Eric Casagrande (22 June 2006)
"The Blood of Jesus"
Hi John & All:
Whether or not 2006 is the year in which Jesus Christ returns to catch away the Church remains to be seen. Personally, I say: "Come, Lord Jesus".
But similar to the outpouring of revelation knowledge which really began to manifest itself since the early part of 2005, I have noticed 2006 to be the year of not only miracles, but of a manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit in ways that I have never witnessed before in my life.
Just as an example, I have been privileged to share my testimony with a person from the Philippine Islands, which is a third-world nation where you are lucky not only to be employed at any job, but to eat regularly. Well God directed me to pray for that individual to get a raise. In the back of my mind I was thinking that God really missed the boat on that one ... doesn't He know the very harsh realities of day-to-day living in that country?
But I prayed, and said nothing about it. Then about three days later, as I was speaking to this person on the phone, they excitedly shared with me how God had blessed their life that day. I asked them what God did, and they told me that their boss at work went up to them at the end of the work-day, and told them they were receiving a promotion ... and getting a raise!
By the way ... the raise amounted to 25 percent. When I shared with them how God had directed me to pray for them in that manner just three days before, it is an understatement to say they were shocked, and humbled by the goodness and mercy of God.
Well if God can raise the dead, and cause a hundred year old man to have a baby with a ninety year old woman ... it shouldn't be surprising that He can do such a miracle as this in a third-world country dominated by corruption and hopelessness. Praise God for His mercies, which are new every morning!
But the story doesn't stop there ....
I have also had the chance in the past little while to share Jesus Christ with a couple of complete strangers on the street. This is something that I never had the courage to do before, and would have shied away from doing. But as I said the power of the Holy Spirit is coming alive like never before, and I shared the Lord Jesus with one fellow in a McDonald's parking lot, and then last Tuesday, with an older lady standing alone on the front steps of a church, as at that very moment I just happened to be passing by.
I will tell you people that both individuals were open to my witnessing of Jesus Christ, and afterwards, in both instances, I felt so super-charged in my spirit by the power of the Holy Ghost that it was incredible.
Let me say something to those of you who feel shy. We are at a critical time in history, and God is preparing people's hearts like never before. People are very hungry, spiritually, and need to have a spirit-filled person talk to them about the Name above all names.
Just go out onto the streets, and don't worry. God will back you up.
See ya in the air,
Eric