“There is a big difference between confrontation and condemnation. Jesus confronted people, but he did not condemn them”. – Nicky Gumble
This Week’s Highlights:
*Gang Member Seeks Help – see Gaylene
*Stabbing Victim Receives Prayer – see Pastor Thomas
*Dead-On Words of Knowledge Enhance Encounters – see Trevor
*Hospital Visit Results in Several Encounters – see Ron & Donna
*Central Park Reclaimed For the Kingdom – see Pastor Lorraine
*Shyness Overcome – see Gord
*’Flabbergasted’ Only Way to Express Response to God’s Goodness – see Jeremiah
Twenty-Seven Kingdom Builders came out this week from 11 different churches. My highlight was spending time with Lucas, the purposefully homeless, full-time street evangelist, who plays Christian songs on the public piano in Portage Place Mall. I have had it on my heart that I should pray for him. When I asked if I could pray for him he told me several stories about how other well-meaning Christians have challenged him on his lifestyle choice. How some have told him he was living in sin, because he chooses to be homeless, or how what he was doing was ridiculous, some have insisted that what he was doing was just wrong. He sounded very weary and a bit agitated as he told me about these negative experiences. I assured him that my wanting to pray wasn’t a disguised way to push change on him. I reminded him that I have met people he has evangelized (even baptized one of them). I also have talked to people in the mall who have told me he has helped them. I have witnessed him giving money to needy people, and I told him how I appreciated him filling the mall with Christian music. I assured him that I thought he and I were on the same team, but that we had different callings. He looked at me (as though to check my sincerity) and then bowed over the piano which was my cue to pray for him. I prayed for healing from his past hurts, a blessing of empowerment, strength to press-on in his calling, and I prayed that the fruit of his ministry would be increased. When I was finished he gave me a fist-pump and a big grin. He needed that and that was my major Divine appointment for the night.
Gaylene’s Report:
Central Park was a bit quiet at first. Mike, Andy and I were about to go to the Metallica concert and pray for people outside of the MTS Center, when Lorraine showed up with a group. She was armed with a container of oil and was preparing to take back the park from the powers of darkness after the recent spate of violence.
A kid sitting on a picnic table got my attention and it was Paul, a young Mad Cowz gang member I’d met and prayed for some time in the past couple of years. He’d left Teen Challenge and is struggling with addiction and criminality (driving a stolen car, for one) but he realized it was Thursday evening and drove around the park until he found me. Iris and Davy and I prayed for him and prophesied over him. He was extremely anxious about his life and situation (it’s really difficult to leave a gang). He felt trapped so we prayed for peace and spoke the truth about God’s heart for him. In the midst of praying, one of my Sudanese guys, who I’ve been looking for, inserted himself into our little group. He and Paul were in the same gang, but he’d walked away. It was a bit disruptive but I think Paul was encouraged.
Lorraine and the group had already begun their prayer walk around the park and I joined them to pray and my former neighbor drove by on his bicycle and stopped to say hi. He’s Jamaican and grew up Pentecostal with a praying granny, but a terrible divorce and some other situations have taken him down some bad paths. When I prayed, I used his name Prince and Diana said she got the word “Prince” when she was praying earlier. So the whole group laid hands on him and ask for him to be filled, and boy oh boy was he. I’ve never seen him so overjoyed. He got quite a few words from the group before he cycled off, and most of us were getting quite drunk in the Spirit.
After anointing all four corners of the park we went to the playground and the big slide. Andy and I were up there first and we encountered a group who were drinking. We prayed for one lady who was very receptive and her friend Jen, walked up to Andy, looked him in the eye and said “I want to be saved” and got down on her knees. Andy led her in a prayer of salvation and they prayed for a while. I’ve never seen anyone accept Jesus like that…no discussion, no arguments, no hindrances.
The rest of the group joined us at the slides which has a perfect view of the park and Portage Place and the Quest Inn and most of downtown. We worshiped and prayed for a while longer and thanked Jesus for what He’s done, what He doing and what He’s about to do in Winnipeg.
Pastor Thomas’ Report:
Tonight about 8 of us went to pray for the sick at the Health Sciences Centre and we split into two teams. I went up to MICU with Michelle, Celina, and Seamus and on our way, we met Cheryl who was in a wheelchair in obvious pain. She told us how she had been run over by a car in Sandy Lake Ontario and had level 8 pain. After prayer the pain dropped to a 4 and she began to experience the presence of the Lord and started to tear up as we prayed but then she began to laugh with joy. What a difference in the way she looked. In MICU we went to pray for Robert who had been stabbed on the weekend on Redwood Ave. and was suffering from a concussion like a brain injury. His life was weighing in the balance. He was bound with ties to protect himself and was very tense, but after prayer, he began to relax more. We then went throughout the MICU waiting room asking if people needed prayer which is when we met Kathy whose mother Bonnie was in the MICU with problems relating to her heart and kidneys. Before going in to pray we shared The Gospel with Kathy and her two daughters Hope and Shay and they all gave their hearts to Jesus. Praise the Lord. They were from a Catholic background but so open and hungry for more. We also prayed for a family from Garden Hill who had a brother who was on a breathing machine because of liver and kidney complications. We declared life over her and released hope to the family. On the way out of HSC, we prayed for a woman with stage 4 colon cancer. She saw prayer as her lifeline of hope.
Trevor’s Report:
Tonight I went with Ron, Donna, and Allen to the Health Sciences Center. I talked to a woman named Colleen and I asked if she had a problem with her organs, and she told me she was going through dialysis and knew it was the kidneys of course. I also asked if she had diabetes, anxiety, depression and a bit of pain in her stomach, she responded with a yes. I prayed over her and she felt lighter. I was getting words from Holy Spirit for another woman who was sitting beside her who said that she had anxiety, depression, lower back pain, from a disc in the lower back that was a bit out of place. The team prayed for her and she said she felt like a million bucks.
After that, I had a word for a guy who I found sitting outside in the dark. I had a picture of someone with a brace on their leg who had broken their kneecap. I went up to him, his name was Willard, I’ve told him what I saw and he said yes, your right. He told me that he fell on the road right by the hospital. I commanded the pain to leave his knee and he felt a burning sensation and the pain was all gone.
As we were walking the hallways of HSC, Ron went up to a guy named Shane and he told us that he was going through addictions and just having lots of problems. As Ron, Donna, and Allen were praying for him I was hearing God speak to me clearly about his life. I said to him that his addiction was to Meth, also that he had an ex-girlfriend and he also had a child and he also had suicidal thoughts. I also said I see that your heart has a chain around it and you feel like you’re in a dark hole with no escape, I see a light at the end of the tunnel and you’re coming out of the darkness that you were going through. He told me I was correct with all the things that were going on in his life. After prayer, he felt peace, love, and sobriety came over him. After I prayed, he got up from the chair and he looked around and he was wondering what happened and he was still like in awe for what just happened. Holy Spirit spoke to me again and he said that he needs to come back to me and I should ask him to say words after me. So I asked him to say the words after me and he did. I said ‘Jesus I ask you to come back into my life, I ask Holy Spirit to fill me up and bring a brand new being in me, in Jesus name Amen.’ He also felt like a Million Bucks, there was a light that came on him and he looked great and was sober. I also told him that he will meet new friends and that he will find a place of fellowship and that God will help him every day. That was an amazing encounter.
Ron & Donna’s Report:
Ron, Trevor, Allen and I were at Health Sciences. We prayed with Betsy for her sister Rose who was at home up north. Rose was injured in a bus crash in 2017 and is now a quadriplegic. We declared that her neck is restored and that she would be healed. Betsy appreciated our prayer. Next was Kelly who was recharging his cell phone while waiting for his partner and her mother to check into the Hospital Hotel. He had a variety of complaints but the chief one was a back injury which gave his leg constant pain ranging from a 2 to 8. As we started to pray he told us the pain was around 2. We prayed several times and he indicated there was some relief but was not specific. After leaving Kelly we approached a fellow walking with a cane whose name was Mark. He had an accident about 2 years ago in which his whole leg broke apart just under his right knee. His skin was the only thing which held his leg together.Since then he has experienced much discomfort as his body rejected many of the attempts to fuse/heal the bones involved.His body also is rejecting the antibiotics that are required after any surgeries so that the wounds will heal. When we offered to pray he gladly accepted our offer. We spoke restoration of his body to the time prior to the accident while also telling his body to be healed. After praying for him his face was radiant with God’s peace. He is scheduled for another surgery Friday morning.
Pastor Lorraine’s Report:
This week I was on a mission to reclaim Central Park. Les brought his shofar, Michael played it, I brought the anointing oil, and it turned out that when I arrived and told our teams what I was going to do that a group of about 10 of us walked around the perimeter of the park, anointing each of the four corners and prayed together as a team. As we’d go along we’d meet people and pray for them and they’d get touched and healed by the Lord! The more we walked the stronger the presence of God got! We met a believer and prayed/prophesied over him. We could literally feel the electric power of God coming out of his stomach—crazy. Never felt anything like that before—it was very powerful, like electricity and it affected your hands as we prayed for this man. As we prayed an aboriginal man named Ronald came along. He was drunk and kept disrupting and swearing at times while we stood there. It was obvious that the demonic realm had manifested and was trying to disrupt what we were doing.
Later, we moved on and while we were at the water fountain praying, Andy and a few others went back to Ronald and led him to the Lord! It was like a sudden shift occurred. We kept on going around the park, sounding the shofar, anointing places in the park with oil and praying, declaring that the park belonged to the Lord and His kingdom. As we’d move along more people would get prayed for until we had circled the entire park.
Gord’s Report:
It has been a few months since I went out with H2O so I mainly stood around watching. But eventually, I struck up a conversation with Cory, a 41-year-old from Peguis who appeared to be somewhat inebriated. He said my shirt was a bit fancy for the area, and I laughed about not exactly fitting into the crowd. This broke the ice and I began asking Cory questions about his own life, he opened up and I could see he felt bad about his condition and how his life was turning out. I asked him if I could pray for him, and I told him that the real Cory, the man created in the image of God, isn’t represented by outward appearances or circumstances. I said I wanted to pray for a release of the destiny God has placed deep within his life. With his permission, I prayed for him, and when I was done I asked God to move quickly in Cory’s life to show him God’s truth. We finished up and there were genuine tears in Cory’s eyes. But by far the greatest thing was that IMMEDIATELY Ed walked up and offered Cory a ride, so the two of them went off in Ed’s car, and you know that God’s Truth would be so well explained by Ed in the minutes they rode together. God is good, all the time.
At Central Park I teamed up with Margit, who is a bit older than myself. She wanted to approach some rather large groups, which I felt was a bit intimidating. So she offered to pray for me, instead, that I would lose my shyness. Then we approached multiple groups of men and women, and with Margit making the simple approach, then handing off to me to pray for people, we likely prayed for twenty individuals in an hour, many of whom seemed deeply moved and appreciative. A few were rude and used offensive language, but Margeet is not only brave but also nearly deaf, so nothing even slowed her down.
Jeremiah’s Report:
Here’s a new word… Flabbergasted. God is so good he surprises me.
For example, when I first met Johnathon I prayed that his back pain is healed. Sure enough, he was healed. A couple of months later, we connected again. At that time he had no job so we prayed that an opportunity for some work would come his way. Last night I met Johnathon’s family at Portage Place Food Court. And can you guess what God did this time? Jonathon now has a job painting walls, making good money, and he enjoys it. Just before Johnathon showed up with his family, Ryan had a vision of me praying for a baby! And just then Johnathon his wife Vanessa and their toddler arrived. So I was able to pray for their son. Wow!
As Ryan and I were walking outside Portage Place we encountered a young man named Eli who was in a wheelchair because he was missing his legs from a train accident one year ago. Eli’s grandpa was a Christian and was taking care of him. But his patience was running out because of Eli’s bad life choices, and “Grandpa” was about to abandon Eli. Ryan, on the phone, convinced “Grandpa” to come to pick up Eli and bring him home. Eli was a Christian but he struggled with having an assurance of his salvation. Ryan assured him “if you prayed the prayer then you are a Christian”. I encouraged Eli that he could have a relationship with God, Just like with other people. He was listening intently, and was convinced that God had sent us to minister to him!
I do think flabbergasted is the right word to describe how I feel about these encounters.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, September 15, 2018: First Nations Family Worship Centre has a worship team at Central Park in Wpg, just north of Portage Place Mall by a block. They are doing worship in the park from 2 – 4 p.m. H2O is inviting all our teams, if available, to join them as we lift up Jesus in the city of Winnipeg. We also hope to be available to pray and minister to people, and if possible hand out some water/snacks while we are there. Please bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on. Our regular Saturday H2O service at Zion Church will still be at 7 p.m. that evening with Kevin Penner speaking. Soaking/prayer at Zion Church starting @ 6 p.m.
H2O Kick-Off BBQ Saturday, September 22, 2018: Island Breeze will be our guests as we share in our regular yearly H2O Kick-off BBQ that evening! We are starting at 4 p.m. followed by the service in the Main Sanctuary of Zion Church at 7 p.m. Island Breeze will be leading us in worship and sharing about the First Nations Culture and Christianity. Please invite a friend to the service! If you plan on attending the BBQ for that evening we ask that you contact the Zion Church office at 204-589-6341 to advise us to confirm your attendance and so we can supply enough food. H2O will be providing meat, buns, drinks, and condiments, but we ask that all those attending please sign up to bring either a veggie tray, a salad, or a fruit tray.
Questions? Contact Zion Church office.
Azusa Winnipeg Conference October 12-14, 2018
Cost: $75 (includes lunch on Saturday)
Location: Canad Inns Destination Centre Club Regent Hotel
Our Guest Speaker is Chuck Maher from San Antonio Texas.
NEW THIS YEAR: Break-Out Sessions (including one with Kingdom H2O on Saturday morning 11a.m. until 12 noon) There will be a variety of sessions and speakers to choose from. Come and hear about what God is doing by way of revival in our city, head out onto the streets of Winnipeg with teams to share the love of Jesus, visit various vendors, and hear about CSSM and Kingdom H2O’s new Boot Camp #2 starting on January 8th, 2019.
Also offered: Prophetic prayer sessions for registered guests. Space is limited though, so be ready to sign up!
Saturday Night Teaching
Every Saturday night we provide worship, teaching, testimonies, and individual healing prayer.
Come and join us as we usher in the powerful presence of God.