Healing in the Streets
Anyone out there that thinks that God is distant? That he doesn't speak? That he does not heal? Do you question who God really is? How does Jesus fit into my world view?
Hopefully this will change your mind.
A friend of mine asked if I could join him and go pray downtown in Rochester, NY. He is interested in helping the needy down there and wanted to begin praying in the area. So we went. We ended up just outside the Genesee Brewing Company. Not very far away, the area is very bad. There were burned out buildings and not very many people. Things were abandoned. However, right smack in the middle of where we began to pray, there is an elementary school.
We met in the parking lot of that school and began to walk around and pray. There are things that we saw that brought prayers to mind. We prayed for the city. We prayed for the presence of God! We prayed for generations to rise up and come to know Jesus. There were a set of broken down drums behind one of the buildings, so we prayed for God to restore music to the area. We prayed for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Any commission of the enemy we brought down. We cancelled actions that were not of God. He was moving in the area and we could sense it.
As we began to head back to our cars and head to another area of town, my friend spotted to people sitting on old broken down lawn chairs. They were an older African American couple probably in their late 50s. My friend approach them and explained that we were walking around the area praying and he wondered if we could pray for them. The immediately responded and stood up. We all exchanged names and I asked the man if there was anything specific that he wanted me to pray about. He thought for a minute and said, "No not really." The woman never spoke. The man reached out for my hand. I was suprised by that but willing to hold hands as we prayed. Together we formed a circle, locked hand in hand. With my eyes closed, I began to pray and thank God for that man that he led us to. For some reason I opened my eyes and looked at the woman. It's hard to explain what happened next. As I looked at her, I blurted out, "Do you have pain in your back?" I felt suddenly vulnerable. It seemed like time slowed down, until she answered, "Yes, I do." Boldness, overflowed and time returned to normal. So I asked if I could pray for her back. She answered yes and I walked around behind her to lay my hands on her lower back...
Closing my eyes again and placing my right hand on her back, I began to pray. I thanked God for that woman and that His Holy presence was there. Opening my eyes, I looked at her legs. The thought came to my mind that she had pain running down her right leg, so I spoke it out. "Do you have pain running down your right leg?" At this question, the man began do jump up and down. Whoa, oh my God! Are you kidding me, he stated. Jesus was speaking to these people and to my friend and I. I love you all. I know you so well. I will meet with you in the moment. I long to be with you and I ALONE will heal you! The price has already been paid!
My prayers for her leg revolved around the restoration of her circulation. Then I asked her if she felt anything. She responded, not really. So, I grabbed both of her hands and said, Let's walk! We walked about 20 yards and the man, with tear-filled eyes, was still jumping around in disbelief! I asked her how it felt now and she said, "it feels good." No pain. She had been healed by the power of Jesus!
That was the moment, when the dreams of my heart, the one's that I long for in the secret place. I so desire to be used by God! It all became real again! Completely awesome! He lives!
Trust him. Believe! Step out in faith, love people and pray! He will show up. His word promises it.
Are you willing to take the risk?
Hopefully this will change your mind.
A friend of mine asked if I could join him and go pray downtown in Rochester, NY. He is interested in helping the needy down there and wanted to begin praying in the area. So we went. We ended up just outside the Genesee Brewing Company. Not very far away, the area is very bad. There were burned out buildings and not very many people. Things were abandoned. However, right smack in the middle of where we began to pray, there is an elementary school.
We met in the parking lot of that school and began to walk around and pray. There are things that we saw that brought prayers to mind. We prayed for the city. We prayed for the presence of God! We prayed for generations to rise up and come to know Jesus. There were a set of broken down drums behind one of the buildings, so we prayed for God to restore music to the area. We prayed for the presence of the Holy Spirit. Any commission of the enemy we brought down. We cancelled actions that were not of God. He was moving in the area and we could sense it.
As we began to head back to our cars and head to another area of town, my friend spotted to people sitting on old broken down lawn chairs. They were an older African American couple probably in their late 50s. My friend approach them and explained that we were walking around the area praying and he wondered if we could pray for them. The immediately responded and stood up. We all exchanged names and I asked the man if there was anything specific that he wanted me to pray about. He thought for a minute and said, "No not really." The woman never spoke. The man reached out for my hand. I was suprised by that but willing to hold hands as we prayed. Together we formed a circle, locked hand in hand. With my eyes closed, I began to pray and thank God for that man that he led us to. For some reason I opened my eyes and looked at the woman. It's hard to explain what happened next. As I looked at her, I blurted out, "Do you have pain in your back?" I felt suddenly vulnerable. It seemed like time slowed down, until she answered, "Yes, I do." Boldness, overflowed and time returned to normal. So I asked if I could pray for her back. She answered yes and I walked around behind her to lay my hands on her lower back...
Closing my eyes again and placing my right hand on her back, I began to pray. I thanked God for that woman and that His Holy presence was there. Opening my eyes, I looked at her legs. The thought came to my mind that she had pain running down her right leg, so I spoke it out. "Do you have pain running down your right leg?" At this question, the man began do jump up and down. Whoa, oh my God! Are you kidding me, he stated. Jesus was speaking to these people and to my friend and I. I love you all. I know you so well. I will meet with you in the moment. I long to be with you and I ALONE will heal you! The price has already been paid!
My prayers for her leg revolved around the restoration of her circulation. Then I asked her if she felt anything. She responded, not really. So, I grabbed both of her hands and said, Let's walk! We walked about 20 yards and the man, with tear-filled eyes, was still jumping around in disbelief! I asked her how it felt now and she said, "it feels good." No pain. She had been healed by the power of Jesus!
That was the moment, when the dreams of my heart, the one's that I long for in the secret place. I so desire to be used by God! It all became real again! Completely awesome! He lives!
Trust him. Believe! Step out in faith, love people and pray! He will show up. His word promises it.
Are you willing to take the risk?
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