Last week we sent you a word to encourage our church family to keep pressing forward in their pursuit of God. Little did we know that just a few days later, we would receive one of the most gut wrenching phone calls of our lives. It went something like this, “Chris pray! Ray is having trouble breathing! He’s sweating heavily and his heart is racing!
They’re rushing him to the hospital now…please pray!”
I sat back in my office chair for a second and paused before sharing the news with my wife and sons. Instantly my mind flashed back to my younger brother who suffered a heart attack three years ago. This couldn’t be happening again.
Just a few minutes earlier we had just experienced a wonderful and healing moment as various members of the Urban Life family shared how God is helping them to move past the pain that is often associated with Father’s Day. We were about to enjoy a family dinner with Carol’s mom. This was not what we expected.
However, I also recalled how that very morning, Carol had suddenly burst into tears and cried in my arms. We thought it was because she was having a response to the fact that this was the first Father’s Day since her dad passed away. We thought it was because she was still grieving about the recent death of one of our spiritual sons. Then we realized, it was the Holy Spirit sending travailing intercession on behalf of our brother and Bishop.
I was so tempted to give in to my emotions, but, "I just know when life goes wrong, I give a sacrifice of praise."
An hour later we received a call that it had indeed been a heart attack, a serious one. My brother had actually died in the ambulance, but the paramedics were able to bring him back with the shock procedure to his heart. We later learned that when people got the news on their cellphones, some pulled over in their cars. They stopped to pray. We learned that church services stopped in various cities across the country and whole congregations began to pray. We learned that a cry of intercession went up from all over America and in various parts of the world in a continuous cry of intercession for one Raphael Green. The result: His life was restored! The procedure to move the blockage in his heart went extremely well.
We saw the natural and the supernatural meet, and the miracle of life was released in my brother. What was intended to be the final deathblow, to stop a multi-generational purpose, has now become a rally cry and a bellowing roar to announce the defeat of the plans of the enemy. I hear a mighty roar of praise coming forth from all over the nation. A stronghold has broken off the Church.
This morning, Carol said she dreamed that we went into a building, rescued a child and ran out. She said the structure of the building became like ashes. It was crumbling and falling apart as we ran out. I take that to mean that we can now go in and take back what was birthed and brought forth into the earth for Bishop Green and all of us associated with that purpose. God has given us authority and ability to go and take back what was stolen. Even the strongholds of fear, doubt, disease, debt and death cannot stop this move of God. It's all merely ashes, now.
This victory, was not only for Bishop Raphael Green, our family and our home church, but it was also a victory for ALL of us here at Urban Life Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This is the anointing and power that is your spiritual heritage and legacy. Now you see why it is so important to know who you are connected to and what kind of ministry to which you are joined. You are a part of something great. We're not famous. We're not rich. But we are called. We are chosen. This isn't arrogance to talk like this. This is CONFIDENCE in the Lord our God! YOU ARE going to do something great for God!
From this day forward, no more walking and living in fear. Since God has conquered death itself, what will HE do in your life and family? This is YOUR promise today: Psalm 27: 1-6
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes,
They stumbled and fell.
Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.
One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.
