On Saturday 27th April, eighteen of us went out to the Abbey courtyard with Mark Marx. Consequently, it was a bit chaotic trying to record everything which happened. What follows is my best attempt with thanks to contributions from Steve and Ed.
During the second training session Mark prayed for Bob who had various challenges with his ‘deportment’. Bob wrote the following:
Thanks for arranging for Mark to come over to train and encourage us. I learned about the importance of God’s presence and kindness/gentleness being a critical factor. Kneeling down releases that presence. Awesome. I also have a positive healing report. Previously I had appalling deportment. This was ‘cured’ by a specialist putting a bespoke orthotic insole in both shoes (£200 fee). After my left leg extended on the chairs, I felt about 10 foot tall. Later, at home, I had excruciating pain in my left thigh. I could hardly walk upstairs. I felt God say, “Take out the orthotic insoles, they’re not needed now.” I complied and the pain and walking struggle vanished! I’m now walking upright, and pain free. I am blessed once again. Great stuff, blessings, Bob.
Steves notes:
We had last prayed for L, a homeless man in his 40’s and known to some of us, several weeks previously. He was camping outside the Abbey shop, as before, and told us that he had met a support worker again who had since been promoted to a manager. She said that she now has more influence over accommodation in the city and said a room is soon to become available for him. We claimed that this would come about very soon in a declaration. Although L is reluctant to receive prayer, our presence is certainly a factor in his well being.
A man from Tibet sat on the chair and told us that he had spent his life as a Buddhist monk. Could not speak English very well so we gave him the Gospel!! Not sure if he understood but his spirit will!!
T, a single Mum from a village outside of Bath, was invited to sit on a chair. She was getting a lot of anger from her ‘ex’ over the children and was spending the day with a male friend she had only met that day via a dating website. Team member had a word of knowledge about a tragedy relating to her grandparents. T confirmed that this was true but was reluctant to share the circumstances. She had attended Sunday School and understood that God existed. After prayer, no visible sign of an impact but felt sure that T was putting on a brave face to cover unresolved issues from the past. White envelope given.
A Big Thank You to those gents who prayed for my Alergic Asthma. I woke up Sunday morning almost clear of the condition. Thank you Jesus.
Ed’s notes:
Robin and I prayed for a young man of Italian descent. He said his parents were Christians, but he was uncommitted. He had painful pecs when stressed, originally caused by lifting heavy blocks. We prayed against the trauma, healing and peace from the stress. Ministered the love of Jesus to him, gave him a white envelope. He was so blessed (as were we) and said he would start going to church again.
Geoff sat on a bench, was keen to talk, couldn’t come up with a need for prayer, but was happy for me to bless him and his family.
Two of us ministering to Maureen agreed on the prophetic word for her. Declared alignment in her body to stop her leaning over to one side
I am challenged to be more proactive and to raise my expectations. Once again thank you so much
Dorian’s notes:
We had several leg lengthenings in front of our people’s gaze on the Saturday morning and my sciatica needed prayer again during the afternoon –pretty good there at the moment!
Most of the four hours of Mark’s teaching was testimony from Colerain HOTS and from other teams in Jamaica, Brazil, Birmingham (where lots of Farsi speaking Iranians are coming to Isa!! (Isa = Jesus)) and Sweden (where more Farsi speaking Iranians are coming to Isa!!).
I asked a friend of mine, Andy, who has one good eye and one plastic eye to come down to Abbey Churchyard but Mark did not want to pray for him – I think he felt it was a set up!! Ed and I prayed for Andy’s left foot on which he has a crippling heal bone spur and “plantar fasciitis” in the underside of the same foot. I felt something was happening but he felt no immediate change but will keep me informed.
Myself and a new trainee, Helen (from Wales, married to a Bath Uni graduate engineer from my own era!!), spoke to two young Malaysian girls, studying here at Bristol Uni and prayed that Isa would reveal His love for them; then we spoke at length to a group of ladies visiting the Abbey from a chapel in south Wales, encouraging them to lay hands on the sick, the same as we do, when they get home.
On the Sunday Penny and I went with Mark and Linda (Mark’s wife) to the Vineyard church (their home church in Colerain is a Vineyard). He gave some of the testimonies he had shared with us during the two days and then offered to pray. A young man was the first to volunteer, went up and Mark did the leg thing but the young man said his back was still hurting and nothing was changing – all a bit challenging for Mark in front of the crowd he had called out to watch – as he had done with us(!).
Meanwhile, I had a word of knowledge that someone was there with a degenerative eye problem; it turned out to be the lady standing next to me at the front being prayed for, for her back. I had seen her hand go up I am sure before that of the young man and she came up to be prayed for by a member of the Church prayer team. She said she had a degenerative eye problem that meant that everything looked fuzzy never mind what glasses she wore. I joined the praying for her back. Before long she was her touching her toes and running around the hall, which she said she could not do before. I counselled her to find an excuse to go dancing, which was something she said she liked but had not been able to do for some time.
Next (still with the same lady): I told blindness to leave, firmly. Then told the power of the Holy Spirit to restore them from the damage that the enemy had inflicted. She cried but through the tears felt that she could see a bit better, so I felt I should repeat my prayer ministry. Then she could see much more clearly. She then told me she was an ordained Anglican minister, off work for the last three years due to the sight problems. She was in Bath to visit her daughter at Bath Uni and Vineyard church!! As we left we found her in the car park reading car number plates which her husband assured me she could not do befor! So, praise the Lord the Living God and the Spirit of Jesus who does all things well. They recently moved to Warminster but I told her to come back to Vineyard next week to give her testimony.