Preaching the good news and healing the sick
in New Zealand, Nepal and the world
August 2010 Report - Healed in Hawera!
Hawera Highlights
Hawera is a small town on the southern skirts of Mount Taranaki, (nee Egmont), New Zealand. Bron’s birthplace, we were married there in St John’s Presbyterian Church in 1976.
Returning to the church of our wedding in July was special. But more so was the opportunity to minister to the local pastors, prophesying over them, and encouraging them. The hope of the world, nations and cities is not in politicians, economic booms or local councils. Our hope is only in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the pastors of a town are her ambassadors.
They are therefore the only group of leaders who can offer hope. That makes our pastors the most important leaders in our cities. Let us support them, and stir them to greater things!
The weekend at Hawera was meant to be shared with Rodney Francis, but his wife Jean had just emerged from hospital, so I was on my own. On the first evening I spoke on the urgency of the gospel, and many were deeply moved. I pray that the Spirit will stir them to win many to the Lord.
On Saturday we prepared to go out treasure hunting, learning to prophesy, have words of knowledge and heal the sick, especially with unbelievers. In the afternoon we sent out our treasure hunters with anticipation, and not a little trembling.
One group found all three of the people they were looking for, one of whom was in church the next morning! The man who ‘found’ her was so excited he couldn’t stop talking about it! ‘It was so easy,’ he kept saying!
On Sunday we were asked to minister to a lady with depression. After sharing her tragic life story, both Bron & I felt that she had a crushed spirit. I had a picture of a broken vase being repaired. We ministered through her tears, and trusted the Lord for her healing.
That evening she came bounding forward and gave us both big hugs. ‘I am a totally different woman,’ she declared. Her face was shining, and her pastor also commented on the change.
We are whole beings, spirit, soul and body. If something is wrong with one area, all the others may be affected. When God heals our bodies, he often heals instantly, but sometimes uses a process. In just the same way, he may heal our wills, our emotions, our spirits, or our minds instantly (some have experienced this with addictions, for example). In this lady’s case, I believe her spirit was instantly healed, meaning that her consequent emotional disturbance was also dealt with. We should not think that just because it’s emotional or spiritual that is must take a long time to heal. God is not so limited.
LIFE East Camp
The highlight of June was teaching at the annual camp of the East branch of our church, LIFE. Several hundred were there, and again, I felt called to share on evangelism. Many were convicted, and I was speaking to the pastor just a few
days ago who said that people were still talking about the camp. He himself said that he’d been stirred to go out once more onto the streets searching for the lost, as his habit had once been. Praise God!
Healed of 41 years of knee pain. And I wasn’t even praying for her. Our mysterious God is good!