After a time of worship at Zion Church Kevin played a short video of a 32-year-old man, on the streets, who had been healed of blindness in one eye, just 2 hours earlier. This man had a hockey accident when he was 14, that caused his right eye to pop-out of its socket. The eyeball was put back in place, but he was never able to see out of it, until last night. The video of the event can be viewed on my Facebook page (Allan Bayne), or Kevin Penner’s Facebook page – warning coarse street language. You can also view other videos of other blind people recently being healed through this ministry at www.jesusheals.ca
About 24 people came out and 6 of them were new. Teams were formed, and most of them headed for Portage Place where another 3 or 4 people joined us. As soon as we arrived in the parking lot a man approached us and asked us for $3 for soup. I told him, that we would buy him some food inside. Sheldon said he could only eat soup because of his stomach. So a couple of us offered to pray for his stomach before we bought him food. After prayer, he thought he felt a little better, but he wasn’t sure. By the time we got to the food court, he was sure he could eat solid food, so we bought him a hamburger. After he ate he came and thanked us. We attempted but didn’t get a chance to engage any further with him.
Three of my team became engaged with a vendor, and Joel, a new guy, and I engaged David, a Christian man I have chatted with a few times. He loves to talk. David is a small man whose back is slightly deformed. He is bent over and leans a bit to his right side. In the past, I have offered to pray for him, but he has told me that he doesn’t honestly think he has anything he needs prayer for. I like to stay in touch with him, thinking that one day I will get the opportunity to pray for him, and I know Jesus will heal him of his deformity.
Joel then engaged a lady who was in tears over some personal loss. I wasn’t able to hear her story as she spoke with her head down, she kind of mumbled, and I’m hard of hearing. But while he was praying with her, Sandra, a lady that Mel, my grandson, and I had prayed for on June 30th was walking by with a cane. I engaged her, we listened to her story, prayed for her, and fed her. Not sure of the immediate results of prayer as she was not completely coherent.
There were a variety of other mini-encounters by different team members, including some team members praying for 2 security guys that had just broken- up a fight. Also, Iris had engaged 3 Arabian women, as she speaks Arabic. I noticed it was already 9. I commented that the real action usually starts about now, so we should be on the alert. Gaylene engaged a man who had been badly beaten, his face was a mess. She invited Joel to minister to the man – one on one. The rest of us waited nearby as we didn’t want to leave Joel on his own.
Divine Encounter
At 9:15 we went outside to talk to other team members who were gathering. While a group of us were debriefing, a very stoned man, named Mark, walked right up to us and just stood there. Some of us have come to recognize that Jesus has just sent us someone to minister to – this was going to be one of those ‘divine appointments’ that we had prayed for. Some clarification about this encounter – it took place over 45 minutes and several people had a part to play – but I am only recording some of the key people, the main highlights, and trying to put some order to the flow of events. Encounters on the street just don’t happen in an orderly fashion. This was a great example though of teamwork with about 6 people actively involved.
We engaged Mark, but due to his condition, he wasn’t very coherent. What we did learn was that he wasn’t drunk, he was high. He had just been released from a treatment center, and in his words, he had already ‘fallen’. He said he had ‘bullshitted’ his way through the treatment as he didn’t think he needed any help, but now he knew he did. He was full of guilt, remorse, shame, and fear of the future. He kept talking about the people that he had let down and that Jesus could never accept him.
Blessing of Sobriety
One of the first things we did was pray a blessing of sobriety over him (over the course of our encounter he completely sobered-up and became completely coherent).
Release from Guilt and Shame
Gaylene then led in freeing him primarily from guilt and shame and spoke words of Jesus’ love and acceptance into his heart. This was very intense, as he struggled with accepting the truth. It became evident that inner voices were speaking lies to him and accusing him of guilt and shame. He said something like the voices won’t let me go. We did some binding of spirits and then Gaylene, needing a break, turned the leadership over to Lorraine.
Demonic Deliverance
Many different spirits were discerned and cast out. I think it was the spirit of fear that when it was cast out caused Mark to spit in Lorraine’s face (it can be messy ministering on the streets). When we first engaged Mark he couldn’t say the name ‘Jesus’, or he couldn’t say something as simple as ‘Jesus I need your help’. The words just would not come out of his mouth. After the deliverance he was able to say things like, ‘Jesus, I am sorry, and I am afraid’. During the deliverance process he was finally able to say, ‘Demons, I want you out now’. It was now almost 10 and different team members were starting to leave.
Salvation and Holy Spirit
One of the other team leaders, Trevor, said he had received a picture for Mark. He told him what the Lord had shown him, and Mark who sounded and looked completely sober at this point, marveled at how Trevor could possibly know those things about him. I would call it a prophetic vision that was full of words of knowledge. Trevor then led him in a prayer of salvation and followed that by baptizing him in the Holy Spirit. We then gave him some instructions where he could get help, how to find Zion Church, and asked him to meet us at Portage Place next week. Mark gave Trevor and I hugs of appreciation – most others had already left.
This would be the latest I ever got home from street ministry – 11:30. On the way home I commented to my carload that in the future along with praying for ‘divine appointments’ we should ask the Lord to start them a little earlier. Although, I was so excited about the ways the Lord was in this ministry, that I couldn’t settle down and sleep.
A couple of observations:
After last night a total of 11 people from St. Pierre Church have now attended at least one night of the street ministry.
I don’t usually find out what other teams have encountered on Thursday nights, but I am aware or have been part of 3 salvations in the past 3 weeks – the Good News is being preached.
As I am completing this someone just dropped by to tell me that along with some healings their team led 2 people to the Lord last night – YES!!! More Jesus more!!!