I
am sending you my testimony, I am an Alaskan Native in the lower 48. My wife and I give the word and testimony at churches.
I am a friend of Brother Gary Simple. This testimony is being put in a book. Also Brother David Hogan gives it in his meetings.
Blessings
to you and your work. Brother Raven Nelson
Testimony
of Raven Nelson
“And
they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and their testimony” Thank you Jesus!
I
am a Native American, full blood. I’ve always known while growing up, through my elders, and those that loved me, that
there is a God; but I never really embraced Him as a Saviour who had anything to do in my life.
So
growing up I had done a lot of things that the blood of the Lamb has covered. But thinking
back of all the things that I have done that put the LORD on the cross, gives me shame. But
He has redemption!My testimony
is about healing that has happened – not only in body, but in spiritand soul. He
took care of my wounded and broken heart; and I am so thankful for a merciful God!
On
February 28th of 1996 I came to a realization – a death experience in the emergency room. During that time I was privileged to find another being standing beside me. There
was no shadow in that room; but I could see the people working. And He revealed to me
that He loved me, and that He cared for me.
And
because of that experience there in that emergency room, I had come to a more personal realization of God’s love and
His caring.
I
went away looking and searching – wanting to find out more about this guy – to have a more personal relationship
with Him. And so I went to there were people who had a street ministry. And a gentle
giant named Lobo, who was ministering on the street. And he was praying, praying that
I would come to the realization of who God is. And because of their prayers, I began
to know the LORD. And
so I went from church to church looking for the signs and wonders following after, because even though I had seen the LORD
in the emergency room,I still had aches and pains from damage that was done – breaks in my back and in my neck from
bullet wounds, and from fightings, beatings on the street.
And
because of that, I was like a walking pharmacy. And then there was Verelanfor my heart,
as it had been damaged in the some things that I have done. And I also had Ambien prescribed for going to sleep (as the pain
was constant). At one doctor’s appointment, I received at one time, eleven steroid
shots up and down my back and I should have received, at the most, four shots. The
presiding doctor didn’tknow how I was even able to walk into the office.
And
so, I had all this baggage I was carrying. I was so privileged to have some friends give me a video of a man, a missionary to Mexico. And on that tape I heard of miraculous things happening. People were being
healed. The blind were given their sight. Those
with heart problems were being made whole. I am privileged to call him,‘brother.’
And
so, a few years later on September 13th, 2003 I met the man. I met the man
because I found his itinerary on the internet, and found out more about him coming close.Those pills that I was taking, I had to take some to be able to get up in the morning, and
some to make it through the day. I had a sleeping aide – two different sleeping
aides so that I could then go to sleep. So I had all kinds of medication – a
drug addicts dream to have all these things, except without the pain. But I
had the pain, and was dealing with that. And my wife was dealing with it. And I have just been so blessed to have such a good helper, a helpmate, and I thank God
for her, and for understanding – and for such love!
But
it was a day after day experience, and it was never about good days, it was just days with less pain – or days with
more pain. And so, after looking and finding out that a brother in Christ was coming
to Challis, Idaho, to the Living Waters Ranch, I purposed in my heart to come see, and to know whether or not God was moving
in this man as I had seen and heard on the video.
Sowe
traveled, and upon arriving there for the first meeting, I saw the guy thatI had seen on the video, and his wife and his kids,
and I went up to meet him. I went to walk with him, and I shared with him; but it wasn’t
such a good and glorious meeting. He said, ‘I’ll see you in prayer line.”
And
so I went and sat down. I vaguely remember the meeting.
However, I saw that he had bandanas that he said one was for so-and-so,and another one was for someone else. Then came the realization and the anticipation that there really was going to be healing in that place. And there were not
a few healings that took place that evening!
I
couldn’t wait for prayer line to get started! I remember as things began to happen,
and people were moving chairs back for others to get into prayer line, and I went up with my wife – in pain –
so much so that I was hardly able to sit for long periods, or to stand for long periods. Even
to lift upmore than 10 lbs. was painful. Iwas unable to walk for long distances because
of my heart, and all the things that added together.
I
stood waiting. And as he started moving around and praying, I was seeing people going
down under the power of the Holy Spirit – under the power of God. I was stirred
within me to get over to where he was. my time had come to find and see. When he came, I could see that it wasn’t him any longer – someone had taken over him. I didn’t even get a chance to tell him about my heart or headaches or the wounds that I had received, and
he said, ‘Enough.’ He didn’t even touch me– he just blew. And what I sawcoming out of his mouth as he blew was like crystal clear water, expanding
as it was coming out. And as I looked, my first recollection was, ‘I don’t
believe…!’And
the next thing that I recall is that I was lying down. And so I took that.
I
remember getting up – later – I don’t know howmuch later,
but my wife was there, and the pain was gone! – pain that I had carried for all those years – gone! I was still stiff, but the pain was gone! But she said, ‘No,he just
blew and kept on walking by. But to me, in the spirit, he was there. He was talking courage, strength, healing, love of God! I was looking for
the God of the Word, for signs and wonders following after those… and I had met a faithful servant who also believes
the Words, and so, imparted and was there to be the conduit that the power flowed through!
I
met God there in Challis in a way that I had never met Him before. He IS imparting,
and HAS BEEN understanding as to what HE wants from us, as His children.
He
has given me the good news – the Gospel; the good news that He is a healer. He is a Shepherd with a rod and a staff that comfort us.
He has stripes on His back for our healing, blood for our righteousness, and a Holy Ghost power that walk among us,
and is used through His servants.
Throughout
the meeting, and going home, I still felt stiff, but no pain! That night I went to
bed without taking any of my medication, any of my sleep aides, any of my heart meds, and muscle relaxers. In the morning I awoke, and the pain was not there, and the stiffness was beginning toleave.
And
so, we went again and heard more. Got to meet new friends, new brothers. GOD GIVES! And it happens all the time around faithful servants –
who are obeying the Master’s voice.
And
so I waited through the meeting. I believe that I was too overjoyed to really hear
anything that was being said. I was just so overwhelmed
with The pain is gone! What I had
been looking for has come!
And
so we went through the meeting, and toward the end brother David said ‘We’re having a meeting in Seattle. Please come. Get the information from my wife.’ So we were privileged to go over to Seattle. And
that was a blessed time. I was able to give my testimony [in front of a group of people]
for the first time at the beginning of the first meeting. And that was that God is
alive and He is working! And above all, to give you the good news that these things
are here for today! (Isaiah 61:1-3;Acts 1:8) Because in His Word it says greater things will ye do! (John 14:12;5:20-21) He
tells us to go out, just as this brother instructed, ‘Go! And that heaven will
be there! I feel it every day! I have been rejoicing
every day. I give rejoicing every day for what I have!
I give rejoicing that I have peace of the Holy Ghost imparted in me, because it washed all over me when this brother
in Christ blew toward me.
I
really believe that the best part is, is when I went to the doctor and he saw a different person than he’d been taking
care of for the last few years. It was normal for my heart to be beating out of rhythm. New nurses would come in and think that I was going into cardiac arrest when they first
heard my heart. I had a‘crash cart’ called in once, and my doc came in
and he says, “Oh, it’s just Mr.Nelson!” and laughed. Oh, to be without
the pain!
I
was also able to be a witness even to my doctor. I told him I went off my medications
cold turkey and that I had no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever! My doc said, ‘You
couldn’t have just quit the way you did!’ For weeks afterward, I was running
and jumping for joy when I would get up in the morning – free from the pain and stiffness, and to be able to think straight.
My
doctor said, ‘You should open a pain clinic and get people off narcotics if you could kick it that easy.’ I told him that it was the LORD that did ALL for me, and has made me who I am!
