A few weeks ago Jacob Damkani came to CFN church and delivered a message that would prove to be a revelatory light bringing clarity to the reason why I have been so consumed with love, dedication and unrelenting passion towards Greece. This burden, which started over a year ago, should be properly introduced to you before I share the message Mr. In April or May of 2012 I began having dreams about
being in beautiful waters. I was navigating around these beaches and I had a feeling of familiarity. It was as if I was in the place I was created to be and I was reacquainting myself to the area. I very clearly remember seeing specific rock formations in the waters, roads I was traveling down, and beaches...none of which I had ever seen in waking life. I was going on a vacation to Florida that July so I assumed I was excited about the trip. All the while trying to ignore this feeling that there was something deeper. That trip proved to be anything but the place I had dreamt of in the months prior. Where was this place of my dreams? Perhaps it was not a real place, perhaps I would never know? That ended up being one of the most tumultuous summers I ever experienced but one of my most treasured. That summer God called me to go to CFNI in Dallas and introduced me to Toroni, Greece. After attending a Joyce Meyer conference in November 2012 I returned to my sister's house, where I was living, and I went to sleep. That night I had a dream that would change my life forever. In my dream I had just finished having dinner with Joyce Meyer. (Some leftovers of waking life, no doubt) We were sitting down and were looking at a flat screen tv which had a map of the Mediterranean area. The map was different shades of blue. It didn't have the names of places written in a modern language or font but in an ancient script. The male voice speaking seemed to be coming from overhead as when you're on a plane and the pilot makes an announcement. The map on the screen was moving up from the Israel, Iran, Saudi area to the north west. The voice overhead said that Crete was to the left and then I saw a land formation jutting out into the water from the continent of Europe. On the south west portion of this land was a word written in ancient script. Toroni. Then the map moved up and to the west and I saw another land formation which was being spoken of as though it were an island but it was landlocked. It was a tilted oblong shaped country with rounded edges, the top and bottom were parallel but weren't completely straight lines. This land had a blue highlight around it and although it was being spoken of as though it were an island it was absolutely landlocked. There were no names or words on this place. After seeing this place I woke up. I pondered the dream for a few minutes before it occurred to me...Google is my friend! I assumed that Toroni was in Greece since the voice in the dream made mention of Crete so I googled Toroni, Greece. I was absolutely blown away to see in real, waking, life exactly what I had seen in my dream. Just to make sure that I was really seeing what I dreamt I scanned on the map up to the north and west and sure enough...the landlocked country that was spoken of as though it were an island in my dream was a real country. A country known as the Former Yugoslavic Republic of Macedonia or F.Y.R.O.M. This was nothing I had ever experienced before. I hadn't been looking at maps. I hadn't been watching the travel channel or in any way considering Europe or Greece. Where was all of this coming from? I have since studied many maps and let me assure you there are no maps I have seen that have Toroni on them unless they are very detailed maps of Greece. This had to come from God. But why? Why was I supposed to go to Greece? When I arrived at CFNI I learned there was a requirement for all first year students to participate in a mission trip. When the day came for the presentation of the different trips and I saw Israel I knew that was where I was to go. There was no question. Israel has always held a very special place in my heart and I had always wanted to serve the Israeli people. What an honor to be with, learn from and worship with them. I was not going to let this opportunity pass me by! In planning for the trip to Israel I began looking for flights to Toroni. I found that Toroni was an ancient town that had ruins of a Byzantine fort but there was not much other information available. It was a vacation town with beautiful beaches, some hotels and restaurants but was not well known in the US. The only way to get there was by car. The closest airport was Thessaloniki. I looked at the flights from Tel Aviv to Thessaloniki and they were very reasonable. I prayed and then booked my ticket, rental car, and my hotels in Thessaloniki and Toroni. I was going to the place of my dreams! I prayed fervently for the countries of Israel and Greece prior to this trip. Feeling such a compelling draw to the two nations was something I hoping to gain clarification on during my trip. To make a long story less long, the dreams I had of the place with beaches, road and rock formations was absolutely Greece. As I drove along the roads in my rental car I stopped and took pictures of the water. I was astounded beyond belief to see the places I had seen only in dreams now in real life. While I was there in Toroni I met some amazing people who sort of took me in. They said they had never seen an American in Toroni and they had never seen anyone come to Toroni alone, especially a woman. What was God doing? I thought, in my infinite wisdom, that God had brought me there to meet my destiny. I thought I would fall in love and bring back a handsome Greek husband to attend CFNI with me. Well, I wasn't **all** wrong. I did fall in love, I did meet my destiny...but it wasn't a who, it was a where. When I returned to the states I felt sick. I felt a longing and a sadness I hadn't ever felt before for a place. This was a new experience all together. This was like missing a critical part of my being. I felt lost. What was this all about? During the Fall 2013 semester I experienced, as I learned in my Intercessory Prayer class, what is called travailing prayer. I couldn't hear or see the words Greece or Greek with out my eyes welling up with tears. I began going home after class only to fall apart in the presence of God, aching internally for the country of Greece. I didn't know what I was supposed to be praying for or why this was happening but I knew this was something supernatural. I began praying that God would pull a group of people together from CFNI to go to Greece. I also asked God to help me to refine my leadership skills. To show me how to be a Godly leader. God has been so faithful in this process. He has shown me the importance of obedience, servitude, integrity and worship among many other things. It wasn't long after I begin praying about this that I was in a meeting with one of the professors at the school discussing Greece. I explained my love for the country and burden for the people. Sadly, Greece is often forgotten and goes us represented because the Greeks have the Orthodox Church, so there aren't many out reaches going there. My professor gave me a few names of people I should connect with and suggested I try to get a mission trip to Greece. I hadn't mentioned to a single soul that this was something I had been praying about. This, I took as a confirmation from God in answer to my prayers. There is a great work to be done in Greece. God is preparing to awaken the land and I had seen visions of this during prayers. What an honor to be involved! Greece is one of the first places reached by the gospel. Our New Testament was written in the Greek language. Paul, although trying to go east in his ministry in order to reach the asiatic people groups, was directed by God to go west to Philippi. God wanted to reach the Greeks and that is what happened. As a result of Paul's obedience and ministry to the Greeks, Christianity has reached around the world. Over the course of time, the land where the Holy Spirit fell on people, bringing salvation, spiritual gifts and miracles has become a land asleep. A sense of religious obligation is satisfied by attending the Divine Liturgies and participating in the eucharists but, where is the relationship? Where once the powerful church thrived, it is now anaemic and lying in a coma. This is the tragedy which burdens my soul. This is the cause for which I am called to Greece. Awakening. I felt there was still something missing. How did Israel fit into this? There was a element of understanding that hadn't yet been revealed by God. I remember hearing some years ago that God will give you a name for a ministry when He brings the mission to light. This is one of the ways you receive confirmation. I had not yet received a name. This brings us back to Jacob Damkani and the message he delivered on 10Nov2013 at CFN Church. Mr. Damkani is an Israeli messianic evangelist. His story of salvation is truly moving. I recommend everyone get acquainted with this remarkable man of God's story and ministry (www.trumpetofsalvation.com). Mr Damkani's message began in the book of Deuteronomy 32:21
"They have roused my jealousy by worshiping things that are not God; they have provoked my anger with their useless idols. Now I will rouse their jealousy through people who are not even a people; I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles." Let me clarify, this is speaking of people outside of covenant with God. It is foolish to be outside of covenant with Him but, rest assured, no one comes to Christ and remains a fool. This is the word of The Lord as delivered by Moses when the children of Israel enraged God by worshipping idols. God foretold of the coming salvation He would bring to the Gentiles in order to provoke the Israelites to jealousy. Mr Damkani went on to highlight verses in the Old Testament which foretold of the great work that Jesus would accomplish. Isaiah 28:16
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken. Psalm 118:22-26
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 23 This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. 25 Save now, I pray, O Lord; O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. Jacob highlighted that it was by God's great design that Jesus was to be rejected. He explained that it was critical that Jesus was rejected by the Jewish nation in order for the rest of the world to have the salvation made available to them. This day which God made was a terrible day of wrath and pain poured out upon Jesus for the sake of reuniting us to our Loving God & Father. We are to rejoice in this day because without it we would not have the possibility of reconciliation. Damkani then took us to the New Testament to Acts and Romans
Acts 5:38-39
38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
This is where the San Hedrin was persuaded to let Peter and the other apostles go and stated that if their activity was of God it would be unstoppable. We can rejoice in seeing that their purposes were of God and have proven the test of time! Romans 11:11-12
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! This passage is written by Paul to the Romans speaking of the role the Gentiles play in provoking Israel to jealousy and thus bringing them to salvation. I recommend every believer read Romans 11 as it brings a great light to the calling we all have in spreading the gospel. I believe it also explains why all believers have an instinctual burden for the salvation of Israel. In closing, Mr Damkani said that the Jewish people have been convinced Jesus is not God and say "Let the Gentiles make the man from Galilee a god". This is exactly what was spoken of in Deuteronomy 32 and Romans 11, as well as many other places in the bible. We must reach out to them and encourage them to seek God. Many in the Jewish nation are tired of religion. They are looking for something else. Weary from the burdens religion brings they are looking for relationship. They are looking, like all those who are lost, for a genuine, real relationship with God. This is exactly what Jesus came to restore and what God originally intended in creation. Relationship. How was this message connected to my calling? How was Greece involved with Israel? God was saying that he wanted to reach Israel by Greece. And there - He had provided the name. Israel By Greece. I had the opportunity to speak with Mr Damkani about this ministry and he prayed over me. He also extended an invitation to go and intern at Trumpet of Salvation in Tel Aviv during the summer. I am hoping God will make this possibility a reality. Israel By Greece
- A Romans 11 Ministry -
Praying for an awakening which reintroduces man to the God who designed him for a loving, fulfilling, relationship. Not burdensome religion.
