Having parked up in the shopping centre car park, I was making my way down the several flights of stairs that lead to the shops and out onto the High Street.
About halfway down, I came upon the unexpected sight of a young man sitting by the stairwell wall, reading a book! I asked him what he was reading and whether it was any good! It was a book on “Digital Communication Skills” and we got into a chat about why he was reading it and what he wants to do in the future. Turns out nothing to do with digital communications! He’s a passionate musician who loves writing and performing his own hip-hop and rap music – this is what he really wants to pursue.
Then it was his turn to ask me what I was doing in town that day! I briefly explained about my passion for encouraging people with the good things God has to say about them and praying for pain to be taken away, however they may be experiencing it. Especially for physical pain to be removed in an instant through the name of Jesus, and how I had often seen Jesus do just that! This young man – Hanson – was really interested in this, asking me various questions, and I could almost feel him absorbing the words I was speaking.
At one point I said, “you know, Hanson, I believe that God the Father has a special word of encouragement just for you today. And, if I may share it, this is what I think it is” ……(Just to clarify, at this point I did not have a SINGLE THING to share with Hanson, not even one word! This was a definite case of opening my mouth and believing that God would fill it – on the fly!!) So I began to speak and, as I did, the words of a song/saying suddenly flashed in my mind :
“Your Mamma didn’t raise no fool”.
Hanson hadn’t told me anything about his family life up to this point, but as I spoke out this saying, I felt Holy Spirit go on to highlight certain things about the wisdom his mother had imparted to him being wisdom beyond his years and had shaped his ability to navigate life in a way that had protected him from many obstacles. There were other personal things in the word too.
Hanson then told me how true those words were for him – he had been brought up by his Mum in a single-parent home and what she had instilled in him had given him a maturity and protection that was beyond the norm. I could see this word from God had moved him deeply and he was very open to me telling Him more about how Jesus loves to communicate His heart to us in ways that brings encouragement and clarity. That’s when he said: “I just have one other question for you……”
I have to confess that my inner reaction was “Uh-oh, I hope this doesn’t go into territory of tangly theological debate! ” But my anxiety was unfounded.. Hanson instead asked me:
“How can I know this Jesus in the way that you have talked about?”
It was my joy to explain to Hanson about the simple profoundness of inviting Jesus to be our own Saviour - our genuine invitation is what He eagerly responds to. Hanson gladly took up my offer to help him pray to receive Jesus right there and then in the stair well! What a beautiful moment in that dingy place as this precious one turned from the things of darkness and was brought into the Kingdom of Light as he accepted Jesus’ death and resurrection for him! We also prayed together for Hanson to be filled with the Holy Spirit and afterwards he testified to feeling an immense peace inside that he had never felt before. He was smiling ear to ear!!! It was glorious!!!
I encouraged him to find a “tribe” – other believers who “get” his artistic/musical gifts and can champion him fully in those as well as help him grow in his faith journey. I also sensed that Hanson has a strong prophetic gift and mentioned a few things that he might notice in a new way, now that Jesus lives inside him and will speak personally to him. It felt like pennies were dropping for Hanson as I said this and, as he talked further, I could see that Jesus had already been speaking to Hanson through various signposts and Divine “set-ups” in his life. It was like a fantastic joining of heavenly dots!! What a privilege to get to see them join up in this young man’s life in that stairwell!
One final miracle …..the entire time we were in that stairwell, not a SINGLE OTHER PERSON came up or down it or near us. We had a Heaven-protected zone all to ourselves!! Oh - and the angels, of course!! When we said the “Amen” to our final prayer, some shoppers then came up the stairs and passed us by, oblivious to all that had just happened on the Stairway to Heaven!!!
Next time you come across a stranger reading a book – why not ask them what they are reading and see where Holy Spirt takes you next!! It could end up in Heavenly places!!