I wish I had the opportunity to get to this post earlier, but life has been busy and wonderful here in Redding since my return from South Africa. With school having ended and my job settling into a normal routine it is time to put pen to paper... so to speak;)
There are so many instances that I can only share but a few. Between the healings, outbreaks of revival, deliverances, tent crusade meetings, street evangelism and more, more, more I could fill a book! Sufficed to say, I was undone by what God did through and in me. I have never experienced Holy Spirit in such a dramatic and powerful way. I now understand the significance of "power evangelism" where you don't speak or teach Jesus, but actually show Him to people in signs and wonders.
It is truly amazing how easily people are able to believe in Jesus when you first give them a reason to believe. I was in the hut of a sangoma (witch doctor) in a small rural village when I first experienced a healing through my hands. While walking dirt roads fit for only the most aggressive SUV's we chanced upon a woman with an ankle brace limping around her home. Beatrice and I (we went out in two's;)) asked her if she would like to be healed. With a queer look of doubt in her face she cautiously replied yes, but she insisted we do it in front of her mother. I thought this slightly unusual, but why not.
We walked into a one room dwelling painted sky blue. There were two small beds, a night stand and chair sparsely filling the room. But what really drew my attention were the hooves, horns and skeletons adorning the timbers which held up the roof. To add to that was the shift in the spiritual environment we felt before ever seeing the afore mentioned. Something powerless was very angry that we were there. It made me giddy with excitement:)
The daughter with the ankle looked over at us and gave us permission to begin. I felt something I have never experienced before. I suddenly knew that this woman was about to be healed. There was no doubt in me. I could feel the impartation of grace and faith for what I was about to do. I knelt down, placed my hand on her ankle and simply said, "Ankle, be healed and made whole. Pain, leave immediately." I didn't beg, scream or even use Jesus' name. I let go of her ankle and asked her a simple question, "How's your ankle feel?"
I was met with a look of bewilderment. One of us was very surprised and it wasn't me! She began to twist her ankle in every direction but was slightly impeded by the ankle brace so we asked her to take it off. With a look of wonder on her face she quickly and almost anxiously complied. Then she did something extraordinary. She began to pace back and forth across the room with not so much as a stutter or limp. To her amazement her ankle was PERFECT and WHOLE! She contorted it in every way possible looking for pain yet finding none. She looked at us in disbelief.
It was at this moment that Jesus became blazingly real to her and for the first time in her life she was wide open to hearing truth. Truth that a moment ago meant nothing to her, but now meant the world to her. It was at this moment that our words were quickened by the Holy Spirit to her heart and soul. Talk about the power of God to save the lost!!
Her mother was very unhappy with us because we did what the devil could not. If you upstage a sangoma in their home be prepared to be kicked out. And so we were, with smiles, love and joy dripping off of us like the rain that fell on our uncovered heads.
Why was she healed along with the other 5 people I was fortunate to minister to? I don't know. But I do know that I have been changed forever. My faith was raised to a level I have never before experienced and I can't wait to see what God has in store to take me to that next level!
That was only 1 of 6 dramatic healings I experienced that day. That was only 1 of 14 days of ministry! And, that was only day 1 of a whole new outlook on life for me.
Since this one story has taken so much space I think it best to do this in increments. Do you want to hear more or are you bored?
more please!!!
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