The power and presence of God are transforming the city of Salinas, California. (read more...) This transformation movement began a few years ago when the Lord touched Dick Renard, a local businessman, and gave him the names of ten people with clear instructions to get them together in a room to pray for Salinas. This list included the mayor, chief of police and several business owners in the city. To his amazement nine of the ten agreed, and they began to pray for Salinas twice a month. This group has grown and nows meets to pray every week. Historically Salinas has been infamous for gang violence, but since they began praying the homicide rate has dropped to its lowest in ten years, for 2 years in a row! Read the following report on homicides that never happened and let the Lord expand your faith for what He can do in your city!
Ted Hahs
West Coast Director
Harvest Evangelism
The Holy Spirit Hijacks a Bank Robbery
Reported by Diana Martinez, Vice President of Customer Relations at First National Bank of Salinas
I was very inspired by the Anointed for Business seminar last spring (2006). Immediately after the seminar I went to the bank where I work, dedicated it to the Lord, invited Jesus to come in, anointed the whole place with oil and drove a stake into the ground outside. I then began coming to work a few minutes early to prayer walk the bank and I also started praying for all my customers as we learned from Luke 10. This totally transformed not only my attitude, but also the spiritual climate of the bank. Regularly I had opportunities to pray and minister to my clients.
One day when I was in my office praying for a couple, three young men in ski masks came into the bank with shot guns to rob the bank. I reached under my desk to touch the alarm, but as I did, they noticed me. One then dragged me and the couple out of the office, put us on the ground, shoved the shotgun right in my face and began to verbally abuse me. I was about to panic when I happened to glance over at the lady who I had just been ministering to. I noticed her hands were turned towards me and I knew she was praying for me. At that moment everything came into perspective. I knew if it was my time to die I would go to be with Jesus and I was totally ready. The peace of God that passes all understanding just flooded me. The Lord supernaturally allowed me to keep my cool and to thus diffuse the tension in the situation. The robbers got away with some money, but no one was hurt. After the incident, everyone in the bank wanted to know how I was able to stay calm. All I could say is that it was God. Two of my colleagues then said they wanted my God and I was able to lead them to the Lord!
The final caveat, within a couple of weeks the perpetrators were caught, and the stolen money was recovered.
What has happened since?
The bank robbery happening in early 2007 (prior to the mortgage crisis). At the time her bank was experiencing tremendous growth. After the robbery the presence of the Lord has been very evident at the bank. Employees and customer often comment on how peaceful the bank feels. Diane has has the oppotunity to leader several other co-workers to the Lord and pray with many customers. When the mortgage crisis hit, even though every other bank in the area was struggling they continued to grow!
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