“Experiencing the Book of Acts” by Connie Oakley
Experiencing the Book of Acts
In that day the deaf will hear words read from a book,
and the blind will see through the gloom and darkness.
The humble will be filled with fresh joy from the LORD.
The poor will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isa. 29:18-19 NLT
Our mission team of 15 people from The Dwelling Place church here in Huntsville ranged in age from 6 months to 72 years old, and included a complete family of five and a family group representing three generations! We traveled to San Diego to meet up with 25 others going on this year’s Transformation Tour hosted by Harvest International Ministries into Tijuana, Mexico.
For me it was like experiencing the book of Acts. Each day we believers met together, eating, sharing, worshiping, receiving teaching from apostolic leaders, rejoicing in the signs and wonders being performed. (Acts 2:42-47) Each morning we received our assignment to go out in teams of 5-8 either to the red light district of downtown Tijuana, or to rehab centers, the hospital, nursing homes or we could stay with the intercessory team that met in a hotel room to cover the city with prayer. At lunch we gathered together in a home for a meal and to rejoice as each team shared their morning “Divine appointments”.
Probably 95% of the people we encountered out on the streets prayed to receive salvation, peace and joy from Jesus!! I especially rejoiced over the many children who received with simple faith and beautiful smiles. We saw miracle healings through our own hands and were just as amazed as the recipients. God was pouring out His love and kindness on the streets! Mark 16:17-18 “And these signs shall follow them that believe…they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” We saw it happen to people; our hands touched them, our hearts loved them and then blind eyes opened, cataracts were removed, a deaf ear opened, back pain and head aches left, the lame started walking without assistance, a dislocated shoulder went back in place and many despairing hearts received hope!
This was HIM’s (Harvest International Ministry) fourth transformation trip to Tijuana and the goal this year was to activate the churches. So each evening when our teams were sent out to local churches, the emphasis was on their identity and authority in Christ. When it came time to minister healing prayer, our team watched with joy as members of the congregation hesitantly stepped out to lay hands on and pray for their sick and hurting. So exciting and amazing to watch Jesus work through them! James 5:16-17 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed….”
One outstanding moment for me was realizing just how much can be deposited and activated in another person without speaking a word. Outside the general hospital, people stand in long lines waiting to find out if they can be treated (ie. if their paper work is in order and if they have enough money to pay for treatment – otherwise they are turned away). Talk about the ideal setting to offer prayer and hope!! One woman and her sister were waiting to go in to see their brother being treated for cancer. They were believers and we laid hands on their hands for them to receive the power and gift of healing from Jesus so they could lay hands on their brother for his healing. One of the sisters locked eyes with me and I physically and spiritually felt the peace, hope and faith deposited in me transfer to her. Her eyes began to sparkle with joy. It was a beautiful and amazing moment for both of us! No language barrier in the Spirit! Acts 3:4-6 “Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.”
There are many more stories, but I believe our team was successful in encouraging the pastors and activating congregations. Pastor Sammy, the apostolic leader of the network of churches in Tijuana made the commitment that he would continue encouraging the pastors to awaken their people to who they are in Christ, and that next year many of them would be going out on the streets right alongside the HIM teams!! I’ll be sure to announce the trip ahead of time next year for any of you who want to join this adventure!
This experience has shaken and awakened me to change the way I think. I’m getting answers to the question people typically ask after hearing about this trip: “Why don’t we see miracles like that here in the States?” God tells us in Rom. 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world [and its religious thinking], but let God transform you by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
I can no longer allow myself to think that miracles, signs and wonders are not for today. I can no longer tell myself that “God won’t do miracles through me,” because He says all things are possible.
I can no longer look down my nose at something Biblical that I have not personally experienced and write it off as emotionalism, dangerous, or offensive. I can no longer think its OK to stay in my comfortable religious zone when a hurting world outside “the four walls of the church” needs the gifts and treasure that have been deposited in my (what I used to think was little and insignificant) life. II Cor. 4:7 “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
Dios bendiga! God bless you!
7 Comments
So beautifully written. What a joy to be a part of this team . We are transformed . God is good , every time and everywhere.
Great job Connie. Thanks for your eloquent and passionate articulation of the Tijuana Mission trip. May the testimony you shared awaken the Body of Christ in the Huntsville region to walk in a greater measure of God’s power!
Great testimonies of what God is wanting to do everywhere! Thank you Connie for this amazing report!
Outstanding job, Connie!
What a beautiful testimony. So proud of your mission in Mexico and the signs and wonders you experienced. Now it is time to take it to the streets of Huntsville. Love all of you!
What a Spiritual Blessing one gets just reading this transforming event!
This makes you hungry for God in my ( little) life. He’s here just waiting for us to trust Him for the miracle of be released to do His will in the situation.