Market and Powell (1-17-10)

I had much to learn about how the SF bus system works. I missed my first bus from San Rafael but the Lord had other plans.

As I waited to get on I noticed there were several men all dressed in grey sweat pants/shirts. I sat down next to one of them. He told me that he (and the rest of them) had just been released from San Quentin prison. I asked him permission to share the gospel with him and he warmly accepted. His name is John.

I got off at the wrong stop and thus it took me 1/2 hour to get to Market and Powell where I would be preaching. When I got there I was profoundly scared. One of the first people I laid eyes on was an older Samoan man with a Bible in his hand talking to people about the Lord. I asked him if I could preach in the square without getting arrested. He was sweating profusely and he had tears in his eyes from pleading with sinners to come to Christ. He said in very broken English “You preach wherever you want! You not be scared of anyone! You tell people the word of God! Come here and I pray for you.”

When I got to the corner my hands were shaking profusely. I set up my chair, sat down and sent my wife and friend a text: “In the center of SF. Hundreds of people. Very scared. Starting to preach now. Please pray.”

Honestly, even a week later I don’t remember much. It was wonderful and God poured out his grace but, I think since it was my first time, it was very much an outer-body experience.

I estimate about 4000 people heard the gospel that day and for that I am grateful. Demons definitely showed up. One man went to kick me and by God’s grace he hit my chair instead. He actually said “Ouch” and limped away.

For the three days following all hell was unleashed on my soul as I experienced the malice of the enemy in a way I had never before. He was shooting his darts at my heart and yet the lies contained enough truth to get me to bite and I wallowed in misery for 3 days.

I reached out for prayer and the Lord gave me a powerful dream that gently and yet firmly warned me not to play games with my heart and to not give the devil even an inch of a foothold or he could destroy me.