October 1996 Newsletter

Breaking Free October 1996

The Grapevine

Weekend Of Champions at Chicago

Greetings in the name that is above all names, Jesus Christ. There have been some very rewarding things that have happened since I last wrote to you. Here are a few of them.

Our trip to Chicago was a powerful moving of the Holy Spirit. Any time you go into a prison or jail. You should be prayed up because you are going to be confronting Satan on his own turf. I know there was a lot of praying going up because the struggle to gain control in the name of Jesus was not as difficult as I have experienced in the past. It was like going fishing, yet, while you were still in the boat, trying to bait your hook, the fish were jumping into the boat. I’m sure some of you prayed about our trip and I sincerely thank you because it made my job a lot easier. PRAISE GOD! The Bill Glass Ministry team reported 4320 professions of faith out of approximately 11,000 residents. On Saturday afternoon I was in a tank that was full of prisoners (we were there three days). I was witnessing to a man who told me that he had been in jail only three days. He said that he was strung out on heroin and very sick because of his habit. I felt a depression because of his affliction and wondered what I could say to him that would help him. I could see a demonic spirit gazing back at me out of his eyes. As I was trying to take him through, a plan of salvation lesson, I heard a commotion and men were moving about in the tank and shouting. Soon it became clear that the prisoners were calling for a group prayer. I watched in amazement as every man in the tank kept moving further and further back as more men joined the circle to pray. Soon every man in the tank (approximately 50) joined the prayer circle by holding hands. Everyone was shouting, but, I could hear several voices shouting above the others. "Don!" they shouted, "pray for us!" I readily agreed and stepped to the center of the ring so that I could take control in the name of Jesus. I shouted for silence and waited as the leaders calmed tham all down. As the noise level fell to a low din I shouted, " Do all of you want me to pray for you?" The noise fell to total silence. I shouted, " Who do you want me to pray to?" "To Jesus! They shouted. I said, "Do you mean this imitation Jesus that you have fabricated in your minds to whom you pray a small sinner’s prayer to and then go on living as you did before?" There was silence. I realized that God had delivered them into my hands for this purpose. "Or do you want me to pray to the great God that created you and all things?"

"Yes" They shouted uncertainly. "Do You mean the Mighty God that was born of a virgin?’ (I threw that one in for the Muslims). "Yes that’s the one we want!", They shouted in hearty unison. I wondered if this was how King David felt when Goliath came crashiung down to the earth at his feet. I felt a peace and a strrength that I have never felt before. I entered into the throne room of God as He captured that group of prisoner’s in the name of His Son Jesus Christ. I realized that he had been patiently waiting for me to trust him. I spoke to Satan and commanded him to go. I asked God to place an angel on the door of that tank so that all who entered thereafter would feel the Spirit of Repentence and yield to the Spirit of Truth. After the prayer there was an immediate surge of prisoners to the center of the room. The officers, at that time shouted, "let’s go!" at the open doorway. They are usually in a hurry but they waited patiently with peaceful calm faces as I worked my way through the long line of happy faces, who were waiting to get a hug to express thanks to a person, just like themselves, who had driven 800 miles to tell them about the hope that is available in Jesus Christ. As I walked through the open doorway past the officers I glanced back through the crowd and gazed into the eyes of my friend that I was trying to help see God through the hazy eyes of King Heroin. As our eyes locked together I saw that the demon was not there anymore. A peaceful person was looking back at me.

Wanted Alive Ministries Begins at Heritage

I have started a pilot school for my correspondence bible study lessons at Heritage Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, OK. I have named it Wanted Alive Ministries. Brother Dan Maxwell is the senior pastor at Heritage which is my home church here in Oklahoma. For some time now I have been holding meetings with associate pastor, Rocky Hails, and other members of the church. Our purpose has been to put together a starter school to use as a model so that we can duplicate it in other churches. Hopefully we can build enough quality into the concept so that it will spread throughout the country. It looks as though Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has opened the door for us to begin. This will meet a very basic need for men and women in prison because 90% of them get little or no mail at all. Let me share with you a letter that I got today from a student at The Oklahoma State Prison. I quote,

"Don, Hello! Hope this letter finds you doing your best! I’m wanting to try & get some bible studys. I’m a fairly new Christian & verry inspired & encouraged from your battle with life. It helps to know you made it. A friend of mine which is a pasture, sent me your newsletter. Well I guess I’ll go for now.

Take care & God bless!

Respectfully, xxxxxxx

P.S. I really don’t know wnat to say, sorry. No hardly writes me, so I’m not used to writing."

This is typical of what you run into as you try to meet needs and follow the Spirit. Please pray for me as I set up this school. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but I know God is great enough to handle it. I am priveliged to be His servant. Also, would appreciate your specific prayers for funding for postage and study materials and then for volunteers to grade the lessons. We want each church that gets involved to have their own administrator and graders. Hopefully God will place a calling on the different churches to finance their own people but right now we don’t have that in place. I also want to help satisfy Campus Crusade’s goal to reach the world with the gospel by the year 2000. Pray that they will recognize that part of their calling is to reach the prisoners of the world. I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued prayers and financial support. Some of you have stayed with me when, even some of those who were closest to me thought that I would not live through my liver transplant. I have not forgotten how you responded when I was in great pain. You sent flowers and love and it encouraged me to press on. My prayer for you as that God himself will shower you with the same Holy love that you sent to me at that time. May The Holy One of Israel Give you comfort and peace. See you next month.

Don

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