Thursday, December 28, 2006

Supernatural Events II - The Team Approach

Please see my explanation in Supernatural Events I

I often think about how that Body of Christ needs to work together to accomplish that which God wants to do. For years we have heard all the big names in Evangelical, Charismatic and Pentecostal ministry circles. From Benny Hinn to Ted Haggerty, we have seen them perform and in some cases fall. What we haven't seen very often, is a team approach; a body of many parts working together for the Kingdom. I confess that I was part of the superstar or rock-star generation. In some cases the athletes of my day were one-man teams such as Michael Jordan. Rock superstars like Sting, could make CD's with anyone they wanted. They only required some assistance, not a team. God has a way of dealing with each one of us individually; here is what happened to me.

One of my Brazilian friends got me an invitation to minister with him on the South Coast of Massachusetts. Our team consisted of a preacher, my interpreter; an evangelist, another friend with a healing gift and me. The church where the service was being held is where the famous evangelist D. L. Moody had once preached. As I read the plaque on the wall I felt humbled by his accomplishments for the Kingdom. He was a superstar in his day. I met the pastor and his wife along with some of the members for the small congregation of about 40. The service began with worship and during that time a drunken man came in. I was impressed with the pastor as he and some of the members ministered to him. I think it took the man a few minutes to understand that the service was being held in Portuguese. Once he discovered that, he left quietly. My friend the preacher took to the pulpit and spoke about the "Spirit and The Bride", a favorite worship song of mine.

It was my turn to take the platform when I stopped and asked the worship leader to play another song and then I stopped to pray. My friend who was interpreting looked at my like, "this isn't the order of the service." I remember ministering to one, maybe two members when a man with a guitar came in shouting in Spanish. The interpreter told me that he wanted to use the sanctuary and had a document saying that he could do so. He actually wasn't scheduled to use it for about 45 or more minutes from the time he arrived. He continued shouting and engaged some of the members in an argument. There were threats from both sides. It was like a soccer match in South America. My Korean friend stepped right in the middle of it all and rebuked the man in Jesus' name. The pastor suggested that we all leave and join him in his apartment a few blocks away. It was so crazy, they even left the offering basket on one of the pews.

Back at the apartment, I simply began to minister pretty much where I had left off. What interested me was a man that was from the other church, the one the screaming guitar player was a pastor of. He came to the apartment and began to point his finger and poked me in the chest. He said, "You are a false prophet and the gift is from the devil." Wow, in the natural I was a bit frightened as this man was 100lbs. heavier, and about 4 inches taller then I am. All of a sudden I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me, "Tell him he has 2 sons." So I did, he stopped for a moment to listen. Then I felt the Lord prompt me to tell him about one son here in the US and another In Argentina... one in jail and the other with troubles. "And your wife," I said. "What is wrong with her back," I asked? "Where is she," I said?

"She is in the car, I will get her."

His wife came in and my friend with the healing gift prayed for her. God un-fused the vertebra in her back that she had previously had surgery on. She fell to the floor under the Power. When she arose, she could touch her toes! The man was so convinced of the presence of God he began to cry. He said "Mouchos gracias Jesus!" The power of the Holy Spirit then came on Him and it took three men to catch the bookcase and steady the TV as he fell to the floor.

Mouchos gracias Jesus!

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