Into the Arabian Desert interior - Day 3
We had been invited to travel into the interior of the United Arab Emirates to minister in a house church in the evening, so we made our way to the oasis city of Al Ain in the morning to see what the Lord would do in the mean time.
Our day began again in a mall. it was quite windy and since it felt like a sandstorm was brewing we decided to take things inside. The first person we ministered to was an Emirati muslim woman. I got a word of knowledge for her and one of our women approached her to pray for her. They needed some help with Arabic and so I came back and we saw the Lord heal her as we prayed for her in Jesus' Name and speak to her about the Kingdom. It was funny when an over-protective, and zealous Egyptian muslim who worked in the shop close to where this woman worked came over to check things out. I knew what he was up to and so I just offered him any healing he needed. He wasn't open at all and actually was a bit sarcastic so we moved on knowing that she would tell him what God had done for her.
Next I asked an Egyptian muslim woman for some directions (she also worked in the mall) and God interrupted with a word of knowledge about back pain in a particular part of her back. she had had a back problem there since her childhood. I began to speak to her about our mandate to heal the sick and how God speaks. she kept saying, "but I'm a muslim". I told her that God loved muslims too :) and wanted to heal them! I shared that we see people from all religious backgrounds healed. one of our women came over and was able to pray for her when she finally agreed to let us pray.
After this we were all enjoying another Starbucks and the team began to minister to the employees. one of them received prayer who also wanted to attend our meeting that night. I saw a group of three Filipinos sitting near to us and decided to inquire about their Christmas and find out if they'd be willing to let me give them a present! (or presents). they had just come from Church and I offered to pray for anything that was hurting or injured. They didn't have any issues but they said they had a friend with a "slipped disc" in the back. I asked if we could get her on the phone. they agreed and soon were calling her at the hospital where she was on-duty. As they were calling, I got a word of knowledge for an additional condition, something in her stomach. They confirmed she also had a chronic stomach issue as well. I took the phone and had the woman lay hands first on her stomach and prayed. Next I had her do the same for her back. I didn't inquire about the stomach after prayer but ALL PAIN left her back and as I handed the phone back she was crying. these friends of hers came over afterwards to our table and thanked us again for bringing healing to their good friend. When I think about their response - I asked THEM if they had any needs and they instead asked for something for their friend instead, it was very Christ-like and in the true Spirit of Christmas to not think about themselves but of someone else in need.
Next a Filipino guy was coming by who had some tattoos on his arms. I asked him to come over and told him that my friend could interpret his tattoos and tell him things about his life. I love having the mind of Christ that sometimes gets crazy thoughts - but I'd heard of Christians doing this before and even though we'd never talked about it, I figured the team could prophesy over him using the tattoos as the launching pad. Sure enough an accurate prophetic word about the kind of guy/friend he was and the role he played amongst his friends. We gave him some further prophetic words to encourage him in his walk with the Lord.
Our next stop was a restaurant in another part of the city for lunch. As we arrived, I noticed two Emirati muslim guys walking to their car and I inquired if the Lord had anything for them. I got a word of knowledge that one of them had a left knee problem and went to inquire. Just as they were getting in their car, I asked them and sure enough the driver had a problem with his left knee in the back. It had been hurting him for a couple of days. I had him lay his own hand on the area and told him that God was going to heal him. I prayed a quick prayer in Arabic and clearly asked in the Name of Jesus. I asked him to take his hand away and it was completely healed! No more pain. I don't know what was more surprising - the healing or the revelation that the Lord revealed to a Christian that he actually had pain in a specific part of his body. He took my number and I told him that I would like him to meet some of my friends who live in his city. Praying for this healing to lead to more interest in the Healer Himself!
In the restaurant, staffed almost exclusively by Arab muslims (Syrians and Egyptians), we offered to minister to anybody who had pain. I had a word of knowledge about back pain and so our waiter went to find one of their employees with that condition. Two of us were able to pray for this man's back and share with him the source of all sickness/pain (the kingdom of darkness) and God's intention to heal the sick out of His great love for people. We didn't really get to pray for any others, but I asked several times. I made it clear that we loved to minister to sick people/hurting people and since our friends visit this restaurant on occasion, there will be opportunity to follow up with these men.
At that point, we broke into three different groups with one continuing on in another mall, where that had the chance to meet with and encourage a local Emirati Christian who I also got to meet later that evening. My son and I headed off to a father/son activity - surfing in the desert at the world's best wave pool and our third group drove up to the top of a 4,000 ft. mountain and although I don't know the details, got to pray for people there and saw at least two people healed.
Our day ended with a house church meeting that included the operation of many of the gifts of the Holy Spirit - there was prophecy, there were tongues and the interpretation of tongues, there was healing, we did some deliverance from demonic torment. It was just an incredible time to be with other believers and to encourage them with some of our testimonies. The Emirati Christian was also there and that was just a huge highlight of our trip to be with one of the few known national believers. He had been tortured for his faith and yet with great boldness he was following Jesus and having an impact reaching others with the Gospel. It is one of the great honors to meet with those who have literally given up everything to follow Christ and who have also been persecuted (in his case institutionalized in a mental hospital and given electric shocks to the head and seriously drugged) for their faith in Jesus. He came to learn from us, but as it ALWAYS the case, I learned by for by being with him and hearing his story. Pray for his continued protection and for God to use him to reach his own people who are deceived and imprisoned in the false religion of Islam.
Our day began again in a mall. it was quite windy and since it felt like a sandstorm was brewing we decided to take things inside. The first person we ministered to was an Emirati muslim woman. I got a word of knowledge for her and one of our women approached her to pray for her. They needed some help with Arabic and so I came back and we saw the Lord heal her as we prayed for her in Jesus' Name and speak to her about the Kingdom. It was funny when an over-protective, and zealous Egyptian muslim who worked in the shop close to where this woman worked came over to check things out. I knew what he was up to and so I just offered him any healing he needed. He wasn't open at all and actually was a bit sarcastic so we moved on knowing that she would tell him what God had done for her.
Next I asked an Egyptian muslim woman for some directions (she also worked in the mall) and God interrupted with a word of knowledge about back pain in a particular part of her back. she had had a back problem there since her childhood. I began to speak to her about our mandate to heal the sick and how God speaks. she kept saying, "but I'm a muslim". I told her that God loved muslims too :) and wanted to heal them! I shared that we see people from all religious backgrounds healed. one of our women came over and was able to pray for her when she finally agreed to let us pray.
After this we were all enjoying another Starbucks and the team began to minister to the employees. one of them received prayer who also wanted to attend our meeting that night. I saw a group of three Filipinos sitting near to us and decided to inquire about their Christmas and find out if they'd be willing to let me give them a present! (or presents). they had just come from Church and I offered to pray for anything that was hurting or injured. They didn't have any issues but they said they had a friend with a "slipped disc" in the back. I asked if we could get her on the phone. they agreed and soon were calling her at the hospital where she was on-duty. As they were calling, I got a word of knowledge for an additional condition, something in her stomach. They confirmed she also had a chronic stomach issue as well. I took the phone and had the woman lay hands first on her stomach and prayed. Next I had her do the same for her back. I didn't inquire about the stomach after prayer but ALL PAIN left her back and as I handed the phone back she was crying. these friends of hers came over afterwards to our table and thanked us again for bringing healing to their good friend. When I think about their response - I asked THEM if they had any needs and they instead asked for something for their friend instead, it was very Christ-like and in the true Spirit of Christmas to not think about themselves but of someone else in need.
Next a Filipino guy was coming by who had some tattoos on his arms. I asked him to come over and told him that my friend could interpret his tattoos and tell him things about his life. I love having the mind of Christ that sometimes gets crazy thoughts - but I'd heard of Christians doing this before and even though we'd never talked about it, I figured the team could prophesy over him using the tattoos as the launching pad. Sure enough an accurate prophetic word about the kind of guy/friend he was and the role he played amongst his friends. We gave him some further prophetic words to encourage him in his walk with the Lord.
Our next stop was a restaurant in another part of the city for lunch. As we arrived, I noticed two Emirati muslim guys walking to their car and I inquired if the Lord had anything for them. I got a word of knowledge that one of them had a left knee problem and went to inquire. Just as they were getting in their car, I asked them and sure enough the driver had a problem with his left knee in the back. It had been hurting him for a couple of days. I had him lay his own hand on the area and told him that God was going to heal him. I prayed a quick prayer in Arabic and clearly asked in the Name of Jesus. I asked him to take his hand away and it was completely healed! No more pain. I don't know what was more surprising - the healing or the revelation that the Lord revealed to a Christian that he actually had pain in a specific part of his body. He took my number and I told him that I would like him to meet some of my friends who live in his city. Praying for this healing to lead to more interest in the Healer Himself!
In the restaurant, staffed almost exclusively by Arab muslims (Syrians and Egyptians), we offered to minister to anybody who had pain. I had a word of knowledge about back pain and so our waiter went to find one of their employees with that condition. Two of us were able to pray for this man's back and share with him the source of all sickness/pain (the kingdom of darkness) and God's intention to heal the sick out of His great love for people. We didn't really get to pray for any others, but I asked several times. I made it clear that we loved to minister to sick people/hurting people and since our friends visit this restaurant on occasion, there will be opportunity to follow up with these men.
At that point, we broke into three different groups with one continuing on in another mall, where that had the chance to meet with and encourage a local Emirati Christian who I also got to meet later that evening. My son and I headed off to a father/son activity - surfing in the desert at the world's best wave pool and our third group drove up to the top of a 4,000 ft. mountain and although I don't know the details, got to pray for people there and saw at least two people healed.
Our day ended with a house church meeting that included the operation of many of the gifts of the Holy Spirit - there was prophecy, there were tongues and the interpretation of tongues, there was healing, we did some deliverance from demonic torment. It was just an incredible time to be with other believers and to encourage them with some of our testimonies. The Emirati Christian was also there and that was just a huge highlight of our trip to be with one of the few known national believers. He had been tortured for his faith and yet with great boldness he was following Jesus and having an impact reaching others with the Gospel. It is one of the great honors to meet with those who have literally given up everything to follow Christ and who have also been persecuted (in his case institutionalized in a mental hospital and given electric shocks to the head and seriously drugged) for their faith in Jesus. He came to learn from us, but as it ALWAYS the case, I learned by for by being with him and hearing his story. Pray for his continued protection and for God to use him to reach his own people who are deceived and imprisoned in the false religion of Islam.
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