As I am sitting here trying to put into words what has transpired over these last few days I am reminded of three words: miracles, signs, and WONDERS. Never in my life have I wondered the way I have at this past crusade here in Wheeling, WV. Coming into this crusade I sensed in my spirit that God was going to do something BIG, but I suspected that it would more so be for the "unsaved" or the "unchurched." Oh how I was surprisingly mistaken!
Romans 15:17-18: In Christ Jesus, then, I have legitimate reason to glory (exult) in my work for God [in what through Christ Jesus I have accomplished concerning the things of God]. For [of course] I will not venture (presume) to speak thus of any work except what Christ has actually done through me [as an instrument in His hands] to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed...
The next several instances that I am about to discuss has been witnessed by all who attended the crusade. As this has blown my mind, I ask that you take God out of whatever box you may have Him in now and JUST RECEIVE.
On Wednesday, July 21, 2010, I along with my spiritual father and family drove an hour to the Pittsburgh airport to pick up some brothers and sister who came from Georgia to help in the crusade. While at the airport a couple of us prayed for a man who was in a wheel chair. Tristian's hands were tucked inward as we later learned that he suffered from cerebral palsy (CP). After finish praying for Tristian and walking away, one of the brothers had a vision about Tristian's hand opening up, so the one brother ran Tristian down and prayed specifically for the vision he had. Approximately 30 minutes later, we witnessed Tristian using the same hand we prayed for in a way that he was not able to before.
Later Wednesday night/early Thursday morning when everyone arrived, we loved on each other and had an awesome worship experience with 12 people in a small room, some who had just met for the first time that night. The unity that we experienced was none that I have ever seen before. The presence of God was so thick and rich in that room that we saw angels standing about 7 or 8 feet tall. Our spirits meshed together in such a beautiful way. This night, I believe, set the tone for the whole crusade.
On Thursday, July 22, 2010 we had our first meeting at the Laughlin Chapel at 7:30pm. My brother Bryan Meadows was the speaker for the night. Bryan received a word of knowledge about someone having a headache and neck pain, a lady confirmed this pain and upon laying our hands on her the pain left before the night was over. We also encountered angels that night while Bryan was speaking.
On Friday, July 23, 2010, we attended the Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival where we had a tent there, loving and praying for people. While walking around, one of the sisters (who was NOT with us at the airport, neither had we had the chance to tell her about the incident that occurred there) notices a man in a wheel chair leaning up against a bar booth that was serving alcohol on the corner of 14th and water street. According to our sister, it was obvious that the man (Tristian) had a few drinks before approaching him. After gathering a couple of others for help, we rolled Tristian back to our tent. Those of us who were present at the airport noticed that this was the man that we prayed for and began to love on him and feed him. Tristian was very tensed when we first pulled him into the tent, but I believe our sincere love and care for him caused him to relax so, that before we left the festival he was singing into the mic "Amazing Grace." Later that night we took Tristian to the chapel to shower and get ready for the service where my brother Joseph Parkman spoke. This was THE CRAZIEST night of the crusade...the night where I honestly sat and WONDERED. My pastor, John Pitts Jr., announced a special guest and almost immediately Tristian came rolling through the double doors all freshened up. He made his way to the front of the stage where he mostly camped out at all night. That night Tristian accepted Christ into His heart and not even an hour later He was laying hands on people and prophesying.
Joel 2:28: And afterward I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
I mean what did God just do here? Here we are thinking we were just doing a "disabled" man with cerebral palsy some kind of favor and he turns around, accepts Christ in His heart and ROCKS our world. (Had not spoke in one tongue yet....OUCH! Wrecked any kind of religious doctrine we had!) My sister received this cool revelation from the Lord: Tristian went from drinking (alcohol) and being in the sun to drinking (new wine) and being in the SON!!! Not to mention where we found him at the festival. Remember when I said he was on the corner of 14th and water street? Water representing born again (new creature) and the number 14 being a multiple of 7, partakes of its significance and, being double that number, implies a double measure of spiritual perfection!!! God has such a sense of HUMOR!!!! This night we experienced Supernatural healings and deliverances, Holy laughter, Gold dust, and angelic visitation. What a night!
On Saturday, July 24, 2010, my spiritual father, John Pitts Jr., spoke and needless to say we went EVEN HIGHER in His presence. Pastor John Pitts Jr., having studied, fasted, and prayed for this crusade was prepared to bring forth the word with 12 pages of notes. Before time to speak, God spoke to Him (paraphrasing): Dont use those notes, you are longwinded and may get in the way of what I want to do! God totally had His way that night and it was a night in the HOLY of HOLIES. A night of IMPARTATION. We literally dwelled in the presence of angels. The sound of heaven was in every minstrel!
These are only half of the miracles, signs, and wonders that we experienced during the crusade, not to mention other healings that took place (read my other brothers and sisters blogs to get what I may have missed). By the end of the crusade everyone was totally BLOWN AWAY by everything that had transpired. Tristian's body has loosened up to the point where he stretched out on the floor and even took several steps with the help of others. Among all the testimonies during the crusade, I realized that the foundation of it all was simple, LOVE. Our job was not to convert any non-believer, nor was it to increase membership. Our number one goal in which we successfully accomplished was to LOVE and our Daddy God gave the INCREASE!
1 Corinthians 13:1: IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
We moved from FAITH to FAITH and from GLORY to GLORY. I can truly speak on the behalf of everyone that was in attendance that we truly will NEVER be the same. Wheeling will never be the same. The fire has been ignited and really, the crusade is not over, it has JUST begun. I have literally experienced such a paradigm shift that my mind can not even fathom the next move of God. God is doing something in Wheeling and I am honored to be apart of such a GREAT move!
