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He Calmed the Storm
Today, the first day of the crusade, there were ominous clouds in the sky for the first time since we’ve been here. Past days have been brilliantly sunny and dry, in fact, quite hot. But today the clouds threatened a thunderstorm. A hole in the clouds seemed to suggest lightening and at times, thunder could be heard far off. The staging and sound for the crusade had miraculously been finished on time. The choir posed for a photo shoot as a fierce wind rose up announcing rain. The crowd of men, women and children gathered slowly on the bleachers. The choir and band took their place on the stage. The teams sat in anticipation on the bleachers behind the stage. P. Carter arrived. Day one of this crusade became a reality. Although the crowd was not large, they were happy to be there. Like us, we all had an expectancy of what the Lord would do today in our midst. The choir ministered in song and ended with a song they had learned in the local language. The crowd was astounded and delighted. Some thought this was not possible. It must be a recording. The crowd rejoiced and joined in song and a spirit of joy preceded the Word of God from Pastor Carter.
This is The Year of Freedom for Zambia
P. Carter spoke a prophetic message to the people of Zambia gathered at Woodlands Stadium today. He explained that the Holy Spirit had told him “Go to my people in Zambia and tell them this is the year of their freedom.”
“The Holy Spirit talked to me about your society,” said Pastor Carter, “and he said it was similar to another society, Israel, that had been captivated by Egypt… When the people cried out for deliverance, God heard their cry and sent freedom in a very unexpected way. He sent two old men with a very simple message, ‘Let my people go.’ ‘Let my people go that they may serve me.’” This was the voice of God. But the enemy can imitate the voice of God and he warned Zambians to beware of false religious voices. The enemy can also imitate the wonders of God but he cannot bring life from the dust. Only the Word of God can give life. Only the truth of the bible can set us free. He warned Zambians that “if you have been listening to wrong voice you have no life.”
“Zambia,” P. Carter proclaimed, “Your freedom comes from the truth of the Almighty Word of God… God has already made a decree ‘Let my people go.’…O, Zambia! You must hear what God is saying to you! If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts…This word comes straight from the heart of God.”
God wants to make Zambia an example to all of Africa, a continent of war, disease, confusion, famine. Zambia will be known as a people under the dominion of God. Other nations will ask ‘How did you do it?’…and you will reply ‘we found the truth.’” The truth is not a formula. It’s a person, Jesus Christ. God is saying “I’m going to be taking you into the land of promise.” Where does it start? The revival that God is sending to Zambia starts with one person, it starts with you.” Renouncing your sin and walking in the truth of Christ.
As he made the altar call, 75% of the people present, children, men and women ran to the stage to respond to the altar call. As we beheld this extraordinary readiness to respond to the Word of God, those of us here from Times Square Church wept. Only the Spirit of God could evoke such a response. Indeed, today they heard His voice and they ran to their Father, who awaited them with open arms.
Pain in My Heart
A choir member was waiting at the elevators to go up to her room when a woman came out of one of the elevators and asked the choir member to pray for her. In her voice was an anguish that touched the choir member’s heart. She began to minister to her. The woman poured out her heart and told her she was a prostitute and had just come from servicing a man in one of the rooms. I have “pain in my heart, pain in my heart,” she kept saying. The choir member told her Jesus loved her, and took her to her room. She shared the gospel with her and led her to the Lord.
Grace
On Wednesday, October 27th, we told the story of a team member who ministered to a woman dying of AIDS with her fan. Today, the team that had visited the hospice was asked to go back there. They did not know why. The team member went to look for the woman she had ministered to. She learned that the woman, Grace, had died. She found the second woman who had been in the room as well. The woman was there with a visitor, her aunt. The team member sat with them a while and shared the gospel with the aunt and she gave her life to the Lord. Tonight at dinner, as the team member shared this testimony and remembered how she ministered to Grace with her fan, she encouraged us “to continue to do the little things,” because it is in these simple acts of love that the Lord is poured out and people turn to God.
Sing for Her
Teresa Conlon, Pastor Carter’s wife, shared a couple of testimonies with the group at dinner today. One was about her visit to the medical clinic where she met a woman who had just found out at the clinic that she was HIV positive. She learned that the woman had a six year-old and a four year-old, had been saved for a year and was suffering from several physical ailments including a rash from eating wild buffalo and a sty on her eye. She asked the woman what she wanted her to pray for. The woman said “pray that I won’t fail God.” Sister Teresa was amazed how contrary her prayer was to the usual spirit when tragedy befalls someone. This woman, faced with such a devastating set of circumstances, prayed that she would not fail God. Teresa asked the choir to “sing for her” in honor of her extraordinary request.
A Sound Testimony
We marveled today at how the Lord had caused all the details of this crusade to fall into place. The logistics of the crusade had, for the most part, gone smoothly, except for one, staging and sound. Everything regarding the staging and sound met with one obstacle or another. Coordination with the local sound people hired for the job was problematic. Sound equipment was the only piece of luggage not to arrive with the band and would not arrive in time for the first day. A day before the crusade, the stage was barely built and the sound was nonexistent. Our project director was forced to consider hiring an audio engineer from South Africa that she had never worked with. The pastors helping to coordinate the crusade were discouraged and apologetic to our team. Our project director prayed, thinking, “in every testimony, there is always a test.” The Holy Spirit guided her to hire him. His plane was delayed. The project director continued to pray, thinking that all this could be happening just so one person could get saved. Indeed. Turns out the audio engineer was not only available, but had been taking malaria pills for another trip and could come right away. When he arrived, they learned that the audio engineer, whose father was a pastor, was backslidden. “It’s like I should be here,” he said. Only the Lord knows what eternal impact this detour by a stranger who rescued our crusade in Zambia may have on his prospects for eternal life. To God be the glory!
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