Friday, February 13, 1998
THE DAY MEETING
This morning, Randy spoke to a packed out daytime crowd of perhaps 500 people. During the course of his hour and a half message, he managed to cram the essence of 3 or 4 different messages into one. Well, after all, we only have four days scheduled here, and there's just a lot that needs to be imparted. He began by teaching about healing, went through the Vineyard five-step healing model, expounded on what words of knowledge are all about, and then finished up with an overview of the deliverance ministry. At the conclusion of all this, I'm sure there were many compacted brains, after having received so much input about so many different subjects in such a small amount of time. I did notice however, that during the entire time, there were a lot of pens and notebooks out, and there was furious notetaking throughout his message.
At the conclusion of the teaching, Randy then asked those who had never given a word of knowledge publicly before, to raise their hands. As always, there are a lot of them, perhaps a third of those present. Then, Randy prayed for words of knowledge for healing to come, and quietly sat down on the edge of the platform, took off his wristwatch, and patiently counted down two minutes. Afterwards, he asked if anyone had receive any words. Silence. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zero.
"Well," Randy declared, "either we've completely missed God, or this is the first time in four years that no one has received any words." Aha! Suddenly, one person gets up and comes to the front. Whew! God showed up after all! (It's always interesting to watch this particular dynamic; it's as if there is simple incredulity regarding Randy's seriousness about ordinary, normal, everyday, you-and-me types gettin' words of knowledge. It's as if they have to work through some mental fog to recognize, "hey, I think I have one!")
The lone ice-breaker is soon followed by eighteen more people, who slowly make their way to the platform. As they step up to the microphone, and give their words, it's always amazing to see the faithfulness of God in evidence, as such specific words are given, and that from "first-timers"
The first lady says, "I saw the word 'vision' -- not like the future, but like associated with eye problems." Eleven people responded. The next lady says she sensed "eyes watering." Four more people respond. As they give their words, Randy teams them up with the people who have those particular conditions, and has the person who got the word pray for those who respond.
It continues. "Pain in knees." One person responds. "the word 'heart' -- One man responds. "I saw a vision of a sore leg, and there was pain behind the right knee:" "I felt a weight on my chest, and I saw the word 'angina' -- "pain in the left side of the jaw:" "an impression of 'cancer' and the picture of a big 'C' -- "I got an ache in my wrist and my fingers began to go numb" "Irritable bowel syndrome;" "a vision of a car accident;" "a vision of a moving x-ray of someone's leg, and also a horse, like a riding accident" -- and so it goes, until all 19 people have given their words.
As the words are given, many respond who have the corresponding conditions. Sometimes it's just a single person, sometimes it's several. But the specificity of the words is simply amazing. As we broke for lunch, prayer ministry continued among those who had come forward.
THE EVENING MEETING
Tonight's meeting had the atmosphere of one of the old summertime tent revivals as the sanctuary was packed with 600+ people, with chairs spilling out into the foyer, and the temperature was in the sweltering range inside the building. As mentioned before, this is the height of Summer here in Perth, and I don't know what the exact temperature was, but it was hot. Well into the high 30's Centigrade. And humid.
Randy has been well received here and the meetings have been well-attended. You really have to be motivated to come to a meeting when it's this hot and this packed out, with the seating being sardine-style only. Even so, some who had come elected to leave early, unwilling to deal with the combination of heat and crowding.
As Randy came to the platform, he called for testimonies from the previous night and the morning session. Here's a sampling:
Healed from Glaucoma -
Jo -
"This afternoon, in response to a call for anyone with vision (word of knowledge) problems to come forward for healing ministry, I went forward and way prayed for, as I had been diagnosed with Glaucoma in my right eye. As I was prayed for, the Lord Jesus touched my eye -- THE BLACK SHADOWS CAUSING LOSS OF VISION DISAPPEARED! -- and I can see very well from both eyes. PRAISE AND GLORY TO JESUS!"
Joy -
"During evening service Randy asked anyone who had pain in the lower lumbar region of their back to stand up and to receive from the Lord. Almost immediately a gentle vibration slowly moved down my spine in waves. All pain and stiffness was removed, and I slept soundly last night, and am normally a light sleeper. The pain was from an old injury and arthritis had set in."
Eric -
"In the evening service last night Randy asked if anyone had pain in their body to come up to the front. As I started walking to the front I felt the anointing come all over me and my feet were burning -- I had pain in my back and shoulders and lungs -- as Randy prayed for me all pain left my body."
Debbie -
"I have had pain in my left shoulder for three weeks. I couldn't even cough or yawn without pain. God told me to come in faith last night for my healing and the Lord literally ripped my pain out, and now I am healed, Praise God."
After testimonies, Randy called up all the missionaries who were present and then any other five-fold ministry to receive prayer for impartation. Then, Randy preached on "The Biblical Basis For Healing", going through his messsage for one hour and 20 minutes. Afterwards, there was a time of ministry, but totally different in character from the previous night. On Thursday night, the outpouring of the anointing was explosive and dramatic. Tonight, on the other hand, the anointing was more subtle, deep and penetrating, quiet, almost subterranean. It seemed as if God was powerfully but quietly ministering to people tonight, piercing and penetrating, without a lot of external, visible manifestation.
The city-wide meetings continue tomorrow, (Saturday) and the weather forecast is for a slight cooling trend, i.e., the high 80's only.
Well, that's it from Perth for today.
Bill Cassada
with Randy Clark and the Global Awakening Team
in Perth, Australia
Be blessed.... be a Berean!!
Greg Makeham
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