Joyce Meyer says, ‘We all have a past. No matter how bad your past is, you can get past your past.’
SPECIAL NOTE: The evangelism and healing that is taking place in Winnipeg is also happening in 1000’s of other cities around the globe. God is releasing His Holy Spirit to work wonders throughout the world. There is a fresh move of God taking place. He is calling, equipping, and sending many soldiers out to build His Kingdom. Many prophetic voices are speaking to this new wave of activity, so at the bottom of this e-mail in order to share some of these voices with you I have started ‘Prophecy Corner’ and will be posting prophetic words each week.
This Week’s Highlights:
*Spaced-Out lady slugs car window – see my comments and Jeremiah
*Edna chooses to be baptized – see my comments and photo
*Suicidal man asks for emotional healing – see Iris
*Team distributes hygiene kits – see Michelle and photo below
*First encounters of this year in Central Park – see Trevor
*Holy Spirit fills Hospital room – see Pastor Lorraine
Twenty-seven Prayer Partners came out to minister last night. Teams went to Concordia Hospital, Siloam Missions, and Portage Place. It was also the first night this spring that a team was back at Central Park.
It was a night of interesting events, some of them bizarre. When I arrived at Portage Place, I went to greet Lucas, the homeless street evangelist who was playing hymns on the mall piano. Next to him, leaning against a planter, was a very ‘stoned’ First Nations Elvis impersonator. He had an Elvis haircut and was dressed such that he had an Elvis look about him. Lucas was playing ‘Abide With Me’, and Elvis was singing ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’. He had a convincing Elvis sound, but his song and Lucas’ hymn weren’t harmonizing at all. I tried to engage him, but he was lost in his art, and on his drugs, and didn’t respond to me. He just kept singing as he stared at the floor. The second bizarre event happened as we were driving away from Portage Place. A ‘stoned’ lady was on the street, flailing her arms, yelling and screaming, at every car that went past her. When we stopped for a traffic light she came over to our car, screamed something at us, and punched our back window. She hit it so hard, I am sure she must have hurt herself. I was surprised the window didn’t break. I was concerned about her but I decided that she was too much out of control for us to stop and try to help her. In hindsight, we should have at least prayed for her.
My highlight was talking to homeless Edna about baptism. She had become a Christian a couple of months ago, and she changed from being a real grouch to a person of peace. It turns out Edna is ready and willing to be baptized. The date is set for Sunday, May 20th at Zion Church.
Jeremiah’s Report:
We pulled up to an intersection, and in the corner of my eye I see someone approach the vehicle, then ‘BONG’! A fist hit the car window right beside me. This wasn’t any tap on the window, we’re talking here, this was a hand breaking slug! I’m thankful the window didn’t break in my face!
I guess this is Portage Place’s way of saying, “Good night, see you next week”.
But that wasn’t the highlight, Adriane was. She came to me and asked me if I was one of the praying people. She had been told we would help her. I sat down with her and she told me her predicament. After she spends her money on her rent, she doesn’t have any money for food. She didn’t ask for anything, she only wanted prayer. I did pray for her, but I also bought her food, gave her forty bucks, and I also got her bus fares from Shoppers Drug Mart. She said she had gone from church to church and none of them would help feed her and I didn’t want to be just another one of those people.
Then I saw a lady in a wheelchair whose name is Matilda, she recently had surgery on her spine. She wasn’t able to twist her body. Denzel and I prayed once and she was partially healed, but she wouldn’t let us pray again. I think her partial healing shocked and scared her!
Iris’ Report:
Gaylene, Erin (new team member from Eston) and I did a loop around the food court in Portage Place at the beginning of our evening. We smiled and said hello to an aboriginal man sitting with the hood of his sweater up. He had one eye and on the other side of his face his eye was missing and there was a huge bulge of grafted skin. Gaylene asked him about that, and he said that he tried to commit suicide by shooting himself after his dad passed away. We asked him if he wanted prayer and his request was for the huge emotional pain of his heart, and for the ability to love and cry. We spent time praying and ministering to him, and while doing that another man, Ivan, who had accompanied Bellamy from Big Trout Lake to get medical treatment in Winnipeg, sat quietly.
We also prayed for Ivan, and he shared quietly about a priest who had come to a community and abused him as a boy. He said that he rarely talks about it, and Bellemy nodded his head as well and said that that had happened to him as well.It was an honor and a trust that they shared that with us. Gaylene asked Ivan if he heard God’s voice speaking to him (both men had said they believed in Jesus), and he said yes, so we laid our hands on his hands and prayed for him, and asked God to speak to him and minister to his heart. When asked what God had spoken to him, Ivan simply said, “Peace.” “There is peace in my heart.”
In the midst of this, another man, Henry, who was obviously under the influence
came over and asked for money to buy a coffee. Ivan and Bellemy immediately stood up and offered him the few dollars they had in their pockets. Henry then asked us to pray for him as well as he was addicted to crack cocaine, marijuana and beer. We prayed for him and by this time Al wandered over and he prayed for Henry’s sobriety as well.
As we were sitting and chatting after praying for Henry, Ivan mentioned that he used to work heavy machinery but bc of pain in his back he no longer works, other than as Mr.Mom. He then pulled out a full bottle of pills from his pocket that he takes for his pain. Erin and I prayed for his back, and then asked Ivan if he felt anything. He said, “heat”. Both Erin and I had laid our hands lightly on his back and could feel the heat as well. When asked later, he said he had no more pain.
We stayed at this table for about an hour and prayed and chatted, and other people kept coming to sit with us.
Bellemy and Ivan’s were supposed to leave that afternoon but their plane had gotten delayed to the next day for some reason! They were staying at a hotel close to Portage Place and were just sitting in the food court to pass time. What a special encounter the Lord had set up, for them and for us.
– Odd moment. Ivan told us this about the plane being canceled, and then said, you want to hear something odd? He said his first wife who had walked out 10 years ago and he had not talked or heard from her for 10 years. Then Ivan looked at me and said, “She is sitting over there, the one with shades on her head. I did not know that she was living here.” Another strange coincidence for Ivan, first meeting us, and then seeing his estranged wife.
Michelle’s Report:
Ed, Andy, Audrey, Linda and I ministered at Siloam Misson. The evening was one of blessings and encouraging folks. We came prepared with hot chocolate thanks to Ed. And once again the fine folks from St. Pierre provided many hygiene kits to distribute amongst the men and women at the Misson. One or two of these gift bags were given at Portage place. (See picture of Ed and Rita below).
Although it was a Welfare payday today and the street people were more scarce, our group still managed to pray for several people. Ed and I prayed for Nathaniel who suffered pain between his shoulder blades. This injury was reoccurring and tonight the pain level was a 3 out of 10. After praying 2x the pain level was a 1. Nathaniel left us encouraged and blessed. Audrey and Linda prayed for a woman diagnosed with congestive heart failure. After praying her countenance was changed, she was all smiles and encouraged. Audrey also prayed with Rick who suffered from back issues. He also left encouraged and smiling. Andy was busy ministering to several people like Leo, Phil, and others. Phil wanted prayer for his addiction and wanted a sound mind. This evening was really about encouraging many people who just needed to be heard and feel like someone actually cares about them.
Trevor’s Report:
I went with Pastor Tom, Sheyenne & Clair to Portage Place. As we were walking to Portage Place we went up to a group of people who were smoking up and getting high and Tom asked if anyone had pain in their bodies. One guy stood up and said “I feel depressed” then Tom said, “Is it right here?” (As he’s pointing at his chest) the guy answered “Yes!” Tom prayed and the guy felt better after we prayed.
We then walked into Portage Place and we went into Tim Hortons. Tom went up to four young guys and he asked them if they had any sort of pain and they said no. But I had a ‘word’ for guys back for pain and he said ya, sometimes I get pain in there but it’s only if I’m lifting things. Pastor Tom then started telling them about the Gospel, and they were all very open to what Pastor Tom had to share. So he asked each one if they have heard of Jesus before. And one guy said his parents taught about Jesus’ love and put him into Sunday School when he was little. But he never experienced Jesus personally, he said he wanted to, but he wasn’t ready to ask Jesus to come into his life.
So we moved on & went to Central Park. Tom had to leave early so I led the team. As I was walking a sudden pain hit me & it was really painful in my back & right leg so I sat down on the bench and Lani, Sheyenne, Clair and Gelane prayed for me and the pain subsided. Then I felt the Lord guiding me to talk to a drunk guy who was laying on a park bench. He was slurring his words & He was hard to understand. I asked him what was going on with his back and he said he was in pain. I asked if I could put my hand on him and command all pain to leave his back. I sat beside him and commanded the pain to leave him, Nathan felt the pain leave him. I then snapped my fingers and commanded him to be sober right now, it took a while for him to be completely sober – at least 15 minutes and then he was talking clearly to us.
A woman by the name of Theresa came by and started swearing and calling us names. Theresa started saying things like God hates her and there was a spiritual battle going on back and forth for half an hour then she started talking about God’s Love and knowing Him. I led her to Jesus and she repented and the Holy Spirit came on her. What a night it was.
Pastor Lorraine’s Report:
My team consisted of Verna (new), Chloe (new young woman), Michael and myself. We first went to Concordia to pray with Bruce who had gout and a serious illness and had been in the hospital for some time. Initially, he was quite cold and trying to stay warm (this is a side effect of his illness). As we prayed he started to get quite warm! In fact, all of us felt the warmth in the room which we believe was the Holy Spirit. Bruce closed his eyes and just received our prayers for him and there was this sweet presence in the room. We all felt the presence of Jesus there and
even the people in the hallway noticed something was going on! As we prayed Bruce felt tingling sensations in his feet and noticed a shift which encouraged us to pray more. His discomfort from gout seemed to lessen. As we prayed for a peace rested upon him, although we didn’t’ notice any immediate healing in his body. He was very encouraged by our visit!
Later, our team went downstairs and met the receptionist (Rachelle) of the hospital who had been in a serious accident some time ago. She had little use of her left arm due to a spinal cord injury from the accident. We asked if we could pray for her. She agreed! So we began to pray for her right then and there in the hospital reception area while people walked in and out. We didn’t notice an immediate change, but she was very encouraged and blessed that we would take the time to pray. I asked her if she had a personal relationship with Jesus. She said that she did and we received some words of knowledge for her and shared God’s love with her. She was touched by this kindness.
We drove to Portage Place and after arriving, I introduced our two new members of our team to others and we continued to engage with others around us. It was beautiful to see the connections people were making with one another. The atmosphere in the mall seemed quite different than at other times–a quiet calm as people chatted, sometimes praying and sharing. Rita came to greet us as well as a few others. We listened to them as they shared and we blessed them. People wanted to share their stories with us. Michael went off on his own for a bit and prayed with a young man named Jared. He asked if Jared wanted to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Jared agreed and was touched by God’s
love.”