Jim asked me if I would be willing to give a word at the Goodwill Rescue Mission.  It is always a treat to minister to the men there. The room is usually filled with 50 to 70 men most of whom are part of the program.  They all have a story to tell.  Many are homeless, coming off of drugs, just out of jail or other distressed situations with many broken families.

So I decided to not just share “a” word but “The Word” in the form of a Gospel of John handout for each attendee.  I even had some in Spanish which a handful of them raised their hand to receive.  

The expectation at the mission is for us to share the gospel with the men for about 30 minutes and then to give them an invitation to receive Christ.  However, I felt compelled not to give the usual half-of‐a‐gospel in word only.  I have heard so many of those and they always end at just an invitation to receive Jesus.  The few souls who come forward are then congratulated and sent back to their seat.  They were just birthed and then sent off as newborn babes to fend for themselves.  This would not go over well with newborns in a hospital, now would it?

No, I decided to share with them that Jesus did not come just to save them from their sins but to give them a whole new life by being restored to the Father as a son of the King.  An abundant life at that with power to overcome the enemy who is hell bent to kill, steal and destroy them as new believers.  A life with power… Holy Spirit power!  The same power that Jesus and the disciples walked in and that raised Jesus Christ up from the dead.  The one so badly missing in today’s church where all that is preached are words without any dynamic power or demonstration of the gospel.  That is not the kingdom.

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. – 1 Corinthians 4:20

Paul said in the prior verse that he would come to them shortly, if the Lord will, and would know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.  He would be able to discern if they had power from God or if they were just full of hot air.

So I said that I would share with them that there were 3 steps they could take with God tonight and that I would explain the benefits of each step so that they could decide which steps they would like to take.  I also explained that if they did not make a decision to take any step tonight, then they had already made a decision in accordance with John 3:18 which states that the world is condemned already.  So making no decision was automatically a decision to be and remain lost and condemned.

After explaining the simple gospel as the first step, I then started explaining that the next step was to receive power from on high just as the disciples did on the day of Pentecost.  As the Holy Spirit is the one to convict them and baptize them into Jesus, so now Jesus is the one to baptize them in the Holy Spirit so that out of their belly will flow rivers of living water.  They are the perfect spiritual tag team.

Now as a true believer they will have authority in the name of Jesus and power in the Holy Spirit so that all the signs of a believer will follow them.  In Jesus name they will cast out demons, speak with new tongues, pick up serpents, if they drink any deadly thing it will not harm them and lay hands on the sick and they are healed as it so states in Mark 16:17‐18.

The third step was to accept Jesus’ challenge to walk in this power just like He did when He walked on earth.  And just like the disciples did when they received this power at Pentecost.  Here was the challenge:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. – John 14:12

Then I further challenged them and asked: “How would you like to walk up to somebody that has pain and say to them “Pain be gone in Jesus name” and the pain’s gone?”  There were several affirmative responses, so I continued.

“Does anybody have pain in here tonight?” I asked them.  Several hands went up and I pointed to the first one “Sir, would you come up please? Where do you have pain? OK. The Kingdom of God comes in power, not just in word. Where’s the pain, sir?”  It was in his leg and his hip.

I asked him for his name and shook his hand and then started praying: “Father, I thank you for Robert and I thank You Jesus that you love Robert so much that right now You are going to prove to Robert and to all these people here how much You love us and how much you love Robert by setting him free of this right now.”

“So right now in the name of Jesus I command this pain to go NOW in Jesus name.  Leg be healed.  Hip be healed.  Move it about.  Check it out.  How does it feel?”

“It feels better!” He replied.  So I asked him “Is all the pain gone?”  “Yeah!” was his reply. “It’s gone?” I confirmed. “Yeah!” he confirmed.  “Praise Jesus!” I exclaimed while all the men shouted out and clapped in praise.

I repeated again to them that the kingdom of God does not come in word but in power.

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. – 1 Corinthians 4:20

Then I noticed that many of them were starting to get up to come forward to be prayed for but I told them to hold off until we were done and I would stay around as long as needed for everyone to be prayed for and Jesus would set them free.

When I finally gave the invitation about 12 men came forward and who took all 3 steps. There may have been more who were already saved and took the second and third step where they were sitting.

Afterwards, several came forward for healing and I physically saw the swelling go down in one man’s wrist and hand and the pain from his ingrown toenail disappear.  Charles, who been jumped and beaten up with a bruised eye and notable scratches on his right cheek was instantly set free of the pain in his face, his right arm and his left leg and knee.  I was able to pray for several others for their healing, family, home and financial situations.  It was a night of salvation and miracles confirming the word of God just as in New Testament days.

The kingdom had come nigh unto these men as it came not just in word but in power.  All the praise and glory to Jesus!

Here is a the live recording of that night (Robert’s live healing is at 22:00):

Franciscus M. Dartee
Grow in Faith | Walk in Power

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