Prayer Works 19

FAITH LIKE A CHILD!

The following account was written by a medical missionary in a remote region of South Africa. "I had worked hard one night to help a mother in the labor ward who was struggling for her life as she gave birth to her child. In spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny premature baby and a two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator or electricity. We also had no special feeding facilities.

"Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me, that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it was our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed.

"All right," I said, 'Put the baby as near the fire as you safely can and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'

"The following noon, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave them various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained the problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also mentioned the two-year-old sister crying because her mother had died.

"During prayer time, one 10-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God, send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.' While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a doll for her little sister so she'll know You really love her?'

"I was on the spot. I just did not believe that God could do this. Yes, I know God can do everything, the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

"Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car was gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears streaming down my face. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together they pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement was mounting. Some forty pair of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.

"From the top, I lifted out brightly colored knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. There were bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and mixing flour that could make a batch of buns. Then I put my hand in again, and felt the...could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new rubber hot water bottle. I cried.

I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent us the bottle, He must have sent the doll too!' Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully dressed doll. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she said, 'Can I go over with you and give this doll to that little girl, so she will know that Jesus really loves her?' 'Of course,' I replied.

"That parcel had been on the way for five whole months! Packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in the doll for an African child, five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it that afternoon!"

http://www.litmin.org/dare.php?row=320&date=2007-11-16

Prayer Works 18

MUSLIM'S LEG VISIBLY HEALED!

In western Ethiopia revival is spreading like wildfire. A year ago the West Pioneer Area (now Ethiopia West District) had no churches at all - not even one preaching point. Today they have 51 organized churches with plans to organize another 50 before their first district assembly in October 2008.

Just two weeks ago they were holding a holiness conference in a rural area. Over 1000 people had gathered to hear what these Nazarenes were preaching and teaching. It was at this time that 5 Muslims became desperate to help one of their friends. The man was paralyzed. Both legs were twisted into themselves, hanging from his body completely useless. They were paralyzed. He could not walk even one step. His five Muslim friends carried him to a nearby evangelical church of another denomination. They told these Muslims to take the cripple to the Nazarenes meeting nearby. They joked with them and said "the Nazarenes do not believe in the Holy Spirit. Take this man there and laugh at them when they try to deal with this situation." (Our Nazarenes are often accused of not believing in the Holy Spirit because they do not speak in unknown tongues). These Muslims left that evangelical church and carried their friend to where the Nazarenes were meeting. One of our Nazarene pastors (not the pastor of the Yeri Church of the Nazarene where the conference was held, but the zone leader) was preaching when they brought the man to the front and laid him at the altar. They said, "please ask God to heal our friend." The pastor stepped forward and laid his hands on the cripple and prayed for Jesus to restore the man's legs. Instantly the twisted legs began to move and then straighten and then strengthen until they were normal. The man flew to his feet and began running and jumping and praising the Lord. He was completely and instantly healed. On the spot 40 Muslims ran to the altar and gave their life to Christ. The great crowd erupted in great excitement and praise to the Lord.

A very sick Christian lady was sitting in the crowd that day. She had not been able to urinate for more than 3 days. Her stomach was severely extended and infections had set in because of her problem. She began to talk to those around her. She said, "that man was not even a Christian and God healed him. It is a shame for me to sit here when I'm a believer and not go and seek God's healing for my problem." The Christian people sitting near her were afraid to have her go forward for prayer. They were concerned that the victory that had just been won with the cripple being healed moments before would be lost if this woman was brought before the altar and God failed to heal her. They said, "just wait until tomorrow. We will take you to the doctors." Somehow word got to the pastor that there was a woman in the crowd who was very sick and wanted to be healed. The pastor told her to come forward for prayer. Her stomach was extremely swollen and she was in great pain as she stood before him. The pastor prayed and instantly urine came gushing forward (yuck! - but still a miracle). She walked away from the altar completely healed. The crowd went crazy. People were crying out to God. The Holy Spirit came and revival took place.

I need to tell you the rest of the story. In January I was in Metu, Ethiopia. I had been teaching and preaching in a leadership conference there. The pastor of Yeri (the community where this healing had taken place) was attending this conference. He was telling our leaders that he could not continue to pastor for the Church of the Nazarene because he did not receive support from the church. His leaders explained to him that we do not subsidize churches from the outside - that he had to develop a church of giving people that would care for their pastor. He told them last January. "Okay. I will try but I'm sure that I will be leaving the church. I have only 34 people. We have no shelter to worship under and we are poor." That was last January. Today is a different story. Since that momentous conference two weeks ago, his congregation has gone from 34 to about 250 people. They have built their own church building. They have continued to make the building larger and larger because the congregation keeps getting growing. A Nazarene from a nearby city went to this rural area to check out the stories that he had been hearing. He could not believe what he found there - a strong church, preaching a Christ who has risen and is still live and active today. When this visiting Nazarene left for home, he reached into his pocket and gave them money for 30 more sheets of tin for additional roofing. They need to extend the building again. This pastor who was ready to quit in January recently gave this testimony. "I do not think that I will die soon, but I'm ready and willing. And it will be right here that I will die. I will never leave the Church of the Nazarene. I will die here serving my savior."

My friends here it is again - another Book of Acts testimony. You need to know that God has not changed one bit. He still is bringing the paralyzed cripples to their feet, running and jumping and praising the Lord. Muslims are coming to Christ. Revival is taking place. God is still moving among His people.

Are we ready to die out to ourselves and let God work powerfully through us? That is His desire. Let's lay down everything that is getting in our way to be used by God in powerful New Testament ways.

http://www.hoanazarene.org/HOANazarene/News/Entries/2008/5/21_REVIVAL_IS_SPREAding.html

Prayer Works 17

SIERRA LEONE MIRACLE -- WOMAN RAISED FROM DEAD

Testimony confirmed by Rev. Samuel Bobor and local Pastors in Freetown.
Sister Mamie was a Muslim converted last year during Rev. Peter Scothern's Peace Crusade in Freetown Sierra leone. (October 2002)..... Mamie gave birth to a baby girl in May. She was nursed by a Private Birth Attendant .....Ten minutes after she had given birth everyone left her to rest. It was then that she started to bleed profusely ..... Before the Birth Attendant knew anything about the bleeding Mamie became unconscious and since there was no blood to give her she died.....The Pastor placed an Anointed Prayer Cloth on her from Rev. Peter Scothern and she was raised from the dead back to life.

http://www.peterscothernministries.com/sierra_%20leone.htm

Prayer Works 16

INDIAN GIRL COMES BACK TO LIFE

A 16-year-old girl from a village in the northern Indian state Bihar died - but still had an important mission to fulfill. A team which wanted to show the Jesus film in the village had been brusquely turned away by the village elders, who refused them permission. As the girl's parents were about to bury her, she woke up from the dead and said something amazing: the God of which the film team spoke had sent her back to the village for 7 days to tell them about him. The girl went to search for the team, and brought them back to the village, where they could show the film. Hundreds of people decided to become Christians, and at least 6 new churches were started.

http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/1998/dawn9848.html#India

Prayer Works 15

WOMAN WITH ARTHRITIS HEALED

A number of phyiscal healings occurred during a seminar about revival and healing in late summer 1998 in Pensacola, Florida, with Dr. Michael Brown and Suzette Hattingh, according to one participant. The following is part of the report: "Heike Barth is a young woman from Frankfurt, who stood up one day and danced and jumped around in the church. That is not normal, because she has arthritis. She says 'I am a musician in a secular group in Germany. It is a complete miracle that I am here; I attended a 'Holy Spirit' meeting in Germany, where someone gave me money to fly to Pensacola. I had never simply been given money before. A voice inside me said 'Go directly to Pensacola', but there weren't any flights free; everything was booked solid. Finally, I miraculously got a seat.

I have had arthritis since an accident when I was 17 years old. I could not run, could hardly walk, and was in constant pain. And now, following prayer, I can run around. Unbelievable!' Suzette Hattingh was a nurse and midwife before deciding to become a missionary, initially in German evangelist Reinhard Bonnke's staff. In January 1997, she started her own evangelistic ministry, 'Voice in the city'. 'There are many hindrances to Christians experiencing God's supernatural work,' she said during the seminar. 'One of them is knowledge in "the box of unbelief", our heads.'"

http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/1998/dawn9841.html#USA

Prayer Works 14

MYANMAR STERILE WOMAN GIVES BIRTH

In her area, the woman had been known as a witch for a long some. As she watched the Jesus film in her own language, she began to understand that the magical forces with which she worked could not compare with that which God had to offer. She decided to become a Christian and was baptised, but God had greater plans for her. All her life, she had wanted a child, but was sterile. She prayed to Jesus, and became pregnant soon after. She gave birth to a healthy son, even though she was already 52 years old. Inspired by what happened to her, 17 other members of her family have also decided to become Christians.

http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/1998/dawn9840.html#Myanmar

Prayer Works 13

DEAD GIRL RAISED IN INDIA

"A 4th-grade girl was recently bitten by a venomous snake, and died in hospital despite the doctor's best efforts to keep her alive. The staff left the dead girl's room. A few minutes later, two Christians from a church in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, heard what had happened and went into the room. They prayed for half an hour, calling on Jesus to restore the girl's life. The girl started to breathe, and her life returned. They quickly called the doctor, who was naturally perplexed by what had happened; he removed the venom from the wound on the girl's leg. The girl is now completely healthy. The news spread not only in the local church, but also throughout the hospital."

ANOTHER GIRL HEALED

The report continues: "In the Lak valley in northern India, a poor family brought their seriously ill little daughter to the local hospital. The doctors had no idea what to do, and wanted to send the girl to the nearest city for treatment, and told the father that it could cost US$7,000. Sam Chand, the girl's father, was in a desperate situation, because he, like most others in India, had no health insurance. After hearing of his need, the staff of a local mission agency went to the hospital to pray for the girl. God performed a miracle: she is now healthy and has returned home."

http://www.jesus.org.uk/dawn/1998/dawn9840.html#India