testimonial page           

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever -  Heb.13:8

Faith healing testimony1 -- Special testimony of a US Congressman who was healed by faith healing prayer and experienced a remarkable miracle of healing. This testimony is from the internet and is an inspirational, guest feature and unrelated to the other testimonies and referrals on this page. 

Congressman William Upshaw prayed for healing all his life. Even in 1951, at eighty-four years of age, he was still seeking that "appropriating faith" that he believed would deliver him from the crutches that had been his companions for more than half of a century. It was a time when the ministry of the healing revivalists was at the peak of its popularity, and the Congressman had sought the prayers of the most well-known ministers of the day, including William Freeman, Oral Roberts, and Wilbur Ogilvie. But, as he later testified, "I just could not take hold and walk out."

At a meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, of which he served twice as vice-president, he became acquainted with a man named Dr. Roy Davis who told him about a young minister he had ordained many years before at the Baptist church in his home town of New Albany, Indiana. That young man was now crossing the country praying for people, and his ministry was unlike that of others. He suggested that the Congressman seek him out. His name was William Branham.

On the evening of May 2, 1951, Brother William Branham had finished preaching his message and was preparing to call a prayer line to the pulpit. The sanctuary of Calvary Temple in Los Angeles, California, had been packed every night of the campaign, but of the hundreds that had come seeking healing, only a handful each night would have their prayer card number called to pass before him in the discernment line. Suddenly, even before the line could form, a vision broke before him and he related to the audience what he was seeing:

"A young man falling from a hay stack and breaking his back. A doctor with a white mustache and glasses that sit low on his nose, working on the young man, but to no avail. The youngster grows to become a famous person who writes books. People are applauding him." When the vision left him, Brother Branham once again turned to the ushers and began to call for the prayer line to be formed. Brother Ern Baxter, the manager of the campaign, stepped to his side and told him that the man from the vision was in the building and had identified himself to an usher. His name was William D. Upshaw, a former congressman of the United States, and he wanted to speak to Brother Branham. A microphone was handed down to where the invalid statesman sat in his wheelchair. "My son," he asked, "how did you know that I fell and hurt myself when I was a boy?" "I can't tell you, sir," was the reply. "I can only say what I see." "God bless you, my boy," the elderly man responded.

For the next few moments, the audience sat riveted as people passed before the humble man of God and were told of their ailments. "Others were being healed all around me," the congressman wrote later in his testimony. "Then, Brother Branham lifted his hands, saying, `Lay your hands over on each other.' A great volume of prayer ascended throughout the audience of more than 3000. Angels were hovering near!"*

Exhausted, Brother Branham was carried from the platform, but before he could exit the building, once again, by vision, he saw William Upshaw, and this time he was walking down the street without the aid of his crutches! A moment later, Brother LeRoy Kopp, pastor of Calvary Temple, rushed to the pulpit and announced, "Brother Branham says, `The congressman is healed.'"

Instantly, a man that had not walked for sixty-six years stood to his feet and started toward the pulpit.

William Upshaw retained the full use of his legs for the remainder of his life, and he traveled across the country testifying of his healing. Shortly before his death at age 86, he published his testimony in a tract which he sent to every Senator and member of the House of Representatives, President Truman, Winston Churchill, and King George of England. He died November 21, 1952 and was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Note: Rick Lawrence believes in both Medical healing and Faith healing. In faith healings, as Rick prays in Jesus' name, healings and miracle ministry may take place in most situations or meetings.  God confirms His Word with signs following.  Rick also prays for people's pets who are sick. Please do not think it strange, but Rick is very fond of animals,  and he realizes how precious pets are to most people and children.  Many pets have been completely healed as Rick prays for them. There have been some dramatic healings of pets who Rick has prayed for. He encourages people to receive healing for their own physical needs, and if they have a sick pet, Rick will speak healing and deliverance for the pet. Distance doesn't matter to God. Pets are not to be brought to meetings. Rick's prayer will reach out to them at home where they reside. Summation -- it's all right for people to ask for prayer for their sick pets during a meeting where Rick is ministering.
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 Testimony: Rick Lawrence receives Charismatic experience -- Baptism In the Holy Spirit
A spiritually born again believer's power for service with signs, miracles and wonders confirming the Word through them.  Rick states that he is Charismatic in experience and doctrine, but not a Pentecostal in church practice and affiliation. Naturally, Rick fellowships with all other spiritually born again believers based on the redemption and  shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross -- not on doctrinal regimes and practice.

This is an abridged account of Rick Lawrence studying, seeking and  receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with an evidence of a supernatural, personal prayer language. Rick says he explicitly believes the blood of Jesus Christ is all powerful and that Jesus has come in the flesh. Further, although Rick had a fruitful ministry of leading people to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord of their life, he felt much more could be accomplished if he could draw closer to God the Father, Jesus, the redeemer and the Holy Spirit of God, he would see much greater fruit and early church type signs, miracles and wonders brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit would confirm the word of God and the lifting up of Jesus Christ -- that many more people would be helped and many more lost would be brought to Christ. Rick wants to make it clear that numerous Charismatics and Pentecostal believers feel the 'evidence' that a person has received the baptism in the Holy Spirit is that they are suddenly, miraculously able to speak in an unknown, heavenly language [tongue] which Rick believes the Bible clearly teaches is a heavenly, supernatural prayer language for the believer. Rick believes, however, that a spiritually born again believer may receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit without the evidence of the supernatural prayer language. Read Don Basham's teaching regarding the baptism in the Holy Spirit (see the Bible study (click on) or click-through and it will lead you also into the teaching about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit,  and you will probably agree, having something absolutely supernatural in the form of a prayer language which you can speak to God in, as well as your normal language, can be very wonderful, meaningful and truly an early church type of enduement that can bring great understanding, joy and added determination to serve God in a greater way as His ambassador in Christ Jesus.

Does Rick advise you to be open to receiving this supernatural prayer language? Oh sure! Just remember, we are each personally responsible for the choices we make in following the Lord. "Ask and it will be given to you, Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be open for you. One thing that opened Rick's eyes to the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the need to be endued with the Spirit of Yahweh God was when he read in Acts 16:14-15  "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us."  Rick says, "I finally understood, indelibly, that all of our training, methods, practices and ways of the flesh are not what opens the heart of an unsaved person; it is the Holy Spirit! We know this, yet we don't always believe it. If we keep in step with the Holy Spirit, he'll open hearts and take us into places and fruitful situations we have never dreamed of, nor been able to handle. It's up to you as an individual, you can either remain as dry as last year's bird nest, or you can open your heart to receive all of the Lord's grace and gifts to you, as a worker in His harvest field, or one who is willing to witness to others in the 'power' of the Spirit of God [Jehovah]"  Rick says he designates, nowadays, which God he is speaking about for there are so many people that think the idols and gods they follow are what is being talked about. Rick says you need to make it clear in your preaching, teaching, witnessing that you are talking about the one true God, God of the Bible, Father of the Lord Jesus Christ: His name is Yahweh (Hebrew); Jehovah (English); Dios (Spanish), and so forth. He is not: Allah, Buddha, Confucius, or Brahms, Vishnu, Shiva (Gods of Hinduism -- 648 million followers)., or other man-made idols or gods of this world we live in.

Rick Lawrence, and wife Connie were former Lutherans. Later, Rick became an ultra-conservative Baptist evangelist for more than a decade.  When he looks back at those years he says that one of the chief characteristics he and his ministry peers had  in common was a great deal of peer pressure. Ministries either "towed the denominational line" or they were ostracized. That particular denomination may not have mirrored every conservative denominational stance. The dilemma for Rick was his desire to embrace the dynamic of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit -- the early church experience so often found in the major revivals of the 19th and 20th centuries -- but which was disbelieved and subject to "Cessationist" theory on the part of many conservatives. And how should various fleshly errors and abuses sometimes present in modern day Pentecostal and/or Spirit-filled worship be dealt with. There are deviations in practice and errors in interpretation by some groups in almost every area of doctrine, but this should not and cannot be allowed to prevent spiritually born again believers from seeking, believing and receiving the true biblical experiences of the Word of God.

As Rick and his wife Connie studied the biblical Scriptures, they were drawn to the ministry of Jesus and his disciples.  They also spent time studying the ministries of D. L. Moody and R. A. Torrey who had been pastors of Moody Memorial Church of Chicago. Both of those pastors had been involved in a holiness movement. They spoke of the Baptism of, or with the Holy Spirit. This experience was not that of a believer being spiritually born again, wherein the believer was baptized into the body of Jesus Christ. They spoke of the Holy Spirit infilling a believer calling this spiritual experience the baptism with the Holy Spirit -- a subsequent work of the Spirit: sanctifying and enduing those believers who received it with power for service, which included healing, 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit and deliverance from bondages.

I think most earnest, spiritually born again, Bible-believing Christians would agree that Heb.13:8 is meant for all generations.  Heb 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." In other words, He is still doing the miracles of healing and deliverance today as He did himself, by the Holy Spirit as well as through his disciples in the early church by the same Holy Spirit.

 Many evangelical, and fundamentalist Christians are taught to be Cessationist. The doctrine of cessation implies that the baptism with, or in the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, speaking in tongues (an unknown heavenly language), various miracles and healing ceased with the early church, when they were replaced with the Bible, the Word of God. This doctrine supporting the cessation view has only been around since the 1900s and was introduced by Benjamin Warfield’s "Cessationist" theory (1918), popularized by notes in the Schofield Bible. Through the years, Rick has noticed that the only people, including ministries, who support the Cessationist doctrine are people who have never sought the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and/or have not received this experience with the evidence of a heavenly prayer language. With this in mind, Rick has placed on RKL2.org  home page three pages of Don Basham's teaching on how to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit Click here.  This teaching in the Word is used greatly by the Lord Jesus Christ. You may want to use this teaching to minister to other spiritually born again believers. If Rick and Connie had been able to read this teaching, they would have been able to experience the baptism in the Holy Spirit almost immediately.  

As Rick earnestly sought the Lord for clarity and direction, he was introduced to fellowship with three Baptist pastors who were graduates of a Conservative seminary; the three ministries disbelieved in cessation and approved of the Charismatic Renewal emerging in different churches and groups throughout the U.S.A. and globally.

In seeking the Lord with a willingness to experience this baptism in the Holy Spirit, Rick was introduced to a spiritually dedicated group made up of evangelical believers as well as believers from some historic churches; they were a product of a dynamic Charismatic renewal happening in Strawberry lake MN at a church pastored by Gerald Derstein. The meeting was in a large home in the city of Minneapolis MN. As they worshipped and prayed the home was filled with a remarkable presence of the Holy Spirit.

Rick, who has a scientific mind which was also "branded" with doctrines and the misguided views of Cessationism, continued seeking the Lord for this Holy, miracle experience, but was unable to receive it -- In spite of a fruitful evangelistic ministry, wherein many people received Jesus as their personal Savior. One evening in the home in Minneapolis in fellowship with the same diverse group made up of numerous ministries, Rick had concluded the baptism in the Holy Spirit was a gift of God's grace. He also, understood that Jesus was the baptizer. It was then that Rick received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with a personal, supernatural prayer language. 

One thing that had always impressed Rick was during his study of the various revivals around the world, he noted that the key ingredient to the spread of the revival was most often the baptism in the Holy Spirit imparted to the majority of the believers. The baptism in the Holy Spirit with supernatural prayer languages (tongues) accompanied by the manifestation of the various 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit were happening in these revivals.  Whole communities were brought to the Lord through personal acceptance of Jesus as Savior and Lord. And thousands of miracle healings and deliverances from addictions and other bondages took place.

Rick Lawrence says, "In my opinion, one of the main worship problems in churches and groups today is that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are figureheads. They are not thought of as close and personal as they should be. What the local churches need is the 'divine presence' of Jesus." When I hold meetings, most often, I ask a person or two to give a short testimony about what Christ has done in their lives, which is extremely important, since it gives God the glory. And sets the tone of the meeting."

"The messages I share are almost exclusively about Jesus and the centrality of the Cross: the death and the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ.  I always lift up Jesus.  I often ask for the audience to remain in a quiet, prayerful attitude. I have noted that in many worship services Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of God and Jesus (Romans 8:9) is not the focus. The music, praise and message become somewhat of an entertainment  which tends to exclude the strong divine presence of Jesus. I often request the people to quietly focus their attention on Jesus' presence. The results?  The presence of the Jesus becomes strong and lovely and people are healed, delivered from addictions and other bondages and the Lord opens the hearts of many people present to believe and receive Jesus as their personal Savior and the Lord of their Life. I refuse to resort to 'gimmicks' or showmanship to stir-up emotions. Further, God is a God of order. Freedom in the meetings is important, however, freedom is never an excuse to act out base mannerisms of the flesh. I encourage believers to give glory to the Lord and He does the rest."

To whom it may concern,

     I have known Richard Lawrence since I was a teenager.  He challenged me as teenager by his personal testimony as well as his teaching to follow after and love Jesus with my whole heart.  My life as well as the lives of other young men & women were impacted as brother Lawrence endeavored 
to live and disciple us according to the understanding and revelation he walked in.  Those college years were times of growth as we learned to diligently study the Word of God and learn to depend on the abilities of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

    Rick Lawrence blessed us at Christian Fellowship Church  by spending some time with us and shared some of the insights and wisdom that have come from the maturity that God has produced in his life.  He also did some teaching on our local radio broadcast and a TV broadcast that we produce.
   
     I am pleased to say that brother Richard is a true friend, a blessed brother in the Lord, and a gift to the body of Christ!

From a Christ follower,

Keith Barberg, Senior Pastor
Christian Fellowship Church,
Detroit Lakes MN, USA                                                   

Dear Rick,

    Thank you so much for the response to my e-mail. It was wonderful hearing from you. Since your ministry is vital to the body of Jesus in this last days, it is my prayer that the Lord will open doors and avail traveling funds so that you can be able to come to Kenya for ministry. I believe that the church need to hear something concerning the last days. It is important for us to be reminded of the second coming of the Lord.

     My brother Rick, the book of Revelations is one of the very rare books in the Bible that believers do read
and understand. So somebody like you that is gifted to expound on it is a blessing to the body. May the Almighty God keep you healthy both physically and spiritually to continue laboring in the vineyard.

     Bye and God bless you. 

This is your brother in the Kingdom,
Evangelist. A. Onyango, 
Kenya, East Africa

2005

 Hello Rick,

    Greetings from Kenya with love and prayers for your ministry in His mighty name. I would like to thank you for your wonderful website and a reader friendly one.

    TOGETHER IN JESUS NAME MIINISTRIES is a Christian organization based in Kenya and committed to spreading the Word of God through Evangelism, Discipleship, Leadership seminars, Crusades and Revivals.

    The aim of writing to you this letter is to request you to come to Kenya and and minister unto the whole body of Christ through Revivals Leadership Seminars.7;Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? And as cold waters to thirsty soul, so is good news form a far country (Psalms 85:6, Proverbs 25:25)

    There are many unreached people groups in Kenya who would also like to the gospel of peace through mass evangelism in remote areas of Kenya and beyond. Thank you for your time and may God's love, peace and joy be yours daily.

Yours in His service,
Evangelist. J. Njoni, Coordinator
Kenya, East Africa

Dear Evangelist Rick Lawrence,

     We are a Christian non-governmental organization based in Southern Nigeria .  Our main objective is evangelism; preaching and propagating the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in words, dance and drama, with a view to winning souls and amplifying the need for salvation, one of the pivots of Christianity.

     We also offer material, moral and financial assistance, within our limited resources, to hapless and less-privileged members of our society, including widows, orphans and other victims of circumstances.  In addition to these, we offer scholarships to pupils and students of primary and secondary schools respectively, during our annual Bible Quiz Competition.
           
      It is very difficult, if not not impossible, for Christians in Nigeria to evangelize in areas dominated by Muslims, especially in the Northern part of our country. Such attempts, among other flimsy excuses, always spark off riots by Muslims against Christians, which often lead to the destruction and burning of churches  by irate Muslims who usually accuse Christians of dishonoring their Mohammed and their Islamic religion, as well as trying to convert their members. 

      Nigeria is the largest and most populous black nation, both in Africa and in the world, with about 120 million people.  It also has the largest number of Christians in Africa , 

      If you have the interest of visiting Africa for the first time, or again    we’ll be gratefully willing  to participate in welcoming and showering you with the  bounteous hospitality for which we are known for.  If there’s any other thing you feel we can do for you in our capacity as young evangelists, or that we can do together, please, do not hesitate to let us know, as we are ever-ready to work with you in the Vineyard of our Lord.

     We would be glad to associate with you in working together for our Lord Jesus Christ.  Looking forward to reading from you.

Sincerely yours,
Mrs. C. Onah   Head, Evangelism & Special Prayer Group
Nigeria , Africa

Dear Sir:

    With compliments of high esteem, we extend to you heartfelt greetings through the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

    The Word of  Hope Outreach Ministries Inc. is an autonomous institution with the vision of proclaiming hope for the hopeless, life for the dead and good news for the abandoned, in war ravaged Liberia, West Africa .

     She has embarked on implementing, programmes aimed at strengthening the capacity of her fellowships and other grass root institutions through training conferences and Gospel crusades to win the Lost to Christ.

     Having visited your website and recognized the hand of God upon your life and ministry, we believed that you are a gift to the body of Christ and a blessing to our generation.  We would therefore like to use this medium to invite you to Liberia , to be a blessing to the body of Christ and to help in rebuilding her spiritual walls. In this of our fervent prayer that the Lord bind our hearts in this area of ministry.

     Until then, we are praying that God blesses you and your family in all your endeavour.

His bond servant,
Rev. D. Snylder Sr., Founder/ National Overseer
Liberia, West Africa

Dear beloved Pastor Rick

     Greetings to you in the name of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would like to introduce my self to you. I was born in a Hindu family and worshipped idols like stone and wood. I used to sin and lost my way to Heaven and I had no peace in my heart. I read many of our religious Books to find the real God as there are many religions and names of Gods in the world. It happened to me that I attended a gospel meetings and I was touched by the Spirit of God and I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour . When I got converted I met some trouble. I was hated by our relatives and friends. My companions mocked me because of my changed life. But I was not ashamed for I have found the real life and truth.

      I committed my life to the service of God . My ambition is to witness for Jesus to all men. In India millions of souls are last without Christ the Saviour. My vision is to reach the unreached with the gospel message, bringing Hope into lives. Winning souls for Jesus Christ in a land dominated by Hinduism is not an easy task. The door for the Gospel may be closed at any time in India , and before that happens let us strive hard to bring the Gospel message to every home in India . We need heart burdened and compassionate supporters for India ’s lost and unsaved souls to win them.

     We have planted churches and an orphanage caring for destitute children. Also we didn’t have financial ability to construct permanent church buildings as well as for the orphanage home. At present we are running the orphanage in a small building which is inconvenient and unhygienic to the
orphan children and also lack finances to continue orphanage. Our request to you is kindly pray for the need. We need your prayer about the ministries to widows and aged, also native missionaries, and our Leprosy people ministry.

     Rick, we welcome you to India to see our work here and we are praying for your ministry. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours in His service,
Pastor w. chevakula,
East Godavari District , India

Email. Sadiqhali@hotmail.com.62507
Please guide us.Dear Rick lawrence  

Dear Rick Lawrence,

Greetings and blessing from Pakistan.Thanks God for your beautiful, blessfull and inspirable Website. I studied Your website and blessed, inspired and learnt new things by your ministry work. I appreciate you and your all ministry work and your all companion. May our God give you more love to wining the souls?

Dear in Christ, I am Ps Sadiq Sarfraz serving the Lord as a pastor and teacher.God called me to teach the unteached and preach to the unreached. We give short training to train the new church planters to establish new Churches for Christ in different villages and

areas.

I know that you are very much busy in your ministry work, but I humbly request you pleases Guide us in evangelism and visit us to give the training to the church planters and establish the new church for Christ.

Please pray for our all ministry work. I do hope that you will write us for our courage in your earliest convenience. May our God bless you richly? I look forward to hearing from youvery soon.

God bless you, your family, church, all ministry work and your country.

Your brother in Christ, Ps. Sadiq Sarfraz.Hali Public School Chungi No, 1 Multan , Pakistan .

Dear Rick,

    This is a cry for help! I love what you have written on RKL2.org web site. It really opened my eyes to what's really going on. I was hoping you could help me turn my life around. I am a 34yr.old drug addict, and prostitute I've had other jobs but my drug habit has caused me to lose them. I also have 4 beautiful children that I don't want to pay for my sins. I'm very confused and scared, do you have any suggestions?  

T. Smith , New York , USA .