Barb shared…
Ray is in Florida today. So today I wanted to talk about what I’ve been doing this year. I’ve been keeping a “grace log.” So every day, I write down all the things that I see God doing for me. Because the more you recognize and see how He’s working in your life, the more He’ll do in your life. I sit there and “what did You do so far?” Put it out there, like I said before, you have to “expect” something to happen. So every day, I have something to write down and He’s doing amazing things. Little things. Big things. All the time. And it makes me laugh. I get free food. Places I go, people give me things. Just favor everywhere. It’s amazing. But because I’m expecting it to happen all the time, it happens all the time! And there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t see something happening.
Yesterday, I was sitting at my computer and said, “Okay, Lord, I’m going to write down what You did today.” What did I see grace do for me today? I sat for a minute and I couldn’t think of anything. Why am I not able to think of something? There has to be something. Then He reminded me. “Remember this happened.” I said, “Oh yeah.” If you write it down, you can go back and read about these things and see what God is doing in your life on a daily basis. Recognizing that His power is working and He’s actually doing things for you.
I drive my daughter to school every morning and I pray with her every day on the way to school. We pray for her school, pray for the teachers. She goes to a public school and I pray whatever prayer request she has. And we see God answer her prayers every single day. At the beginning of the school year, they had to do this big project and a presentation right when they started school. It was like the first day. She said, “Mom, I really don’t want to do that presentation.” I said, “Let’s ask the Lord about it” so I prayed, “Lord, she says she doesn’t want to do this today so we’re asking You to make a way.” So after school, I said, “How did it go?” “I didn’t have to do it!” I said, “Praise the Lord.”
So the next school day, same thing. “I really don’t feel like giving that presentation today.” There’s only a certain amount of kids in the class. You’re going to get to the point where you have to do it. So she said, “I don’t feel like doing it today either.” I said, “Okay.” So we said, “Lord, she doesn’t want to do it today either.” She goes to school, comes back. “How did it go?” “Well, something came up and I didn’t have to do my presentation today.” It went for four days like that. Every day she asked. Finally it was Friday and I said, “Okay, so what’s going on today? What about the presentation?” She said, “Well, I could do it today. It’s fine.” So she ended up doing to that day. But you know if we don’t ask… Even little things. To her that was huge. She’s a teenager, but for her to see God answer her prayer, just because she didn’t feel like it. She was prepared but just didn’t want to do it. But for Him to answer her prayer every single day, just something we would think it’s ridiculous. She’s not believing for the whole school to be saved or something. She’s just believing not to have to do this presentation. But for kids today to experience God for themselves, to see that He is real, that He cares, that He will manifest Himself for them is amazing. And that’s what will impact them and change them.
I’m kind of into youth because I’ve been volunteering since October of 2017 in the youth. They asked me to help them with pre-service prayer so I do that about a half an hour before the service. God is moving in the youth! You pray with them and believe and things happen. Things are changing. Just last week God was moving with instantaneous healings in the Wednesday service that carried through to the weekend services. They were seeing healings and ministry for all different types of things. I came this Wednesday and I was talking to the pastor and he said, “Did you see the wall over here?” I said, “No.” He said look here. They have this series of TV panels or screens and it says “Expect a miracle!” I said, “Yes! Praise the Lord.” But see God started moving and turning because if you can come in and start expecting and get the people stirred up, let’s expect God to move here. We don’t have to have just church. Let’s have CHURCH! It’s really exciting to see what’s happening over there and it’s going to get greater and greater. I love that Pastor is moving the kids to a place of expect God to move. Right now! Expect Him to move and to do something for you. I put that in my grace log too.
In fact, on Wednesday, I came to service and was in total pain. I had something with my kidneys. But I never missed prayer. I never miss going to the youth. I asked my husband, “Are you going to the service?” He said, “Are you going?” I said, “I’m not sure” because I was in a lot of pain. I said, “You know what? I always go. I never miss. Why is this any different. I’m going to go get dressed.” I got ready and got in my car and said, “Lord, I think You that You honor my faith. I’m going and I don’t care what is going on in my body.” So I came to the youth service and had the pre-service prayer. We prayed about the move of God and praying for the youth and all of a sudden toward the end, Pastor Dustin said, “You know, I’m picking up something about the kidneys.” And he started praying for someone’s kidneys. He says, “Now whoever that is, you just receive.” [snaps fingers] Instantaneous healing in my body! I put that in my grace log.
God is doing things. If we just expect. You have to step out of the boat and give Him an opportunity to meet you there. If we don’t give Him the opportunity, if there’s no expectation, then He doesn’t have room to move. He really just has to force His way in there and He doesn’t want to have to do that. He wants people to want Him to be there.
In fact, this last week He told me… It’s interesting being in the youth because not everyone is really on fire and wants to actually be there. The parents want them in the service. I’m looking around and I said, “Lord, how do we reach these kids?” Some are totally into it. But then there are others on the side [looking grumpy]. I asked my daughter, “What about this group over here? Why are they just standing in the front and fold their arms?” She said, “They don’t want to be there. And they make them come up front for worship.” I said, “Okay.” I said, “Lord, how can we reach them? We want to reach all these kids so they would know who You are and be able to experience You.” We always think we have to have the perfect worship service and then it has to flow into the perfect sermon and then in order for God to move everything has to be just perfectly lined up. He said, “That’s not the truth. The music could fall flat, the sermon could be ridiculous, and I can still move.” I said, “Okay, that’s right.” “So these kids regardless of what’s going on, You’re going to reach them. You’re going to move in this service and You’re going to reach these kids.” Anyway, that’s enough about youth. I’m super excited because that’s what we pray for, right? Praying for the move of God and for the kids. Years ago in the youth revival broke out. So HELLO? Let’s pray for the youth! We’re believing that to spread all over the church.
I was going to take testimonies. Come on up.
Woman shared…
You’re talking about expecting a miracle. I was in my kitchen and I found this plaque that I had. It says, “be realistic, plan for a miracle.” While you were talking about expecting a miracle, that went off in me that I had to share that. Be realistic—plan for it.
Barb shared…
That is realistic. I’ve been watching older God-related things on YouTube. Do you remember the Happy Hunters? I watched them. When I was in college, I went to one of their training conventions. I was 18 years old. I went and they trained you how to pray for people. Here I am this young college student in this big huge convention center. They said, “Okay, now go pray for the people around you.” I’m seeing legs growing out and arms growing. Me! Just me. This young 18 year old just watching all these things happening. So I know the amazing things God can do. But I was watching them and just the things that they would talk about happening in the ministry and to expect. She said they used to do prayer cloths and people would bring cloths up and they would pray over them.
One day she didn’t have prayer cloths and she said, “We can pray for a tissue.” So she prayed for a Kleenex and another person had a dollar bill. She said, “My grandson is in prison and there’s not a lot of things that he likes. But he does like money. Do you think that you could lay hands on this dollar bill?” She said, “Why not?” So she laid hands on the dollar bill and released the anointing into it. So the grandmother sends this money to her grandson. Now think of the anointing, how the anointing resides in that thing. It goes from hand to hand to hand through the mail system and the anointing is still resident in that piece of paper. So it gets to the grandson. He opened the envelop and the dollar fell on the ground. He picked it up and he immediately said, “Somebody go get the chaplain. I need to get saved!” He got born again right then!
Do you see what I’m saying about expectation? People started to bring her all kinds of things. “I have these tickets…” And all these amazing testimonies about these things that people would want and as soon as they touched it, that anointing went into them and they wanted to be saved. Isn’t that amazing!
We limit God in our thinking. Do we pray over our money in our wallet? Do we release the anointing? I haven’t even thought about that. I should be whatever cash I get, “In the name of Jesus, I release the anointing. Whoever touches this bill, the anointing is released into them. They’re healed, set free, and delivered and receive salvation.”
The Hunters passed away a while ago and their daughter is in ministry. She was talking about did you ever think how we’re so full of the Holy Ghost, what if you donated blood? Is your blood not full of the life of God? So that your blood that is donated, whenever it gets into whomever that, that transforms their bodies and minds and brings them to a place of salvation. But do we ever even think outside the box like that. I need to go donate some blood! But we’re so full and we keep it all to ourselves. It’s like, God filled us up so that we can give out. So let’s start thinking and pray that the body of Christ would begin to have their eyes opened so they can see everything I touch I can release that into the earth. And people all around me, even people I don’t come in contact with. My dollar bill could end up in New York. All over. God has so many ways to reach people. And all He needs is for us to actually respond.
Does anybody have a testimony they wanted to share?
Woman shared…
I remember the Happy Hunters. Grew up hearing about them here and there. What a legacy they’ve left because it was about expectation. I was in sixth grade and broke my collar bone. The neighbors took me to church and they were into the laying on of hands. I had never heard about that or seen someone filled with the Spirit. They put me in the middle of church and I had this thing on because I broke my collar bone. It started itching and I’m crying. They lined up all these people and I saw legs growing out. I’m in sixth grade and I’m watching this. I believed it because I was seeing it! It was so wonderful. I heard someone getting filled with the Spirit and speak in tongues and immediately I thought I knew it was real and right. My neighbor lady had polio and she really had a limp when she walked. I watched her leg grow out! She walked normally. I thought, “Wow, if we just could all do that.” When I come to pray, I get so inspired by what you share with us about healing. So I’m going to expect that when I’m out in the world.
Just the other day I was with my husband, Pastor Kent Otey. He was getting his hair cut. We moved out in the country so it was just this little barber shop. I believe we’re always in the right place at the right time where God strategically plants us. He’s getting his hair cut and the owner walked in. She was walking like this [stiff]. I thought something is going on. And this boldness came over me. I said, “Can I pray for you?” She said, “Yes!” She had a disc that was operated on and she got the flesh eating bug. When I laid hands on her, I felt the back of her neck was caved in. And the scar was like… wow, this was really an opportunity for the Lord to show out. I prayed and felt I’m just the vessel. God’s already paid for this. I told her what Jesus paid for us at the cross. She got so excited and cried. The lady that was doing Kent’s hair got all excited. We had church in the barber shop! So it’s like wherever we go there’s opportunities.
I’ve never had a migraine but I heard they’re awful. I met this lady with a migraine. I asked her if I could pray for her. She said, “Yes!” And instantly she was healed. So out in the world, our voice is not to be silent. I’m tired of our voices being silent. And we’re to be the bold ones! We’re the courageous ones. We’re the ones that have the power and anointing that we carry with us. We’re just going to go out there and be instant in season and out. And off with the head. Don’t think about stuff. Just do it!
Man shared…
My leg grew out three quarters of an inch right in front of my eyes! Bingo! I was amazed. It was one of the first miracles I’ve seen. God’s done more since then. I go give plasma twice a week and I see people coming to Jesus while I’m giving plasma. I start talking and bingo, they get saved. I go to the drive through, bingo! People are getting saved all the time, because I expect it. I believe for it and pray for people to be saved. God uses me to bring people to the Lord. I see people come to the Lord all the time. Every day.
Woman shared…
Troy, do you remember when we were in Walmart and we prayed with that lady to get saved? And it was his neighbor that he had been believing for, for a long time. He goes, “How do you get to pray for her? I’ve been believing for her.” I said, “Well, one waters, right? Plants a seed. One waters and God gets the increase.” I just thought of that when you shared.
Woman shared…
I left prayer one day not too long ago on a Wednesday and when I got home, one of my gloves was missing. On Thursdays, I teach Pre-K art at Maranatha. It’s in the east end. So here we are on the west end where I lost my glove. I went home that day. I wasn’t back up at the building at all. So on Thursday, I was teaching Pre-K art and I teach it in the east end. I set up the tables and we were painting. The teachers’ lounge is there by the tables. And there’s a sink and water. I use water from there and I filled up a basin for my students to wash their hands. Where the lounge is, there’s a bench there. So I’m cleaning up after all the students are gone and I’m taking that wash bin from the tables and I go over and the door is closed so I have to set the basin down on the bench. When I went to do that, open the door and set it down, my glove is right there on the bench! That just reaffirmed in me that no matter what situation we’re in, He can change things and make things happen in our favor. It was so awesome. It was in the exact place where I was going to be where I wouldn’t miss it.
Barb shared…
A couple weeks ago, we were at Walmart grocery shopping. My daughter and husband and I were shopping. We had gone probably three quarters of a way through and my daughter goes, “I can’t find my phone. I had it in my pocket and I can’t find it.” Great. Phones are expensive. I said, “Let’s retrace our steps.” We went down aisle after aisle and she’s looking all around. Someone could have taken it out of her pocket. Who knows! I said to my husband, “You want to check lost and found?” It wasn’t there. My daughter is looking and so I said, “Lord, I thank You that You show my daughter that You’re faithful, that You care.” A teenager and their phone, are you kidding! She was freaking out. I prayed, “Please show her that You care about what concerns her.” I said to my husband, “Why don’t you walk around the store and call the phone.” So he did that. My daughter went with him. Up out of my spirit came, “You redeem our lives from destruction.” It didn’t come out of my mind. It came right up out of my spirit. My daughter came back and my husband went up further to the front. She said, “I think I had it last up in the fruits and vegetables.” I said, “Let’s go up there.” We come around the front and my husband is coming on the other side and as we’re walking there, he has the phone! Where was it? He said, “I was coming around the corner and I was calling the phone and someone picked it up and answered it.” I said, “Where are you?” She said, “I’m in Walmart.” He said, “So am I.” She was right in front of him in the fruits and vegetables! God cares about everything that you’re concerned about.
Woman:
I had a cool thing happen when I was in Disciple Internship. I had a friend who was a new Christian and he slipped on the ice and broke his foot. He had crutches. I said, “Let me pray for that.” He’s never witnessed healing. But during this time, I also had a foot injury that was there for like four or five months and it wasn’t going away even though I was praying about it. A thought came to me, “Can you heal that foot because you can’t heal your own.” I was like, “I don’t care. I just want to love this person.” I prayed for him and the next day he said his foot was healed. He was walking around on it. A few weeks later, I was listening to a message and Kenneth Copeland said called out something like a pulled tendon. I was like, “That’s mine.” And instantly I got healed!
Woman:
We came to prayer on a Saturday night and I had my phone. All of a sudden, my phone wasn’t there. I thought I lost it at church but we were on our way to Autumn Assembly so I didn’t have a chance to come back to look for the phone. That was in October. I had a heart cry for the phone because I had a lot of personal pictures on it. I didn’t care about the phone but in my heart I said, “Lord, I want my pictures back.” I was at work on November 19, like over a month later. My husband called and said, “You have to call this phone number. He has your phone.” The number was like a number from North Carolina. I thought, “My phone is in North Carolina!” I called the number and a young man answered and said, “I have your phone.” I asked, “Where are you?” He said, “Elk River.” He said, “I found your phone that was in your rental car. I was cleaning the car out and leaned underneath the seat and I thought it was my phone. And it was yours.” I had shut it off because the ringer was shut off because I was in church and didn’t want it to ring. God answered my heart cry! I got my pictures back!
Prayed…
Thank You for this church, filled with amazing people… full of pastors that love the Lord and are pursuing Him… flowing with His anointing… the pastors in this church are hearing Your voice and responding… I think You that this house is a house of prayer… this house is a house of answered prayer… we see the answers, the manifestations… we receive… there is no limitation and no boundary for this body… that we begin to hear the testimonies… of provision and abundance… impossible things are happening… You are bringing valuables from every source… we remove limitations from our minds… You have so many ways to meet every need… so that we can abound unto every good work… this is the time and hour for the body to rise up… to be the great church that You’ve appointed it to be… so we can reach this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ… You’ve empowered us to prosper… to reach the lost… walk in a place of wealth… no one left out or behind… every member… we are all called to possess wealth… and to sow and to give and to plant… we take those things and we invest them into the places that You need them to be… Spirit of the living God, move through Your church… it’s time to electrify this body… to bring them to life… the things of this earth grow dim in their sight… so they can see that everything else gets added unto them because they’re pursuing Your kingdom…
