We welcomed Godwill to the team today, so we had a three and a two on the streets praying. While we were preparing, it was raining fairly steadily, and we didn't hold out that much hope for being able to get out. But nevertheless, we prepared, and once again the Holy Spirit provided us with an insight into the types of illnesses He wanted to heal, and he gave us some people's names too.
During the preparation time I felt we should take authority over the weather, and so we did! I've never (seriously) commanded clouds and rain to go away before, and I have to admit that I felt a bit foolish asking the team to join with me in doing so. By the looks on their faces they thought I was losing it, but I'm not that easily dissuaded, so we did. We specifically asked for the window of time from 10-12 to be dry, and we claimed it in Jesus' name. As we were setting up, it was spitting, but a hole appeared in the clouds overhead, and the rain stopped. 10 o'clock came, and it was still spitting a bit, but then it stopped. Over the next 45 minutes, it continued to threaten, and at times was spitting and we wondered whether to call it a day. But we continued to rebuke the clouds, this time standing out in the open and doing so, feeling even more foolish!
But it worked, and just as we finished at 12, and were clearing the stools and sign back up to the project, it rained. For about 1 minute, it rained with such force that you only get in Africa, and I looked at my watch - 12:02.
Last week, God told us in advance that He would be healing eyes. And He did. This week, eyesight problems weren't on the list He gave us, but two people came with problems. One of them also had problems with her joints and her stomach. After prayer the joints were pain-free, and her stomach was better. But her eyesight wasn't. And nor was the other person's eyesight any better. Why, last week, did one person receive sight in a previous completely blind eye, and this week neither person received any healing? I don't know, but God is sovereign, and as His servaant that will do for me.
Even though it wasn't raining, the gloomy weather was keeping people indoors, so we didn't have so many takers today. Those who were out and about were less inclined to stop, and many went past refusing to make eye contact. Those that stopped we gladly prayed for, and saw God's healing. Of the five sicknesses God told us in advance, we met them all, which is encouraging.
However, we're getting worse at hearing names correctly, as this week there were no matches!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
The blind see
In our time of preparation this morning, we felt God tell us He would be healing eyes, asthma, stomach & leg problems. Little did we know...
Fred was our third visitor. He was more intrigued than stopping with purpose, but during chatting we discovered he had stomach pain, and for the past 10 years hadn't seen out of his right eye. Something (I'm not sure what) to do with the milk from a poisonous plant had happened 10 years ago that had caused the sight loss. We offered to pray for healing, but before he would allow us, Fred told us that he wasn't a Christian, and that before we could pray for healing he needed to accept Christ! Eunice wanted to call Pastor over from his team, but I said no, he was needed there, so Eunice led Fred to the Lord. Then we prayed for his stomach and his eye. The sense of the Holy Spirit was ridiculously strong - you could almost see Him all over Fred, it was wonderful. After prayer, we asked Fred how he was feeling. His stomach was better, he said, and he could see a little from his eye. We prayed some more, and he could see a lot more. One more time we prayed, and he could see our faces, and the watch on my wrist. Whilst the healing on his eye wasn't complete, we felt that maybe God would continue that over time, and that our prayer was finished. Fred is one of those people who does not exhibit emotions much, and he left fairly straight-faced, despite the fact that he'd just become a Christian, his stomach was better, and his eye was beginning to see!
Monica and Florence were walking past. Florence didn't want to accept our invitation to come and sit, but Monica did which meant Florence had little choice. They had been walking quite slowly, and Monica told us how all her joints were causing her pain throughout her whole body. After prayer, she told us that the pain had gone. She started to stretch out her arms and legs testing her healing, and told us that the only place where there was still pain was in her neck. We said we'd pray for her again, after we'd prayed for her friend, Florence, who needed prayer for peace in her family. Once we'd prayed for Florence, we turned back to Monica, who told us that now, her neck was completely fine. She had a big smile on her face, and got up with her friend. They asked lots of questions about the church we were representing, and promised to come on Sunday. As they walked off, Monica was almost kicking her legs out sideways and dancing as she tested out her healing - great fun to watch!
About half an hour later Fred came back. He told us that his stomach really was completely better, and lifted up his shirt to show us. We weren't sure how it had looked before, but took his word and his genuine excitement as proof that yes, God really had healed him. We asked about his right eye, and he told us that although he could see it was dark, and not clear. We prayed some more, and when he opened his eye he said it was as if the light had been switched on, and he could count how many fingers Eunice was holding up!
That's just two of today's visitors - there were 16 in all, and many went away instantly healed or touched by God. Others had come on behalf of friends or family, and we trust they will be healed. All in all we prayed for 3 people with eyesight problems, 4 others with asthma, and 1 with a stomach problem - so we heard God corectly about the illnesses He'd bring our way.
However, keeping us nice and humble is the fact that we thought we'd pray for Joyce, Peter Karanja, Elias, Jane & Mary - only one of those was right. So we still have a long way to go in discerning correctly God's voice from the other voices in our heads.
Fred was our third visitor. He was more intrigued than stopping with purpose, but during chatting we discovered he had stomach pain, and for the past 10 years hadn't seen out of his right eye. Something (I'm not sure what) to do with the milk from a poisonous plant had happened 10 years ago that had caused the sight loss. We offered to pray for healing, but before he would allow us, Fred told us that he wasn't a Christian, and that before we could pray for healing he needed to accept Christ! Eunice wanted to call Pastor over from his team, but I said no, he was needed there, so Eunice led Fred to the Lord. Then we prayed for his stomach and his eye. The sense of the Holy Spirit was ridiculously strong - you could almost see Him all over Fred, it was wonderful. After prayer, we asked Fred how he was feeling. His stomach was better, he said, and he could see a little from his eye. We prayed some more, and he could see a lot more. One more time we prayed, and he could see our faces, and the watch on my wrist. Whilst the healing on his eye wasn't complete, we felt that maybe God would continue that over time, and that our prayer was finished. Fred is one of those people who does not exhibit emotions much, and he left fairly straight-faced, despite the fact that he'd just become a Christian, his stomach was better, and his eye was beginning to see!
Monica and Florence were walking past. Florence didn't want to accept our invitation to come and sit, but Monica did which meant Florence had little choice. They had been walking quite slowly, and Monica told us how all her joints were causing her pain throughout her whole body. After prayer, she told us that the pain had gone. She started to stretch out her arms and legs testing her healing, and told us that the only place where there was still pain was in her neck. We said we'd pray for her again, after we'd prayed for her friend, Florence, who needed prayer for peace in her family. Once we'd prayed for Florence, we turned back to Monica, who told us that now, her neck was completely fine. She had a big smile on her face, and got up with her friend. They asked lots of questions about the church we were representing, and promised to come on Sunday. As they walked off, Monica was almost kicking her legs out sideways and dancing as she tested out her healing - great fun to watch!
About half an hour later Fred came back. He told us that his stomach really was completely better, and lifted up his shirt to show us. We weren't sure how it had looked before, but took his word and his genuine excitement as proof that yes, God really had healed him. We asked about his right eye, and he told us that although he could see it was dark, and not clear. We prayed some more, and when he opened his eye he said it was as if the light had been switched on, and he could count how many fingers Eunice was holding up!
That's just two of today's visitors - there were 16 in all, and many went away instantly healed or touched by God. Others had come on behalf of friends or family, and we trust they will be healed. All in all we prayed for 3 people with eyesight problems, 4 others with asthma, and 1 with a stomach problem - so we heard God corectly about the illnesses He'd bring our way.
However, keeping us nice and humble is the fact that we thought we'd pray for Joyce, Peter Karanja, Elias, Jane & Mary - only one of those was right. So we still have a long way to go in discerning correctly God's voice from the other voices in our heads.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Busy, busy, busy
Oh yes, it's good to be back. Thanks, Emily, for keeping the blog going since July when I left for the UK and a sabbatical, and although I've enjoyed following the blog, it's nothing like getting involved for real!
This morning was our first HotS of this year, and we decided to change the format slightly. We now meet for prayer from 9-10, during which time this morning we had an opportunity to prepare ourselves through a short time of confession to one another, to invite the Holy Spirit to give insight into illnesses He wanted to heal today, and also to invite him to tell us names of people He wanted to heal today.
Encouragingly, some of the illnesses we got right - though none of the names! However, we think there was something going on with people whose name begins with a 'J', as three of the four of us suggested people with that initial. So when we got a couple of people whose name did begin with a 'J', we prayed for them with more confidence.
We were in our dusty alley from 10-12, and today they definitely came! It was non-stop, and often the couple of stools we had inadvertantly brought down as spares (because we miscounted!) were occupied by people waiting. Many people needed to find work, many were struggling to get fees or uniform for their children or grandchildren to go to school, and many were sick.
One lady came with a lot of pain in her stomach, and a headache. We prayed three times for physical healing and after the third time there was no pain left anywhere. Another lady came at the end with pain in all her joints. It was another gradual process, but by the end she stood up, bent over and touched her toes, and walked away with a spring in her step, pain-free.
We prayed for people with TB, stomach problems, leg pain, eye problems, alcohol addiction, chest problems, asthma, and someone in absentia who is lame. We prayed with power and authority, and received insight from the Holy Spirit and were able to speak directly into people's lives, with words of challenge or encouragement. As ever, it was a privilege, and a humbling experience, and we look forward eagerly to next week!
This morning was our first HotS of this year, and we decided to change the format slightly. We now meet for prayer from 9-10, during which time this morning we had an opportunity to prepare ourselves through a short time of confession to one another, to invite the Holy Spirit to give insight into illnesses He wanted to heal today, and also to invite him to tell us names of people He wanted to heal today.
Encouragingly, some of the illnesses we got right - though none of the names! However, we think there was something going on with people whose name begins with a 'J', as three of the four of us suggested people with that initial. So when we got a couple of people whose name did begin with a 'J', we prayed for them with more confidence.
We were in our dusty alley from 10-12, and today they definitely came! It was non-stop, and often the couple of stools we had inadvertantly brought down as spares (because we miscounted!) were occupied by people waiting. Many people needed to find work, many were struggling to get fees or uniform for their children or grandchildren to go to school, and many were sick.
One lady came with a lot of pain in her stomach, and a headache. We prayed three times for physical healing and after the third time there was no pain left anywhere. Another lady came at the end with pain in all her joints. It was another gradual process, but by the end she stood up, bent over and touched her toes, and walked away with a spring in her step, pain-free.
We prayed for people with TB, stomach problems, leg pain, eye problems, alcohol addiction, chest problems, asthma, and someone in absentia who is lame. We prayed with power and authority, and received insight from the Holy Spirit and were able to speak directly into people's lives, with words of challenge or encouragement. As ever, it was a privilege, and a humbling experience, and we look forward eagerly to next week!
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