The Lord brought this night to mind a little while ago. This particular night was amazing, wonderful, and everyone experienced an overwhelming move of the Holy Spirit!

Last weekend was our youth group’s annual Snow Camp retreat. The theme this year was Encounter, and the speaker was Monty Hipp. He’s been here before, and he usually brings a powerful word. This time was no exception.

How many times I have been to these snow camps, get all prayed up and get to spend time praying with and for kids. How many times I have felt burdened in my spirit for their salvation, that they would come to know Him. Of those many, many times, I have never had a pastor or speaker address the leaders. Never has one focused on the leaders like Monty did Friday night.

“Now leaders, don’t even think about laying hands on any one of these kids, with unholy hands.” Unholy hands? This was after praise & worship, toward the end of his message, as we were beginning a time of response at the altar. I prayed the Lord would show me what in the world he was talking about. And boy did He.

I had never really thought about what a responsibility we have when we are put into a leadership position. I know we are the adults, therefore we are responsible, but this is different. This is a holy calling, a situation where our hearts have to be clean, ready to be the armor bearer for someone who may not even know they are in the midst of a spiritual battle. A battle for a heart and mind, and ultimately for their soul. We must be ready.

Every one of us had unholy hands that night. Every one of us had something we were holding. Something to think about or distract us, a wrong motive, or a burden which was keeping us from the priority at hand: the healing, bondage breaking, comfort and salvation of 200 teenagers. He had the leaders come forward, to the front. He and the kids prayed for US. We prayed the Lord would remove blinders and burdens, that we would bring Him all the glory as we ministered. Every one of us felt the Holy Spirit that night in such a powerful way, and as he released us to begin praying with the kids, we knew exactly what our purpose was, and our focus was true.