Vanessa and I are still enjoying Pinehurst. We've been so blessed by God to stay here. Ministry is just gearing up now, as we've had a busier first half of the week with family, and with projects. From now on, we're hoping for more time available to get out on the streets (or Wal-mart).
We were essentially gifted two Go-Pro cameras for our trip, and the plan is to use them on this upcoming weekend to document some of the miracles we see during street ministry. We'll be doing lots of ministry those days, so stay tuned for Update #3 early next week. Vanessa and I have hope in the Lord!
Back to this current update--Tuesday was a good day. Every day should be! We went out to do ministry at the Fresh Market (grocery store) for a while again, and were blessed. God is continuing to faithfully train us in receiving direction, words of knowledge, and prophetic insight. Vanessa saw a older man about to leave the store, and she hurried after him. (She had felt impressed that he needed prayer earlier, but hesitated.) She caught up to him and they prayed right in the entrance of the building. He didn't want prayer at first, but then opened up...this man had sciatica in his lower back, and after prayer, he said that his pain had lessened quite a bit. She asked if she could pray one more time, and he gladly said yes this time. After a second prayer, he said that the pain was completely gone! They both praised God!
Jesus is beautiful. Healings are beautiful! Sometimes I wish that I could see the aftereffects of a healing and how that person is changed to go on through the rest of their life. I wonder how many choose to share with family and friends what God's done for them. And I wonder how many become itinerant street evangelists themselves because of what they've experienced. When I get to Heaven, I really want to see this!
Jesus is beautiful. Healings are beautiful! Sometimes I wish that I could see the aftereffects of a healing and how that person is changed to go on through the rest of their life. I wonder how many choose to share with family and friends what God's done for them. And I wonder how many become itinerant street evangelists themselves because of what they've experienced. When I get to Heaven, I really want to see this!
While at the store we also saw four people we knew, two of which I hadn't seen for years. I thought this was a blessing in and of itself. After that, God revealed that a certain man had lower back pain that resulted in walking difficulty. The man was a little surprised that we knew this, and he was very open to prayer. So we prayed for that spirit of back pain to leave, but it just wouldn't budge. After some direction we realized it was caused by unforgiveness in that family towards the military. I was thankful for the words of knowledge but very sad for the man. But I'll choose to believe that we were aligned together for a reason, and that God will do the work of healing in the future. Sometimes God does the miracle later, and we don't see it. He is in control, and His timing isn't always the same as ours.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Vanessa and I headed out for a few hours of ministry after lunch. We went to Wal-Mart first. We were blessed to come into contact with many people with softened hearts and openness to prayer. The first healing was that of a lady with chronic lower back pain. She was so thankful to God when she felt all of her back pain leave. Then we prayed for a lady who had nerve damage, muscle weakness, and several other problems. She had great faith--she wanted to pray that God would give her new nerves! After some wonderful prayer, she felt good. I trust that the Lord did what she'd asked Him for.
Next the Spirit directed us to a lady we met last week through my parents. When we met her last week, she and Vanessa found that they had so much in common, included that they both attended John MacArthur's church in Los Angeles in the past. She and Vanessa really connected and had a great time talking together. While they talked, the Lord showed me to a man in an electric wheelchair. He had bad arthritis in his knees. He said that he'd love to be healed, but didn't seem to think that kind of thing would be possible. I prayed quickly, and he said he'd know if he was better once he got up and walked around. I saw him again in the checkout line, and he was moving his leg around and looking at it intently. He said he felt better. We prayed again, and the Lord burdened me to tell him that he was free. I trust that God healed him fully.
We continued walking around the store for a while, and Vanessa spoke encouragement to two different people. When she approached them, she didn't know what they needed, but as she prayed with them, God gave her insight into their life. They were encouraged and one of the ladies said, "I really needed that." Sometimes we have to step out in faith and God will give us insight after we begin to pray with a person!
Some people turned down prayer. We approached one lady, who was pretty oppressed. She said, "I see what you're doing in here, and I don't like it. Do they know you're in here? I'm going to report you." We felt strongly she was demonized. She was petite and looked about 80 years old, but the fierceness she had was pretty shocking.
Then we saw a nice, Southern lady named Lyla whose left ear was painful and partially deaf. She had sharp pain that went from her ear into her jaw. After one prayer her pain was gone, out of the jaw as well, and after two prayers, her ear was opened and she could hear much more clearly. She praised God and was so excited. She wanted to tell her doctors what had happened. We didn't pray for her back, but she had herniated disks, and that pain was taken away too. I like it when that happens--when the Lord really overshadows us. It just goes to show you that God knows what we need!
A little while later we went to the Fresh Market again. Vanessa had picked up something oppressive and wanted to be filled with the Spirit before she went in. She stayed in the car, and I went in first. She was sitting in the car when she saw an older man with a cane walking by her. She went over to meet him at his car, and asked if she could pray for his leg. He was so open to the prayer, and his wife, who was waiting in the car, was excited to see "a young person offer prayer!" (We do get that a lot!) Vanessa put her hand on his knee, and he said, "Oh no! Put it right down here!" as he took her hand and put it lower, on his ankle. (Note: we don't believe that there is power in our hand- it is the power of God.) After one prayer, the man said the pain had lessened. Vanessa asked if it was perfect, and he said it wasn't. She asked if she could pray one more time, and he eagerly said yes. After a second prayer, he said that all the pain was gone! Praise God! We are learning that God honors persistence. (Like the parable of the woman persistently knocking late at night.)
We stayed there for a while longer, and met two sweet Christian ladies who were so encouraging to us. They both needed prayer for healing, so we all held hands and prayed for God to heal them. Their diseases didn't have a way to be measured right there in the store (there was no physical pain,) but we believe that God did heal them.
That's all for now. We praise Jesus for allowing us to do these things for Him and by His power. He rewards whatever we give away. And we're excited for more ministry in the future. We have a few more solid days in Pinehurst left. I know that the Lord will bless them!
Next the Spirit directed us to a lady we met last week through my parents. When we met her last week, she and Vanessa found that they had so much in common, included that they both attended John MacArthur's church in Los Angeles in the past. She and Vanessa really connected and had a great time talking together. While they talked, the Lord showed me to a man in an electric wheelchair. He had bad arthritis in his knees. He said that he'd love to be healed, but didn't seem to think that kind of thing would be possible. I prayed quickly, and he said he'd know if he was better once he got up and walked around. I saw him again in the checkout line, and he was moving his leg around and looking at it intently. He said he felt better. We prayed again, and the Lord burdened me to tell him that he was free. I trust that God healed him fully.
We continued walking around the store for a while, and Vanessa spoke encouragement to two different people. When she approached them, she didn't know what they needed, but as she prayed with them, God gave her insight into their life. They were encouraged and one of the ladies said, "I really needed that." Sometimes we have to step out in faith and God will give us insight after we begin to pray with a person!
Some people turned down prayer. We approached one lady, who was pretty oppressed. She said, "I see what you're doing in here, and I don't like it. Do they know you're in here? I'm going to report you." We felt strongly she was demonized. She was petite and looked about 80 years old, but the fierceness she had was pretty shocking.
Then we saw a nice, Southern lady named Lyla whose left ear was painful and partially deaf. She had sharp pain that went from her ear into her jaw. After one prayer her pain was gone, out of the jaw as well, and after two prayers, her ear was opened and she could hear much more clearly. She praised God and was so excited. She wanted to tell her doctors what had happened. We didn't pray for her back, but she had herniated disks, and that pain was taken away too. I like it when that happens--when the Lord really overshadows us. It just goes to show you that God knows what we need!
A little while later we went to the Fresh Market again. Vanessa had picked up something oppressive and wanted to be filled with the Spirit before she went in. She stayed in the car, and I went in first. She was sitting in the car when she saw an older man with a cane walking by her. She went over to meet him at his car, and asked if she could pray for his leg. He was so open to the prayer, and his wife, who was waiting in the car, was excited to see "a young person offer prayer!" (We do get that a lot!) Vanessa put her hand on his knee, and he said, "Oh no! Put it right down here!" as he took her hand and put it lower, on his ankle. (Note: we don't believe that there is power in our hand- it is the power of God.) After one prayer, the man said the pain had lessened. Vanessa asked if it was perfect, and he said it wasn't. She asked if she could pray one more time, and he eagerly said yes. After a second prayer, he said that all the pain was gone! Praise God! We are learning that God honors persistence. (Like the parable of the woman persistently knocking late at night.)
We stayed there for a while longer, and met two sweet Christian ladies who were so encouraging to us. They both needed prayer for healing, so we all held hands and prayed for God to heal them. Their diseases didn't have a way to be measured right there in the store (there was no physical pain,) but we believe that God did heal them.
That's all for now. We praise Jesus for allowing us to do these things for Him and by His power. He rewards whatever we give away. And we're excited for more ministry in the future. We have a few more solid days in Pinehurst left. I know that the Lord will bless them!
I'm looking forward to the videos. God's clearly working through both of you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jason! I can't wait to share. We were a little apprehensive about taking the cameras out because we didn't know how people would respond to it, but we prayed for God to open hearts to it, and we met several people who either said they didn't mind at all, or they "would do it for the Glory of God!"
DeletePraise God!!
That's awesome, brother, and very encouraging. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete- Josiah
Hey, Josiah! Sorry I missed you this week. We'll be back in Pinehurst in a month--just for a few days. Maybe see you then...
Delete