my mourning into dancing :D

...So he gave me a dream two nights ago about a book that would contain the essence of the Book of Revelation in text but dedicated to telling the story through pictures.

Basically a Picture-Book naration of Book of Revelation. I'm currently going through my study guide by Mike Bickle (a SUPER handy item) and sorting out all the verses and sections I want to illustrate. In the meanmtime I'll be praying and searching for a person or team to draw, paint, create these visuals.. and especially for the creative devine revelation to acuratly portray the most Holy of Holy's... I know that no mere painting can portray the throne room but I believe that with the right art style and approach a sense of the majesty can be glimpsed without downplaying the absolutly unparalleled glory of His presence.

Also, He has put it on my heart to rid Tokyo's rail systems of their demonic suicide strongholds. I want to take teams to every boarding station and wage war in complete victory. Many Many Many people have killed themselves at these areas, throwing themselves into the bullet trains. Japan's overall suicide rate is OVER DOUBLE the USA's and is ranked #4 highest suicidal country in the world...

I don't think I can defeat this spirit of death alone or in one trip, but I want to make my stand and destroy the pits of doom, erecting towers of light and hope in their place.

God help me
:)

Please pray protection, strength, increased joy & freedom and a much bigger heart for me in this and so much more. Forgive me if I'm just giving you one more big email to read, even your small quick replies mean a lot to me from someone with such responsibilities as you. The work all of you do in Africa is not just a source of freedom for Africans, but continues to be an inspiration to many like me in America who realize that this life of faith is for REAL and that our King is REAL and provides for his Beloved.. that we can step out in radical faith.

Praying for the IRIS Ministries & You,
Jeffrey Scott Simonson

Hey quick update!!

Last Thursday we had "A Taste of Japan" which was an event our team hosted to create awarness for our cause (Revival in Japan from seeing Jesus!!), raise support, and pour blessings out in the form of Sushi made from our good friend Chriss, a professional sushi chef.

It went amazing!!! About 60 people came! At first the enemy was ahgainst us but our fearless leaders pressed through, singing songs of worship (English AND Japanese-sing-alongs haha) and leadings us in prayers and taking an offering at the end.

Then came the sushi goodness!! Oh man!
I reallyyy dislike sushi, but wow this was GOOD! I ate like 12 of them and the rice was soooo good.

After this about 10 guests remained and we got ministered and prophecied to which was amazing as well. Some words that were confirmed were that I am to be a long-term missionary in Japan (confirming what I already heard from the Lord) and that God is using Japan to provoke Isreal to jealousy for the lord (Joanna heard from the Lord earlier in the weak that this Japan trip had a large connection with Isreal but didn't understand it.)

..and to top it off we spent like 23 dollars in set-up and recieved about a THOUSAND dollars in donations :)

GOD IS SOO SOOOO GOOD!

Other updates:

- I still need 99% of my $3000, help me pray that amount in and continue to ask God what roll He wants you to play in His pursuit of the Japanese heart!! :)

- Two of our team leader's (Joanna Patton & Toni Lynn) are going with IHOPU (IHOP's University) to California for a mass outreach blitz! Pray that God moves in my homeland and protects our peoples from IHOP!!

- There also taking both laptops with them to California (since they're my roomies) so I will have very limited email/blog access. Forgive my absence.

Blessings and Honor!
Jeffrey Scott Simonson

Getting started :)

Hello this is my first post!

Lets use this brief time to get you updated very shortly;

• Going to Japan: December 9th -25th (ish)
• Need $3000 total so far
• I am currently living in Kansas City, Missouri. God has blessed me with a free place to stay and as much food as I could want, etc. WOW!
• Working as a carpet cleaner paying off bills and raising what little i can on my own for support
• Attending the IHOP-Global prayer Room when I can.. love it!! ihop.org
• Im learning the Piano

More to come as I have time and think of it.

:) Love you