Wow, That Feels Good

Men’s Encounter, 10-09-10

Twice a year my church, Columbia Foursquare Church, has encounters. These are a weekend retreats where the participants press into God for deliverance and healing of events in their pasts that effect their present lives and their relationship with Father God. It is a very powerful time of worship, teaching, prayer, and encountering the living God. I had the privilege of teaching one of the sessions called “The Movie of Your Life” on Friday night. I also came back Saturday afternoon for the ministry time.

During the ministry time two or three leaders have up to an hour of prayer with each participant for a time of personal prayer just for that one individual. I was teamed with John D. and Jim K., two awesome men of God.

During my Morning Prayer time that morning I decided to seek God for some words of knowledge for the men I was going to pray with later that day. Using a small square of paper I wrote down my clues, creating a mini Treasure Map. One of the four clues I received was “arm”.

Simon was one of the men I got to pray with. What a awesome time that was. Holy Spirit was heavy in the room and all four of us were encountering Him. During the course of our prayer time together I asked Simon if he had a problem with his “arm”, using the word of knowledge I had received earlier that morning. He said that he suffered from a severe rotator cuff problem in his left shoulder and pain travels all the way down his arm. He could not use his arm for any type of throwing motion because of it.

John, Jim, and I laid our hands upon his shoulder and arm and commanded his shoulder to be healed. We invited the kingdom of God to come into Simon’s arm. After a time of prayer, while our hands were still upon him, there was a loud “pop” which you could hear in the room and we could feel under our hands. Simon said, “Wow, that feels good.” The kingdom of God had just invaded our earth!

We had just gotten whacked by God’s love. MORE GOD!!!!

15 Minutes

Treasure Hunt 10-14-10

Before we left the prayer time at the Healing Rooms to hit the streets of downtown Kennewick, my sister Terry asked the Lord to let us lead someone to salvation in Jesus. That was the cry of her heart for tonight; she just wanted to see someone get saved.

She didn't tell Roger or me about this prayer until about 15 minutes later.  That’s because in 15 minutes, God answered her prayer by healing and saving two teenage boys.

They were sitting just outside of a club waiting for their ride home to Pasco.  They both matched our clues of white and black.  One had a white shirt and shoes and a black shorts, while the other had black shirt and shoes and white shorts.  On my stick man art, I had clues of problem/pain in the knee/leg area and throat/neck area of the body.   They both had leg pain and the youngest of the two had pain in upper neck in the area of his throat.  He gave me permission to lay hands on him and pray.  I commanded the pain to leave and invited the kingdom of God to come.  I only prayed for about 30 seconds, and then I asked him to check out his pain level.  There was a very surprised look on his face as he said, "The pain is gone."  I then tried something I had never done before; I had him lay his hands on his friend and command the pain to leave - in Jesus name.  The pain left that young man's legs as well.

Terry's prayer was answered.  I asked them if they would like to invite Jesus, who has just touched their bodies, to come into their lives.  They both said, “yes” they wanted to.  I explained the gospel to them, led them in prayer, gave them some literature to get them plugged into a church, and then their ride home arrived.  The timing was perfect!

That was the start of an amazing evening.  The Lord led us to seven more people in addition to these two young men. We found them with an eclectic mix of clues, like white truck, the letter “S”, black and white, high heeled boots, names that started with J and R, and skin condition.

Bringing The Kingdom Of God to Earth Is So Simple

Sep 30, 2010

Downtown Kennewick is starting to get dark at 7:00PM and it was hard to read the clues on our treasure maps. We may have to start earlier, go into the pubs, or start going to the mall or Walmart as we head into winter. Change is good.

It was just my wife and I tonight on the Treasure Hunting team.  After an awesome time of prayer with the Healing Room's people we sat at one of the tables and wrote down the "words of knowledge" Holy Spirit gave us.  Our clues contained an eclectic mix of colors, art work, things, and prayer needs. I have given up trying to figure out how this works – it just does.

The "treasure" I want to share about was Susan.  Across the intersection from The Bridge Church is a fountain with two evergreen trees.  A woman walking her dog was right next to them.  As she crossed the street towards us we noticed she was wearing a green top.  Two clues already; could she be one that God wants to touch?  After she arrived at the corner where we were waiting, we struck up a conversation with her.  At first she thought we were on a scavenger hunt when we tried to explain what we were doing.  Then Holy Spirit opened the door of her heart through the clues He had given us.

"Do you suffer from headaches?” I asked.  "Yes, I do".  "Do you get pain in the shoulder/neck area?"  Yes, again.  The next question we asked her broke the dam, and the tears freely flowed.  "Do you have any legal problems or have to go to court?”.  "I'm getting a divorce and I have to go to court next week" she said.  The other clues on our map now made sense.  They were relationship problem, sadness, heart, and pain.  Susan was the one Father God wanted to love on tonight.  She was leaving an abusive husband and had four young children.  She felt alone and the overwhelming pain and stress was causing her to have severe tension headaches.

The three of us had church on the corner, in downtown Kennewick, as cars stopped at the intersection just a few feet away.  I believe God shines the light of His love brighter, in the darkest places, outside church walls.  I felt the presence and power of Holy Spirit as He touched this young lady.  We laid our hands on her, prayed for her, and shared Papa God's love for her.  She was not alone!  God loves her so much, and he used me and my wife to show her.

Papa God had set this whole encounter up. Holy Spirit led us right to Susan and let us partner with what He wanted to do.  After many tears were shed, Susan gave both of us a big hug and thanked us.

Bringing the kingdom of God to earth is so simple.  All we have to do is listen and obey; He does the rest.