Day 3
On this day Michael Clark and I were joined up to go out and Minister – preach, equip, encourage, exhort, and pray for the most vibrant church I’ve ever attended on foreign soil. Michael and I were both treated with such honor or you may say like royalty :-). Pastor Solomon and his nephew Ken picked Mike and I up at the hotel around 10 AM that morning. We drove for about 30 minutes outside of the city of Meru.
Upon arriving the small church structure seated somewhere between 150–200 people - The church looked to mirror most Third World country churches. Tin roof, Tin siding, dirt floors... but their people were so full of the love of Jesus they worshipped so exhilarating towards their Father in heaven that I fell in love with these people immediately.
As we were escorted into the church building we were seated near the front and offered bottled water and Coca-Cola and Fanta sodas in a glass bottle...need I tell you they were good because they use real sugar :-)
Before we ever preached a single word, we admired and we were blown away by the dance of the children, teenagers, adults and the reverence of those preschool children that sat in line like little angels for at least four hours. We literally were in worship for four or 4 1/2 hours. Pastor Solomon introduced me to speak and then Michael came up after me to speak to the people. I preached a short message of maybe 25 minutes on the kingdom of God and on the word of salvation which in the Greek language is SOZO. That word is a comprehensive word for salvation. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse eight - the Scripture states it is by grace you have been saved. That word saved means (saved, healed, and delivered)! Unfortunately for so many years I only thought of or knew the term salvation as my ticket to heaven. The Lord has shown me over these past years that his picture of salvation is to make us whole and free and to send us to go and pray for others to be Saved, healed, and delivered so that they can do the same and advance his Kingdom and bring those in darkness into his marvelous light of eternal salvation but also an abundant life here on earth.
One young lady named Delinda was a beautiful African young lady who one would’ve never known was once demonically possessed. This church must’ve helped her by the grace of Jesus Christ to get her free of her demonic issues. She was now a leader in the church. I affirmed the people in leadership there that this is what the gospel of Jesus Christ truly looks like. (Saved healed and delivered) - And then I pointed out that in Isaiah 61 the exact passage that Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 4:18 set the captives free, heal the brokenhearted, give recovery of sight to the blind; This very message in Isaiah 61:4 is that those who were broken and wounded & captive were the ones who would rebuild the ruined cities and ancient ruins – you know.... those who will become the solution that were once the problem.
Keep in mind each time we preach we are having to use an interpreter for Swahili language of the African people. Then after I completed preaching Mike Clark was introduced and affirmed the people greatly.
Michael has a very strong gift to encourage others while unlocking their potential to be more than they could ever hope or imagine. Michael also preached a short message as well. His topic was on Legacy, Kingdom, power and he pointed out the importance of how the church we were speaking at appeared to be doing a great work to leave behind a great legacy from a great lineage of Jesus followers.
Michael also has a great gift for calling the people into an altar response time. The people readily responded to receive prayer for healing and deliverance. Michael sensed that many needed prayers for healing in their back so those were the first ones he called forward. What we noticed was that in this atmosphere of Gods glory many who came for prayer were being healed in their back before we ever prayed for them. We were both astounded at what God was doing. An atmosphere of EXPECTANCY. We then moved into praying for each person who came for different needs. Pastor Solomon was my interpreter while Michael used Pastor Solomon’s nephew Ken to help him. What I love about what Michael did was that he encouraged Ken to do all the praying while he coached him through. Michael sensed a strong calling on Ken to be a future pastor and felt he was to bring him in from being nominally involved to participating in the church to becoming a future pastor. This fit Michael’s message of legacy. Equipping. Not that we come into town, pray for everyone to be touched and then leave but that we are constantly instructing the people they can do it too. I would pray a prayer over each one after they had been touched by God to walk in resurrection power (Luke 24:49) and boldness and go and do likewise – heal the sick - cast out devils - be bold.
For each person that I prayed with there was not a single time that each person was not touched by the Lord in some measure of healing for their pain or of their demonic oppression they were under.
Some of the healings that stood out in my mind:
One lady who was elderly and was very limited as to what she could do in her body because of the pain in her feet and legs - Once the Lord touched her she began to dance her little victory dance and I just watched in wonder at her freedom and her joy of what the Lord had done in her life. Watching an Elderly woman Dance and testify to the church what the Lord had done with no inhibitions was REFRESHING.
EYE-SIGHT: Another lady came for Prayer who could not see. I’m not sure what her level of sight was but Pastor Solomon told me she needed prayer for her eyesight. I have to be honest. My eyesight is terrible. This was the one time that I actually felt a little unsure in my own faith for this prayer request since I don’t have good eyesight myself. I know that may seem unspiritual but just being honest... but that’s the thought that ran through my head. Gloriously the Lord touched her eyes and she also was healed in her eyesight and then testified of the MIRACLE of how God healed her.
Another young man I prayed for who had very limited abilities with his body movements and looked to have some form of epilepsy... He danced differently from all the other children and teenagers. He stood out. But not in a way that most of us would say was a good way. But Mike and I watched him more than all the others because we were taken back by his heart and his zeal to dance even though his dancing was different because he was limited. In America we would call him disabled or someone with a disability. I had the privilege to pray for him and as I prayed for him he manifested demonically... stiffened up and began to drool saliva. He began to sweat profusely as God was touching him. But God touched him and it was so beautiful!!
Our prayer ministry at the altar lasted somewhere in the neighborhood of one and 1/2 hour or two hours. The people came constantly for prayer. Like a steady stream. As many were being healed they were going into their neighborhood leaving the church to go find and bring in their sick friends or family members. Some came for prayer and stood in place of their family members that could not be there. I’m going to say we prayed for somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 to 100 people at the Altar and God touched every single one that we prayed for. Most were healings while some were deliverances. Some of the pain healings were of a demonic nature. The reason I know this is whenever I would pray for someone with pain sometimes the pain would move from one place in the body to another place. Holy Spirit made me aware that this is an indicator to pray again and I commanded pain to leave and the spirit of infirmity to go.
Michael Clarke’s perspective:
Michael prayed for a lady with epilepsy who was obviously having issues. After praying for her she began to smile and the countenance on her face changed. She went from having a look of confusion and depression to being happy and free. As Holy Spirit obviously was touching her she said she felt like she was falling joyfully.
We saw many healed in their back, knees, elbows, stomach problems, chest pains, and more. They would move, jump and dance from their healings. The sick with coughs and flu like symptoms were touched as well.
Written by Whit Bass and Michael Clark
On this day Michael Clark and I were joined up to go out and Minister – preach, equip, encourage, exhort, and pray for the most vibrant church I’ve ever attended on foreign soil. Michael and I were both treated with such honor or you may say like royalty :-). Pastor Solomon and his nephew Ken picked Mike and I up at the hotel around 10 AM that morning. We drove for about 30 minutes outside of the city of Meru.
Upon arriving the small church structure seated somewhere between 150–200 people - The church looked to mirror most Third World country churches. Tin roof, Tin siding, dirt floors... but their people were so full of the love of Jesus they worshipped so exhilarating towards their Father in heaven that I fell in love with these people immediately.
As we were escorted into the church building we were seated near the front and offered bottled water and Coca-Cola and Fanta sodas in a glass bottle...need I tell you they were good because they use real sugar :-)
Before we ever preached a single word, we admired and we were blown away by the dance of the children, teenagers, adults and the reverence of those preschool children that sat in line like little angels for at least four hours. We literally were in worship for four or 4 1/2 hours. Pastor Solomon introduced me to speak and then Michael came up after me to speak to the people. I preached a short message of maybe 25 minutes on the kingdom of God and on the word of salvation which in the Greek language is SOZO. That word is a comprehensive word for salvation. In Ephesians chapter 2 verse eight - the Scripture states it is by grace you have been saved. That word saved means (saved, healed, and delivered)! Unfortunately for so many years I only thought of or knew the term salvation as my ticket to heaven. The Lord has shown me over these past years that his picture of salvation is to make us whole and free and to send us to go and pray for others to be Saved, healed, and delivered so that they can do the same and advance his Kingdom and bring those in darkness into his marvelous light of eternal salvation but also an abundant life here on earth.
One young lady named Delinda was a beautiful African young lady who one would’ve never known was once demonically possessed. This church must’ve helped her by the grace of Jesus Christ to get her free of her demonic issues. She was now a leader in the church. I affirmed the people in leadership there that this is what the gospel of Jesus Christ truly looks like. (Saved healed and delivered) - And then I pointed out that in Isaiah 61 the exact passage that Jesus spoke in Luke chapter 4:18 set the captives free, heal the brokenhearted, give recovery of sight to the blind; This very message in Isaiah 61:4 is that those who were broken and wounded & captive were the ones who would rebuild the ruined cities and ancient ruins – you know.... those who will become the solution that were once the problem.
Keep in mind each time we preach we are having to use an interpreter for Swahili language of the African people. Then after I completed preaching Mike Clark was introduced and affirmed the people greatly.
Michael has a very strong gift to encourage others while unlocking their potential to be more than they could ever hope or imagine. Michael also preached a short message as well. His topic was on Legacy, Kingdom, power and he pointed out the importance of how the church we were speaking at appeared to be doing a great work to leave behind a great legacy from a great lineage of Jesus followers.
Michael also has a great gift for calling the people into an altar response time. The people readily responded to receive prayer for healing and deliverance. Michael sensed that many needed prayers for healing in their back so those were the first ones he called forward. What we noticed was that in this atmosphere of Gods glory many who came for prayer were being healed in their back before we ever prayed for them. We were both astounded at what God was doing. An atmosphere of EXPECTANCY. We then moved into praying for each person who came for different needs. Pastor Solomon was my interpreter while Michael used Pastor Solomon’s nephew Ken to help him. What I love about what Michael did was that he encouraged Ken to do all the praying while he coached him through. Michael sensed a strong calling on Ken to be a future pastor and felt he was to bring him in from being nominally involved to participating in the church to becoming a future pastor. This fit Michael’s message of legacy. Equipping. Not that we come into town, pray for everyone to be touched and then leave but that we are constantly instructing the people they can do it too. I would pray a prayer over each one after they had been touched by God to walk in resurrection power (Luke 24:49) and boldness and go and do likewise – heal the sick - cast out devils - be bold.
For each person that I prayed with there was not a single time that each person was not touched by the Lord in some measure of healing for their pain or of their demonic oppression they were under.
Some of the healings that stood out in my mind:
One lady who was elderly and was very limited as to what she could do in her body because of the pain in her feet and legs - Once the Lord touched her she began to dance her little victory dance and I just watched in wonder at her freedom and her joy of what the Lord had done in her life. Watching an Elderly woman Dance and testify to the church what the Lord had done with no inhibitions was REFRESHING.
EYE-SIGHT: Another lady came for Prayer who could not see. I’m not sure what her level of sight was but Pastor Solomon told me she needed prayer for her eyesight. I have to be honest. My eyesight is terrible. This was the one time that I actually felt a little unsure in my own faith for this prayer request since I don’t have good eyesight myself. I know that may seem unspiritual but just being honest... but that’s the thought that ran through my head. Gloriously the Lord touched her eyes and she also was healed in her eyesight and then testified of the MIRACLE of how God healed her.
Another young man I prayed for who had very limited abilities with his body movements and looked to have some form of epilepsy... He danced differently from all the other children and teenagers. He stood out. But not in a way that most of us would say was a good way. But Mike and I watched him more than all the others because we were taken back by his heart and his zeal to dance even though his dancing was different because he was limited. In America we would call him disabled or someone with a disability. I had the privilege to pray for him and as I prayed for him he manifested demonically... stiffened up and began to drool saliva. He began to sweat profusely as God was touching him. But God touched him and it was so beautiful!!
Our prayer ministry at the altar lasted somewhere in the neighborhood of one and 1/2 hour or two hours. The people came constantly for prayer. Like a steady stream. As many were being healed they were going into their neighborhood leaving the church to go find and bring in their sick friends or family members. Some came for prayer and stood in place of their family members that could not be there. I’m going to say we prayed for somewhere in the neighborhood of 75 to 100 people at the Altar and God touched every single one that we prayed for. Most were healings while some were deliverances. Some of the pain healings were of a demonic nature. The reason I know this is whenever I would pray for someone with pain sometimes the pain would move from one place in the body to another place. Holy Spirit made me aware that this is an indicator to pray again and I commanded pain to leave and the spirit of infirmity to go.
Michael Clarke’s perspective:
Michael prayed for a lady with epilepsy who was obviously having issues. After praying for her she began to smile and the countenance on her face changed. She went from having a look of confusion and depression to being happy and free. As Holy Spirit obviously was touching her she said she felt like she was falling joyfully.
We saw many healed in their back, knees, elbows, stomach problems, chest pains, and more. They would move, jump and dance from their healings. The sick with coughs and flu like symptoms were touched as well.
Written by Whit Bass and Michael Clark
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