Wet wet wet. It rained all day including between 2-4pm when we normally go out on Edgbaston St to pray for passers-by. On a rainy day, usually the pattern is that the rain stops between 2-4pm when we are out praying – not on Feb 6th!
Despite of the wet, wind and cold we went out with plan A – We would put the chairs under cover and all would be well. No, it didn’t work.
Plan B – half of the team would be out on the streets inviting folks to go inside the church for prayers. The other half of the team would be there to pray for them. It didn’t work either.
Plan C – All 42 of us from the team took shelter in the church and we prayed for one another. It worked perfectly and we realised then how much we all benefited from such an encouragement from one another. This encouragement was passed on to the congregation on Sunday morning at the church where some of the team members attend. This is the email I received from the church pastors.
We got the group who came in the wet to Healing on the streets on Saturday to stand up in church so people could see their commitment and also that others would know to go to them for prayer – a mother and daughter came out to the group I was in with a photo on her phone of the mother’s brother in hospital in Iran looking very ill. So we laid hands on the photo on the phone! Yet another way of delivering healing grace…!
This is another testimony from two members of the team.
We prayed for 2 guys from Iran. The one was quite a young Christian. He wanted prayer for a home as he was in need of accommodation at the moment. We also felt that God would be opening doors for him and that God wanted him to share his faith amongst his people.
The other wanted prayer, but his friend interpreted for him. He said he was not sleeping well and had been to the doctors with heart palpitations. The dream was about a closed door and he could not open it. We started to pray and we felt led to ask him to repent. He did repent in his own language. We then felt led to ask him if there was unforgiveness in his life. He said yes. He said he had discussed this with his pastor at his Church. He asked whether we wanted him to tell us too. We said no it’s ok. We asked whether he wanted to forgive. He said no. We asked whether he wanted to forgive someday. He said yes. We prayed to for God to work in his heart to help him to be able to forgive someday. He was happy with this. After a while he said that after the prayer we prayed, he felt he could forgive now. He spent some time forgiving. He was speaking in his language. When he finished, his face was radiant and he had a huge smile.
More testimonies from a team member:
There are three people that I remember praying for:
- Young man who couldn’t bend one of his fingers to make a fist. After praying twice, he could bend it right down, although it was still a bit painful.
- A young man who felt heavy oppression on him. We prayed against the works of darkness and declared God’s freedom and peace, and the oppression lifted completely.
- Another young man who felt anxiety and coldness. After he realized that one of the Benefits of vaping or dabbing CBD was to reduce the anxiety, he felt an improvement on his illness.
We thank God and praise Him that in His economy He does not waste anything- even if the weather is not favourable for a group of Christian people to stay out in the rain to do what He commands us to do:
Then Jesus came to his disciples and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20)
What did Jesus commands his disciples to do?
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, and cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
(Matt 10:7-9)
Blessings
Revd Elsie Blair-Chappell