Re-arming The Saints

A few weeks ago I had a dream:

In the dream, people received a six digit numerical code. (No - it wasn't the mark of the Beast) The code specified what type of body parts a person would receive while they were being assembled. The codes that had been assigned to some people were incorrect. I was involved in the assembly process. The people I worked on had received the wrong code and as a result, the wrong type of arms. Based on what I knew about their calling, gifting and the types of arms available, I had to re-arm all of them.

The dream seems to be referring to my calling as one of "arming" the body of Christ. When I think of "arms" I often think of weapons, equipping and training. The usual context of that language is in equipping the body of Christ for ministry. (See Eph. 4:11-12)

In the dream, there was a problem. The code was a six digit code, which probably represents a number given by man. People had been assigned the wrong codes and as a result received the wrong arms. I would interpret that as an error on the part of leaders in arming the saints and misidentifying their calling.  My job was to remove the arms they had and give them the ones they needed.

The dream is a revelation on correcting others - particularly in the area of ministry. This is a strange subject for me, since I gave up on correcting others years ago. While I enjoy teaching those who are willing to learn, I don't enjoy correcting people. But this dream is definitely a call to make corrections in others. And I don't think it's just for me. I believe this is a word for others who are similarly called to train and equip the saints.

I'm not certain about how leaders have misidentified the calling of people, but I have a hunch. It's common for us to want others to walk in the same type of calling that we do. What father doesn't want his son to take up the family business?

The value we place on something is personal, yet we tend to project our values onto others. Pastors desire to train and equip more pastors. The same is true for evangelists and prophets. I suspect that herein lies the problem.

I once knew a man who pastored a small church. In talking with others who knew him, it became obvious that he was called as an evangelist and apostle, but he wasn't walking out that calling. He was miserable in the role of pastor. He got excited and energized every time he traveled outside the US and operated as an evangelist, yet he never fully embraced that calling and instead, accepted the pastoral role he'd been given.

This man's ministry is an example of how we tend to fall into the habit of operating in things we're really not called to. There are many reason why we do it - mostly out of convenience or following the traditions of men.

The solution proposed in the dream was to re-arm people based on what was known about their true calling, their true gifting and what arms were available to them.

It's been my experience that before we can effectively correct others, we must have a relationship of mutual trust and respect. Yes, we can speak correction to anyone we want, and many of us do, but correction from strangers is almost never heeded. That type of correction bears no fruit and often creates bitterness, mistrust and resentment.

Having a relationship of mutual trust and respect with someone allows us to speak words of correction in a way that it can be received. And it's only when correction is received that it bears fruit.

The calling and gifting of others are matters that require God's counsel. Once we've established a relationship of trust, we can ask God what areas of ministry a person is called to and what type of gifts they have that will help them operate in their calling.

Arming them for their calling is a matter of understanding how the weapons of warfare function and how they aide us in operating in our calling.

If a friend is called as a prophet, we would do well to encourage them to spend time developing the ability to see visions, receive words of knowledge and words of wisdom, since prophets are people of revelation. These weapons (arms) help them walk out their calling.

If a person is called as an evangelist, we might help them become trained in healing and miracles, since healing and evangelism make a powerful combination.

Leaders who are able to correctly discern the gifting, calling and weaponry of others and who can successfully correct them are an invaluable resource to the body of Christ.

Metal Rods in Back Disappear

This man had metal rods in his back. He came to a healing service where Randy Clark asked people to raise their hands if the wanted to be healed of metal in their bodies. This man raised his hand received prayer. The metal (apparently) is no longer there.

Ian Clayton on Transrelocation

Ian Clayton is a pioneer in walking out the supernatural life of the kingdom of God. One of the things he's experienced often is spiritual transportation. He has traveled frequently both in the spirit and in his physical body to different locations. In the podcast below, he shares his observations on this fascinating subject.

Click on the Podcast below Ian's picture to hear the message.

Related messages:
Traveling In The Spirit

Dean Braxton's Story

This is the testimony of Dean Braxton, who suffered cardiac arrest at St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, Washington. Dean's heart stopped for 1 hour and 45 minutes. During that time he went to heaven twice. Dean recalls what he experienced in heaven. The doctor in charge of the resuscitation discusses the miracle from a medical perspective.

When God's Kids Grow Up

As I mowed the grass in the sweltering heat, I thought about my spiritual discontent.

Again.

I watched a video last night featuring Greg Hawkins, the executive pastor of  Willow Creek church, who discussed the trend of committed, born-again Christians leaving traditional churches in large numbers. Wanting to know what was behind it all, pollsters like George Barna have been collecting data from studies and have reached several conclusions - one of which I'll discuss in this message.

The most startling fact uncovered is that most of the people who are leaving the church are not lukewarm, marginal Christians, but those who are the most committed to living for Jesus. The sold-out, on- fire children of God are seeking greener pastures in which to rest.

Five years ago - this revelation would have shocked me. But today, it confirms what I've seen happening among my friends and it sheds light on what I've experienced in my own life.

In 2008, when I first began having dreams - many of them took place in church buildings. I'd dream about praying for people to be healed or I'd be prophesying at a church service. At that time, my wife and I attended an AG church regularly. The church dreams didn't last long. The church we attended had a lot of problems and God called us to meet with people in different locations and soon, my dreams took on a different setting.

The church dreams ended and instead I was praying with people in ambulances, stores, streets and hospitals. Literally anywhere but in a church building. I knew God was calling us out of that setting, and into the community at large, but we had a hard time giving up our church life.

Over the years, my wife and I have tried to find a church to attend, but haven't been successful. We don't have an ax to grind against the institutional church. Yes, we see a number of problems with the traditional church scene, but we also see some positive things that a traditional church setting can provide. We just can't find one that meets our  particular needs. One of the problems is that we seem to have outgrown most churches and the things they teach.

Most churches are great at helping new believers become rooted and grounded in the truth of scripture. While some folks may be content to study the bible their entire lives, others require a bit more diversity. Some churches have nothing to offer beyond basic bible teaching. So when a church successfully nurtures it's members into maturity and they require training and equipping beyond the basics, where do they go?

Many believers today have discovered their identity in Christ and are fully capable of teaching with authority and operating in the power of God. They're not beginners any more. They're seasoned veterans. As their numbers have grown - it's become apparent (to me at least) that the manifestation of the sons and daughters of God spoken of in Scripture may finally be here. God's kids have grown up. And unfortunately for church leaders -  they've nearly worked themselves out of a job.

The body of Christ now needs advanced training and equipping and leaders are late in responding to that need. A few (Bill Johnson for example) have seen the need and developed advanced curricula. To their credit, Bethel has made their school of supernatural ministry curriculum available to others, but a better approach would be for local fellowships to develop and implement their own.

The need for more challenging instruction might explain the boom in conference attendance. Many people find that two or three days of immersion in worship and advanced teaching is more helpful than digesting weekly sermons.

The present challenge to leaders is to recognize the need for advanced training and equipping and ask God for the resources and insights on how those needs can be met. If the needs of the sheep are not met, they'll continue to head for the exit sign.

Here's the interview with Greg Hawkins:

Aurea McGarry: Expect the Miraculous

This is the testimony of a woman who survived cancer only to be told she would never speak normally again due to nerve damage affecting her vocal cords. Her healing was not instant, but if finally arrived.

Healing In The Workplace

This is an excerpt from my upcoming book on healing.

The first ten verses of Luke 5 describe what happened to Peter when he allowed his workplace be a platform for the ministry of Jesus. After the Lord taught from Peter’s boat, he asked Peter to go into deeper water and let down his nets. After telling Jesus he’d been fishing all night without catching anything he reluctantly obeyed. He was astounded when the catch was so great it began to sink the boat, requiring help from others to bring it in. God blessed Peter, James and John with an immediate increase in their business when they allowed their occupation to be used by him. Just as he did with the fishermen, God wants to bless us when we’re willing to be used by Him where we work.

One day, while working on the ambulance, my regular partner took the day off. I worked with someone I didn't know very well. ‘Cindy’ and I were having a slow day. We were five hours into the shift and hadn't run a call. To help the time pass, we talked about different things, including one of my favorite subjects; dreams.

I shared a few dreams I’d had about healing. That led to a discussion of healing itself. I shared a few healing stories, which prompted her to tell me about the car accident she was in a few years ago that left her with chronic pain between her shoulder blades. We talked and I gained her trust. So when I asked if she wanted to be healed she was comfortable having me pray with her. I explained the process then put my hand on her back and commanded it to be healed. And it was.

In ministry, it's helpful to build relationships. Before asking someone if they want to be healed it’s wise to spend a few minutes getting to know them. The degree to which you’ll minister to anyone is dependent on the relationship you have with them. Some Christians have turned ministry into a game of numbers, boasting about how many people a day they’ve reached for Jesus. Many of those converts remain strangers to the believer and God. Society has grown tired of it. Christianity devoid of meaningful relationships is empty and its fruit doesn’t last. Jesus asked us to make disciples, not converts. Discipleship is relational.

If the one you want to pray with is someone you know, the relationship may already be strong enough for prayer. Asking a stranger if they want to be healed isn’t something most people do. It’s natural for them to wonder about our motives. With a stranger it’s helpful to engage in safe conversation, allowing them a few minutes to evaluate us and our motives. You should expect to have your motives questioned. Spend time thinking about why you’re doing this and how you’ll explain your motives when asked.

As we minister in the workplace, we should remember a few things; Jesus healed all who came to him, but many chose not to come. As badly as we may want others to receive God’s healing touch, we must always ask permission and respect the wishes of those who say no. If we show honor and respect, it will be shown to us, even from those who disagree with us. “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Proverbs 16:7)

Another thing to keep in mind is that employers hire us to work and they have a right to expect us to be productive. We should desire to make our employers successful. If we spend too much time engaged in ministry while at work and it interferes with productivity or proficiency, they may need to take corrective action. We should treat customers and co-workers well and be diligent in our duties. When we’re good employees, we fulfill the command to “do all things as unto the Lord”.

A generation ago, it was common for people to talk about their faith in the workplace. Today, separatists and secularists are trying hard to ban public discussions of faith. Workplace evangelism is becoming a risky proposition. In some parts of the world discussing Jesus puts you at risk for harassment, punishment or termination. Many people believe we have no right to engage in religious discussions while on the job. Make no mistake there will always be a cost that must be considered by outspoken disciples of Jesus.

At the outset, I had concerns that God wouldn’t heal the people I prayed with and I’d look foolish. Concerns about how we’re perceived by others are sometimes rooted in pride. In this case I had to choose obedience over what others thought about me. Humility allows us to take risks at the expense of our ego. My fears were short-lived. I did go through a season of praying with people who weren’t healed, but not because God didn’t want them healed. It was because I didn’t know what I was doing yet. After changing my approach and commanding healing instead of begging God to do it, I saw the number of people healed increase dramatically. I never really experienced the things I feared. I suppose the enemy may have been trying to discourage me. He’ll probably try it with you, so be brave if God asks you to step out in faith.

Operating as a divine healer in the workplace can be a challenging task, but the rewards are profound. When I began I met a few people who objected to a paramedic praying with patients while at work. I had a discussion on a medical blog with a doctor who was offended when she learned that I talked to my patients about God. In her mind my actions were unethical. She believes that patients are vulnerable and see medical workers as experts. Her fear was that I would abuse my ‘expert’ status and push a vulnerable patient into accepting a religious point of view, without having time to fully consider it. I suppose some may operate this way, though it seems rather manipulative. There is no reason why open discussions can’t occur which allow both people to share ideas without crossing the lines of sound ethical practice.

Rules regarding discussions of faith vary depending on your occupation and where you work. Check to learn what restrictions apply to you. The medical industry allows for some people to discuss faith openly with patients. If you’re on the pastoral staff you’re allowed a lot of freedom. These positions enjoy a privileged status the rest of us don’t. There seems to be a trend toward more restriction on workplace discussions of faith. This trend needs to be challenged and the responsibility falls on us. If you work in a place where you aren’t free to talk about God, it’s your responsibility to engage in discussions with management to have the rules changed.

If our attempts to bring Jesus into the workplace cause customers to go elsewhere or co-workers to file complaints against us, perhaps we should re-think our strategy. After years of ‘witnessing’ to people on the job, and having no fruit come from it, I began instead to discuss healing. In the time I’ve used this approach, which I use almost daily, I haven’t had a complaint from anyone. Many have been healed, and even the people who weren’t were grateful.

There are a thousand ways in which healing can be brought to the workplace. The only limitation is our own creativity. Healing is often used as a tool for evangelism, but it’s also a gift of the Holy Spirit and the gifts are intended to benefit the church. I tend to operate more in the gift of healing with believers than in healing as an aid to evangelism.

I keep my eyes open for anyone who is walking or moving in a way that shows they are in pain. I look for immobilizers, canes, crutches, and wheelchairs or a look of pain on anyone’s face. If I see someone taking Advil, I ask why. I’ve also developed selective hearing, where I tune into certain conversations and tune others out. I listen for medical words. After a bit of practice you become more perceptive to the needs of others. One day you’ll realize that asking a stranger if they want prayer is no longer considered ‘risky behavior’, but a normal activity.

It’s surprising how many people discuss their health problems in public. When someone discusses a surgery, a chronic painful condition or even something like insomnia, there’s a need for healing standing in front of you. All you need to do is politely ask about the condition, maybe share a testimony of healing and ask if they’ll let you pray with them. After a few people are healed, your co-workers will begin to talk. As word gets around, you’ll find more opportunities. As more people are healed, your faith will grow and you’ll probably see more miracles. If you’re experiences are like mine, co-workers will start coming to you first, before making an appointment with their doctor.

The disciples of Jesus became habitual healers. They kept routines and visited certain places often. And wherever they went, the sick were healed and the dead were raised. They became so well known for healing, and their routines so regular that people laid the sick in their path, knowing that as their shadow passed by, sickness and disease would leave. There’s nothing keeping you from developing this same kind of reputation for healing. It’s a matter of how much compassion you have and how closely you want to follow in the steps of Jesus.

Neurologist Testimony of Healing After Brain Death

This is a powerful testimony from a neurologist, who was paged to go to a hospital to confirm the brain death of a young woman who had a brain tumor. The patient suffered herniation and the neurosurgeon declared her brain-dead. She was being prepared as an organ donor. After praying with her friend, the doctor drove to the hospital. On the way to the hospital  the patient made a full recovery.

Jesse's Story

This is the testimony of Jesse Snow, a Facebook friend who agreed to let me post the story of his introduction to the supernatural life. The original message can be found on his Facebook page here. 

One day during the summer of 2010 I was checking my email and opened the latest update from Intentional Gatherings, my brother Aaron's non-profit organization. The email was talking about a new project that I.G. was starting to get involved with called Student CPx (Church Planting Experience). SCPx is basically a week long training for college students to plant simple churches on their college campuses and reach the world around them with the love of Jesus.

This email included a testimony from one of the recent SCPx's, which are held all over the nation. I read about how God healed the injuries of several football players after a student and one of the leaders prayed for them. This was completely foreign to me, but I loved it.

A few weeks later I was down in Austin, Texas with my brother Samuel visiting Aaron, his wife Morgan, and their baby girl Eliza. While I was there Aaron and I had a conversation about things he had been learning lately. He explained to me what it meant to pray "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." He explained that Jesus told his disciples to declare "The kingdom of heaven is near" and that when the kingdom of heaven comes supernatural things happen - like people getting healed. There is no sickness or disease in heaven, and according to Jesus' model prayer God doesn't want it to exist on earth either.

I thought that I ought to go to a SCPx before moving to Hawaii in late July. Aaron encouraged me to do so too. The next one was in San Diego and Aaron was already scheduled to be on leadership. We flew out to be there the week of July 19 - 23, 2010.

Student CPx

This week in San Diego is really where it all began. The event was hosted by Origins, a campus ministry at UCSD led by Brian and Cecilee Orme. There I met a group of (mostly) college students who truly lived together in community as a real spiritual family. Eric Waterbury came down from Sacramento to be one of the speakers and shared with us his personal testimony and teach us about spiritual family and identity in Christ. Brian Orme, Eric Waterbury, Brad McCoy, Erik Fish, Pam Arlund, and Neil Cole all came to speak. All of these leaders are simply incredible and if I go into depth on any of them this note will be way too long. They have all had a tremendous impact on my life. The first two days were all about identity in Christ - knowing who you are and whose you are. Knowing the love that God has for you and finding your value in Him and nothing else. This is something I will spend the rest of my life uncovering.

The next part of the training was on healing and deliverance taught by Brian Orme. Brian shared some amazing testimonies and taught us about the authority we have. Once again, this was all brand new to me and I was eager to learn as much as I could. I was asking him about it and he gave me a simple challenge: "Pray for 200 people [to be healed]. If you don't see anyone healed after the 200th person, then its not for you. But I guarantee you won't make it to 200 before people start getting healed."

That was exactly the type of prompting I needed. I needed something measurable, something I could grasp. Those words stayed in my mind long after the week was over. I had always wanted the power to heal people, even before I knew it was possible. I grew up obsessed with superheroes and superpowers. Then 20 years into my life somebody told me I had some, and I haven't been the same since.

Back to the week of SCPx. This week was my introduction to the supernatural. That week was the first time I saw people speaking in tongues (and they weren't crazy people, they were of a sound mind and passionately in love with God and humanity), the first time I saw people "drunk in the Spirit" (I'm sorry if that offends you, its just terminology people use, but it is a biblical manifestation, please ask me about it), the first time I saw prophetic dreams come true before my eyes, and the first time I saw a miracle of healing. It was also where I received the gift of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues for the first time (see my note "One-Year Anniversary," this is another idea that offends people but is absolutely biblical).


A Dream Come True (literally)
On one of the days we were sent out to do a "treasure hunt." I had never heard of that before, but it is basically a method of evangelism. It starts by asking the Holy Spirit for clues about certain people that He wants to speak to. The clues can be names of locations, clothing/appearance, etc. After you write down enough clues your group sets out to find those people. When you find the people whom the Holy Spirit was telling you about, you tell them about how you're on a treasure hunt and they are the treasure (God's treasure). You show them the description of them that you had written down and share God's love for them and why He sent you to them. If they have any need you give to them whatever you can (money, food, healing, prophetic word, encouragement, direction, whatever).

We started in groups of 3 (ours was Caryn Werner, Erik Bagley, and me) and prayed to receive words of knowledge from the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 12). I had never had a vision, received a WoK, or anything like that before, so I just kind of went with it and let Caryn and Eric write down all the "clues." We set out and found the people that they had written descriptions of, which was pretty cool in itself, but the coolest thing that happened was when we were finished.

You see, at the beginning of the day, Erik told us to let him know if we saw a girl with a fish on her shirt. He explained that he had had a dream 3 nights ago when he was still in Redding, CA (where he was a student at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry). In that dream God showed him that he would soon meet a girl with a fish on her shirt. That girl would have back pain because one of her legs would be shorter than the other. I thought, "that's interesting."

Then at the end of our treasure hunt we were just hanging out when a girl walked by us. When Erik saw her he immediately left us and went to talk with the girl. When I saw them talking I immediately went to see if this was the girl. I walked up to them, looked at Erik, looked at the girl, looked at her shirt, which had a fish on it, and thought, "Noooo way." They were just having a normal conversation and then Erik asked her if she ever got back pain. She responded yes, that it ran in her family. He asked if she knew whether her legs were even in length or if she'd ever had that checked, because uneven legs cause back pain. She didn't know, so he asked her if she would mind sitting down to check.

We went over to a place where she could sit and Erik held her feet with her legs straight out in front of her. Her right leg was noticeably shorter than her left by about an inch or inch and a half. Erik spoke to her leg and told it to grow out in Jesus' name, then we watched it obey (see Mark 11:23). That was pretty exciting to say the least. Not only did I watch everything he told me about his dream come true, I saw a miracle for the first time of my life. She stood up, walked around and felt totally different and free of her back pain.

This girl had already told us she was getting involved witchcraft, but instead of shoving religion down her throat, Erik just introduced her to Jesus. Then he got to tell her how much Jesus loves and cares about her. He cares about every aspect of her life, even an inch difference between the way her legs grew and the way he designed them to be, even her back pain. I'd like to point out that God didn't say, "renounce witchcraft," "believe," or "repent" before he would heal her, he just showed her his kindness. Its His kindness that leads us to change (Rom. 2:4).


God Smells
One of the nights that week we were all gathered in our regular nightly meeting room to worship God. We praised Him in song and many sang songs of love in angelic languages (1 Cor. 13:1). I heard the most beautiful languages I had ever heard that night. Many were overwhelmed with the supernatural peace and joy of the Holy Spirit, what people call "drunk in the Spirit," and were laughing almost uncontrollably for hours straight. They had felt a touch of God's infinite love for them and couldn't help but be excessively happy.

Not long after a few girls next to me started getting really drunk, a scent manifested in that spot where we were. It was a sweet fragrance, and since we were in a closed room I looked around to see if anyone had opened perfume or something. No one had, and the scent, which I could now clearly distinguish as the smell of wine, only grew stronger and filled the room. I would have been really confused if I hadn't already been introduced to the supernatural, and if I hadn't heard a hint of such a manifestation earlier that week when Caryn mentioned that she had "smelled God" (which I thought was the craziest thing I had ever heard). I was still analyzing all this in my head and trying to come up with a logical explanation when Brian Orme came over to us. He leaned in and cleverly joked, "that's the best wine tasting you've ever been to, huh?" I realized that the scent was a sign the Holy Spirit gave us to confirm the word when Jesus spoke of "the new wine." The Holy Spirit is the new wine, and we are the new wine skins.


My First Miracle
I think it might have been Wednesday night when we were sent into the city to heal the sick. We went in groups and prayed for a man with a broken leg, he thanked us and then said he had to go into the restaurant for dinner. We didn't see anything happen, but we were still feeling pretty free and joyful. We didn't see anyone else that night who needed physical healing but did minister to some other people.

Once again, we were finished doing what we were doing and all just hanging out on the sidewalk at the end of the night waiting to be picked up. Courtney and I were sitting on some stairs with a girl named Sky with us who was visiting from China. I was telling Sky about the girl whose leg had grown out and she was pretty shocked. Courtney said, "Have you ever checked if you have a short leg?" (turns out its actually a pretty common thing). Sky put both her legs out straight and sure enough one was short. I looked at Courtney as if expecting her to do it, but she just told me to do it (she had already done it many times before and was wise enough to give me the opportunity to experience it firsthand).

So I held Sky's feet, closed my eyes (I was afraid nothing would happen so didn't want to look), and started telling the right leg to grow out. I still had my eyes closed when I heard Sky start exclaiming, "Ah! My leg stretched! I felt my leg stretch!" I opened my eyes and she was freaking out (in a good way). But now instead of being even, her right leg was an inch longer than her left leg, which confused me. Thank God Courtney was there! She just said "that happens sometimes, just grow the left one out now to match!" So I did the same thing and her left leg grew out an inch. Both legs were now even and she stood up about an inch taller than before! Later in the car I heard Sky very excitedly telling her mom over the phone in China what had just happened. She was still freaking out and was nearly brought to tears. I was pretty excited too!


My Own Personal Prayer Language
I think it was Wednesday or Thursday night of that week when we were in that same room we had been meeting each night to worship. Brian stood up and started talking, but I had no idea what he was talking about at first. He said, "When I first heard about this I thought, 'There's more? Of course I want more.'" He said to stand up if if we hadn't been baptized in the Holy Spirit yet and wanted to. I wasn't sure what that meant, but I did know that anything that was of God, I wanted. I knew there was more and I wanted it.

I still didn't know what "it" was though. He taught us, "Its not just going to happen by itself, you have to choose to speak it out." A group of five or so people gathered around each of us who were standing and put their hands on us. They started praying in tongues aloud and every now and then one of them would tell me an instruction from God, like, "Don't over think it, just receive." I just stood there for a few minutes with my mind reeling. I had no idea what to do, how to "listen," or how to "receive." I knew I was supposed to "speak it out" but I had no idea what to speak out. Eric Waterbury was directly in front of me, and he told me to just start thanking God aloud. So I thanked God for everything I could think of, which at that time, didn't take very long (not because there wasn't an innumerable amount of things that God could've been thanked for, but because of my spiritual immaturity). After a minute or two I couldn't think of anything else and stopped speaking.

I was listening to Eric speaking in his prayer language and remembered what Brian said, that I had to speak it out. I decided to just move my tongue in my mouth and immediately it started dancing around in my mouth. That's the only way I know how to describe it. Then I decided to stop and it did. Then I started again and it started dancing again. So I figured I should speak it out now, though I was still timid and it was little more than a whisper. Fortunately the room was filled with people speaking in tongues so when I spoke out I didn't feel like all the attention was on me. I spoke for a few minutes and then we finished. As soon as we did, Caryn and Courtney Werner were like, "Did you feel that!?" "Yeah, electricity shot up our arms as soon as you started speaking!" I thought that was pretty cool, but I had still never felt anything like that before and didn't then.

Immediately doubts started coming at me about what just happened. It felt too easy, too natural, like it was something I could have done my whole life. Caryn helped explain to me in the few minutes we had and told me how I could test it myself. She said just count while speaking in tongues and you'll realize that its not your mind producing it, its your spirit, because your mind can still count and do everything else. I tried and realized I could think, count, and later realized that I could read and write and do anything while speaking in tongues. My mind is absolutely not involved at all besides choosing when to start and when to stop. "The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church" (1 Cor. 14:4). "For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also" (1 Cor. 14:14-15).

I hadn't yet learned these things though, so I was still struggling with doubt. It just seemed too easy and like something I could have done all along (later I looked back and realized that in the past I was never able to speak in tongues if I tried, for instance when I tried to fake speaking a foreign language it would not be fluent or sound real at all). So the next day when I talked to Erik Fish about it, he told me about his experience and showed me every chapter in the Book of Acts where it happened. He really encouraged me and solidified the truth of this for me.


Back Home
The last couple days of SCPx included awesome teaching from Brad McCoy (on prophecy), Erik Fish (on the origin of SCPx), Pam Arlund (on missions), and Neil Cole (on simple church, discipleship, and how "that stuff can't get on me"). They all also shared lots of amazing testimonies of God's supernatural works. I can't thank any of the leaders enough for what they do and the impact they've had on me: Aaron Snow, Eric Waterbury, Brian Orme, Brad McCoy, Erik Fish, Pam Arlund, Neil Cole, and Eric Bagley (even though he wasn't an official leader, he was still a leader and really impacted me, not just because of the prophetic dream and miracle, but the spirit of love and peace that he carried).

When I got back home I had less than a week left before I would move to Hawaii on July 29, 2010. I told my parents and my brothers almost all of what I had experienced. My brother Samuel went to the next SCPx in Austin about a month later and had amazing supernatural encounters too.

Practical Examples - Todd White

Todd White teaches how to (and how not to) build relationships with strangers.

Covered By The Blood

As Shante slept soundly, an invisible voice whispered her name in the darkness.

"Shante...."

She awoke and scanned the room, looking for the one who called her name, but found no one. Looking a second time she realized her husband was missing.

Slipping on a robe, she made her way to the bathroom, located on the other end of the house. She opened the door.

Her husband lay naked in the bathtub. His arm bled profusely from a deep incision across his brachial artery.  Both wrists were cut. His blood flowed freely, turning the bath into a crimson pool of death.

Shante knew what to do. This wasn't the first time. She called 911 and tried to wake him.

The men in uniform made quick work of getting him out of the tub and on the way to the hospital. After a unit of  blood and 3 liters of saline in the ED, his pressure was still around 60/30. They had another problem. The hospital had no ICU beds open.

We arrived to transport him to the nearest hospital with an ICU bed. His nurse filled me in. They applied a pressure dressing to the open brachial artery and checked it before we arrived. It was still bleeding. His blood pressures had been horrible in spite of fluid resuscitation, although they'd only given him one unit of blood. He was a rare type and they had no more available.

He was restless and in pain. His physique was that of a bodybuilder. For a man pushing 60 years old, he looked like he was in good shape.

On the outside.

The inside was a different story.

I'm always saddened by suicide attempts, but some are worse than others. It's not unusual for a 17 year old girl to take a handful of pills after breaking up with her boyfriend. She's hurting. She wants attention and she knows how to get it. These gestures are pretty harmless and most people outgrow them.

But when you have grown children and grandchildren, you're supposed to have most of this stuff figured out. I can't think of anything sadder than a man who's been walking the earth for over 50 years who's still in bondage to his demons. Especially when he's a Christian.

Didn't Jesus came to free us from all of this? How is it that so many people come to the cross and receive salvation, but live the rest of their lives tormented by thoughts of ending their life?

I talked to his wife and asked if I might pray with him. She said he'd appreciate prayer then told me about how she found him in the bathtub. She was sound asleep at around 2:30, when a mysterious voice called her name in the night. There was no one around. We concluded it must have been an angel. I told her that God has been healing a lot of  my patients and that He's been teaching me about healing mental illness. I didn't make any promises, but told her I'd do what I could to help him.

We loaded him in the ambulance. His son got in and sat next to me. I can't imagine what a 30 year old man would  be thinking as he watched his father try to end his life.

"I have a question, sir...."

"What is it?"

"Can I pray with you?"

"Sure."

I prayed for peace to reign in his heart and commanded evil spirits to leave. "Holy Spirit, bring your presence to rest upon him and give him joy, unspeakable. Papa, show him your amazing love and mercy."

He finished the prayer with me..."In Jesus name."

We arrived and whisked him to the waiting ICU nurses and got him settled in. His wife was waiting in the room for us. I put my arm around her shoulder. She gave me a squeeze and said, "Thank you."

Metal Bars Disappear

Randy Clark interviews a woman who testifies that two metal bars in her arm somehow disappeared during a healing service.