October 2019
“God knows my name.”
God did something at the recent New Room Conference I have never experienced.
During a pre-conference session on the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit, Jack Deere asked us to try our hand at healing. We spent some time in silent prayer, asking the Lord to reveal to us any illness or pain in the room and any specific persons who needed healing. Less than 2 minutes later, he asked only people who had never done anything like this before to raise their hands and share what the Lord revealed.
Immediately, a man raised his hand and said he felt a pain in his neck. Jack said, “Is there anyone here who is dealing with a pain in their neck? If so, would you stand?” A dozen or so people around the room stood. The rest of us were invited to go to someone standing near us and pray for their healing.
We soon tried another round. After silent prayer, we were asked to share what the Lord revealed. A pastor friend of mine from Illinois, Jason Woolever, raised his hand and said, “I think God was saying to me a woman named Penny has a pain in her shoulder.” He touched his left shoulder as he spoke.
Jack quickly replied, “I need to say that receiving someone’s name is usually reserved for people who are more experienced and mature in hearing God’s voice. It is not something beginners often have success with, but let’s give it a try. Is there someone here named Penny who has a pain in her shoulder?” We held our collective breath… Crickets. Jack asked Jason, “Is this your first time doing this?” Jason said slowly, “Yeaaah…and probably my last.”
Jack said, “Well, let’s try it again. Is there anyone here named Penny who has a pain in her shoulder?”
After a long pause, a woman stepped forward from the back of the room. “My name is Penny, and I have a pain in my shoulder.” An audible gasp rippled through the room. Jack asked, “Is it your left shoulder?” She reached up and touched her shoulder just as Jason had. “Yes, it’s my left shoulder.” People around her were invited to go and pray for her. Jason came from across to room to join them.
That was late Wednesday morning. On Friday afternoon, we were pulling out of the parking lot to head home when a friend in our car received a text with this post:
“God spoke my name to a pastor during
Jack Deere’s New Room Pre-conference gathering
and I was healed from a shoulder issue
I’ve been having for years.
He knows my name < 3. Praise God.” - Penny
There are times in our lives when we may feel forgotten, as if no one knows or cares about the pains we carry. But God does. God knows where you are right now and wants to heal you. In fact, you are loved so much, God knows you by name.
Roger Ross
P.S. Want to know the latest prayer need? Text KINGDOM to 573-227-6557, and you will receive a weekly Prayer Text. Thanks!
Praying daily for the grace needed to start new places for new people
and transform existing churches across Missouri.
Feel free to pray for a different area each day. Thanks for your prayers!
- SUNDAY: Let’s pray together: Lord, multiply your Kingdom through us.
- MONDAY: PRAISE GOD for multiplication growth in our Prayer Team! We are grateful for 873 people praying daily & weekly (by text), representing over 325 churches. Let’s humbly ask the Holy Spirit to lead a total of 1,000 pray-ers to the Team in 2019. (More prayer releases more power!)
- TUESDAY: Sow in prayer the seeds for a Great Awakening in our churches, communities and nation. Pray for the 11 churches in Missouri entering our new Multiplying Kingdom Impact (MKI) consultation process. Ask the Lord Jesus to reveal new insights and ways of being that transform each church.
- WEDNESDAY: Thank the Holy Spirit for moving so powerfully among the 40 people in our Planting Academy who attended the New Room Conference in September. Petition the Holy Spirit to teach us how to live and minister in his gifts and power.
- THURSDAY: Hold before the Lord these churches that are starting something new in 2019-20: Woods Chapel Raytown site restarted on March 3 and Eureka UMC 2nd site in the Spring of 2020. Good Shepherd UMC in the Spring of 2020. Church of the Shepherd UMC in the Spring of 2020. North Cross UMC is discerning their next steps regarding a 2nd site.
- FRIDAY: Seek God’s will to reveal clear next steps for the United Methodist Church around the world and for our Missouri Conference. Pray: Lord, give us a kind spirit of cooperation to create a new future.
- SATURDAY: Thank God for our CE staff team of Tammy Calcote, Geoff Posegate and Roger Ross. Please pray for God to reveal the person who will join us as a full-time missional strategist. As we move further into fall, please…
- Thank the Holy Spirit for the creation of a “How to Connect New People to Christ” workshop for our local churches that will be offered in each of the 9 Districts beginning in October.
- Ask God to spiritually prepare each of our 9 District Innovation Teams to lead these workshops.
