Jesus's Ministry

[samprice716]

Carl Emerson,

Thank you for this post it seems you wrote many years ago. I’m new to this forum and happened to randomly stumble upon it on the internet. It has been super encouraging to me hearing all the testimonies you shared and it has touched me to write to you. Truly, I need to hear it now. I want to briefly share my own experiences.

I been dealing with a health issue for the last 7 years going on 8. I was never born with it but developed it in my early 20s. I got a second ear piercing around that time frame. And a year later after the piercing I got started to develop into very large growths called keloids. You can research them as they are very common and incurable. Essentially it’s when the body doesn’t heal properly and continues to grow beyond the cut. I haven’t just developed them on my ears but also when my body is cut. As they grew worse and painful my husband I were living overseas because he was in the military. The military insurance had told me that they would pay for the needed surgery to remove these growths on my ears. Only to later on reject it. It was a very expensive procedure but my husband had pity on me and we paid for it. It was extremely painful procedure and it was only months later they regrew worse than before. I have wept, fasted and prayed countless hours over this. I had given my life to Jesus when I was very young but within those years I had fell away and was living in sin. This illness along with many other things pushed me to edge and I repented to God and recommitted my life back to him. It was then I read my Bible from cover to cover. My coming back to Jesus happened shortly after my first surgical procedure. I was very steady in prayer after that. I had prayed.. Lord please fight for me. And while having a regular dentist appointment my doctor. (I had a new one.. the military changes physicians often.) Noticed my ear and was wondering if I was being taken care of. I told him my story of how the insurance rejected me. And wouldn’t you know he said he would fight for me. And I remember weeping in the chair. God provided a surgical procedure with absolute no cost about 4 hours away at another military base. Now if you know anything about the military… this could not happen because one, I’m only a spouse. And two, I wasn’t stationed at that base. I knew it was God alone and I praised him for it. The surgery went well and I had full confidence this would be over. It’s going on 3 years since then and they have completely regrown worse than before. Everything I’ve went through has strengthened my faith incredibly. But I must admit it’s harder this time around. But I know we serve God who hears our quiet prayers.

I’ve often wondered why God has allowed this to happen to me. But I have to trust in his never ending mercy and that he alone has the power to heal me completely. If you could keep me in prayer that I would not give up but keep on striving. Knowing if I knock, he will answer within his will. Thank you and blessings.

 

[Saint Steven]

After seven years of prayer and restoration, and more than five years of constantly reading Scripture I was finally ready to step out with His presence and simply obey His Word to pray for others.

Hey Carl, good topic, thanks.
I quoted this statement from post #1, the OP for this topic.

Were you called individually to this ministry?
It seems that you have the idea that everyone is called to do this.
Maybe that is not what you are saying.

Not sure that casting out demons and the associated experience is for everyone.
And certainly not for the untrained?

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hey Carl, good topic, thanks.
I quoted this statement from post #1, the OP for this topic.

Were you called individually to this ministry?
It seems that you have the idea that everyone is called to do this.
Maybe that is not what you are saying.

Not sure that casting out demons and the associated experience is for everyone.
And certainly not for the untrained?

This is a fair question Steve...

I don't think Praying for others is a 'ministry'...

Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed... This seems to me for all, but few do it.

However as you point out what I have been led into is at times a little specialised.

That being said - my motive is to encourage others that there is a life of blessing and service to be entered into that starts from loving and praying for folks and trusting God for the outcomes. It would be great if we all did this.

Many of us look back at what happened in scripture and think it is not for today.

This is very sad - the harvest is ripe and the workers are few - and today is the day of salvation.

Look at what Jesus said to confirm the kingdom coming - the blind see, the dead are raised, the poor hear the gospel etc. Are we to say the Kingdom manifest was for a former time? If that were the case Jesus would no longer be reigning in lives. The game has not changed but folks must give up all and follow Him to be part of it - just as the disciples did.

So I keep it simple and pray daily for His best and His opportunities and see what He does.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Carl Emerson,

Thank you for this post it seems you wrote many years ago. I’m new to this forum and happened to randomly stumble upon it on the internet. It has been super encouraging to me hearing all the testimonies you shared and it has touched me to write to you. Truly, I need to hear it now. I want to briefly share my own experiences.

I been dealing with a health issue for the last 7 years going on 8. I was never born with it but developed it in my early 20s. I got a second ear piercing around that time frame. And a year later after the piercing I got started to develop into very large growths called keloids. You can research them as they are very common and incurable. Essentially it’s when the body doesn’t heal properly and continues to grow beyond the cut. I haven’t just developed them on my ears but also when my body is cut. As they grew worse and painful my husband I were living overseas because he was in the military. The military insurance had told me that they would pay for the needed surgery to remove these growths on my ears. Only to later on reject it. It was a very expensive procedure but my husband had pity on me and we paid for it. It was extremely painful procedure and it was only months later they regrew worse than before. I have wept, fasted and prayed countless hours over this. I had given my life to Jesus when I was very young but within those years I had fell away and was living in sin. This illness along with many other things pushed me to edge and I repented to God and recommitted my life back to him. It was then I read my Bible from cover to cover. My coming back to Jesus happened shortly after my first surgical procedure. I was very steady in prayer after that. I had prayed.. Lord please fight for me. And while having a regular dentist appointment my doctor. (I had a new one.. the military changes physicians often.) Noticed my ear and was wondering if I was being taken care of. I told him my story of how the insurance rejected me. And wouldn’t you know he said he would fight for me. And I remember weeping in the chair. God provided a surgical procedure with absolute no cost about 4 hours away at another military base. Now if you know anything about the military… this could not happen because one, I’m only a spouse. And two, I wasn’t stationed at that base. I knew it was God alone and I praised him for it. The surgery went well and I had full confidence this would be over. It’s going on 3 years since then and they have completely regrown worse than before. Everything I’ve went through has strengthened my faith incredibly. But I must admit it’s harder this time around. But I know we serve God who hears our quiet prayers.

I’ve often wondered why God has allowed this to happen to me. But I have to trust in his never ending mercy and that he alone has the power to heal me completely. If you could keep me in prayer that I would not give up but keep on striving. Knowing if I knock, he will answer within his will. Thank you and blessings.

Really appreciate your post and welcome to CF.

Folks on CF will start praying for you and I will message you and get some more detail.

Can you put a request on the 'prayer wall' as well please.

If there is a lady reading this who is comfortable to join us who sees God move in healing, that would be good, just PM me.

Putting the matter before Him with others is a great step to take.

This is a busy time of year and I will take time out to pray about the best way forward.

Be encouraged and lets explore this together.

I will message you soon...

 

[samprice716]

Really appreciate your post and welcome to CF.

Folks on CF will start praying for you and I will message you and get some more detail.

Can you put a request on the 'prayer wall' as well please.

If there is a lady reading this who is comfortable to join us who sees God move in healing, that would be good, just PM me.

Putting the matter before Him with others is a great step to take.

This is a busy time of year and I will take time out to pray about the best way forward.

Be encouraged and lets explore this together.

I will message you soon...

Thank you for your quick reply, prayers and the encouragement. I’m not super familiar with how to work this site. But I will trying posting a prayer request.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I too used to be puzzled for years. Now I simply pray as often as I get to, likewise read and meditate on His Word often, and rejoice whenever we in Him meet in person and have some moments of true fellowship talking about the Father and about Jesus, with great thankfulness and praise to His Name.

Sounds great - I hope you see Him impact the lives of others through your words and prayers...

 

[Carl Emerson]

Thank you for your quick reply, prayers and the encouragement. I’m not super familiar with how to work this site. But I will trying posting a prayer request.

Up the top - FORUMS then down arrow and choose 'forum list' and look for 'prayer wall'. Click on there to post a message.

 

[samprice716]

Up the top - FORUMS then down arrow and choose 'forum list' and look for 'prayer wall'. Click on there to post a message.

Okay great. Thanks!

 

[Saint Steven]

This is a fair question Steve...

I don't think Praying for others is a 'ministry'...

Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed... This seems to me for all, but few do it.

However as you point out what I have been led into is at times a little specialised.

That being said - my motive is to encourage others that there is a life of blessing and service to be entered into that starts from loving and praying for folks and trusting God for the outcomes. It would be great if we all did this.

Many of us look back at what happened in scripture and think it is not for today.

This is very sad - the harvest is ripe and the workers are few - and today is the day of salvation.

Look at what Jesus said to confirm the kingdom coming - the blind see, the dead are raised, the poor hear the gospel etc. Are we to say the Kingdom manifest was for a former time? If that were the case Jesus would no longer be reigning in lives. The game has not changed but folks must give up all and follow Him to be part of it - just as the disciples did.

So I keep it simple and pray daily for His best and His opportunities and see what He does.

That was a fair answer, Carl... - LOL

Good that you are alerting people to this. Praying for others. Not "promising" to pray later at home, but right there and then.

I learned about this as a young man. There was a former missionary to China that I knew (friends of the family), while at church one Sunday, I had related a prayer need to him, and he asked if he could pray for me. Yes, of course. (assuming later at home) I saw someone across the room and was dismissing myself when he replied, "Where are you going?" He asked me to hold out my hands, palms up (recieving posture) and he put his hands under mine and prayed for me. This made a big impression on me.

In a sense, this is a lost art, a pioneering work now, to re-establish what I would call prayer ministry to others.

I have missed several pages of reading on this topic. Looks like I was participating in the discussions earlier. I wonder if we should discuss some practical aspects that would edify readers? Real basic techniques. Posture, interview, key signs of progress ...

I mentioned the open palms posture above. This indicates an open receiving mode for what God might do.

Requesting permission from those we don't know. Permission to pray, permission to lay on a hand, if appropriate.

Interview questions. "What do you want from Jesus?", "What is your pain level?" (1-10) This becomes a benchmark.

While we pray for them, break to ask if they feel anything. I have experienced heat on my palms. When I asked the person I was praying for if they felt anything happening, they reported a "tremendous heat". Good sign. He received healing.

Much more to say about this. What would you add?

 

[Carl Emerson]

That was a fair answer, Carl... - LOL

Good that you are alerting people to this. Praying for others. Not "promising" to pray later at home, but right there and then.

I learned about this as a young man. There was a former missionary to China that I knew (friends of the family), while at church one Sunday, I had related a prayer need to him, and he asked if he could pray for me. Yes, of course. (assuming later at home) I saw someone across the room and was dismissing myself when he replied, "Where are you going?" He asked me to hold out my hands, palms up (recieving posture) and he put his hands under mine and prayed for me. This made a big impression on me.

In a sense, this is a lost art, a pioneering work now, to re-establish what I would call prayer ministry to others.

I have missed several pages of reading on this topic. Looks like I was participating in the discussions earlier. I wonder if we should discuss some practical aspects that would edify readers? Real basic techniques. Posture, interview, key signs of progress ...

I mentioned the open palms posture above. This indicates an open receiving mode for what God might do.

Requesting permission from those we don't know. Permission to pray, permission to lay on a hand, if appropriate.

Interview questions. "What do you want from Jesus?", "What is your pain level?" (1-10) This becomes a benchmark.

While we pray for them, break to ask if they feel anything. I have experienced heat on my palms. When I asked the person I was praying for if they felt anything happening, they reported a "tremendous heat". Good sign. He received healing.

Much more to say about this. What would you add?

This sounds like a topic for a separate thread...

I add testimonies here as they happen so I think it would be good to keep that focus.

What do you think ???

 

[Carl Emerson]

OK it keeps happening.

I needed a haircut so popped into the local hairdresser.

We talked and the conversation naturally progressed to my testimony and praying for the sick.

He then disclosed he recently found out he had cancer in the abdomen and was in some pain...

I offered to pray for him and to my surprise he immediately shut the shop, locked the door, turned the sign to 'closed'

It was just me and him (and Jesus)

He said that he wanted to get his faith back on track and had been a youth pastor earlier in life.

So I prayed for him and spoke against the cancer in Jesus name.

There was no fuzzy feeling or heat.

Just a business as usual matter of fact encounter.

I followed up with a text that we should meet and spend some time together and that I could discuss and encourage his journey back...

A few weeks later I walked past the shop and saw him sitting outside so I asked 'how's your health ??" to which he immediately replied I'm healed - no more pain. An angel came into my shop...

I immediately thought he might have been high or had some delusion of angels (not realising he was referring to me !!!)

So I went back for another haircut and he confirmed not only a complete healing but expressed the desire to meet for coffee and talk things through.

Now this is a small town and if indeed Jesus extended His hand, and the news of his healing spreads, as he is very well known, we may have a significant move of God on our hands.

I wont give his name at this stage but will update as matters further unfold.

Please pray for my coffee time with him next Wednesday.

What I am on CF to encourage is...

Be ready to give an account of your faith.

Pray for the sick.

Leave the results in His hands... He may very well surprise you.

 

[Lost Witness]

Love reading these, Carl.
Praise be to God the father.
Glory be his Forever and Ever.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I have just come across this excellent interview on 'Facing the Cannon" in which the testimony is in many ways similar to mine.

I have heard bones cracking back into place as I prayed. So has he.

I have medical evidence of cancer being totally healed pre-op and so has he.

This gives me great encouragement and confirms what I have long believed that Jesus wants to reach out with us and heal today.

Please enjoy this wonderful testimony.

 

[Gary K]

I am surprised that no one has responded to my observation above -
Are we now so far from being a Body exercising the Authority associated with His Name that such matters are no longer dealt with as Jesus did, but we have abdicated our role to secular agencies with human wisdom that have no way of setting folks free of such things? This is a sad day when the world hungry for the truth and power of the gospel sees the shell of a former real church holding a form of Godliness but denying it's power?

Surely pockets of light and truth remain - can someone attest to this?

I have no doubt that Jesus is working on a broad front bringing advances to medical science but this is no substitute for the healing and deliverance that He wants to achieve through us to His Glory.

Blessings to all,

Carl Emerson.

The problem is sin in the camp as demonstrated by the story of Aachan. Sin reduces our connection with God and reduces our faith in Him and with those two hindrances the natural result is paucity of miracles. I know as I have seen this demonstrated in my own life as my life has been full of miracles and examples of very strong spiritual conflict. The first miracle I remember happened in either the first or second grade. I was running home after school as something really good had happened at school. I ran out in front of a car in a 45 mph speed zone and the next thing I knew I was standing back on the sidewalk and the car had slid half way through the intersection. My guardian angel had literally picked me up and moved me about 30'.

My older brother tried to murder me in the eighth grade and failed and my angel spoke to me warning me not to go with him. few years later my angel spoke to me again truing to save me from amnother car wreck but I had been so emotionally abused I was easy to bully out of listening to him. My angel literally saved my life another time to keep me from wrecking a car I was driving.

In my mid twenties I was converted and rebaptized. Shortly after I was attacked by the devil as I had made a promise to him during my crazy years and he came to claim his property. I was saved from that and it was the most frightening thing in my life and I've had guns pulled on me by addicts who were afraid I'd nark on them for their several ounce stash of heroin so I've been in some pretty tense situations.

At this stage of my life, I'm now 70. miracles are happening daily all around me as God is daily teaching me to trust Him more. He is a miracle working God.

I'll tell you of a small one that happens every day. My wife and I have a little dog, A cross between a
chihuahua and pappilon. He fell and hurt his back really bad a few years ago while I was raking a nap. He still seems to blame me and won't obey me like he used to. He likes it outside and wants to spend most of his day outside. It's getting too cold to do that any more so I have to bring him inside and that makes him really angry as he's going on 14 now. So to get him to come inside I bow my head and ask God to convince him to come in when I ask him to come in. He gets right up and trots inside when I call him. It just goes to show how much God cares about even the little things in our lives. Nothing is beneath His attention.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Nice response thanks, I think your angel might be the Holy Spirit ???

 

[Gary K]

Nice response thanks, I think your angel might be the Holy Spirit ???

I don't think so although scripture does equate Jesus and angel in a couple of places.

Judges 13: 15 ¶And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.*n4
16 And the angel of the Lord said unto Manoah, Though thou detain me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt offering, thou must offer it unto the Lord. For Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the Lord.
17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the Lord, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?
18 And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?*n5
19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the Lord: and the angel did wondrously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.
20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.
21 But the angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the Lord.
22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

Revelation 19: 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Notice in the story of Manoah the angel accepted a sacrifice to God. In the story of John the angel did not. That's one way to tell an angel from God.

 

[Fervent]

One impediment to expecting miracles and having faith for me, and I believe this is a common issue for inheritors of Enlightenment thinking, is that the main narrative for life is the mechanistic account. There's an expectation that mechanical explanations are both necessary and sufficient for everything, so miracles can only be "allowed" for situations that appear to have some degree of randomness/openness to them. Having grown up and been educated in that mode of thought, the power of petition and prayer is easily discounted as superstition because it involves non-mechanical operations and some backwards causation. And so God's capability of miracles becomes theoretical and set on the backburner to the much more ordinary way that things seem to happen.

 

[Carl Emerson]

OK it keeps happening.

I needed a haircut so popped into the local hairdresser.

We talked and the conversation naturally progressed to my testimony and praying for the sick.

He then disclosed he recently found out he had cancer in the abdomen and was in some pain...

I offered to pray for him and to my surprise he immediately shut the shop, locked the door, turned the sign to 'closed'

It was just me and him (and Jesus)

He said that he wanted to get his faith back on track and had been a youth pastor earlier in life.

So I prayed for him and spoke against the cancer in Jesus name.

There was no fuzzy feeling or heat.

Just a business as usual matter of fact encounter.

I followed up with a text that we should meet and spend some time together and that I could discuss and encourage his journey back...

A few weeks later I walked past the shop and saw him sitting outside so I asked 'how's your health ??" to which he immediately replied I'm healed - no more pain. An angel came into my shop...

I immediately thought he might have been high or had some delusion of angels (not realising he was referring to me !!!)

So I went back for another haircut and he confirmed not only a complete healing but expressed the desire to meet for coffee and talk things through.

Now this is a small town and if indeed Jesus extended His hand, and the news of his healing spreads, as he is very well known, we may have a significant move of God on our hands.

I wont give his name at this stage but will update as matters further unfold.

Please pray for my coffee time with him next Wednesday.

What I am on CF to encourage is...

Be ready to give an account of your faith.

Pray for the sick.

Leave the results in His hands... He may very well surprise you.

Just a follow up on this testimony - my wife and I met him today at the supermarket - no further health issues, looking great with a big smile... Anyone wanting detail of who it was PM me.

 

[Lord I Believe]

Hello Mr. Emerson,

I read your thread at work after focusing on a few scriptures and wanted to say thank you.

It really amazes me how much God does for us.

The miracle you wrote about when you and your friend healed a disabled man that used to be a cop was awesome!!! Also the cancer patient’s healing was really cool as well.

Thank you for sharing the miracles of Jesus.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Hello Mr. Emerson,

I read your thread at work after focusing on a few scriptures and wanted to say thank you.

It really amazes me how much God does for us.

The miracle you wrote about when you and your friend healed a disabled man that used to be a cop was awesome!!! Also the cancer patient’s healing was really cool as well.

Thank you for sharing the miracles of Jesus.

Welcome to CF...

Hey... don't forget it is Jesus that heals not us !!!