#124 – Street Minister From Portage Place Speaks At ‘Wake’
Kingdom H2O Outreach Ministry Thursday, October 25th, 2018 by Al Bayne
“Ultimately it is the message of Christ that will change our culture. It is the most powerful message in the world. It is life changing. It is culture changing. It is world changing.” Nicky Gumble
This Week’s Highlights:
*Chapters’ Manager Calls Security – see Brian
*Spiritual Battle – Jesus Wins – see Jeremiah
*Hospital and Park Divine Appointments – see Andy
I couldn’t make it out this week, but I still have a highlight related to the Street Ministry. On Sunday a Portage Place regular passed away. His name was Brad. He wasn’t homeless or destitute but hung out at Portage Place. In fact, he was a semi-retired Pastor who planted and once was the Pastor of Beren’s River First Nation Church. I went to his ‘Wake’ on Tuesday night (the funeral would be in Beren’s River later in the week). The ‘Wake’ was a very Gospel filled evening.
Brad and I had prayed for his brother, Axel, whose eyesight was healed, and for his baby grandchild who had breathing issues and who was also healed. At the ‘Wake’ I heard the Lord say to me, “I want you to speak”. I said, “Lord there are about a 100 First Nations people here, and I appear to be the only non First Nations person.” “I have never been to an FN ‘Wake’ before and I don’t know the proper etiquette, plus I don’t want to be seen as a ‘pushy’ white man.” “If you want me to speak, have someone ask me.” About 10 minutes later the Emcee said, I would like to ask the Street Minister from Portage Place to come and say a few words.” I knew that was me. He didn’t know me. He didn’t know my name, but somehow knew I was the Street Minister from Portage Place.
I introduced myself, explained what I did at Portage Place on Thursday nights, which was listen to people’s stories, pray for them, and offer help to those who needed it. I gave a brief history of my relationship with Brad, and talked about his heart, and how we had prayed together for the healing of others, and how God had answered our prayers. I also told them I thought I could learn a lot from him, and I was sorry he was gone. I was going to invite people to come and find me at PP, but the Lord blocked that from my mind. In hindsight, it wasn’t necessary to turn it into a promo, as they had already heard where to find me on Thursday nights.
On my way out a young man (Brad’s nephew) shook my hand, thanked me, and said he might see me at Portage Place.
Brian’s Report: (from last Week)
While in the Chapters bookstore at St. Vital Mall, I had started a conversation with some East-Indian boys by doing a card trick. I then transitioned into praying for one of them without words by simply placing my hands a few inches above his. Though he didn’t have any pain, he physically felt a pressure/weight on his hands and chest as I hovered my hands above his. He was baffled as to what he was feeling. At that point, a store manager came and stood among us signaling she wanted us to stop.
We stopped for a second, but before we left I had to get the message in of what we were doing before we left and I started sharing with him about Jesus. It was at that point that the Chapters manager called security (at least my wife had called me and told me the woman had done that). The woman had told my wife it wasn’t her personal issue with us, rather store policies and we could do that as long as it wasn’t in the store. Praise Jesus that we live in a country where that’s the extent of persecution we get (at least for now).
Jeremiah’s Report:
Whew, what a night!
Ryan and I went to Central Park, though we would only be there a short while, then go to Portage Place. Man, were we wrong! The park was empty except for a picnic table with four people, two of which were a couple who lost there 12-year-old daughter because of suicide.
Ryan spoke with Glen, I chatted with Maureen. She was very hurt by losing her daughter and her dad on two recent consecutive days. I told her I don’t know what to say to make you feel better. I am not the greatest at comforting you, but the Holy Spirit is the comforter and he will guide you when you don’t know what to do. She mentioned that she was a Christian but was backslidden. I told her God does not hold that against you, in fact, God treats you like jewels and gold. She perked up at that moment.
I asked Maureen if she would like to let God back into her heart, and I led her in the sinner’s prayer! I then told her we are now brother and sister. She smiled and said, “come here brother” and we hugged!
Unlike her, Glen had a lot of anger built up towards God and he was clearly in bondage by an evil spirit. He was opinionated and determined to believe that God did not exist. He kept contradicting himself and appeared confused. He was surprised that we showed up and kept asking, “Why are you here”. It seemed to us that there was an inner battle going on between his will and an evil spirit. He would ask, “God is real”? Then immediately say, “No God is not real.” At one point he put his head low, stuck out his hands and said, “Okay, okay, pray for me.” He started to cry profusely but when Ryan asked him to say the sinner’s prayer he pushed our hands away and said, “No! God is not real.” He then clenched his fists and teeth and started to breathe heavily. The tormenting spirit within him stated. “Just leave me alone.”
Due to his request, we walked away, but we didn’t get far. He came after us saying, “Wait, wait… I believe you, I believe you” He asked again if we would pray for him.
Ryan began praying for him and led him in the sinner’s prayer. There was a strange quietness and it seemed almost like there was a sense of sadness in the atmosphere, unlike the party that we know is going on in heaven. So Ryan got Glen to say, “Jesus loves me”, and encouraged him to say it repeatedly with a smile. This caused us all to giggle and the mood lifted. He and his wife embraced and shared a moment together as they talked about seeing their daughter again in heaven and how we were sent to them by God. Glen kept saying, “I’m going to see her again in heaven, I’m going to see her again.” And in the same breath, he’d finish with, “Even though I don’t believe in heaven.” That’s when I pointed to his chest and affirmed, “God lives in here now and you will see your daughter again in heaven.”
Then Ryan told him every time those negative thoughts come, it’s Satan and that he has the power to rebuke him. Ryan instructed him to say, “Satan, I rebuke you.” Glen proceeded to say with force, Satan, I F**kin’ rebuke you”.
At first, there was silence. Then I commented, I once heard it said if you are going to swear it might as well be at the devil. Everyone broke out in extreme belly laughter. The mood was light and happy. We said our farewells and parted ways.
Andy’s report:
Gaylene, Les and I went to The Health Sciences Center. We were totally led to pray for a specific person in the Intensive care ward. Her dad and mom were there. We prayed for Colleen’s kidneys, lung infection and the attacks against her to be terminated. Also saw George Howard and prayed healing from a stroke while he was covered head to toe with a sheet. We returned to Central Park where we encountered Ariel who shared many amazing dreams of heaven and Jesus. Gaylene and Les prayed for her while I shared Jesus with her boyfriend. The Lord totally impacted him with the Holy Spirit. He was broken up with God’s love for him.