Are you correctly dressed?

Two passages have highlighted to me the need to wear the “right garments”.

Paul in his letter to the Colossians chapter 3 gives very clear instructions about ‘dressing ourselves’ with several garments absolutely vital for a meaningful Christian life. He gives us five garments to wear (Col 3:12 NIV) and then an outer ‘overcoat’. Of course just as we dress ourselves in the natural it is important we put on the garments in the correct order. When Paul says to clothe ourselves it means to literally be totally immersed in.

The first of these is compassion. Compassion is far more than feeling sorry for another person. It moves us to do something about their situation. Each and every time Jesus was moved with compassion a miracle was about to happen. Compassion moves us to make a difference in the lives of others.

We’re not interested in praying ‘nice’ prayers over people at the Healing Rooms. Our goal is to have heaven connect with earth to see the lost saved, the ill healed and the oppressed set free.

The next garment is kindness. It’s a choice to be kind. This is especially true when others are not kind to us. However it is a God given ability to be kind and a garment we must continualyl wear.

Paul continues with humility. Humility is NOT about thinking we are worthless worms but that we don’t think too highly of ourselves and are willing to put others’ agendas before our own. This of course, takes the grace of God.

Gentleness flows on from humility and there is a real blessing flowing to us in relationships if we are gentle with one another – gentle in speech, gentle in the way we treat each other and gentle in the thoughts we have towards each other. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks so when we have kind and gentle thoughts about one another it will flow out in our speech and our actions.

Finally he exhorts us to put on patience. I believe we can’t ‘put on’ patience if the other four are not already ‘being worn’.

The overcoat for all of these ‘clothes’ is to be love which of course covers or binds together all the other virtues listed above. Love covers a multitude of sins, is not easily angered, selfish or rude. It keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Cor 13:5 NIV)

The other passage with enormous significance for us as God’s people in this strategic time in history is Luke 24:49.

Jesus commanded the disciples to wait in Jerusalem to be empowered by the Holy Spirit before they did anything else. In other words before doing anything FOR God by way of ministry, we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Jesus didn’t do any ministry without being empowered by the Spirit (resting on Him at His baptism and then bringing him back from the wilderness in power) . If it was necessary (and good enough) for Him, how much more do WE need the empowerment of Holy Spirit?

So are you correctly dressed? Let me encourage you to be clothed in the Holy Spirit’s power and walk conscious of His abiding Presence.

Things are not always as they appear.

M.C. Escher's Waterfall (Escher 1898-1972)

Look carefully at the picture above which illustrates my point so clearly. Just in the last week we have heard three testimonies from people who have received medical reports that initially seemed very bleak.  

Of course, when we receive a bad report from a doctor or our financial adviser etc it's easy to go into panic mode and become increasingly anxious - that's human nature.  However, did you know nothing ever takes our Father in heaven by surprise?  With further prayer and choosing to trust God for His plan what appeared totally bleak was turned around to a better outcome. In one case major surgery was avoided and peace was restored.

There are several examples in scripture of just the same thing. In Genesis 26 we read about Isaac and Abimelech.  The chapter opens with these words - Now there was a famine in the land.  The Lord appears to Isaac and basically says "I know things look much better down in Egypt but stay here (where there's famine) and I will bless you!"  Naturally speaking this wouldn't have been Isaac's choice for him and his family.  However he was obedient and we read in v12 "Isaac planted crops in the land and THE SAME YEAR reaped a hundredfold (emphasis mine). I love the way the NKJ version states the next verse. v13 The man began to prosper, continued prospering until he became very prosperous. So in the midst of a famine God's man who stayed focussed on God's (spoken) word, prospered until he became very prosperous!  So much so he had so many flocks and herds the enemy (the Philistines) envied him. 

Hezekiah was one of Judah’s most Godly kings. He re-opened the temple and eradicated all places of idol worship in the land. He became ill even to the point of death the Bible says (2 Kings 20). The prophet Isaiah told him to get his affairs in order as he was going to die. In the natural his time on this earth was coming to a rapid end. Hezekiah prayed earnestly reminding God of his faithful walk and wholehearted devotion. The Bible says he wept bitterly as he prayed. (v 2). Before Isaiah had left the palace, the Lord spoke to him telling him to go back to Hezekiah to inform the king He was adding 15 years to his life. Not only was the Lord going to heal him but also deliver him and his kingdom from the enemy Assyrians. (v6)

Hezekiah asked Isaiah for a sign he would indeed be healed and specifically that the shadow would go back 10 degrees. This is a remarkable request. In order for the shadow to go back 10 degrees, my university physics tells me the Lord had to ‘reverse the universe’ to give this sign. That’s exactly what He did! To what remarkable lengths will the Lord go to demonstrate His love and power!

It appeared it was over for Hezekiah - but the Lord had another plan. Things are not always as they appear.

There was really no hope for a man who had been lame for 38 years and spent his life sitting by the pool of Bethesda waiting to get into the stirring waters in order for him to be healed. (John 5:1-8) He had no future, no hope of earning an income, having a family or enjoying life at all. He was totally dependent on others for his very existence. Jesus comes on the scene and simply posed this question, “do you want to be well?” The man’s answer was virtually redundant as the Saviour simply commanded him to “Rise take up your bed and walk.” The Bible declares “And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked…”

We could give many other examples from the scriptures where the impossible was made possible by the power of God even in the midst of dire and hopeless circumstances. In each and every case I can think of, God’s perfect plan came to fruition when His people chose to trust Him & obey His instructions despite their circumstances and continued to take Him at His Word trusting Him to work all things together for their good.

His Word remains true today - He is the same yesterday, today and forever and He promises never to leave or forsake us. Let me encourage you to continue to look to the author and finisher of our faith for HIS answers and HIS leading in every area of your life despite how things look to your natural eyes for things are not always as they appear! 

The priority of thankfulness

Recently we have been reminded what an important part thankfulness plays in our healing. Whilst in Cambodia earlier this year, time and again we asked those for whom we had prayed to check out what was happening in their bodies following prayer. Several times if the pain still persisted or full movement hadn't been restored to their limbs etc, we simply encouraged them to thank Jesus for their healing. On many occasions we saw the fullness of the healing manifest immediately. It highlighted just how important thankfulness is in the Kingdom of God. I believe this is for several reasons - not by any means an exhaustive list but a few points to consider.

1.   It keeps us focussed on Jesus and not on the pain or the symptoms.  Thankfulness is a decision. In other words we can choose to be thankful even though the fullness of the promise or the answer to our prayers are not immediate.  Paul exhorts us to give thanks IN all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18).  (Emphasis mine) 

2.    It prevents the enemy robbing from us.  He can't stand to be around thankful people who are giving praise to God for the answer even before it arrives.  The Bible declares we walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Cor 5:7)  Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not (yet) seen. (Heb 11:1)

3.    It ushers us into God's Presence. Psalm 100:4 says we enter His gates with thanksgiving...In other words we come into His Presence when we have a thankful heart not out of duty but out of sheer gratitude for who He is and what He's done for us.  When we truly are in His Presence everything we need is there - fullness of joy, perfect liberty, peace, provision and so much more.

4.    It neutralises discouragement.  Discouragement simply can’t ‘hang around’ when you are intentionally giving thanks to God for all He’s done. Many times over the last 15 years discouragement has tried to rob us of our joy, get us side tracked and even give up on the vision of seeing the Healing Rooms opened 5 days a week. Each and every time the way we neutralise its destructive plan is to remind ourselves of the hundreds of testimonies of healing, salvation and breakthrough the Lord has graciously allowed us to partner with Him in here at CHR. As we scroll through page after page of people’s testimonies of healing we can do nothing else but be thankful - it’s a natural heart response to the goodness and faithfulness of God.

5. It changes our perspective on everything. We read in John 6 about a miracle where over 5000 were fed. The crowd was a long way from provision - naturally speaking - they had “followed Him because they saw the miraculous signs He had performed on the sick” (John 6:2 NIV). All there was to feed this enormous crowd was 5 loaves and 2 small fish. It was when Jesus gave thanks and began to distribute the food to the crowd the multiplication miracle began. In an ‘attitude of gratitude’ or thankfulness the small became great.

6. It is an expression of trust. When we begin to thank Him for all He’s doing and even yet to do - not out of duty but out of a sense of sincere gratitude it demonstrates our trust in Him to work all things together for our good.

7. It’s a command of Scripture - be anxious for nothing but in EVERYTHING, …with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. (Phil 4:6-7 emphasis added). There is a promise attached to this command.THE GOOD NEWS of this promise is the peace of God which is beyond our understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. There is NO greater peace.

Let me encourage you to develop and maintain and attitude of gratitude!

2019 A Year of increase for CHR flowing from intimacy.

As we begin another year of ministry at CHR, we felt the Holy Spirit whisper to us 2019 was to be a year of increase flowing out of intimacy with Him.  We are believing for and expecting an increase in His Presence in the Healing Rooms, an increase in testimonies of healing and breakthrough, in finance to enable us to carry on this amazing work, in team members so we can open more days, & in the provision of non perishable items in order to meet the growing demand for food assistance in our city. 

He reminded us from His Word (Isa 61:1ff) we are anointed for a purpose the facets of which include:-

1. TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR.

We don't 'preach' at our visitors however we do desire to be a team of people who represent (re-present) Jesus authentically.  In other words our heart's desire is that all who come for ministry go away from our office changed by His wonderful Presence and transformed in a way only He can do.  I think it was Francis of Assisi who is credited as saying “preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words.”
We have the 'good news' of Jesus and it's far too good not to give it away.

2. TO BIND UP THE BROKEN HEARTED. 

The original language has within its meaning to literally 'stop the bleeding' or to 'stop a flood overflowing.'  We had a lady in late last year who was extremely stressed and not knowing where to turn or what the future held for her. It's fair to say not all the issues were 'solved' in the ministry session she received but she came out of the prayer room a totally different person to the one who had gone in!

3. TO PROCLAIM FREEDOM FOR THE CAPTIVES

 There are just SO many people who are captive to incorrect thinking and 'captive' to sickness and disease.  Jesus came to give us life and life in all its fullness (John 10:10).  We have the privilege week after week of proclaiming freedom to captives as they are touched by His powerful Presence.  We have the honour of declaring the truth of His Word over so many lives each and every week. The Bible says its in knowing the truth we are set free.  (John 8:32)

4. TO COMFORT ALL WHO MOURN

The Lord has given each of us who love and follow Him the awesome privilege of comforting one another through the ups and downs, twists and turns of life.  2 Cor 1:3 reminds us we have a Father who is the God of ALL comfort and He comforts us in our troubles so we can comfort others with the comfort we have received from Him.  Again and again we see our guests receive such comfort as the team simply waits on God for  what He would have for them on that particular visit and we can honestly say in 10,000+ prayer sessions He has never disappointed those who are seeking Him.

5.  TO BE AN AGENT OF EXCHANGE

So much of what we do at CHR is simply being a conduit for the goodness of God to flow into the lives of those who come.  This passage in Isaiah shows us the 'exchanges' that He offers us:- Beauty for ashes, oil of gladness instead of mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

So with these few thoughts in mind we have launched into another exciting year of ministry at CHR and we are choosing as a team to press in for greater intimacy with the Father in worship prayer and time spent in His Presence. Needless to say we are excitedly expectant to see all He'll do here for the glory of the Name of Jesus.

DENGUE FEVER HEALED

We received a wonderful today a testimony from Cambodia. When we were there earlier in this year we travelled to the northern province of Kratie where Cambodian Care have a school. En route to the school, which is in a very remote rural area, there was a family on a motor bike coming towards us who were taking their desperately sick son to the hospital about an hour’s drive away. He had a very high temperature and looked lifeless. They were unsure what was wrong with him but suspected dengue fever. We offered to pray for him and his parents agreed. After a short time of prayer they continued on their journey to the hospital and we continued in the opposite direction to the school. We never heard any more about his condition until today - some 6 months later. Here is the testimony from our partner Koy who with his wife Reny run Cambodian Care.

“The mother took him to the emergency room and the doctor told her that her son was too late to be cured. A few minutes later, the doctor took a blood sample and found out the boy had hope to live. At the bed next to her son, there was another boy with the same condition - dengue fever and he died from this disease. Since then the boy’s health continued to improve until he was released to go home. Now he is a healthy boy and back to our school in the village.”

This is what the boy’s mother says: “If you have not stopped and prayed for my son, my boy could have been killed by the dengue fever.”

Below are photos of the boy who is now healthy and his mother and auntie - both who now believe in Jesus! Praise God!

Boy healed of dengue fever

The boy’s mother (left) and auntie - both now believe in Jesus

Persistence

I've been contemplating the subject of persistence when it comes to healing and was reminded of this story...(author unknown)

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

So, this the man did, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind:

"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved." Thus, he gave the man the impression the task was impossible and he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. Satan said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough."

That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have laboured long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged the rock by half a millimetre. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown; your hands are calloused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just a simple obedience and faith in Him.

By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still God who moves the mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong ... just P.U.S.H. When the job gets you down ... just P.U.S.H.

When people don't react the way you think they should ... just P.U.S.H. When your money is "gone" and the bills are due ... just P.U.S.H. When people just don't understand you ... just P.U.S.H.

P= Pray U= Until S= Something H= Happens

The same applies to healing. We must to continue to push in for the breakthrough promised in God's Word. His word declares "no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly (Psa 84:11).

We have seen time and again that as people persist in prayer the answer comes. His ways and thoughts are higher than our (Isa 55:8-9). Nothing ever takes the Father by surprise and He always has a plan greater than anything than we could imagine.

We all love the instant, miraculous healing but most of the healings we have experienced over the last 14 years at CHR have come to those who have patiently and persistently 'pressed in' for their healing and in the process have become stronger, wiser, often more humble, and more Christlike in the process.

A lady came to the Healing Rooms not long after we opened. She had many medical issues some of which were quite critical. Over a period of many months the Lord healed her eyes, took away all fear from her that had 'crippled' her mind for so long. He healed her of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and showed her a new sense of purpose and direction for her life. This all took many, many months but as she persisted, week after week, the Lord brought great encouragement, peace and strength to her.

There was a lady who had been bleeding for 12 years. The Bible says she suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all she had and was no better but rather grew worse. (Mar 5:25-26). In her day she was considered 'unclean' and shouldn't have been in a public place. However she persisted because she'd heard that Jesus the Healer was in town.

She thought to herself... "if only I could touch the hem of His garment I will be healed." That's exactly what she did. An 'unclean' woman pushed through the crowd and such was the 'demand' she placed on Jesus the Bible states “He felt power go out from Him.” When He found out who had touched Him, He said to her "Daughter your faith has made you well, go in peace and be healed of your affliction." Mar 5:34.

So may I encourage you to keep trusting God for your healing breakthrough whatever that may look like. He's good good Father and only has the best for His children.

We never know when the very next prayer will bring the answer, healing or breakthrough.

There’s power in persistence!”

A GOOD DAY and THEN ANOTHER!

We had a couple of guests come for some food assistance recently.  We explained to them the other thing we do here is pray for the sick or injured.  One of the guests mentioned he had a bad back.  So we suggested he could receive (healing) prayer for his back while the food hamper was being prepared.  He and his friend went into one of our rooms and emerged about 20 minutes later feeling wonderful.  His friend commented how great the experience was too.  The one who had had the bad back then picked up a large box of fruit vegetables and frozen meat without hesitation that had been prepared for him, placed it in the boot of his car and then commented how he had no pain in his back whatsoever!

A good day in the kingdom!

He returned a week later with another friend who also needed food assistance. He too was offered prayer which he gladly received.  He came out of the room commenting on how good the experience had been.  He was overwhelmed by the quantity of food he was given and was so incredibly grateful.

Another good day!

Financial encouragement

Financial encouragement

Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”  I think if I was to fine tune his quote I would say “We define our life by where we give.”  Therefore, I have chosen to support Capital Healing Rooms financially because my heart is for the lost and the hurting, the sick and the poor. I want to see their lives healed.  If you feel the same, then I challenge you to become a monthly partner with Capital Healing Rooms as I have done. You will be part of a team opening doors for God to heal broken lives, just like the team did for me. Today I am healed.

John 03/08/18

Transformation Tour 2018 highlights

We have just returned from a very fruitful 2 weeks in Cambodia working alongside our friends and partners Koy and Reny Chhim at Cambodian Care.  One thing that stood out more than on previous trips was the expectation of the people.  It was so refreshing to see people expecting God to move.  It was so 'easy' praying for people on this trip as the highlights below show.

After a service on the Sunday we prayed for a man who had injured his shoulder 10 days prior in a fall.  He was unable to life his arm at all let alone rotate the shoulder joint. After just a short time of prayer we asked him to check out his shoulder.  With an enormous grin on his face he said most of the pain was gone and started to lift up his arm to test it out.  We prayed again and he said all pain now gone and he began to swing his arm around as if he was ready to swim a race at the Olympics!

3 women came for prayer. All had pain, fever and sore throats. Each of them testified they were totally healed with all pain, fevers and sore throats gone.

Man testifying about the phone call.

The pastor's wife had had pain in her hips and side for a year. After prayer it was all gone.

We travelled to a northern province in the middle of the country (Kratie - pronounced Krochess) to visit a school started by Cambodian Care nearly 4 years ago. It was a delight to see approximately 120 children who just a few years ago could not read or write and had no access to quality education so happy in their classrooms all reading writing and doing their maths!

We issued school supplies to each child along with anti-parasite medication and vitamins.  After the children had been treated there were a group of parents remaining in the classroom.  One man asked if he could give a testimony.  (The man in the white shirt) Apparently a week prior he had rung our friend Koy for prayer as he was very ill in bed barely unable to speak and with a high fever.  Koy took the call and after asking what the guy needed prayer for, all he could say before the phone ran out of credit was "in the Name of Jesus".  The phone call abruptly ended!

The man testified to the group of parents that an hour later he got out of bed totally healed. He went next door to his neighbour who asked him what he was doing up as he had been so ill.  He told his neighbour he had been healed.

1st man to be prayed for knee all healed!

After hearing this testimony we asked the group of parents who had pain they wanted to get rid of?  Many hands were raised.  We then asked who would like prayer?  Most hands went down - except for one man (man with red shirt).  He had bad knee pain.  We prayed for him and the pain vanished. He's the man in the red shirt to the right. What followed was amazing.  One after another they came for prayer and each person testified to being healed.

A young lady came up for prayer and said her red and white blood cells were all out of balance. The red were low and the white too high.  This caused her to feel dizzy and unstable when she walked and she couldn't bend down at all.  After prayer we asked her how she felt.  She said she felt different so we asked her to walk up the back of the room and back which she did without any of the symptoms she had previously.  We asked her to bend over - no problems at all. Her face tells the story. No more dizziness when she walked. She even bent down and there were no issues at all.

Lady with red and white blood cells out of balance.

This man was lying on the timber bench behind him as we left the Train Track school having just painted the room.  He was in severe pain and could only just stand. Clearly he was in a lot of pain.  He had hurt his back moving heavy rubbish containers that morning and his pain was compounded when he sneezed and his back went into spasm.  He stood up very slowly when we asked him if we could pray.  In just a few words the pain was commanded to leave his body in the Name of Jesus.  We asked him to test it out and he began to swivel his hips like Elvis Presley and then bent down and touched his toes.  All pain was gone and his flexibility had returned.

We showed the Jesus movie (in Khmer) at several villages. The last time it was shown was in a small village on an island across the Mekong River about 30 minutes from Phnom Penh city CBD.  We had the opportunity to pray for several people after the movie.  The man shown below had had pain his side for more than 6 months.  We prayed and his response was "all the pain has gone - this is too quick."  He couldn't believe this could happen so quickly.  So we asked to him to check again. He pushed in his side where the pain had been and sure enough it was no longer there! 

All pain in his side was gone after prayer. "This was too quick" he said.

A Buddhist lady with stomach pain and a headache said that when she was prayed for she felt fire in her stomach - which in her words was good. Needless to say when we asked her if the pain was gone she said yes!  She was so grateful!

We had some fantastic news today from our recent trip to Cambodia! This boy had injured his eyes in an industrial accident late last year. He was working on a machine, fell asleep and he fell face forward into the machine and damaged his eyes. Apparently a piece of metal went into his left eye and he lost all sight in it. His right eye was injured too but he still had sight in that eye. We prayed for him in the first week we were there with little or no change. He was quite depressed and the doctors said there was little hope of him regaining sight in his left eye. We learned later he had been cursed by those in his work at the time of the accident. His grandmother brought him to church the following Sunday and we prayed again. He wore sunglasses all the time and when he removed them he could only see light with his left eye but not see any shapes etc. He had a white section in the coloured part of his eye and was still clearly quite depressed as a 16yr old. We heard today he is completely healed, the white section has gone and he can now see clearly with both eyes. No more sunglasses and a bright future Praise the Lord! Check out the video here