Exercising Your Spiritual Senses: Walking With Jesus In The Marketplace

Presence Evangelism in Everyday Life

I was standing in the middle of a crowded Gulf Coast flea market, holding a plastic bag full of toothbrushes.

Ten toothbrushes for a dollar.

On paper, it looked like bargain hunting. In the Spirit, it was something else entirely. The air hummed with conversation and bartering, the smell of fried food drifted by, and somewhere in the midst of all that noise, Jesus was quietly orchestrating a series of divine appointments.

One lady lit up when she saw our “#Jesus” shirts and before I knew it, she was preaching louder and louder, her face shining as she shared how God had delivered her. Another time, a woman at the gate of that same flea market suddenly started confessing her faults and repenting right there in public. We had done what we always do – prayed, listened, and then simply “went” – but the Lord had done something much bigger than our simple obedience.

That tension right there – between everyday activity and supernatural orchestration – is where many of us struggle. We want to be spiritual, but we’re glued to our couches. We want to hear God, but we’re drowned in our own thoughts. We want to see miracles, but we never step outside the comfort of our routines.

In this post, I want to talk about exercising our spiritual senses – not as a theory, but from real-life encounters on the Gulf Coast: at flea markets, Walmart aisles, beach parks, and street corners. I’ll share how Jesus has been using these ordinary places to train me (and hopefully you) to walk in the Spirit, hear His voice, and love people with practical, prophetic, supernatural compassion.

If you’ve been wondering why your walk feels dry, why you’re not seeing the power of God, or why you rarely encounter the prophetic and supernatural, this is for you. The solution is not more theory. It’s “by reason of use.”

Walking In The Spirit, Not Just Knowing The Scriptures

When I hit the record button for that Coffee with Conrad episode, I opened with a couple of key scriptures that frame this whole conversation.

Paul writes:

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

(Romans 8:9 KJV)

And again:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

(Galatians 5:16 KJV)

Paul knew the Old Testament backward and forward. He was a walking Bible scholar. But until he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he did not have the Spirit. When the Lord knocked him off his high horse, he went from proud Saul to small Paul. He went from religious flesh to spiritual obedience.

That hits home for me.

In America, we have Bibles in every translation, sermons on every corner of the internet, and conferences for every niche. But are we walking in the Spirit, or just collecting information? Paul, the theologian, became Paul, the man who walked in the Spirit and wrote about it incessantly.

The turning point for him wasn’t more data. It was a real encounter with the living Jesus.

And that’s what I see over and over again – in my DMs, in the marketplace, on the streets.

Testimonies From Around The World – Real Persecution, Real Jesus

On social media I talk to people from all over the world now: New Zealand, Africa, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines. It used to be mostly Americans and a few from England and Australia. Now my inbox is full of stories that honestly shake me.

I’ll get questions from Africa like, “Is it okay for our pastor to make us eat snakes and rats?” I have to read that twice. Then I look it up, and sure enough, there’s some truly bizarre, abusive stuff going on in the name of “ministry.”

Then there are the testimonies from those who came out of Islam. People who lost their families because they confessed Jesus. These aren’t movies. These aren’t Christian novels. I’m messaging the person directly. They’re telling me how their family disowned them, how persecution is their daily reality, and how Jesus met them anyway.

When you hear those stories firsthand, it changes how you see your own comfort.

Meanwhile, over here, I run into people who don’t want to share their testimony because they’re saving it for a book. Now, I’ve written mine – it’s in my book – but I also give that away when I can, and I talk about my testimony all the time. Freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8 KJV)

The more I hear about how Jesus helps people in these dire situations, the more I realize: I don’t have the luxury of staying silent. I must share the gospel. I must share my story. And I must be led by the Spirit when I do it.

Strong Meat And Spiritual Senses: “By Reason Of Use”

There’s a verse that I really want you to grab hold of. Write it down, memorize it, wrestle with it:

“But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

(Hebrews 5:14 KJV)

Notice that phrase: by reason of use.

Not “by reason of sitting on the couch.” Not “by reason of collecting sermons.” Not “by reason of scrolling through Christian memes.”

By reason of use.

We pray before we go out to minister. But it’s not a one-way speech to God. We’re not just throwing up petitions and then going about our day unchanged. We wait, like in Acts 13, ministering to the Lord and listening. Sometimes He gives clear direction. Other times, we don’t hear much.

But whether we get a lightning bolt or a whisper, there’s a foundational principle: the field still has to be worked.

Jesus told the parable of the two sons. One said, “I’ll go work,” but never did. The other said, “I won’t,” but then actually went and worked the field. The father justified the one who did the will, not the one who talked about it.

So even if our prayer time ends without a dramatic vision, we go. We step out. We work the field. And as we do, our spiritual senses get exercised.

You can’t learn to discern the voice of the Shepherd if you never actually follow Him into risky situations.

Scene 1: The Flea Market – Hashtag Jesus And Presence Evangelism

Let me take you back to that flea market.

We’re weaving through hundreds of people, picking up toothbrushes and socks for the homeless. The air is hot and thick, vendors are shouting deals, kids are running past – it’s just a normal Gulf Coast market scene. But in the middle of all this, the Lord starts “highlighting” people.

Sometimes it’s an inner nudge. Sometimes it’s like my attention is drawn to one person out of the sea of faces – almost like a spiritual “mouse pointer” hovering over them. I’ll think of the woman with the issue of blood: out of all the people thronging Him, Jesus felt one touch. Virtue went out. There was a connection.

That’s often how it feels.

We’re also wearing our “#Jesus” shirts, which stir up all kinds of reactions. Some people cross the street to avoid us. Some shove their headphones deeper in their ears and turn away. But then, every so often, someone says, “Hey, I like your shirt.”

Right there – that’s a door.

The fleshly American response is, “Oh thanks,” and keep walking. But I’ve learned that when two or three are gathered in Jesus’ name, He shows up. When someone says they like my “#Jesus” shirt, they’ve just acknowledged His name. Sparks are flying in the Spirit, and I’ve learned to recognize that moment.

So this lady says she likes the shirt. I stop. We talk. She starts sharing her testimony.

And it’s powerful.

Her face lights up. She starts rapid-fire quoting scripture. Her voice rises as she describes how God saved and delivered her. For twenty to thirty minutes, she just goes. People slow down as they walk past, listening in. Some say, “Keep it up, God bless you.” Others just stand there, soaking in what she’s saying about Jesus.

I wasn’t the one preaching. Susan wasn’t either. This lady was. It was her testimony.

Meanwhile, there was someone nearby who was skeptical. She complained about contradictions – “You all say different things. Some of you talk Bible, some talk Spirit…” That’s where presence evangelism comes in.

You can argue doctrine all day. But when the Spirit of God is present, and a living testimony is going forth with fire, something shifts. This is why “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” (Revelation 12:11 KJV)

When testimonies are shared in the presence of the Lord, people start feeling the conviction to repent, even with no altar call.

At that same flea market, near the gate, another lady just started talking to us. As she spoke, something overwhelmed her. She began confessing her faults, saying she needed to repent. We prayed with her right there in the gate.

No building. No pulpit. Just presence.

That’s presence evangelism: the Spirit of God manifesting in ordinary places, working through simple obedience and shared stories.

Scene 2: Walmart, The Parking Lot, And The Limping Man

Another day, we were driving to Walmart. I’ve made a personal challenge: every time I go to the store, at least talk to one person about Jesus. I’m crucifying my pride and comfort, trying to be “instant in season, out of season” like Paul.

We carry goodie bags in the “Holy Roller” – jackets, blankets, socks, wool caps, gloves, hygiene items, snacks, Bibles. Sometimes we hit a group of people and can’t go deep with each one – they get stuff, but not as much discipleship. So we look for “stragglers” too – those who don’t make it into shelters. With them, we can really dig into kingdom keys like forgiveness and breaking bitterness.

On the way to Walmart, we saw a couple on the street. We stopped, gave them goodie bags, and I talked with the man. He had been hit with heavy losses in his family. Grief had sunk into depression. Depression had led to self-destructive behavior. As he shared, I thought, “I know this territory.” I’d walked through panic attacks, grief, and tragedies myself.

I shared how Jesus had met me in my darkest hours, the scriptures He used to pull me out, and some of the kingdom keys that helped me break through. We prayed. We blessed them. I believe that moment put a crack in the darkness that was pressing on him.

Then we drove on to Walmart.

Now watch how God orchestrates.

We park the car. I get out. Ten feet from the vehicle, I see a man limping. I recognize him: Michael.

Michael is the man from a previous encounter tied to another friend, Dean – a cessationist brother who doesn’t believe the gifts of the Spirit are for today. Dean is a great guy, loves the Bible, and we talk about Jesus with him at the beach park. One night, because of something Dean said, we ended up at Wendy’s where we met Michael.

It was in the 20s that night – bitter cold – and Michael only had the clothes on his back. We gave him blankets, gloves, a scarf, and a jacket that cost about three dollars. That night, it probably saved his life.

Now, here we are in the Walmart parking lot. Michael limps by and says, “Dude, that jacket saved my life. I would’ve froze that night if it wasn’t for the stuff you gave me.”

We got to talk more, pray more, share more kingdom keys.

You can call that coincidence if you want. I call it Jesus ordering our steps.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD…”

(Psalm 37:23 KJV)

Once again, by reason of use – by going, by carrying those bags, by being willing to be interrupted – God kept connecting threads we could have never woven ourselves.

Learning To Discern: Was That God, Me, Or The Devil?

Back inside Walmart, I was doing what I’ve trained myself to do: listening. “Lord, light someone up. Highlight someone. Give me something.”

He did.

One lady kept nearly running into me with her cart. Not once. Three times. At some point you’ve got to say, “Okay Lord, I’m seeing a pattern here.” So I stopped and asked, “Do you need prayer?”

We prayed for her, and in the middle of that prayer, the Lord dropped something into my spirit – a simple word, but specific enough to let her know that God saw her and cared. That’s what a word of knowledge often does: it reveals that the God of the universe is paying attention to one person’s situation.

That’s part of exercising our senses.

We have to learn to distinguish:

• Is that the Shepherd’s voice?
• Is that my own thoughts?
• Or is that the enemy?

Let me say this plainly: the devil is not going to tell you to go witness to someone and share a word of knowledge about Jesus. He is not going to lead you to preach the gospel, pray for someone’s healing, or give away Bibles and blankets in the name of Jesus.

When in doubt, step out.

There were also a couple of people that day I felt drawn to but didn’t manage to talk to. I missed those opportunities. I felt bad afterward. That’s part of the learning curve too. Sometimes we don’t “make the circumstances work” – we shrink back, or we get distracted.

But even our mistakes become training when we stay honest before the Lord.

That’s where another key comes in.

Confessing Our Faults And Bearing One Another’s Burdens

Toward the end of that sermon, I shared something I’ve been learning: a lot of us in America are self-centered, even in our Christian walk. We’re depressed, anxious, medicated, overwhelmed – but we stay isolated. We hide our faults. We put on the “I’m fine” mask and soldier on.

The Bible has a different prescription:

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

(James 5:16 KJV)

When we start actually talking to each other about our real struggles – “I’m depressed,” “I blew it,” “I should have witnessed to that lady and didn’t” – and we pray for each other, something happens.

There is healing in that place.

I’ve noticed something: when I take my eyes off myself and pray for someone else, healing starts working in me too. It’s like a boomerang effect. As I bear someone else’s burden, the Lord lifts mine.

Paul says:

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”

(Galatians 6:2 KJV)

The “law of Christ” is the law of love. Jesus said:

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another…”

(John 13:34 KJV)

People will know we are His disciples, not by our podcasts, not by our conferences, but by the love we have one for another – the kind of love you can see because we actually show up, help, listen, give, and pray.

Paul continues:

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

(Galatians 6:10 KJV)

Opportunity is everywhere – at the flea market, at Walmart, on the beach, in the DMs, at the park bench. The question is: are we taking it?

Personal Reflections

I don’t share these stories as a guy who’s “arrived.” I share them as someone Jesus keeps lovingly dragging off the couch and into the harvest field.

There are days when I don’t feel like talking to anyone. Days when depression tries to creep back in. Days when anxiety whispers, “Just keep to yourself.” I’ve had panic attacks. I’ve had seasons of deep grief. I’ve seen what happens when we turn inward and let the darkness fester.

But I’ve also seen what happens when we go anyway.

When I challenged myself to talk to at least one person about Jesus every time I went to the store, I wasn’t doing it because I’m super-spiritual. I did it because I know my own flesh. I know that if I don’t set a target, I’ll default to silence.

In those moments, the Lord has gently corrected me:

• When I hesitated and missed someone He highlighted, I felt that inner nudge: “You could have gone. Next time, step out.”
• When I started to get proud about ministry “success,” He reminded me of Paul – from proud Saul to small Paul – and how the real power came when he humbled himself.
• When I focused too much on my own issues, He put people in my path whose suffering made mine look small, and yet they radiated faith and joy. That rebuked my self-pity.

I’ve also learned from the homeless brothers and sisters we meet. There was one man, Donald, sitting on a bench reading. He had this calm, content demeanor. As he talked about how God took care of him – in the cold, in hunger, in simple daily needs – I realized he was living out what Jesus said:

“Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink… Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

(Matthew 6:25, 33 KJV)

He wasn’t a theology professor, but he was testifying to a living reality. God clothed him. God fed him. God sent people like us to bring what he needed at just the right time. When Susan gave him a full Bible to go with the New Testament he already had, he lit up. He wanted those Old Testament stories because he knew they help explain the New.

Standing there, I realized I was the one being discipled in that moment.

Jesus keeps showing me that the supernatural isn’t always flashy. Sometimes it’s a three-dollar jacket that saves a life. Sometimes it’s an almost-collision with a shopping cart that turns into healing prayer. Sometimes it’s a “nice shirt” comment that opens a twenty-minute impromptu sermon in the middle of a flea market aisle.

All of it flows from one thing: walking in the Spirit, not just talking about it.

Biblical References (Woven Into The Journey)

Here are some of the key scriptures that have been framing this whole journey, all from the KJV:

• Romans 8:9 – We are in the Spirit if the Spirit of God dwells in us; without the Spirit of Christ, we are none of His.
• Galatians 5:16 – Walking in the Spirit keeps us from fulfilling the lust of the flesh.
• Hebrews 5:14 – Strong meat belongs to those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.
• Psalm 37:23 – The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.
• James 5:16 – Confess your faults one to another, pray for one another, and you will be healed; the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
• Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
• Galatians 6:10 – Do good to all, especially the household of faith.
• Revelation 12:11 – Overcoming by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
• Matthew 6:25–34 – Don’t worry about what you will eat, drink, or wear; seek first the kingdom and His righteousness.
• Matthew 10:8 – “Freely ye have received, freely give.”

These aren’t just verses to quote. They’re invitations to a lifestyle: spiritual, Jesus-centered, prophetic, supernatural – right in the middle of everyday life.

Key Takeaways

• Walking in the Spirit is not theory; it’s learned “by reason of use” as we step out and obey.
• Testimonies are powerful weapons – they carry the presence of God and help people overcome.
• Presence evangelism happens when the Spirit of God shows up in ordinary places through simple obedience.
• Our steps really are ordered by the Lord when we’re willing to move.
• Confessing our faults and praying for one another brings healing – both to others and to us.
• Bearing one another’s burdens and doing good, especially to believers, fulfills the law of Christ, which is love.
• The devil will not lead you to share the gospel; when you feel that nudge, step out in faith.

Conclusion and Call to Action

If you’re waiting to “feel ready” before you step out, you’ll be waiting forever.

Paul didn’t start out as the polished apostle. He started out blind in a house on Straight Street, trying to process what had just happened on the road to Damascus. From there, he walked it out.

In the same way, you and I are not going to become spiritual heavyweights by sitting on the couch, scrolling through feeds, and nodding at sermons. Strong meat is for those who use their senses. Discernment grows when we push past awkwardness and talk to that person. Faith grows when we offer to pray. Love grows when we give the three-dollar jacket or the bag of snacks and the Bible.

Jesus is already at Walmart. He’s already at the flea market. He’s already on that park bench. He’s already in your DMs. He’s waiting for His body – you and me – to show up and agree with Him.

So let’s get off the couch.

Let’s ask the Lord to light someone up, and then let’s go talk to them. Let’s wear our faith on our sleeves – or on our shirts – so that one “nice shirt” turns into a twenty-minute move of God. Let’s confess our faults to each other, pray for each other, and watch healing flow in both directions.

If this stirs something in you, I want to invite you to stay connected. Subscribe, follow, share, and jump into the conversation. Share this post with someone who needs a nudge off the couch and into the harvest.

We’re learning together how to dig deeper and go higher in Jesus.

Action Items

• Pray before you go out. Ask the Lord to order your steps and “light up” at least one person for you to talk to every time you leave the house.
• Set a simple challenge. Commit to speaking to at least one person about Jesus every time you go to a store or public place.
• Carry something practical. Keep a small “goodie bag” (snacks, hygiene items, a New Testament) in your vehicle so you’re always ready to bless someone in need.
• Share your testimony. Stop saving your story for “someday.” Tell at least one person this week what Jesus has done for you.
• Find a confession partner. Connect with a trusted believer, confess your faults, and pray for each other regularly so that healing can flow and your spiritual senses can grow stronger.