I was formally ordained in 2015 in Houston, Texas. I began praying for the sick and the oppressed in 1985. My experiences range from teaching in a prison and churches to being part of an international healing team sent to Brazil in 2012. I have published my first book Finding Your Destiny in Christ: Stories of the Miraculous. The stories are true accounts of what happens when you are seeking the purpose for which you were created and how it may lead you to unexpected circumstances and places. From ministering to the homeless, the addicted, the broken hearted and even those involved in the occult, many lessons were learned about the ministry and faith outside the church walls. When ministry becomes real and ongoing it is beyond a prayer event. VoiceofBartimaeusMinistries.com
We can make ourselves vulnerable by trying to fight battles we were never meant to fight. When we step into the arena of spiritual warfare, we are stepping into an arena where everyone there has more experience than us.The only way lasting fruit and victory is secured is by realizing there is only one hero and letting Him lead us. Fighting out of our emotions and perceived authority can actually sideline us as we repair damage that should never have occurred. God desires obedience above sacrifice. We don't do great things for God. We do things for a great God
Book Excerpt
Inner Healing and Deliverance
Chapter 6 One Hero At a Pastor’s conference in San Diego in the early 80’s I had the opportunity to speak with John Wimber. I asked him, “John, there is so much pride and arrogance in the deliverance ministry, how do you avoid it?” His answer was profound, “It stops when the devil knocks you on your butt.” For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 2Cor 10:3 I was to learn through my own experience and that of others that it is a battle fought in the spirit. At that same conference I had lunch with two ministers who had decades of experience in ministering to people who were involved in the occult. One, who ministered to someone who had hardcore involvement in occult developed health problems due to the intensity of the ministry. He came close to death. He had ministered to this person despite several people warning him this was a trap. As soon as one spirit was cast out, this individual would ask in more. Later on this man went on to cause trouble with other ministries. The other minister who had authored well regarded books ministered to someone who deceived them for over a year. Another minister I personally worked with followed the same path. Some of their difficulties occurred because it became personal. Whether because of their status, their idea of overcoming the devil or their compassion, the end result was the same. As with the pastor in my first book who the devil mocked and stopped the ministry to someone in desperate straits, ministry from the soul resulted in ineffective ministry and the minister being sidelined. Malachi Martin in his book spoke of five cases where priests were sidelined because of physical, emotional or spiritual wounds received during ministry. This has biblical examples. Peter in his pride and self-strength ended up weeping bitterly after denying Christ. Jesus had warned him about being sifted. He had to reign in James and John as well when they wanted to call fire down. Many people think that when these sorts of things happen, it is because we have done something significant for God and the enemy is attacking us. The fruit produced indicates whether this was out of our soul or spirit. In Paul’s case with casting the spirit out of the slave girl, he ended up being thrown in prison. This was done through the slave girl’s owners and magistrates because of the income she generated through divination. This resulted through the enemy’s influencing the owners and magistrates. Paul’s beating and imprisonment led to salvation for the guard’s family. In Paul’s shipwreck it led to the evangelization of an island. Paul waited patiently for God to command the spirit out of the girl. Paul also waited patiently, knowing the ship would be lost. Paul was waiting on God to speak and order circumstances. He did not act out of a position he felt he held or his emotions. Paul acted out of being led by the Holy Spirit. When you realize who the hero is it closes the door to deception and opens the door to the Holy Spirit moving.
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