Introduction

Hello and thank you for taking part in our ministry team!

We are expecting God to move and people to be impacted by the Holy Spirit. We would like to give an invitation in these meetings for Christians and non-Christians, those with sickness, those in addiction, in poor lifestyles choices and habits to repent, severe destructive behavioural patterns to ‘get right with God’ and have an encounter with the power and presence of God in a very tangible way.

We are expectant for people to be filled with the Holy Spirit or have a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit. The majority of the evenings will be centred around worship, the manifest presence of God with a release of healing and the prophetic.

Within this, the Ministry Team will play a key role in helping to facilitate the above. As the vast bulk of the evenings will be Holy Spirit led, it will be the Ministry Team working where the Holy Spirit is moving that will be on the ‘frontlines’ and therefore central to these events. As a member of the ministry team, you will play an integral and vital role to this event.

We have written below some notes and thoughts regarding the ministry time. These notes are intended to be a guideline as to how the ministry team will operate and to give some structure to the team.

Information for Ministry Team UK Events

Practicalities for the Evening:

For UK based meetings, we would like as many people as possible, if free at that time, to attend a half hour prayer meeting before the event starts. We would further like the front row of chairs in the main hall to be especially reserved for the the Ministry Team.

Ministry Badges will be handed out and collected in at the beginning and end of the evening.

The ministry team leader will be responsible for the leading of the Ministry Team, who will be leading and continually giving direction to the team to ensure the Ministry Team will be effectively utilised, so please be open to their instructions.

The Evenings:

The evenings will start with an introduction. We will then go into an uninterrupted time of worship. The goal behind the worship time is to exult the name of Jesus and build a throne of worship that glorifies His name. Then straight out of the worship there will be a short talk (20 mins approx) which will then flow into the ministry time (however, please be aware that the talk may start with a small or limited ministry time depending on what the Holy Spirit is doing. If this is the case, you may be required to pray with people).

During the course of the evening, we will open up an invitation for people to become Christians.

If people do come and make a commitment, please come and pray for them and ask for them to receive an infilling of the Holy Spirit. There will be available some bags for these people containing information about becoming a Christian, with a Bible and information booklets. Please ensure those people have been given one.

At the end of the talk, we will be inviting people who need healing to come to the front of the hall to receive prayer. This is where the Ministry Team is dispatched to pray for people. Everyone who wants healing or wants prayer needs to be prayed for.

Ministry Time:

We won’t know what shape the ministry time will take until the evening itself, but it may possibly start with the prophetic and see where it flows. The evening and ministry will be very much led by where the Holy Spirit is flowing, what He wants to do and how He wants to work on that particular night.

If at any point an individual is pulled out for prophecy or invited to come to the front for prayer, we would like to have a member of the ministry team go over and pray for them at the same time. The Ministry Team member is to help facilitate the activity and moving of the Holy Spirit on that person and may need to stay praying with them. The Steward’s role is to stand behind the individual and catch them if they should fall.

It is not the intention of having a rushed ministry time in order to get through as many people as we can. Be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit is moving on a person. Please do not rush, take time with people and love them as Jesus would and show His love to them.

It is important to note that we only want those people who are registered as a member of the Ministry Team and wearing a badge to pray for people.

Issues to be aware of:

1. We have publicly opened this evening up to non-Christians, therefore some people seeking healing will not have any understanding of God.

2. During the ministry time, we will give an opportunity for people to give testimonies on what God is doing. During those testimonies, if you happen to be praying for someone could you stop and listen together to the testimonies before you continue praying. Faith rises as people hear what God is doing in the room and we want to give testimonies lots of space.

Guide to General Ministry

Before Ministry:

Before we engage in ministry activity, we feel that it is important for you to pray beforehand.

We cannot give out what we do not have.

Therefore, in the days leading up to a ministry event, spend time in in worship, resting with the Holy Spirit and soaking in Him.

This should be standard practice for spiritual life in any case, but we would additionally recommend it before praying for other people.

Spending time with the Holy Spirit and in prayer, spending time with the Bible, helps to sharpen our spiritual minds and assists when praying for people.

Praying for People:

Healing and prophecy is only one aspect of our meetings. We would like to give everyone the opportunity for a fresh touch and filling of the Holy Spirit, including pastors and church leaders.

There will be a specific time for this ministry (under the leading of the Holy Spirit) and again the Ministry Team will play a key role in this area.

The aim of this ministry is specifically for people to have a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit or to encounter God’s presence.

We will not know the shape of this aspect of the evening beforehand as we really do want everything led by the Holy Spirit and where the anointing is flowing at that particular time, not boxed into specific structures and formats. But please be aware that you may be called on to pray at a moment’s notice.

When praying for people it is important to keep in the flow of the Holy Spirit and the anointing that is resting over the gathering. One of the ways to maintain this flow of the Holy Spirit is to speak in tongues throughout the ministry time.

When praying:

➢ Encourage people to just receive from God.

➢ Place your hands, if appropriate, on them and invite the Holy Spirit to come.

➢ Pray that people are filled with the Holy Spirit /set on fire /receive a fresh outpouring.

➢ When praying for individuals, watch closely what the Holy Spirit is doing.

➢ If people are being impacted encourage them to just soak and rest in the Holy Spirit.

➢ Some people’s bodies may respond to the Holy Spirit by falling over, please ensure you are standing and ready to catch them if they should fall.

At times someone or a group may be called out specifically for prayer/prophecy outside of a ministry time. If this happens, a ministry person (you or another ministry member) will need to stand with them.

Guide to Praying with the Sick

A large part of Doxa Encounters Ministries is based on praying for the sick, in order to release the healing power of Jesus.

This is a general guide to how Doxa Encounters Ministries approaches praying for the sick.

Speak to the person you are going to pray for:

Find out what is wrong with the person. Where are they sick? How long had they had that sickness? Do they know what is causing the sickness? All this information helps you to pray more specifically. Listen to God for insight. The Holy Spirit might highlight something to you, so be open. Look for faith in them - look where the Spirit of God is touching them. You can build faith, but don’t hype things up in people - that creates the wrong kind of faith.

Lay hands on the sick:

If appropriate, lay your hands on the sick area with faith that you are going to see a healing. It is key to remember that we are praying for people - with all their fears, hopes and emotions.

These are people that Jesus cares for and loves and so we must show that same love to them. Jesus was always moved by compassion when he prayed for the sick. It is also important to note that you are not dealing with the person, but the force or power behind that person, such as sickness. Allow the Holy Spirit room to move, but it is important to lay hands on them or have some form of touch; (always ask the person first and be sensitive. For example, you may need a woman to pray with a woman and man with a man).

The vast bulk of healings in the New Testament involved touch in one form or the other.

Relax:

It might be helpful to ask the person to relax and just receive from God, as if they are receiving a gift. Ask them to be aware of what is happening in their body.

Prayer:

Example 1:

A person asks for healing in their neck because it is painful. However, you discover through talking with them that the pain is being caused by a back issue. The neck is a manifestation of the real problem, which is the back. You further discover the back muscles are not working the way they should; so, you direct the prayer to the back muscles.

Example 2:

A person asks for prayer due to depression. However, you discover through talking with them that the depression is caused by a hormone imbalance. The emotions are affected due to a body issue, not an emotional one. Prayer is then directed towards the body, commanding the hormones to come back into balance.

Example 3:

A person has pain in their legs. Upon talking with them, you discover they have been speaking negative curses over their body. The curse issue needs to be broken to see healing come into the legs.

Example 4:

It is clear from some accounts in the New Testament that some forms of sickness are caused by the demonic. If a spirit of affliction is behind the sickness, it will usually be identified by increased pain as you are praying, or the pain moves around the body to another part of their body where they don’t usually experience any pain. You command the spirit of sickness to leave.

Remember, you pray into the causes or the power behind the sickness not the manifestation of the sickness.

Speak to the sickness and command it:

Speak to the sickness and use your authority - the authority delegated to you by God. Command

the sickness to go in Jesus’ name! Rebuke the sickness! Speak to the sickness in the authority given to you and tell the sickness what to do.

Testing it:

After you have commanded the sickness to go, ask the person being prayed for to check out if they can feel the sickness - is pain there? Can they move a body part they couldn’t previously, bend over, walk, etc?

Get them to test out their body in order to see if they have been healed. Testing it is important because the person being prayed for steps out in faith, they are preforming an action based on faith.

Sometimes the pain is still there, but when you start to test the healing, the pain starts to go.

Faith and action always work together.

We also think it is important to additionally ask the person if they feel anything when being prayed for. This is important because it helps to highlight what is going on in their body and this helps to your focus prayer. For example, sometimes the person being prayed for can feel a heat on them or a heat touching the area that is sick. Other times they could feel a tingling, like electric current moving on that part of their body. Further still, they could feel their body responding to the command, such as muscles moving, nerves realigning etc. Knowing what is going on in their body helps to understand where the Holy Spirit is moving and it gives direction to your prayer.

Improvement but not total healing:

If there is some improvement, but not total healing, this is encouraging. Give thanks to God and continue to pray. You may need to ‘dig’ in and pray – test – pray – test – pray - test.

There is no rush. You can be with that one person all evening if necessary.

Not healed:

If there is no healing, you may need to speak to them again and find out more about the sickness. And then return praying.

If no healing straight away:

If no healing straight away, that’s ok because some healings take place during the night or through into the week. Not all healing is ‘Now,’ there can be a delay factor of hours or a week. Some healings take time and every time a person is prayed for, the better they get – there’s an accumulative effect.

Not every healing is instant. There may even be a partial healing. It is important that people leave still in faith even if there is no healing straight away. Don’t let people leave in a way that makes them think that God does not love them!

Guide to Prophesying

A large part of Doxa Encounters Ministries is based on prophecy, in order to release the ‘Now’ word of Jesus into people’s lives.

This is a general guide as to how Doxa Encounters Ministries approaches personal prophecy.

Most of the prophetic words you give will be personal prophecy, during the ministry time as you minister to people.

If there is a larger prophetic word for the church or city, it needs to be submitted to the ministry leaders before it is publicly given.

Most of the prophesying you do will be based upon the 1 Corinthians 14.3-4 model.

Prophecy is to build up, exhort and stimulate the people of God. It speaks the purpose and destinies of God into people’s lives. It breaks the power of the enemy and his lies and points to the Truth; it sets people free. Free to become the people that God has called them to be.

Prophecy is making tangible the thoughts and will of God. It brings the will of God into action. God is not a concealed, unseen God, but one who loves to reveal Himself; He is seen. The prophetic word is never negative, because it always seeks to bring out the callings of God in people. God always wants the best for His people and is always seeking to bring great things into people’s lives. Anything that is truly prophetic will seek to do the above.

Personal prophecy will be based upon edification, exhortation, comfort, building up, encouragement, consolation, building, stimulating, constructive spiritual progress and strengthening. Prophecy is connecting people to who God created them to be.

If the Holy Spirit reveals a negative issue to you about a person, such as sin or another issue, you speak one on one with that person, not publicly, and it may be advisable to have a third person present. These types of words, if they are given, should be done in a loving, nonjudgemental way.

We will avoid giving prophetic words regarding marriages, romantic relationships and how people’s personal money is used, as well as major life events.

All prophetic words should be presented in such a way that the person receiving can reject or disagree with what you say. You will also be accountable for any prophetic words you give, and the person you are prophesying over should also be encouraged to test and pray over the word given.

Basic ways God speaks in ministry team context:

➢ Bible Verses ‘jump’ out.

➢ Feelings - stirring the emotions.

➢ Thoughts - stirring the mind or sudden sparks of insight.

➢ God speaks through your impressions about something.

➢ Pictures or a flash of an image that comes to mind.

Guide to Deliverance:

When people encounter the Holy Spirit, they may suddenly manifest demons.

Doxa Encounters Ministries does not give attention to demonic manifestations. However, we know that people can suddenly manifest demonic behaviour when the Holy Spirit is present and so we need to know how to deal with that.

Those who need deliverance will be taken to one side, so attention is not drawn to them. They will then be ministered to in the correct manner by those who have experience in deliverance, based within the Doxa Encounters Ministries guidelines.

Unless you have experience in this area you will not be called upon to cast out demons, but you may be called upon to simply stand and quietly pray whilst deliverance is taking place.

Key issues a demonised person may be confronting:

➢ The person knows they have a spirit

➢ Hearing voices about hate or suicide

➢ Visions (ungodly)

➢ Nightmares

➢ Uncontrollable sin

➢ Isolation and separating of oneself from family or loved ones

➢ Out of control behaviour

➢ Self-hurt

➢ Continuing of humiliation of oneself

➢ Mental illness

➢ Emotional illness

➢ Physical illness

You observe symptoms of demonization:

➢ Sudden strange behaviour

➢ Bodily contortions and strange body movements

➢ Changes of voice

➢ The facial expression changes

➢ The eyes roll

➢ The smell of decay

➢ You see a demonic presence

➢ Sudden aggression to the name of Jesus

➢ Sudden aggression to the Bible

➢ Supernatural abilities

How to cast out demons:

The Greek word is ekballo ‘to take out, to remove, expel.’ Jesus rebuked evil spirits, a sharp command against the demon.

Jesus is the role model in everything. Jesus commanded us to heal the sick and cast out demons in Matthew 10:1.

➢ A lifestyle of prayer and fasting.

➢ Best done in a team of Christians who know what they are talking about.

➢ Only cast out a demon if the person is a Christian.

➢ Do they want to be set free?

➢ Repentance of sin issues.

➢ Close all doors to the sin issue.

➢ You are dealing with a person that Jesus loves. The compassion and love of Jesus is important.

➢ You are dealing with a spirit behind that person, not flesh and blood.

How did Jesus cast out demons? He used commands, authority and rebuke. Jesus used and knew the authority that He had; the same power and authority that we have.

1. In the name of Jesus

2. I command you

3. Spirit of…….

4. To go and never come back.

5. Don’t allow demons to speak.

Spirits of Affliction:

Some sickness can be caused by a spirit. When praying for healing in someone, if:

- the pain increases.

- the pain moves position to another part of the body.

- you see a demon on them causing the sickness.

It can be an indication that a spirit of affliction has caused the sickness. Use the four steps listed above. You command the afflicting spirit to ‘go and never come back.’