Kurt Simms is an Elijah Challenge-trained Master Electrician based in Texas
Reports from Kurt & Mary Simms
“I want to give testimony about what happened at the Carol Vance Unit on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. This is a special unit for men exiting the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system with approximately 325 men. We met with several men who were zealous for the Lord. Looking at their appearance you might be intimidated, but when you hear their voice and their heart speaking you can tell that Jesus has transformed them. There were four of us who were there including me, my wife Mary, a disciple named John, and Baptist Pastor Ricky Bradshaw who had invited us to minister.
Pastor Rickie Bradshaw preaches repentance with power
The inmates began with praise, worship and prayer. Following that some of them came up to the front one-by-one to read from the word of God to exhort and encourage the others. Then Pastor Ricky preached for about an hour and a half. After he finished I felt there was nothing else left to say. At one point all the men were on their faces crying out before God. Pastor Ricky had led them to a place of repentance in preparation for the miraculous healing to begin.
Then I came forward. One Scripture that stood out in my mind was Romans 2:16. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. I felt the Lord urging me to give my personal testimony of my conversion, so I changed gears. I had planned on teaching about ministry to believers according to James 5:14-16, and following that with The Elijah Challenge.
And so following that I began to teach on James 5:14-16, showing them that the ministry of healing as taught in James is just like it is in the Gospels and in the book of Acts. I shared testimonies of healing from the time I had been a Christian for one year or so, and a few other instances as well. I asked how many infirm people were in the room, and of course many had addictions, back problems, knee problems, and all kinds of other problems.
Healing from Jesus: the children’s bread
I called the three other trained disciples up to the front. I told the inmates that the Lord was going to heal many of them. I knew many of them were already followers of Christ, but I also knew that there were some that might have doubt like Jesus’ disciple Thomas. Through the ensuing miraculous healings God the Father would clear things up for them and prove to them that the only way to know Him was through faith in Jesus Christ.
The inmates actually felt the unclean spirits leave them
In Jesus’ name we commanded healing at a distance from the front of the room. After that approximately five or six inmates gave testimonies of being healed from problems like addictions. They testified that they could actually feel the unclean spirits leaving their bodies. Other testimonies at that time included eyesight healed, knees healed, and so forth.
In all 50 to 75 inmates were healed
Following that I asked every man who had a knee, back, or neck problem to come forward. I Instructed the trained disciples to lay hands on the sick and to take authority over their infirmities. At different times during the ministry I asked for testimonies. Most of them I approached were totally healed. For the ones who were not healed we continued to “move their mountains” in Jesus’ name. The testimonies continued to flow in as I interviewed them with the microphone at the front. All of them eventually testified that they had been healed. In my estimation about 50 men were healed from the infirmities listed above and from several others not mentioned. (Pastor Rickie estimated that 75 men had been healed.) I wanted to continue calling others to come up to the front but we ran out of time.
It was truly amazing what God did through us! Following this we began to praise the Lord during a time of worship. Glory to the Lord Jesus!”
Revival that night at the Carol Vance Unit?
According to Pastor Rickie, the volunteers who came to the Carol Vance Unit later that evening noticed the change in the men. They could be heard wailing and praising God throughout the night at the Unit.