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Down Under Once Again
August 12, 2002
By Dr Jenny Knight
They were back - Bob Brasset and Gord Whyte. Better still, Gord s wife, Jan, was with them this time. The three were guests of our church, Metro North Christian Centre which is in the northwest corner of Sydney, Australia. We, as a congregation were just so delighted to have them again. Those who had been healed by the giftings of the Spirit through these guys over 18 months ago were especially pleased.
The first night of meetings there were hugs all round as old friendships were renewed and inquiries about health made. It was like old friends coming home.
We couldn't help by notice though that they had changed and grown. There were still the jokes and snide comments on the side. There were still the very warm eyes and deep compassion and care. But this time there was more. There was a maturity and a depth which had grown over the months since we were last touched by their ministry.
Into the Market place
From the very early stages of planning the time Bob and Gord would spend in Australia, our church s pastoral staff felt strongly that the time should be spent in ways other than conference presentations with their limited scope of structured lectures and tight schedules. The church s intercessory prayer group spent much time in prayer seeking God s will in the direction to be taken. Gradually a vision grew to use the time as an opportunity to take the gospel to the market place. Why limit the healing gifts to those able to attend a conference? Why not take those gifts to the marketplace? So it was that plans were made for Bob, Gord and Jan to visit the workplaces of three church members. One of these three was my husband, James, a HR manager with the state government's Department of Corrective Services. The other two were a medical practitioner, and a consultant with the Department of Housing, another government agency. A visit was also planned to an outreach ministry run by two church members.
As the conference drew closer and the three reported to the church on the progress they were making in preparing their workplaces for the visit many of us realised (with no small amount of chagrin) how relieved we were that it was not us asked to host a healing and prayer session in our workplace. Not all had the amount of boldness required to take such a huge step of faith. That in itself was an important lesson for many.
James took the challenge in his stride. The process of obtaining permission from an intransient bureaucracy took weeks and was in itself an act of faith. They had never before been asked to host a healing session!! There was some opposition (advertising posters removed as soon as he put them up) but nothing directed at him personally.
As he looks back over the past few months he sees that there have been people placed in his path with whom he has had an opportunity to speak (and in some instances pray). These people were the first he asked to come along.
On the day of their first visit to James work there was a degree of apprehension and doubt. Would anyone turn up? Would he be embarrassed in front of work colleagues, people he saw every day? What would Bob, Gord and Jan do and say? Looking back we can see that God must have had a chuckle over our lack of faith!
Bob, Gord and Jan were simply spectacular. The only word we could use to describe their approach was appropriate . They were sensitive, and caring. They won people over with their compassion and interest (to say nothing of their natural charm). Any initial awkwardness on the part of those who came along quickly dissipated as they realised these guys were genuine. Before we knew it praying at work seemed the most natural thing to do.
Early on in the session, Jan recounted a picture she believed God had revealed to her on the journey into the city. She saw an adult woman become a young girl and then resume the look of an adult. The woman was clinging onto a large pillar. She had asked God what the picture meant and was told that a woman would be at the meeting who, as a child, had been violently sexually abused. The name of the pillar the woman was clinging to was justice . Having told her story, Jan then simply added I am here for you - if I have come for no one else today I have come to pray with you .
Totally unbeknown to Jan, a young woman was present who had been repeatedly sexually abused as a child. Her abuser, a close family friend, had recently started abusing her again. Her story, which out of sheer desperation and fear, she had shared one day with James, was horrific. It took a while but towards the end of the session she made her way to Jan and made it known to her that she was the woman/child in the picture God had given her that morning. As a new Christian she was blown away by God s provision.
The team visited James workplace on two occasions. On the second visit fewer people were present, many of them making a return visit for a top up . The session quickly took on a very different tone as soon as Bob asked a group he had been praying with if they would like to give their hearts to the Lord. It was there in a government office in a tall office tower in downtown Sydney that seven people bowed their heads and asked Jesus to be their Saviour. Those of us from church were bowled over it was all so simple!
At the conclusion of the second session one of those present suggested the group meet regularly for prayer. Great idea! James now conducts regular prayer and Bible study sessions at work for those who received healing as well as others interested. If asked a year ago if he could imagine spending lunch times at work praying for and with colleagues he would have laughed. He continues to be blown away by the way God moves and uses him.
At that second visit, which was on a Friday, a gentleman came in for healing for reflux and prostate problems. Shortly after receiving prayer he quietly left. No one had a chance to chat with him or learn if he had been healed. The next day was a full day of conference at our church. During the lunch break two women from our church saw a family wandering around the complex where the conference was being held. They were looking for the conference but had sketchy details of its times and venue. They started to tell their story.
The older woman was the sister of the gentleman who had been healed of reflux the day before. That evening he had phoned his sister and recounted what had happened to him that lunchtime. She decided then and there that she and her family would go to the conference even though it was a considerable drive across the city to get there. That day she and her adult daughter re-dedicated their lives to the Lord and received prayer for healing. The next day they were back, along with the brother who received the initial healing prayer. By the time the day was over it was as if they had been part of our church family forever they seemed to just blend into the congregation and feel at home so easily.
Healings
It is just not possible to list each of the healings that took place during the time the Canadians spent at our church. By the beginning of the last weekend the church leaders were talking in the hundreds and we still had two days to go. The number and diversity of healings was unprecedented.
The healings were not just limited to the physical. There was also emotional and relational healing. Throughout the course of the conference those experiencing healing were asked to record their experiences and the following have been drawn from those accounts. To maintain confidentiality, names have been withheld.
Physical healings:
The range of physical ailments that were healed over the ten day period was extremely broad and ranged from life threatening diseases such as Hepatitis C and cancer to migraines and headaches; from bad backs, knees, and necks to poor eyesight and hearing loss; from autism to cerebral palsy. It was as if there was not a part of the body God was willing to overhaul and we were to learn (and witness) that no disease was beyond His healing.
At least two women received healing for Hepatitis C. When one of these women sought confirmation from her doctor, his response was I can t understand it. It s like you have been given new blood. The second woman had leukemia in addition to Hep C. Both conditions were healed.
Another woman had been in great pain since receiving a pacemaker some three months earlier. X-rays showed a torn ligament surrounding the spot where the pacemaker had been inserted. She reported instant healing after prayer.
One older gentleman with a very puffy neck sought prayer for lymphatic cancer. His wife had liver cancer. After prayer the first evening, the lymph nodes in his neck reduced and the swollen neck he had had for months returned to normal. He felt invigorated and full of energy something he had not experienced for longer then he cared to remember. The week following the conference he returned to his doctor fully expecting a clean bill of health as he felt the best he had felt in years. Blood tests showed his white cell count to be so high that the doctors ordered chemotherapy immediately. He was devastated. Hadn't he been healed? What was God doing to him giving him energy yet not complete healing? It just didn't make sense. He asked the doctor for a month s grace. When he returned to the doctor the following month his white cell count was in the normal range and chemotherapy was no longer needed. At about the same time his wife had a liver function test to ascertain the state of her liver. The test results were normal. There was no sign of abnormality. These folk are from a very conservative Christian background and had never experienced anything like this before. They came to the conference planning to attend just one session yet ended up coming to every session both weekends. Had they not lived over two hours away they would have come during the week as well.
The conference venue became a crutches-free zone over the week. At least two women came to the early sessions on crutches as a result of severe ligament/tendon damage. After prayer both of them left carrying their crutches! In their excitement they proved their healing by jumping up and down and running!
One young man had an ankle with damaged cartilage and deep vein thrombosis in four of the veins from his knee to ankle. His ankle was healed instantly and over the following few weeks the thrombosis was totally healed. In confirming his healing one of the church s medical practitioners commented this healing is far quicker than any normal medical treatment." The young man had no faith prior to the conference and now recognises Jesus as his Saviour.
And the children were not left out. One young boy profoundly affected by autism (and demons) was at peace and far less traumatised after prayer. He had been banging his head on the concrete floor and screaming just moments before receiving prayer.
Some personal testimonies:
Last meeting I got prayer for my Coccyx (tail bone) which has had extremely painful intermittent spasm for about ten years. This year it has been happening around three to four times a week (it only lasts a few seconds each time). Doctors have had nothing to say about it. I believed there was a spiritual root to it that I couldn't get discernment on. One of the Canadian guys saw something leave while praying. The next three days it still spasmed but I decided to believe that he truly did see something leave and maintain a level of faith for healing. After those three days I forgot about it and it was another four weeks that I realised there had been no pain. That very day the pain tried to come back. In the six weeks since those first three days it has only spasmed once at it's full pain, and threatened maybe two other times. This is a definite and significant change. Praise God.
and
I have had asthma for almost 15 years. A number of time I have been admitted to hospital with severe attacks. I had prayer for allergies and asthma . . . it felt as though God breathed life into my lungs. I went home that night and seemed as if I was able to breath properly. During the night I had an asthma attack but I took authority in Jesus name and it went. The next day I came to the conference again and asked for more prayer for asthma. That night after going to bed the same thing happened. I took authority over the asthma, it went again. For the last four days now I have not had another attack. Praise Jesus. He is the GOD who blesses.
Healing of Addictions:
A number of people addicted to harmful substances were also healed. One woman had been an alcoholic for 30 years. While she had stopped drinking six weeks before the conference she sought healing for her spleen which was badly damaged as a result of her alcoholism. During the course of the conference she gave her life to Jesus and believes God has healed her body. One of the women healed of Hepatitis C was also healed of her drug addition while a gentleman not able to attend was prayed for by those attending and received healing of his nicotine addiction.
Emotional healings:
Numerous people sought healing for depression in many cases seeking relief for a condition that had plagued them for years. One young woman in particular stays in my memory. She had sought physical healing for her foot that had been badly cut and had been healed (she carried her crutches home that night!). The next day she wanted healing from depression and received it. When she spoke to the congregation about her healing she was simply beaming. She was so happy and delighted with God s working. It was just wonderful to see her happiness and the new life brimming in her.
Another woman reported:
I woke up in the morning with a headache and during the ministry in the afternoon God lifted burdens and oppressions off me and healed me. [The next session] I went out for prayer again as I wanted ALL God had for me . . .God s power came on me and I felt that I was experiencing Holy Spirit anaesthetic, it was so powerful. God released me, healed me emotionally. While all this was happening I saw a picture of a surgeon. This I believe was Jesus healing my mind of depression. I was healed of the traumas of rejection, betrayal and a broken heart. I PRAISE GOD. PRAISE GOD. PRAISE GOD.
Relational healing:
One couple experienced healing in their relationship with their son - a young man in his early 20s who has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for several years and who, when not in hospital is often homeless and on drugs (despite the best efforts of his loving and patient parents):
We thank God for the restoration of our relationship with our son who has the desire to be in touch with his family and on Saturday night came to the conference with us. I thank God for the way he has softened my heart towards my son . . . we have hope restored and an expectation of eventual healing for our son s condition.
A missionary couple from Fiji were in Australia on holidays at the time of the conference. Close to burnout and emotionally and spiritually exhausted they were questioning their role as missionaries and wondering if they should return to their posting. The conference totally refreshed them and sent them back with a fresh direction, empowering and passion for Jesus. As they admit it's a complete turnaround . Prior to the conference their marriage had been at a low point. The conference rekindled their love for one another and they report, "it s the best it has ever been!."
Evil spirits did not escape. One gentleman in particular was strongly demonised. Jan Whyte and others prayed with him for a long period, with evil spirits manifesting and the man spasming and throwing himself all over room. When Gord spoke to the strongman and God broke the hold. Over the following 20 minutes many demons were "evicted" until he was total freed.
As for Me and my House
About four years ago I was diagnosed with the auto-immune condition, scleroderma, which does not have a terrific long term prognosis. During their first visit both Bob and Gord had prayed repeatedly for my healing and by the time they made their second visit I was significantly better. But there was just a little way to go before I could claim complete healing and I looked forward to their visit, and more healing, with great expectation.
The day before they arrived in Australia I woke in the middle of the night with a throbbing knee. When I got out of bed I crumpled under my weight. I couldn't walk. The pain was searing. My doctor s diagnosis was acute arthritis related to the scleroderma. I was not convinced. The coincidence was too great. She could hardly diagnose it as spiritual attack which is what we considered it to be.
The attack came just two working days before Bob and Gord were to visit my husband, James , workplace. It was imperative he went to work to invite people to meet with the Canadians and follow up those who had already expressed an interest. With me being unable to walk, drive or care for our young son, everything was stacked against him getting to work for those crucial last days. We determined we would not let Satan have his own way. James went to work, albeit late. The knee responded incredibly well to the medication, physiotherapy and lots of prayer.
One evening of the conference Bob asked that I tell the story of my healing. I did so gladly. The next day my knee was sore again. By the end of that day's conference session I couldn't weight bare and had to be carried to the front for prayer. The attack was on again. Satan was obviously unimpressed with what I had had to say the previous night. I was saturated in prayer, not only for physical healing but victory over the evil one. I walked from the hall without pain. I was able to run and jump where only one half hour previous I couldn't stand. I was ecstatic with relief and joy. The swelling gradually subsided over the next few weeks. The pain has never returned.
Following the first session at James workplace those from church debriefed with Bob, Gord and Jan. Somehow or other the conversation drifted to sleep, principally the lack of sleep Gord experiences thanks to Jan s snoring. Stories were exchanged (amidst much hilarity) from those of us with snoring partners. Rather than leave the conversation there someone suggested healing pray for those with sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. James had been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea a couple of weeks earlier and was struggling to get use to the breathing apparatus prescribed to help. It was cumbersome and made sleep next to impossible. He stood for prayer. It was not until a couple of nights later that I noticed something very unusual in our bedroom. It was quiet. It was never quiet while James was sleeping. As the nights wore on I came to realise something else: I wasn't waking during the night to tap James on the shoulder to get him breathing again. We were both sleeping right through the night and it was a silent night at that. He had been cured of his apnea and would no longer be needing the cumbersome mechanics his doctor had recommended. Only those who suffer this disorder (and their long-suffering partners) can fully appreciate the full blessing of this healing.
As the week of the conference wore on I had a deep impression to invite my dad along to the final weekend. In his mid seventies, he has very bad eyesight and needs a second corneal graft. He also has a very bad back and suffers chronic pain. He is a deeply spiritual, and highly creative person but has given up on organised religion. He has never found a spiritual home. From time to time he has expressed an interest in our church though had never visited. Now was the time. He came along and received prayer for both his back and eyesight. The following day his back was better. The pain has not returned. He is convinced his eyes can be healed too and he is already planning to be back next year when Bob and Gord visit again. He was deeply moved by the session he attended as it was unlike anything he had ever attended before. He often talks about it and is still trying to figure it all out!
Conclusion
Before we knew it the ten days were over and we were saying goodbyes. A part in each of us knew that now the conference was over we had to come down from the collective euphoria that had pervaded our church and get on with life. But did we?
We had all been touched in a way we had never been touched before. We had been stretched beyond all previous limits. Our church will never be the same again. No individual will ever be the same again. Now several weeks later we are asking serious questions: what does all this mean for long term ministry, for evangelism? How do we take healing into the market place not just once or twice, but on a regular basis? How do we spiritually nurture those who were healed during the workplace healing sessions? There are no pat answers to these questions. But we are committed to going forward. We have come too far to turn back now.
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