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Dear
friends,
My first half in Vienna is drawing to
a close as I'm flying to Africa tomorrow. The past 17 days have been filled
with meeting family and friends, experiencing Vienna again, including the
food I so much missed in the US, being back in my church Vienna Christian
Center, and back at the department of African Studies I graduated from
with a Masters two and a half years ago. All these I've tried to capture with
my camera to give you a taste of it - simply go to my website, and click on "Photos
Austria" (the pictures take a little time to load).
Ministry in Vienna
In my last e-mail I shared in more
detail what I've been doing in Vienna, mentioning the opportunities I've had
to pour out of all the riches and all the Lord has done in me and poured into
me over the past two years in Kansas City. Today, I'd like to share with you
in a little more detail.
Two weeks in a row I was invited to a
friend's house where others were gathered who were hungry for the Lord, eager
to hear what the Lord is doing in Kansas City and has done in me, and who
longed to have an encounter with the living God that would not leave them the
same. What a joy, what an honor, and what responsibility to be HIS vessel,
His reflection, His mouthpiece and His hands to these precious people. And
how much more HE longs to be with them, and touch them, then they did for
Him.
The two meetings were quite
different, but both nights the Lord came powerfully to touch his hungry ones.
The first week it was more prophetic, while the second week it was all about
intimacy with Him. You could say, my heroes/mentors came through - the first
week Jill Austin (who was my teacher for most of my time in K.C.), and the
second Heidi Baker. Yet, it is awesome to see how every teacher I've ever
had, and every man or woman of God who has ministered to me, has left a
deposit, and what I have and the way I minister is the mixture and full
spectrum of them all, some having had more influence on me than others. It
has been very humbling, and very awe-inspiring to watch the Lord move through
me, and Holy Spirit partner with me, getting to know the Claudia the Lord has
been forming those last two years in the US.
The first week, the Lord laid
it on my heart to share from Genesis 24. The wonderful story of Abraham
sending his servant to find a bride for his son Isaac, and how he finds
Rebekah and brings her back. And what an awesome picture that is of the
Father sending Holy Spirit to find a Bride for His Son Jesus, and prepare her
and bring her to Jesus. I shared about Holy Spirit, how He is the one telling
us how awesome Jesus is, how beautiful, leading us into the arms of Jesus,
and longing to have that intimate fellowship with us. We had been worshipping
the Lord with CDs, and did so again, before the Lord started releasing the
prophetic and Holy Spirit spoke wonderful words of encouragement and destiny
to inviduals, as they entered into His presence.
The second week I came
prepared to lead worship with the guitar, having chosen a good number of
great worship songs of adoration and intimacy. Again, the Lord had laid on my
heart what to share with His precious people. We started worshipping, and His
sweet presence filled the room. At times I'd sing spontaneously and
prophetically, as I had done so often by myself at IHOP (International House
of Prayer in Kansas City - Mike Bickle's ministry). Then came the point where
the words that were sung changed to spoken words. I continued playing softly
as I started sharing what the Lord had put on my heart for them. I talked to
them about not only calling Jesus your best friend, but Jesus calling you
best friend. I talked about fellowship with Him, intimacy with Him, what it
meant to be a friend, about the longing to spend time with Him, to rest at
His chest like John did, and to listen to His heartbeat as well as every
words He whispers. It was so powerful as the Lord led my every word! Yes, it
was part of my sermon "Best Friends With God" (you can listen to on
my website) and the Lord also expanded that part. After the sharing, we went
back into worship, with God extending a prophetic invitation to go into the
throneroom, to come to Him, and find that place of intimacy. After a few
songs, I turned soft music on and went on my face myself. I immediately went
in so deep, His presence being so thick and glorious! I had to stop, since my
job wasn't done yet. The Lord told me who to pray for - those who longed to
get to that place yet couldn't seem to get there, and those who wanted to be
wrecked by His love, not caring about anything else but Him. So I made myself
get back up on my feet, and everyone fit into either one or both categories. The
Lord powerfully released His love and glory, removing obstacles and taking
them into the Holy of Holies. It was so awesome!
Isn't it awesome that all the Lord
wants is willing vessels? Vessels He can refine, prepare, and then pour into
and pour out of? And all they are is simple vessels... I'm so amazed,
thankful and humbled that the living God, Creator of the Universe, would do
these things through someone like me! Yet, this is all I want, this is what I
live for, this is what I've longed for (and just the beginning), and I would
not live without any more for anything!!!
Ministry in Africa
When I get back from Africa, I'm
hoping for more opportunities to pour out, and I'm expecting a visible
increase of anointing and giftings.
Tomorrow I'm flying to Johannesburg,
South Africa, where I'll meet up with the rest of the Fresh Fire Ministries
(FFM) team (close to 100), and then fly on to Malawi with them. For one week
we will be feeding the poor, preaching the gospel, healing the sick, setting
the captives free, and whatever else the Lord wants to do. Todd Bentley
will be doing the evening meetings, and Heidi Baker will also be there
one night. Next Sunday, we are flying back to Johannesburg where we will do
the same, before ending our trip with a two-day safari in the national park
there.
This is what FFM wrote in its e-mail
newsletter:
This Sunday, we will leave with a
team of 89 others to Malawi, Africa to feed thousands, and host a 5 day
miracle crusade in this devastated country. We will go and minister in South
Africa in a big tent. Many on our team are ordinary men and woman, young
adults, housewives, businessmen, pastors and others who love Jesus. They will
help us pray for the sick, work with Heidi and Rolland Baker and their team
and feed the hungry. They will preach the gospel, cast out demons, and work
in deliverance tent, visit orphans, hospitals and more.
I'd encourage you to get on there
mailing list by signing up on their website www.freshfire.ca
. They send out powerful testimonies as well as teachings.
Also, I very much need and desire
your prayers for the next two weeks, as the warfare has already been intense
for the leadership, and will be very intense the whole two weeks. Pray for
protection of health and possessions, for angels to be released as our guards
and warriors, for boldness and single-mindedness, for much fruit through our
ministry, and I know I will not come back the same. We will be seeing many
saved, many healed, and many set free.
If you'd like to be more specific in
your prayers, and know immediately about challenges and problems, please sign
up for the FFM Prayer Shield e-mail list by sending an e-mail to
prayer@freshfire.ca and putting in the subject line "Add me to Todd's
Prayer shield".
I don't know yet whether I will have
any opportunity to send an e-mail from Malawi or South Africa, but will
certainly do so if possible. Check also the MALAWI page on my website
occasionally for pictures and reports.
Thank you in advance for your prayers
that will make a difference, and will bring much fruit for His kingdom.
In awe of HIM,
Claudia
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Ask of Me, and I will make the nations your inheritance. (Ps 2:8)
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Phone Number in Vienna May 14-June 1
and June 13-July 10
(+43) (0) 676 / 517 4008
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Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch
10808 Fremont Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64134
USA
(+1) 816-966-9294
claudia@healing2thenations.net
www.healing2thenations.net
www.glorywebservices.com
Talk to me online - I'm
"healing2thenations":
yahoo/msn messenger
Your support - whether by prayer or giving - is
greatly appreciated.
In Europe:
Bank name: BA/CA
Bank number: 12000
Account number: 509.101.468.00
Online (it will say Glory
Webservices):
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