offering the Kingdom to a room full of Gulf Arab muslims
last night I visited a group of muslim men who I reconnected with a week ago after many years. they had "heard" the Gospel many times. they all were given Arabic Bibles. there had been a consistent, loving witness to these men for many years. in no way do I minimize all of what was sown, but the question I had going back to see them last night was this, "Have they EVER seen the Gospel DEMONSTRATED in power?" I couldn't remember an instance in my time of ministering to them where we ever saw anything miraculous happen, but I had changed from the man I used to be and so last night was going to be a different approach.
Towards the end of an evening that was full of lively discussions about many different topics, I dropped the bomb in the room, "Hey guys, last week I said I wanted to minister to anyone with pain or any physical problems". This opened up a whole new discussion - I had to really control myself as they wanted to bait me into a religious debate about the Trinity and other 'hot' topics. I was determined to DEMONSTRATE 1st and then in the wake of the demonstration, then I would be willing to talk about this Jesus who has just healed them.
I shared a few testimonies, and also the way God reveals sicknesses/pains through the gift of the word of knowledge. To get started, the Lord gave me a word for one of the men who had pain in the middle of his back. The men all encouraged him to come sit next to me for prayer, but he wasn't willing. (You can't force someone to receive prayer!).
Next another man let me come and pray for a pain he had in his shoulder. I prayed several times - some of the pain left but as the Lord also gave a word of knowledge about his condition (which was also related to a collar bone that had been broken years earlier), I told him that I looked forward to seeing him the following week to see what his condition was.
After that another came with a chronic problem in his right foot - basically a bone problem affecting his big toe. I prayed a few times for him and nothing discernible seemed to happen (not an option as far as I'm concerned). I also got a corresponding word of knowledge for him and told him that I wanted to see what happens over the week until we meet again.
Finally a man addicted to smoking asked me if God could set him free from his addition - I told him He surely could. I said we'd leave that for next week, as I wanted him to see the fruit in his friends lives' first.
By the end of the evening, I went back to man for whom I received the word of knowledge about his back and said that if his friend was completely healed would he be willing to let me pray for his back, he agreed.
Of course, I would have loved to have seen more clear demonstrations of power - more instantaneous healings. A room full of muslim men watching a follower of Christ minister healing - the KINGDOM MUST COME when we are in such situations!!
All I know is that when the debating stopped and the praying began, the evening really got fun. Ministry the old way is way overrated!
Towards the end of an evening that was full of lively discussions about many different topics, I dropped the bomb in the room, "Hey guys, last week I said I wanted to minister to anyone with pain or any physical problems". This opened up a whole new discussion - I had to really control myself as they wanted to bait me into a religious debate about the Trinity and other 'hot' topics. I was determined to DEMONSTRATE 1st and then in the wake of the demonstration, then I would be willing to talk about this Jesus who has just healed them.
I shared a few testimonies, and also the way God reveals sicknesses/pains through the gift of the word of knowledge. To get started, the Lord gave me a word for one of the men who had pain in the middle of his back. The men all encouraged him to come sit next to me for prayer, but he wasn't willing. (You can't force someone to receive prayer!).
Next another man let me come and pray for a pain he had in his shoulder. I prayed several times - some of the pain left but as the Lord also gave a word of knowledge about his condition (which was also related to a collar bone that had been broken years earlier), I told him that I looked forward to seeing him the following week to see what his condition was.
After that another came with a chronic problem in his right foot - basically a bone problem affecting his big toe. I prayed a few times for him and nothing discernible seemed to happen (not an option as far as I'm concerned). I also got a corresponding word of knowledge for him and told him that I wanted to see what happens over the week until we meet again.
Finally a man addicted to smoking asked me if God could set him free from his addition - I told him He surely could. I said we'd leave that for next week, as I wanted him to see the fruit in his friends lives' first.
By the end of the evening, I went back to man for whom I received the word of knowledge about his back and said that if his friend was completely healed would he be willing to let me pray for his back, he agreed.
Of course, I would have loved to have seen more clear demonstrations of power - more instantaneous healings. A room full of muslim men watching a follower of Christ minister healing - the KINGDOM MUST COME when we are in such situations!!
All I know is that when the debating stopped and the praying began, the evening really got fun. Ministry the old way is way overrated!
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