Basic Training at Union Baptist Association
About forty disciples from various churches and backgrounds came together in the conference room of Union Baptist Association to be trained how to heal the sick as Jesus commanded his disciples when he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God to the lost (Luke 10:9). We studied how Jesus himself ministered healing to the sick in the gospels, and how the disciples did the same in Acts. The miraculous healings would confirm the gospel, and often sinners would believe on Christ afterwards.
At the Training that Saturday, the principles unearthed from this study of the Scriptures were applied to minister to those with infirmities during the demonstrations of healing. Below are reports of what happened during the demonstrations.
The following day we would go out to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ using what we had learned from the Scriptures.
Demonstration of healing during the Basic Training
Disciples lay hands on Mark, who had been suffering from stomach pain for a few days
Arjae Matthews from Atlanta (center) ministers healing to Mark, who reports that the pain had mostly disappeared
Requita (left) from Ft. Worth & April (right) minister to sister with lump in her throat; it shrinks and she can no longer feel it
Raymond (left) & John from Arlington minister to Jim who had a toothache; the pain subsides
Ann & Dana/Dyanna lay hands on sister with congestion due to an allergic condition
The congestion in her chest vanishes
Rosemary & Sue lay hands on Effie’s (center) bad shoulder; Effie reports noticeable improvement
Requita receives ministry for impaired hearing in one ear
Her hearing is restored
Christina ministers to Soraida
Above & below: Sue & Sarah minister to Wilma for her legs; afterwards she testifies she is healed and dances a few steps
Christine ministers to Requita for poor eyesight; she reports her vision becoming clear
Engaging the enemy: the Outreach at Our Park
The following day we obeyed the Lord’s commands to “heal the sick, and tell them ‘the kingdom of God is near you'” at Our Park in Houston. The community surrounding the park is African-American where nearly everyone—young and old—has been to church earlier in their lives, but has fallen away from the Lord through various temptations—especially drugs and prostitution. At first most of those present were members of a church on the opposite corner from us.
I preached the gospel from Mark 2 where Jesus demonstrated his authority to forgive sin by healing a paralytic. I told the people that we would ask the Lord to heal the sick in our midst for the very same purpose—to show that he had authority to deliver us from the power of sin through his death on the cross, to grant us eternal life, and to transform our lives. The trained disciples came forward to minister to those who had infirmities. In this way, the Lord healed several people during the afternoon of ministry and they testified.
An 11-year-old girl testified that all symptoms of her chronic asthma had disappeared. She even ran around the park and returned to report that she felt fine. A young woman had suffered from constant shaking for six years, but she stopped shaking as the sisters laid hands on her. A woman addicted to crack cocaine testified that the desire for crack had left her as the ladies rebuked the spirit of addiction in her. A man in his late forties had suffered severe dizziness due to an aneurysm and could not walk without a cane. He came clutching a bag containing a bottle of beer, and appeared a bit under the influence. A brother from Atlanta and two sisters from Houston ministered to him. Then they told him to get up and walk. He got up and walked around—without using his cane. After several steps he returned with a surprised look on his face. The Lord had healed him! These are just some of the testimonies we heard.
Eleven-year-old girl in pink testifies her asthma symptoms are gone even after running
April & Rosemary minister to young woman (center) who suffered from constant shaking
The young woman testifies the shaking has stopped
As a result, about a half-dozen sinners made decisions to repent of their sins and to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord for His wonderful grace!
The trained disciples are excited and encouraged to have been used by the Lord to fulfill His commands. We are going to follow up on what the Lord has done this weekend by sending the disciples back to the community once a month on the fourth Saturday of each month. They will go from home to home healing the sick and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in accordance with Luke 10.
Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-tw others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you…9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’
Ministering healing to confirm the gospel (Mark 16:20)
Preaching the gospel
Above & below: we prepare the trained disciples to confirm the gospel by healing the sick as Jesus commanded his disciples
Arjae Matthews (left) ministers healing in Jesus’ name
Bill (center) ministering to Nation of Islam follower
Lucille (left) ministers healing to young girl
Pain from badly stubbed & blackened toe disappears; pink color begins to return
