Sᾶo Paulo
Monday (11/5) was our last night in Sᾶo Paulo, Brazil. We finished the training on spiritual deliverance, emotional healing, and physical healing at the Igreja Cristᾶ Pᾶo da Vida Church (The Bread of Life Church in Sᾶo Paulo) that we have been teaching for the last 6 days. About 60 people attended each day. So much healing was received during the week. I prayed for about 8 people. Each person got significant healing. Two examples stand out:
The first was a woman who had many fears and was diagnosed with serious depression. She also had insomnia – she hadn’t slept for the last 5 nights. Before we began praying for healing, her face was drawn and lined. After about 2 hours of healing prayer she was set free from all her fears and depression. Her face had completely changed – she was smiling and the lines were gone. We found out the next day that she slept throughout the night and the day after she got 8 hours of sleep.
Two days later I led a demonstration in which I prayed with a woman who had a lot of anger. Her dad killed her mom. She found out about this from her grandmother when she was 4 years old. She hated men and was so filled with anger that she admitted wanting to kill someone. After 1 ½ hours of healing prayer from me and questions from Seumean, she was set free from anger, was smiling, and hugged me and Seumean. Later we found out from a co-worker that they had never seen her smile or hug a man.
Last night we prayed for physical healing. Many people got healed from pain. I prayed for a man who had pain in his neck and shoulder. After praying his pain was gone. His wife had pain in her knee. After praying for her, she was pain free. Many others had testimonies about healing that night.
In the training we taught how to release negative emotions (anger, fear, disappointment, and hate), fear of something (like the future, finances, ghosts, etc.), sin, and participation in the occult. Coupled with breaking vows and soul ties, and commanding “all impure spirits leave”, the recipients got tremendous freedom and peace. Most importantly, they are now able to hear clearly from God and operate in His power, presence, and authority.
Too many Christians don’t hear from God. Sadly, many of these believe it is impossible to hear from God. The truth is it is very easy to hear from God once we are spiritually and emotionally healed and cleaned up.
Why is this important? It is difficult to make disciples if people cannot hear from God; it is difficult to release and advance the Kingdom of God if people are filled with hurt and pain. As the old saying goes, “hurting people hurt people.” “The Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of peace, joy, and righteousness in the Holy Spirit.” Also, “the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words, but of power (Dunamis – meaning primarily the miraculous). We cannot fully experience the Kingdom of God – peace, joy, and righteousness – until we are set free from emotional and spiritual hurt and pain. We cannot readily release the Kingdom of God apart from the power and presence of God, which also requires us to be set free from emotional and spiritual hurt and pain.
Too many Christians carry sin, pain and hurt, and the destructive lie, “I am not good enough” in their hearts. God wants to set them free so that they can fully live in relationship with Him, loving Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength; and receiving all the love He wants to give them. When healed people walk with Him in humility, He fills them with more and more of His Spirit. Spirit-filled people desire to love and obey Him, releasing His Kingdom throughout the personal sphere of influence God has given them.
The method we teach in this training is not the only way to heal spiritually, emotionally, or physically. But it is a method that is relatively easy to teach and learn. And it works.
Our time in São Paulo has been a great blessing to us. Pastor Chang and his wife Nakuan, cared for us with amazing hospitality. Their son Kaleb picked me up at the airport at 0700 in Sᾶo Paulo, which I really appreciated. Everyone was so kind. We are leaving with gifts and many friends. But the greatest gift we are leaving with is the gift of being used by God to bring healing – peace, joy, and power – to so many people. We look forward to returning.
Blessed to be a blessing,
John