Alan and Sue Vincent pastors of The-Church that meets at Chorley Shropshire and the Scotland's in Wolverhampton visited Lakeland Florida from 20th May to 3rd June 2008. What did we make of it? How did it affect us? What does this mean for us, our ministry and our Churches?

What did we make of it? In a word; Wow! This is not an experience that can easily be expressed or simplified. The effect of visiting the 'epicentre' of the Florida Lakeland Healing Outpouring, Ignited Church Lakeland under Pastor Stephen Straders Godly hand, and the evening venue for the Outpouring meetings where Todd Bentley and his team helped by the staff from Ignited Church, their ministry is beautiful and radical, very different, challenging, humbling, and powerfully life changing as they simply let God lead and minister as He wills. To enter into the awareness of the revealed Glorious presence of a Holy God is no small thing. God is pouring out His Glory, signs and wonders give testimony of His awesome presence and Glory in these days, and it does not come cheap for those who would enter! Remember the price Jesus paid that we may come. I'm not talking about finances either. Both Sue and I found ourselves having to contend with our inner being, where there are all to many residual attitudes, prejudices, irritations, willingness to be offended, take umbrage, judgments, even though we felt non of these were particularly important issues in our opinion, until you come to enter that special place where the 'presence' is! We did work through much of our 'stuff', and leaned a great deal about the Holiness of our God, the need for humility, and we did find afterwards a bit broken battered, humbled and chastened, that we were able to enter in fully to an experience that proved life changing. We receive far more than we were aware of. We were changed far more than we could have ever imagined. We came back as I have said chastened, elated, renewed, empowered, built up in Faith and the Faith, deeply touched by God, and we had no idea what was going to happen when we got back home. Nothing is the same!

How did it affect us? We are aware of a 24x7 desire to worship and chat with the Lord. He is 'in' all we do say and think. His ever presentness is wonderful. I find myself talking to the Lord even while in conversation with others and thanking him all the time, even audibly! I don't know what people must think of me! Sue received power and anointing on her life and she is a wonderfully changed woman of God. Her confidence, peace and beauty have just lifted to a new level and I know she is living a massively fuller life in these days following the Outpouring. Both of us have commented; our main problem over these last weeks has been time to eat, so much is going on and it's all so wonderful. We both love to worship and since coming back many of the songs we have loved and reveled in have been transformed by new and deeper revelation of the love of God and the deep deep meaning of the words. There is a desire in us both to worship through adoration, in song and action. We are both aware of heightened sensitivity to the things of the Spirit, and the many faceted nature of The Spirit in all its hews and colours, and more power in our ministry. It is strange as this is coupled with a driving hunger for more! Not a petulant child shouting for more, but a great hunger from deep within. Greater power, more gifts, more of your presence Lord.

What does this mean for us, our ministry and our Churches? It will take some time to work that all through. Some things are clear already. Things will never be the same. Even before we got back God had had been at work in our Scotland's Life Group and they were champing at the bit to get going at things we were only just getting our minds round and thought 'we' had the hot news! The group have been to Revival Fires in Dudley a number of time and clearly been massively impacted by the Dudley Healing Outpouring! Things are on the move. The day we arrived back in UK we were commissioned by Bernard Thompson to visit Wallingford's, Ridgeway Community Church and share with them some of what God had been doing in Lakeland. Well; we did!!!! I don't think they will ever be the same again. We had a wonderful time. The once monthly Revival prayer meetings that have been on going for 10 years with 10 to 20 faithful attendees with almost zero notice and even less advertising saw 75 people attend on the evening of our first visit, where God ministered in power revealing His Glory before those lovely folk from many local Churches. The leader of Ridgeway Community Church called a second meeting the following week and we went down again and more healing, revelation, anointed worship, questions, even some Holy Fear as God moved in different people lives, His Glory to reveal. These meetings are on going weekly and average about 50 people per meeting.

What do I believe this is all about? I believe this is about God fulfilling his Word in Habakuk 2:14 and Joel 2:28-29, and many other Scriptures. I believe we are seeing / will see this outpouring spread though person to person impartation, preaching and teaching with signs and wonders, God TV, the Internet, it will just roll around the planet "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea! If you can begin to get your mind round all that that might / will mean and look like, then you will realise why we just stand in awe of a Holy God as He reveals His Glory before a waiting, hungry and stunned world! Those already affected by the Outpouring run into hundreds of millions, and hundreds of nations are receiving this message night after night. Faith is being built up Globally in the very form Jesus confirmed His ministry to the disciples of John the Baptist Luke 7:22.

" So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear , the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."

This level is unparalleled and unprecedented in all of world history.

August 08 Has there been any personal long term effects. Both Sue and I have been aware of a new level of ministry in our lives since our return. It is very clear once you come back and start to minister to folk that there is a new level of anointing on your life. Wow, its wonderful Thank you Lord. We have also both become aware that while in the Lakeland environment we had been prayed for for allergies and eye problems and many other things. Sue who suffers from various allergic reactions to pollen, apple skins, and a number of other thinks including some pets has been completely healed of ALL ALERGIC reactions and has taken no anti histamine since our return and had no difficulties eating apples including the skin, or while in the garden from pollen, plus we have just 'dog sat' a neighbours dog for a week without a problem. Praise God.

I too suffer from acute Hayfeaver and can end up taking 6 to 8 antihistamine tablets a day to reduce the symptoms even then it's still pretty foul! Since my return I have not used them once, nor have I had any allergic reaction to the pollens I usually suffer from! Praise God.

Further, I lost my glasses while on the beach in Florida!! (Naples on the Gulf coast, beautiful.) I needed to be able to drive legally !!! I Asked God to help me find them or make my eyes so I did not need them. We searched and did not find them. We left contact details with the managers of the beach, but had no response. I realised very quickly me eyes were perfect and I did not need the glasses to read number plates at 20m, or to fully enjoy this wonderful creation in which we were. One I returned to the UK, Sue was uneasy as I had been told I needed glasses to drive legally and we had notified the DVL authorities when glasses were prescribed, and I was not wearing them! I demonstrated I could read number plates at 50m + never mind 20m, but Sue still wanted me to have my eyes tested. I was reluctant but agreed. The result...... DRUM ROLL....................

I do not need glasses to drive, or for any other reason and I have the opticians report to prove it, plus the previous one stating I did need glasses to drive.!

To God be the Glory, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE. Another Florida healing is notched up. Isn't He wonderful.

Look and see that the Lord is Good. God bless.

Alan Vincent Pastor and Leader of The-Church that meets in Chorley and The Scotland's Wolverhampton. Alan.Vincent@The-Church.net