Casting out demons, answered prayer, testimonies...

By Jimmy Foster:

Hello friends,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith.  Tonight was a wet rainy night in the city streets, but the Lord moved among us in power and I believe that we took ground in overcoming darkness tonight.  Tonight, for the first time I was able to put my faith into action and obey Matthew 10:1.  Jesus has given us authority over unclean spirits and by His name we have the authority to cast them out.

Casting out demons:

Matthew 10:1 says, "He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness."  This is the Word of God friends...and it's true!  "Let God be found true and every man a liar!"  We DO have authority over every unclean spirit and over every sickness!  There are many in our communities, who are bound by unclean spirits and sickness and the true believer has authority over them.  Here's how we are commanded to preach the gospel folks:  "As you go preach this message, The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give.  The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Tonight, I met a women named Darla.  I had an opportunity to talk to her for quite awhile.  I was quickly aware of the emotional hurt and pain that she was experiencing.  She confessed that she was lonely, neglected and needy.  After awhile of talking with her, I asked if I could pray for her - to which she agreed.  After I prayed for her, the Lord gave me a word for her.  Darla was brokenhearted as both of her parents died not long ago and her husband left her.  She was sick with sadness and desires to be united with her husband.  Here's the word the Lord gave me.  Tell her I'm a faithful husband, a true lover that will never leave her or forsake her.  I'm a friend to the lonely, a comforter to the needy.  As I shared she began to cry.  I realized that the Lord was speaking directly to her heart. 

The Lord also showed me that she was bound by a spirit of depression, loneliness, despair and without hope.  I asked her if I could pray for her again, as I felt like the Lord wanted me to cast these unclean spirits out.  She let me pray again, I began declaring the name of Jesus, and started speaking directly to the unclean spirits that occupied the temple of God.  I commanded them to leave in Jesus name.  To my surprise, I felt her whole body flinching and her face was flooded with tears.  I invited the Holy Spirit and asked him to fill the empty spaces in her heart and soul.  I invited a Spirit of hope, a Spirit of Joy, a Spirit of restoration, peace, etc.  When I stopped praying, I noticed her take a deep breath and sigh in relief.  It blessed me and I believe the Lord met her tonight with His power!  I told her about God's great love and His desire for her to live in freedom and not bondage.

Daniel considers us his friend:

Many of you will remember us talking about a man named Daniel.  Up until last week and tonight, Daniel has always opposed us and has been very persistent in resisting the things of God.  We always try to respect Daniel and his wishes to not pray for him or talk to him about God.  Steve and I believe that we are called to pray for Daniel, in which we've done during our Saturday morning prayer time. 

Well, tonight Daniel waited until I was done praying for Darla and he approached me.  He said, "Hey man, I need to talk to you."  I said, "Ok, what's up Daniel."  He then told me - with his eyes filling with tears - "I don't have too many friends and I have trouble trusting people, as I've been burned a lot in the past, but I want you to know that God has used you in my life and I consider you a true friend.  Thanks for all you're doing down here.  God is making a way for me in life."  My heart was overwhelmed with joy and gratitude for what the Lord has done. This was a man with a heart of stone and I believe now has a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 11:19 -"I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh."

Clyde needs .32 cents and the Lord provides:

I know that the above title doesn't necessarily seem like the impossible, but most of you know when we go to Norfolk, we don't bring our wallets, money or valuables.  Well, a man named Clyde asked me for .32 cents, so that he could get his bus ticket tomorrow.  Bus tickets are $3.50 and he told me he was .32 cents short.  I said, "Clyde, we don't bring money with us down here, but I'm willing to look around in our van to see if I have any change on the floor."  I started searching the van high and low.  Amazingly, I came up with .31 cents.  I just knew there had to be a penny somewhere on my floor, in a cup holder or somewhere.  I thought...how cool would it be if I had exactly .32 cents in my van?  However, I searched everywhere and only came up with .31 cents.  I looked at Clyde and said, "Well Clyde, you're almost in business buddy!  I found .31 cents for you, you'll need a penny."  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daniel holding out his hand to Clyde dropping a penny in his hand.  Clyde hugged Daniel and it struck me...for one penny, this man was hugging another person in sincere gratitude!  I quickly understood why God only allowed me to find .31 cents.  :)

The Lord sends laborers to the harvest field and provision:

• The Bearing family made several sandwiches for us to feed the hungry tonight
• Laura made brownies for dessert
• Jon Murray calls and joins us in ministry tonight
• We received a $100 check in the mail yesterday for ministry
• Jon Murray's friend provides 3 garbage bags of donated cloths, in which all but a few items were claimed tonight.
• Becky Brantingham provides several cases of toothpaste
• Judy Yatarola asks to send "thank you cards" to those who have given to our ministry
• Steve Zollos agrees to use the proceeds of the book he just published for "A Church Without Walls"
• Jeremy Miller leads worship in the city streets of Norfolk

The spiritual environment among the homeless in downtown Norfolk is completely different, than when we first started going.  The Lord is softening hearts and working in the lives of these folks.   Steve told me that a few people approached him tonight and asked him to pray for them.  They initiated!  It's amazing what the Lord can do with a few faithful folks, who are willing to lay aside their own agendas to serve these guys.  We are called to deny ourselves and pick up our cross for the sake of the gospel and for His names sake!

Transferred from darkness into His glorious light,

"A Church Without Walls"