Letters From India

Rise and Expansion of the Christian Church

In India

 

 

 

 

                                               Introduction

 

This booklet began as an e-mail correspondence between two friends. Sangat and his friend  were Bible school classmates in the United States during the early 1980's.  Both went separate ways, Sangat, Friend a businessman in Virginia and Sangat an evangelist in India.  The friendship was renewed a year ago and grew as Sangat shared with his friend about his Christian home fellowship ministry in India. 

 

Gospel of power

These letters record the growth of a Christian church based solely on the power resident in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is the calling card of signs, miracles and wonders that most of us have never seen but have only read about in the pages of our Bibles between the Gospel of John and the Epistle to the Romans.  This is the story of a 21^st century Book of Acts.  Without radio, television or relentless appeals for partnerships and funds, this ministry is changing lives from the teeming streets of Delhi to the mountain villages of the Himalayas and the plains of south India.  Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims are responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ because of its power to heal, raise the dead, cast out devil spirits, and meet the basic needs of daily life are never guaranteed.

 

Family construction business

In these pages, you will meet Sangat Bains, born of an Indian father and a Japanese mother.  Sangat was raised in Japan and India, but it was at a college in the United States where Jesus Christ changed his life and future.  This is not the account of an individual but of a family construction business:

Jesus Christ is the foreman and God the sole proprietor.  In these pages, you will meet fellow laborers?Bhupinder, Gulab Singh, Gopal, Shanti, the unforgettable Mohan Lal, and many other members in God's family construction crew.

 

Sum of all teaching

Look Only To God, is the basic message that Sangat has been teaching in India since his arrival in the early 1980s. In many ways it is the sum of all teachings in that trust in God and God alone is the desired end result of all biblical activity be it bible study, prayer or church attendance. The joy and charm of this study is its simplicity. The reader will feel his ability to look to and trust God grow, with each turn of the page.

 

 

 

 

The Amazing Testimony of Mohan Lal Sharma

 

 

God bless you, and your Family and the believers abundantly.

 

The following are testimonies and principles on how people receive deliverance from God. You will see that it is done by declaring the absoluteness of the Word of God and His wonderful works. This certainly inspires many to have faith to receive deliverance, be saved, and to come to an accurate knowledge of God.

 

 

I visited Mohan Lal Sharma at Ashok Vihar, Delhi, with Ashish and Rajan this Sunday October 12, 2003. We went to hear how God's Word was spreading in his hometown, Adhiaksh, in the Amethi district, about 500 miles east of Delhi. In the past nine-month period, as he injured his leg, for the recovery he went back to his home.

 

Mohan Lal became a Christian about a year and half ago and as far as knowledge of the Word of God is concerned, he did not know much.  While he was in Delhi, he was busy with work and did not attend any Bible classes, but he was faithful in attending fellowships. Mohan Lal knew the basic Truth that God is able to answer prayers and the importance of sharing his testimony of what God did for him and that God can do the same for them.

 

Broken leg opens doors of utterance

About nine months ago, Mohan Lal suffered a broken leg in an auto accident.  He returned to his hometown, Alam, to heal.  He walked quickly, believing God would heal him as he walked.

 

One day, while he was walking in the market of his hometown, a Muslim acquaintance, Alam, about 35 years old (same age as Mohan Lal), a businessman and a leader of Muslim community; saw him and called him to come to his shop.  Alam asked him how he could walk so quickly since he had only recently broken his leg. Alam had also been in an accident a long time before Mohan Lal and suffered a leg injury. Alam was curious since he still had serious pains in his knees.

 

 Mohan Lal then told him that God healed his leg. He was able to walk so quickly because that he had made his request known to God with thanksgiving. He told Alam that if he wanted to walk, then he too should pray to the True God and he would be walking right away.

 

The next day Mohan Lal saw Alam walking nearby his house so he called him and asked him why he was walking. (God had already shown Mohan Lal that Alam had been healed.) Alam explained to him that he did exactly what Mohan Lal told him to do, that is, to make his desire known to God with faith and thanksgiving that God has heard his prayer.  He said that immediately after he had spoken to God, the pain in his knee vanished, and he was able to walk.

 

300 Muslims and 200 Hindus converted

Alam then began to give his testimony to his many Muslim friends. Today about 300 Muslims are attending Mohan Lal's fellowship, in addition to 200 or so Hindus; daily the number is increasing.

 

I asked Mohan Lal what he did in his fellowship since he was a new believer and while in Delhi, he did not conduct his own fellowship, even though he witnessed to people a lot.  He said that he had fellowship daily in his home which is a big one and able to accommodate a large number of people.  He said that he began his fellowship with prayer and a time for sharing of testimonies. The sharing lasted over an hour since many people had testimonies of deliverance or answers to prayer from God. We too had a time of sharing of testimonies during our fellowships here in Delhi and Mohan Lal incorporated that into his fellowship.

 

I believe declaring God's great works to others and praising Him during fellowship is one of the great keys for God to add people to the fellowship.

           

Acts 2:47

Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

 

Sharing the great works and deliverance from God and giving glory to God is our praise to Him, and this inspires people to believe Him. It shows people that indeed God is able.

 

The power of Absolute Truth

After sharing of testimonies, Mohan Lal would teach the simple Word of God that he knew which is: Our God is able. Nothing is impossible for God to do for people. We are to make requests to Him with thanksgiving and with faith. We shall absolutely receive the answer to our prayers.

 

He really believes these, and so he taught these Absolute Truths with all boldness to the believers in his fellowship.  Mohan Lal would then close his fellowship. At the time he did not know how to speak in tongues, interpret or prophecy.  But he did know he could heal the sick and cast out devil spirits, and he did know God would give him knowledge and wisdom. Yesterday I led Mohan Lal into speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy.  I showed him how simple it was operate these manifestations, so that he could do the same for the believers in his hometown.

 

Signs, miracles and wonders

One day during a fellowship, a high-ranking police official from the district came to his house accompanied by his security men and several vehicles. The saints did not know why the police force came to the house.   Some said they came to arrest Mohan Lal for conducting religious activities.  Mohan Lal is a man with courage and boldness, and he told his nephew, Bhola, to go to the entrance gate of the house and not to let the police officer to enter.

 He instructed Bhola to ask him why he came to his house.  Bhola stopped the police officer at the gate and asked the nature of his visit. The officer said he came to see Mohan Lal and that this was a personal and not an official visit. He said his eighteen-year- old daughter was blind. He had heard from someone that Mohan Lal could heal the sick.  Bhola, who is seventeen years old, said to the high-ranking police officer that if he desired deliverance from the True God, then he had to be humble. He should take off his uniform, which manifested the pride of man-given power and authority.  The officer immediately returned to his car and changed into simple clothes and entered Mohan Lal's house with his daughter.

 

Blind girl instantly healed

Mohan Lal said to the officer that his daughter would immediately recover her sight if he believed that God could do this.  The man said he believed that God could recover his daughter's blindness.  Then Mohan Lal asked his daughter how many fingers she saw while having his hand opened with his five fingers.  She said five.  Then her father, the high-ranking police officer, gave thanks to God.  Mohan Lal told her to tell the color of his clothes; she said the correct color.  Since this time, the police officer has become a regular member of the fellowship. He too has given testimony to many of the great deliverance and the wonderful work that the True God did for his beloved daughter.

 

Chief voodoo magician believes

One of the greatest voodoo magicians in his area who cast spells, (that is, to send a devil spirit to harm people by receiving payment from his clients) also began to attend Mohan Lal's fellowship because he understood how the power that Mohan Lal demonstrated was greater than his own spells.  He had placed a spell on Mohan Lal and not only did it not work but the devil spirit involved returned and attacked the voodoo chief. This made a great impact on his community and many attended Mohan Lal's fellowship.

 

Voodoo priests kill: True God restores life

A newly married girl, about twenty, who lived near Mahan Lal's home had a  problem with fits. The family invited voodoo priests to their house to cure her. During  the exorcising ritual the priests beat the girl on the back to drive out the evil spirits. During the violent beating, the girl fell to the ground and died.  When the family realized that the girl was dead, they beat their chests and howled in extreme anguish and sorrow.   

 

Mohan Lal heard the commotion and as he entered the house, he saw many in anguish and beating their chests, showing their extreme sorrow.  Mohan Lal, before entering further, prayed to God that He would give him the boldness and strength to raise the girl from the dead.  He confronted the voodoo priests, saying that they worked for wickedness and their curses had taken life, but His God would restore life. God inspired him to put his hand upon the dead girl's head and as he touched her, she began to breathe.  All who saw the girl restored to life were amazed, and the voodoo priests immediately fled from the house.  Now this family and the girl attend the daily fellowship at Mohan Lal's home.

 

The Word of God and nothing but the Word of God

Mohan Lal told me that they wished me to visit his hometown to meet the believers.  I too wish to visit them and teach and guide them so that they may be strengthened and established in the faith and that the Word of God grows mightily in his area and surrounding areas.  I continue to see the importance of keeping teachings simple.  It is the wonderful truth and simplicity of the Word of God that inspires people to have faith in God.  It is helpful for believers to see that God is indeed able to deliver them from any situation. This is why it is important to have a time of sharing of testimonies of what our wonderful God has done. This builds our believing and inspires believing in others.

 

There are many verses regarding speaking the wonderful works and deliverance He makes available to us, but the following are some of them:

 

I Chronicles 16:24-29

Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all         nations. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared  above all gods.

For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

 

Psalms 9:11

Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.

 

Psalms 66:16

Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

 

Psalms 73:28

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

 

Psalms 107:22

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

 

 

Andhera Pradesh and Peddapuram Visits to Strengthen the Saints and Establish Home Fellowships

 

I left Delhi station at 8:30pm 27^th Jan and reached Samalkot station (railway station for Peddapuram area) at noon of 29^th Jan. This was my first visit to Peddapuram in twenty years.  Previously in 1982 I visited this area frequently and taught pastors and believers and ran a Foundational Bible Class.  Since then I maintained communication with Victor Emmanuel who is the pastor of this area through letters.  I sent elders from Delhi periodically, and Victor visited me in Delhi once or twice a year.

 

Travel difficulties and meeting the believers.

When we reached Peddapuram a goods train had been derailed somewhere around Rajahmundry station, so my train stopped until the track was repaired.  Since the station where we were stopped was just 2 stations away from Samalkot, I proceeded to take a bus to Samalkot station, which was about 48 miles from where Victor Emmanuel, a pastor in this area, and others were waiting.

 

When I reached Samalkot station, Victor and others were waiting for me at the platform and were surprised to see me there at the station without the train having arrived.  I explained how I came to the station.  That day we had a fellowship at Victor's home.  There were wonderful believers present, young and old, and some had taken the Telegu Foundational Bible Class given by Victor.

 

Believers healed of various infirmities

Victor had arranged a lot of meetings for me where I could teach the Word of God.  Since there happened to be a strike in Andhera Pradesh, I was able to meet with some believers in the morning and taught them various things from the Word of God.  At 3:00pm, we went to the home of one of the believers, Prasad Rao's, for a fellowship at the rooftop.  He covered the rooftop with a structure using palm wood and palm leaves.  He told me that God had put it in his heart to construct this structure at the roof top so that many people could come to fellowship; God had given him the design, what materials to use, and how to construct the structure.

 

Power and authority of God evidenced

As we began, many people began to come; there might have been around 40 people or so at this fellowship.  I taught the simple basics from God's Word with the help of Victor interpreting it into Telegu language.   After the fellowship was over, some of the people desired to be healed and came forward to be healed.  These people had great faith and thus, one by one, various sickness, joint problems, eyesight problems, heart problems, devil spirit oppression, and sickness due to devil spirits were removed by the power and authority of God.  As I ministered, more and more people came forward for deliverance.  All of them received deliverance instantaneously.

 

In the evening we went to Yerampelem, a village about six miles away from Peddapuram, to a home fellowship conducted by Raja Rao, a 65 year-old believer who had attended Victor's Telegu Foundational Bible Class.  Victor told me that Raja Rao began to preach the Word of God in this village where he worked as a health officer before retirement.  The villagers very much appreciated the Word he taught, and they asked him to stay to teach and help them to learn God's Word.  I cannot describe to you how the village was, except you must come and see it yourself; I liked the place very much.

 

Crippled child healed

There were about thirty saints present that night in the village. They sang songs of praise with beautiful voices.  There, too, I taught the basics of the Word of God: to have confidence in God our Father and to recognize the importance of knowing one's position in Christ. After the meeting, some of believers wanted me to minister healing to them, which I did, and they received healing.  There were back pains, knee joint pains and one woman had an issue of blood problem, and various other needs were all healed. A seven year old child had never walked (she could not move her leg at all) from birth.  Her legs began to move, and I instructed her mother not to fear but to encourage the child to walk. After ministering healing, we went back to Victor's home about 11:00pm.

 

Prostitutes respond to Word of God

After breakfast, Victor heard from the believers in the village we had visited the night before.  They said that as a result of the healing service at the end of the fellowship, all that had come forward, including Prasad Rao (at whose home the fellowship was held), were healed. Victor and the others were excited to hear it; although we knew at the time we ministered that everyone had received deliverance.

 

While we were speaking together, one of Victor's friends came over to meet me.  We discussed various things from the Word of God, and I encouraged him to continue learning the Word of God from Victor.  We were invited to Kruparao's home for lunch (he had taken the Foundational Bible Class some time in 1982 with Victor but was not so much involved now).  After that, a Lutheran pastor who was also Victor's friend invited us to share the Word of God to those who turned to God from prostitution.  Victor told me about this after we returned to his home from this meeting.  The believer women had been sharing the Word of God with the prostitutes. No one else had been willing to speak God's Word to them; the Word of God delivered those who heard.

 

Alcoholic healed

At 3:30pm, we again had a fellowship meeting on the rooftop of Prasad Rao's home.  One of the ladies brought her husband who had been a drunkard. When I ministered to him, the day before, I asked her to believe from this day onward he would stop drinking.  She joyously told us while standing with her husband that he had stopped drinking since I had ministered to him.  Her husband asked me to heal the pain that he had all over his body; the pain went out of his body instantaneously.  Due to the deliverance he received, they had witnessed to their relatives and neighbors. Many more came to be healed. I ministered, perhaps to 30 or so people at this time.

 

Since we had to meet someone at Victor's home and it was getting late for that appointment, we decided to return to Victor's house.  Later Prasad Rao told us that many more came to be healed after I left since some of the ladies who were healed today were boldly witnessing. They told many that they had been healed of their illness and inspired many others to come for healing.  We will return to Prasad Rao's fellowship next month to avail deliverance to those who desire.

 

At night we went to Chinny's, a believer in the village of Vadalamuru, to attend his home fellowship. His house proved too small since so many people showed up to hear the Word of God and receive healing, so we moved the fellowship to the local Baptist meeting hall which they kindly provided. There were around 40 people present; I taught the Word of God, and Victor translated into Telegu. After the meeting many came to be healed.  They all had faith to be healed; thus, they all were healed instantaneously.  Some of them were suffering from sickness, and some had physical problems for many years; young and old, all were healed in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Even after leaving the church hall and returning to Chinny's home, many who heard of the healings sought us at Chinny's house. All those who sought deliverance were healed by the power of God. We finally departed the village at 11:00pm and returned to Peddapuram.

 

Victor's son, David, brought to me a colleague who worked at his school. His name was Chitti Babu, and he wanted to manifest holy spirit by speaking in tongues. We spent an hour of instruction on this topic, and then Chitti Babu spoke in tongues for the first time in his life. He was 35 years old.  He will be taking the Telegu Foundational Bible Class from Victor, which will begin soon.

 

Thyroid and sinus problems healed

Today, we were invited to attend Mr. David Livingstone's (Victor's cousin) retirement function. David respects God greatly and will evangelize the Word of God in this city in the future. David lives in Rajahmundry about 24 miles from Peddapuram.  We met David and his family.  The function ended around 3:00pm.  Prasad Rao, who also accompanied us, took us to his sister's home in that city.  When we reached her home, her husband, Kass, told us that she has been suffering from a thyroid problem, high blood pressure and high blood sugar level.  He told us that she had been depressed and had thought many times of taking her own life.  They had two daughters, one 18 and one 14. As we spoke the Word of God to the family, I saw that she and her husband had the faith to be healed. I ministered to her.  After ministering healing, she told us that she felt within her self that she had been healed.  I told her to give thanks to God.

 

Kass wanted his son also to be healed since his son's sinus had been blocked for over a year.  I ministered to the sinus, and it immediately opened up and he was able to breathe smoothly.  A few others, who were their neighbors, also came to be healed.  After this, we encouraged Kass to keep in touch with his brother-in-law, Prasad Rao, and Victor to learn more about the Word of God.

 

We reached Peddapuram at Victor's home around 5:30pm.  When we were sitting at his home, Victor's son, David, told us about his colleague, Chitti Babu, the teacher from his school who visited us in the morning and spoke in tongues.

 

Truth made plain, all healed

David said that since Chitti Babu heard the Word of God and spoke in tongues he had became very quiet.  Chitti Babu was about to take school students to Bangalore, about 360 miles from Peddapuram, for a field trip and was to leave with the students by a train in the afternoon.  David was surprised to see him so quiet; he asked him what had happened to him.  Chitti Babu said that he had been thinking about the truth he heard that morning and had read from his Bible. He was deeply moved by the fact that for all these years, his pastors and ministers had not taught him these truths. He said the truth was so plain, yet he had to wait so long to come to know it.  David said that he was in a way sad about it and seemed in shock.  Chitti Babu is now determined to take the Telegu Foundational Bible class.

 

That evening, we had a home fellowship at Raja Rao's home; he had been reaching out to villagers where he was a health officer.  I taught them about the hope of Jesus Christ's return, the type of body we shall have, and about future rewards.  After this meeting, his wife and others who came to the fellowship desired to be healed, and they were all healed.

 

Lutheran church and rooftop fellowships

Jagga Rao and Paul came to Victor's house at 8:30am; I led them into speaking in tongues. At 9:30am, we left for the Lutheran church in Samalkot which was a few miles away in Peddapuram. We were invited to the Lutheran church where Victor's daughter's mother-in-law was the elder of the church. I taught on the broken body and shed blood since they were to have Holy Communion. The pastor and the other clergy of the church were surprised at the plainness of the scriptures on this subject. They said they had read these verses many times but had never seen this depth of understanding opened to them.

 

 I am very thankful to God that we have been given an abundance of accuracy of God's Word that I learned when I was attending Bible school in the United States. Those who know the accuracy of God's Word have a responsibility to teach  all who desire to know the Truth.  I also am happy to see the meekness of these pastors who had great joy in beholding the truth. They wanted me to teach at the English service later in the day; however, we had other commitments and regrettably declined.

 

After we returned from the church service, I encouraged Victor to teach believers regarding the manifestations of holy spirit and to lead them into speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy as soon as possible.  I told him not to wait for a Foundational Bible Class to lead new saints into speaking in tongues.  They could manifest first and then learn the in-depth knowledge regarding it later in a class.  I told him also to immediately teach new believers how to minister healing and cast out devil spirits.

 

At 6:00pm, Jagga Rao, Paul and Ravi came to Victor's home to learn more and to practice speaking in tongues.  Ravi had not yet spoken in tongues, so I helped him to speak in tongues.  By this time, Jagga Rao and Paul were much better at speaking in tongues as they had already spoken in tongues in the morning; thus, I proceeded to instruct on interpretation of tongues.  They immediately were able to interpret. Then I proceeded to instruct them on prophecy, which they did immediately.  I planned to help Ravi on interpretation of tongues and prophecy the next day.

 

We then went to Prakash Rao's home, to the rooftop, for the evening fellowship.  I taught them from Psalm 103.  After the fellowship, many came forward to be delivered of various health problems, while others came forward to tell us about the deliverance they received as a result of the previous day's ministering session.

 

Impact of wrong believing on finances and economy

Mr. David Livingstone, who just had retired from the Lutheran school of Rajahmundry, visited us here at Victor's home this morning.  I was very blessed to hear how he has been holding forth the Word of God faithfully for many years.  He invited us to Rajahmundry, about one hour away, the next day for a morning home fellowship.  I now see a great door opening in this area of the country. I am beginning to see the importance of additional visits to assist the local elders and to train others so the Body of Christ can effectively function in this part of India.

 

I noticed that the people in this area, including the believers, were not as prosperous as the saints in Delhi.  Many people do not have jobs or are working for extremely low pay.  Last night at the fellowship of Prakash Rao, there was a Hindu man, Uppar Rao, who had turned to Christianity. He had seen no benefit in worshipping his goddess whom he and his family had worshipped for many years.  He had retired from the army several years earlier.  Upon discharge, he had received a substantial amount of money and purchased six motor scooters. In this part of India, he was considered quite wealthy; however, he lost all his investment. He realized that his goddess did not do anything for him; instead, she took what he earned. Thus he turned to the True God and is now learning the way of God.  We encouraged him to continue to come to fellowship, and learn the Word of God and receive the financial deliverance he needed.

 

Instructions on speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy and gifts of healing

As I ministered during this trip, I saw great numbers of people oppressed by the devil for many years, and I had great compassion for what they had been suffering. Many of them received deliverance and when I leave here, Victor and others will preach, teach and deliver people from the authority of the devil, and instruct them on their position in Christ. This is necessary for them to live the more abundant life our heavenly Father promises in His Word.

 

We invited Jagga Rao, Paul, and Deva Saheyam this evening for more practice on the manifestations of holy spirit.  I showed them that manifesting holy spirit by speaking in tongues is very simple.  What I do in order to speak in tongues is: 

I move my lips, my tongue, my vocal cords and I form words. As I do, God supplies the words I speak in a foreign language; that language is unknown to me. The holy spirit in me supplies the words, but it is my responsibility to move my vocal cords, lips and tongue and form words.

 

Interpretation of tongues functions in the same manner. I first speak in tongues, and then immediately I speak in the language of the people present what God inspires me to speak. The interpretation is always in the language of the people present.

To prophecy, I speak immediately what I am inspired to say in the language of the people present. I speak until the spirit in me inspires me to stop. 

 

Operation of the gift of healing works on the same principle: When people desire healing, begin to minister healing. If you wish to talk with the person to find out what is needed, then ask questions, or if you want to determine the level of the individual's believing, then do so.  If you want to speak God's Word to build up confidence, then do that.  Do what you feel inspired to do or are comfortable to do.  When you begin to minister, speak to the problem or speak what you are inspired to speak.

 

The operation of gifts of healing functions in the same manner as speaking in tongues.  What a person speaks is not premeditated; it is inspired by God at the moment the speaker opens his mouth to speak.  God is never late.  Upon ministering healing, it is quite normal for the inexperienced believer to wonder what to say to the person desiring healing.  However, when we begin to minister healing, all necessary things needed to be said or done will be known at that specific time.  God is never late.  The believer ministering healing speaks healing into being or tells the problem to leave. As the one ministering healing begins, God will inspire appropriate words and actions.  Just like speaking in tongues, the words in an unknown tongue are not premeditated but are present at the moment the speaker opens his mouth to speak. After I explained this to them, some people came to Victor's home to be healed, and I was able to demonstrate this principle in front of them.

 

We then went to Prakash Rao's home, and went up to the rooftop and led Prakash Rao into speaking in tongues.  That night, I taught the believers about speaking in tongues, and I spoke in tongues in front of them to demonstrate.  I asked them to go to Victor if they wished to speak in tongues. There were some who needed healing who came to this fellowship, and I ministered healing to them.

 

Healing ministered over the telephone

I planned to depart for Delhi by train today at 4:00pm.  Prior to that we will be going to Rajahmundry to have a home fellowship with Mr. David Livingstone, his family and others.  We left Peddapuram at 8:30am and reached Rajahmundry at 9:45am.  There were about 10 people since it was a working day, so some of the saints took half-day leave to be with us.  David has been running his fellowship at his home for many years.  He and his wife took the Foundational and Intermediate Bible class in 1982.  He also goes to people in need of healing and speaks to them of God's promise on this subject, and if they have believing to be healed, brings Victor's wife who is confident in ministering healing. 

Sometimes he tells those with sickness, if they want to be healed, to call Victor's wife. Many times, those who called Victor's wife were healed while being ministered healing over the telephone.

 

There were some who attended the morning fellowship who needed healing and after the fellowship, I ministered healing to them. After the fellowship, we, including David, departed Rajahmundry for Peddapuram a few miles away.  At Victor's home, some elders were waiting for us, and I encouraged them to run a fellowship at their homes as well (those who haven't yet), and to manifest holy spirit through the operation of tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy in the fellowships. I also encouraged them to deliver those in need of healing by speaking the Word of God to them and healing them.

 After we prayed and said farewell to them, I spent some time with Victor's family and thanked them for the wonderful stay and time they made available for me.  I also thanked them for standing faithfully for many years reaching out to many and raising up elders in this part of the country. There is a great door of utterance opened in this part of the country. I certainly need to visit regularly to instruct the saints how to reach out to others for salvation and make known an accurate knowledge of the truth.

 

We reached the railway station at 3:30pm and I left for Delhi at 4:15pm for another long journey back home.  I reached Delhi station on Feb 6 (Thursday) at 6:00am and reached home at 6:45am.  Well, this is a report of some of the things which took place while I was in Peddapuram and its nearby villages and towns in Andhera Pradesh, South India during the period, Jan 29 to Feb 4, 2003.

 

 

Acts of the Holy Spirit in Delhi

 

I visited one of our fellowships on Tuesday evening and I wanted to share with you some of the testimonies of believers; we have this time of sharing of testimonies in every home fellowship.  Hearing testimonies of believers indeed inspires all of us of what God is able to do for us and help us go to God, our Father, with confidence as we become more sure of His Word, that it is the Truth.

 

Power of God over the common cold

Vijay has a four-year old daughter and a younger son.  Recently both his son and daughter caught colds, and his daughter was running a fever.  He said previously when they caught colds it stayed with them for a long time.  After several days, he began to wonder why as a son of God he had to put up with these problems. He then prayed over a glass of water and said, "This is the body of Christ that was broken for us." He had his son and daughter drink the water. The children then slept for awhile. Upon waking, they had neither cold nor fever. Even though Delhi has had one of its coldest winters in history, the children have been healthy and strong since that day.

 

Vijay is a scooter and motorcycle mechanic; however, he did not have any conveyances.  Since he wanted to attend many of the fellowships, he wanted to have a scooter for himself; however, he did not have enough money to purchase one.  He made a decision to pray to God, and he asked Him to give him a scooter.  The next day, one of his customers who had his scooter serviced by Vijay came and told him that he had a used scooter that he did not ride.  He said to Vijay that he could have it if he desired.  Since he was a scooter mechanic, he got this secondhand scooter repaired it, and it now runs like a new one.

 

One of the new believers (whose name I forgot) shared with us that while at work a few days ago, he received a phone call from his wife.  She was suffering from a severe stomach pain and wanted her husband return home immediately.  However, he was in the midst an important project and could not do so. He told her to pray to God and to tell her stomach to be healed.  When he returned home, his wife was fine. Her pain disappeared immediately after doing what he had told her.

 

 

Power of God over bureaucracy

Satya Singh is a cook of Indian food.  He got a job in a restaurant in the Republic of Palau, a beautiful island in the Pacific Ocean.  He needed to renew his passport and needed to report for work immediately.  Normally passport renewal takes two weeks.  The process could be speeded up by paying a high fee to a broker.  However, the broker in this case did not want to take the job since the passport official in question was such an unpleasant, unreasonable individual.

 

Satya Singh prayed to God that he would get the officer's signature and a renewed passport in the same day.  The broker might be afraid of the officer but he decided he would not because His God was with him when he faced the officer.  He entered in the room of the officer and showed all the documents. The officer smoothly and immediately stamped and signed all the necessary documents.  His passport was renewed in the same day, and Satya Singh is now getting ready to leave for his new job in the Republic of Palau, a tourists' paradise island.

 

 

Comfort of the scriptures

Rani's husband passed away last year.  She has two daughters who were already married and has two more daughters with her.  She was constantly worried about the future when her other daughters left home and married.  She prayed to God for direction for her life.

 

That night, she saw in a dream a temple of God, and I walked out of it and said to her, "Why do you look so sad and what shall I do for you?"  She said in her dream, "What should I do?"  I answered, "Read the book of Job, Philippians and James".  Rani was illiterate, so she waited until her daughters woke up and asked them to read her the book of Job.  She was blessed to learn of Job's faithfulness in the face of the loss of his children, complete estate and wealth, not to mention the infestation of boils over his entire body. She said that her own loss was very little compared to Job, and she was comforted from the scriptures. God did not leave Job alone; moreover, he left him with an abundance of sustenance.

 

Excessive drinking healed    

Mahajan told us that sometime ago, he began to drink whisky before dinner at home.  Initially, he drank only about two glasses.  Eventually, he found himself drinking four glasses of whisky and then half a bottle and finally a full bottle.  Recently, he became convicted that he was spending far too much on drinking from his income that should be spent on his children. He knew that he could not quit drinking by himself.

 

He asked God to help him stop drinking.  Specifically, he asked God that the next time he drank, that he would vomit. The following day, as he took a sip, he felt sick and immediately vomited.  He told us that every time he thought about drinking, he would feel ill; as a result, he no longer is tempted to drink.

 

Importance of total trust in God

This testimony was from the other home fellowship held yesterday that I came to know when I spoke to the leader of that fellowship this morning.  Ramkreet, a believer of this fellowship, shared yesterday that he had a boil on one of his eyelids, and it became so large that his fellow factory workers told him to visit a doctor for treatment.  Many of the fellow workers with kind intentions suggested to him that he should get it treated immediately.

 

Ramkreet was tired of hearing their suggestions and said to them that by the end of that day's work, the boil would be gone. He prayed to God that it should be so.  Indeed, by the end of the day, the boil was gone and, moreover, there was no trace of it.  The workers around him were surprised at the God of Ramkreet. 

 

Sangat's daughter healed

This is my testimony.  The power that resides in the proper use of Holy Communion is something that has been on my mind lately. I knew that it was commanded by Lord to ?do in remembrance of me,' yet it was not something in which I frequently partook. This was partially true because I did not want to make it a religious ritual in my life.  As a result, I was depriving myself and others of the full power resident in the broken body and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Recently, I had observed that the saints were not receiving healing during the Holy Communion, because they did not believe upon eating the bread that they absolutely were going to be healed. Additionally, I did not believe to put the power of the healing wholeness into the bread.

 

With all this in mind, I decided to experiment when my eldest daughter, Preet, who had developed a mouth ulcer in two places and a large pimple on the left side of her cheek.  Last night I administered a piece of bread representing the broken body of Christ to her.  I prayed and believed that this piece of bread had the power to make her whole, thanked God, and gave it to her.  The next morning, both the mouth ulcer and the large pimple were no longer there.  I will be sharing about this in our next fellowship as well as in the other fellowships I will be attending.

 

I am indeed finding a great benefit in believers sharing what God has done for them at each fellowship, as we were greatly inspired to see that our God is able.  Therefore, we have a time of sharing of what God has done in each fellowship here in India.

 

 

Acts of the Holy Spirit in South India

 

I arrived at Trivandrum airport at 2:30pm where I was received by Joseph Vederash, who conducts home fellowships and runs Bible classes in and around the area of Martandam that is about 40 miles further south of Trivandrum in the state of Tamil Nadu.  Jacob John, who became believer about the same time as Joseph in 1984 in Delhi, was there also to receive me.

 

Ongoing teaching of elders

While we traveled on a bus to Martandam, he told us how God's Word has been moving in his area.  Joseph had been conducting home fellowships for medical college students in the medical college in Martandam.   The students are mostly from the state of Tamilnadu; however, there were also many students from other parts of India.  In the past year, Joseph has conducted bible classes similar to the Foundational Bible Class I took in the United States in the 1970s. We arrived at Joseph's home. It is a wonderful home with coconut palms, banana trees, and other vegetation unique in this part of the country. 

 

I shared with them regarding the manifestations of holy spirit and that I would be teaching more on this subject the next day.  I was blessed to see much hunger in Joseph and Jacob to learn God's Word. I know they will continue to win and raise up people to evangelize God's Word in this part of India.

 

 The next morning at Joseph's home, we began a study on the manifestations of holy spirit and some portions of the paper I had written on "How to Heal the Sick and Cast Out Devils" We were planning to depart for Jacob's home in Ayoor about 62 miles north of Joseph's home; it is on the way to Kotamangalam.

 

We left Joseph's home at 3:00pm and took a bus to Ayoor.  To go to Ayoor, we went through Trivandram, the state capital of Kerala.  On both sides of the road  were coconut palms, rubber trees and many other types of vegetation.  At one point we were surrounded by beautiful hills with lush tropical green trees. We reached Ayoor around 7:00pm.  We spent more time on the topic of "How to Heal the Sick and Cast Out Devils" with Joseph and Jacob that evening.

 

In the morning, we spent much time discussing the outreach of God's Word in Tamil Nadu state.  I understood in more detail how Joseph was evangelizing God's Word in that state.  I shared with him some of the important points and basic principles of evangelization.  I was very blessed to see how Joseph trusted God and his commitment to work for Him.  So far Joseph has been teaching the Foundational Bible Class in English; however, I encouraged him to teach it in Tamil as this would help many more people in his state. I taught Jacob and Joseph again on the subject of "How to Heal the Sick and Cast out Devils" and showed them the simplicity of the manifestations of holy spirit.

 

We woke up at 5:00am to leave for Jacob's home at 6:00pm to get to Kotamangalam, 125 miles or so north of Ayoor.  Kotamangalam is about 35 miles from the port city of Cochin. The bus journey was again pleasant as I enjoyed the surrounding beautiful scenery.  We reached Kotamangalam around 1:30pm and met Mr. & Mrs. Sevi (Xavier Joseph), Rev. Johnson Sebastian (He is a minister from Delhi and brother-in-law to Sevi), Vargeese (who ministers the Word of God with Rev. Johnson in Delhi) and other elders and believers from the Kotamangalam home fellowships. In the evening, we had a fellowship with Kotamangalam elders and about forty saints.

 

Principles of healing taught

We had a seminar today with leaders and saints of Sevi's fellowship as well as other people who wanted to attend this fellowship from this city and other cities.  The seminar is on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for three hours each day.  In the evenings, we have open public meetings.

 

I decided to teach Foundational Bible principles in these seminar sessions.  There were various ministers in the evening public meeting today, so I taught healing from two perspectives, not only from the one who heals but also from the one who receives healings.  Rev. Johnson taught the first half (he is from this state of Kerala and thus knows Malyalam, so he taught them in this local language).  I taught the Word of God in English and an interpreter translated it into Malyalam.  Leaders and saints of Sevi's fellowship as well as pastors from local churches and other cities came to me after the meeting and told me that they learned much about healing from the evening teaching.

 

Testimonies and many healed

We continued the teaching on Foundational Bible principles this morning; about thirty people participated.  I encouraged Sevi, who is an elder here, to translate the Foundational Bible class into the Malayalam language.  Joseph is translating the Class into the Tamil language, and he plans to teach a live Foundational Bible Class this year.  So far, he has been teaching the class in English to English-speaking people, mostly medical college students.  He taught the class to seven groups of students last year. The morning session ended at 1:30pm, and we made healing available to those who sought it.

 

We rested and began the evening public meeting at 5:30pm; over one hundred people participated in this meeting. We began with music and songs and then teaching.  After the teaching, Rev. Prem Raj, who is a nephew of a previous chief minister of Kerala and a convert from the High Hindu caste gave his testimonies of deliverance and how he turned to the true God. There were many who desired deliverance in the meeting, so we healed all those who came to be healed and all received deliverance.  Some wanted to speak in tongues, so I led them into speaking in tongues.

 

 

Conclusion of Foundational Bible Class

Today was the last day of the seminar and the public meeting.  I continued to teach the class with the help of an interpreter, and I was able to complete four sessions (of twelve) of the Foundational Bible Class.  The elder here, Sevi, would in the future teach the class in Malyalam, their local language. India has fifteen major languages and hundreds of dialects in a population of over one billion. Our country is rich indeed with many colorful cultures and a multitude of religions.  The local believers need to rise up and teach the accuracy and integrity of God's Word and help others to do the same.

 

I taught in the evening public meeting after Rev. Johnson had taught (about the authority we have in Christ). I continued teaching on the type of spirit we received from God which allows us to manifest all nine manifestations of holy spirit, which is power from on high.  I concluded by teaching on speaking in tongues and touched briefly on interpretation of tongues and prophecy.  After the meeting, those who desired healing came forward and were healed.

 

False gods rejected

Before Joseph, who is an elder in Tamilnadu, and Jacob, who works and lives in Cochin about 36 miles from Kotamangalam and 185 miles north of Martandam, returned to their respective places, we prayed together.  They were certainly blessed to be able to fellowship with me, and I was also with them for the past week.  I would again be communicating to them through letters and telephone calls.  Joseph told me that he would come to visit me in October.

 

After seeing them off at the bus depot, Johnny, Vergeese, Jose and I visited Jose's home in Kotamangalam.  We also visited his land near his home that he wanted to sell and we prayed to God together that this land could be sold quickly.  Next to that land was a Hindu family whom Jose knew, and we spoke the Word of God and told them about the True God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

The family had many problems, and when I asked them whether they got any benefits from their gods or not, then they answered that they did not get any benefits at all.  In fact, each year they made a pilgrimage to a far place to worship their gods.  The father of the house, who was 75 years old, and the son and mother who were at the house believed the Word of God which we spoke and confessed Romans 10:9 right then and there.

 

We asked Jose to follow up with them and help them in the Way. In the evening I taught the Word of God to the saints in Kotamangalam.

 

We would be visiting Mr. Kuriako's home for a short while this morning and then move to Aluva, 24 miles from Kotamangalam where Sevi, his wife and their son live.  Mr. Kuriako came to pick us up in his van; he is retired from the telephone company and now is devoted to evangelizing God's Word.  He took us to his home where we met his wife and his daughter.  We spent a while at his home and then went to a location where elephants were trained. The drive to this place was about 10 miles and was through rice fields, pineapple farms and forests.  We saw many young elephants that were two or three years old. Mr. Kuriako then took us to Sevi's home at Aluva. 

 

A long day with the believers

I got up at 3:00am and left the house for Cochin airport.  We reached it at 4:20am; the flight was at 5:20am.  I reached Visakhapatnam airport at 12:20pm as I had to change a flight and waited four hours for another plane to Chennai airport.  Once I reached Visakhapatnam airport, I moved to Visakhapatnam railway station and caught the 1:05pm train to travel about 90 miles south to Samalkot station where I headed for Peddapuram.  The trip took two-and-half hours.  While on the train, Victor Emmanuel, an elder in Peddapuram, called me on my cell phone and asked my arrival time at Samalkot station.  When I arrived, Victor, Jagga Rao, Samson David and Chinni greeted me.  We then went to Victor's house.

 

We had a fellowship at Victor's home that night as Wednesday was his usual fellowship day.  I met various saints and elders.  They arranged a room for me in a hotel with air conditioning since it was very hot in Peddapuram Andhera Pradesh state. Victor arranged a seminar for me to teach from 8:00 to 10:00 in the morning and 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening for the next four days to strengthen elders in the area.

 

Sangat's heart for God's people

We had a morning meeting at Victor's home where the elders attended.  I taught on speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecy. Victor is currently running a Telegu Foundational Bible Class in Peddapuram.  After the morning teaching session, Victor and I traveled about 25 miles by local bus to Rajahmundry to meet David Livingstone. David is a leader in this city and recently retired from a senior clerical job at the local school.  We decided to visit him since he had not been well for some days.  We reached his home just past noon.  Thank God that I got to visit him.

 

We had a wonderful time of fellowship together. We departed around 5:00pm and reached Peddapuram about 6:00pm.  Believers and elders were already waiting for us for the evening session of teaching of God's Word.  Prakash Rao was able to attend this session, and he asked us to conduct fellowship at the flat rooftop of his house (many Indian houses have flat rooftops) Saturday and Sunday from 4:00pm to 5:30pm.  I continued to teach the basics of God's Word and the simplicity of God's Word, which is: God is perfect, His Word is perfect, and God means what He says and says what he means, etc.  The truth from God is simply written in the Bible.  We are able to separate tradition and the Truth by reading what it is written.

 

 

Challenging living and working conditions

We met the leaders at Victor's home again this morning and worked on speaking tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy.  I continued to emphasize the importance of following what the Word of God says and not the commandment of men and tradition of men.  It has been really hot here in Andhera Pradesh at 46 degrees centigrade (115 degrees Fahrenheit); unlike Tamilnadu and Kerala where their maximum temperature was 33 degrees centigrade (90 degrees Fahrenheit). Here people do not use air conditioning in their homes, so it gets really hot after 11:00am and remains so until 5:30pm.  I thank God that they had arranged a room in a lodge with air conditioning so that I could rest at night. We have been having the evening sessions at this hotel room with the comfort of air conditioning.

 

Tonight I taught the principles of the manifestation of holy spirit and went on to the impartation manifestations (i.e. faith, gifts of healing, and miracles). I showed them the keys that are plainly revealed in the Word of God regarding healing.  Each day I was thankful for the hunger these believers have for God and His Word.

 

At 4:00pm we had a fellowship on the rooftop of Prakash Rao's home.  Since it was an open meeting, I taught them on the basics of who our God is and His Son, Jesus Christ and about Truth of God versus the traditions of men. After the meeting was over, many came forward to be healed.  I showed the leaders the principles of healing and how to heal.  People with various sicknesses and problems were instantly delivered. 

 

I taught the elders in the evening session from 6:00pm to 8:30pm regarding casting out the devils from the scriptures.  I certainly thank God for Victor for what he is doing for God's people here.

 

Conclusion of five-day seminar

There was no electricity for about an hour when we began the final morning session. We reviewed all the points on the manifestations of holy spirit. Also I shared the importance of tithing and cheerful giving from the Word of God.  Victor also shared with the leaders in Telegu, the language spoken in this part of India, the summary of the teachings I did during these five days in Peddapuram.

 

At 5:00pm we visited the rooftop of Prakash Rao's home again for a fellowship.  We sang songs, prayed and I got to share the Word of God with the believers.  Again there were many who came forward to receive healing.  All those who came forward had faith to receive healing and did so instantaneously. 

 

At 6:15pm we returned to the hotel room and met with the elders for the final meeting.  Victor and I shared with them regarding the Mystery and the reward we shall receive for our faithful work together with God.  I thanked God for these wonderful people who shall reach out to the people with the Word of God and His love and power after I leave for Delhi.  I know they shall stand on the Truth and bring many to salvation and to the knowledge of the Truth. I also thanked God for these 15 days or so that I got to travel around South India to be with leaders and believers to build them up.  

 

This is a brief diary of my visit to leaders and believers of South India.

 

 

Acts of the Holy Spirit in Utranchal Pradesh

 

In this report I will focus more on testimonies and deliverances.

 

Bhupinder, Rakesh, Michael, Dharam Pal, Ashish and I left Delhi around 10:30am. Bhupinder and I and took turns driving about 160 miles north of Delhi. We reached Dehera Dun at 6:30pm where Glab Singh and his family live; it is in the plains region at the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. We felt much cooler at 75 degrees in the evening since the temperature of Delhi was 92 degrees.  

 

Glab Singh is the elder in this region and became a Christian in Delhi and then about a year ago returned to his home town, Dehera Dun, to begin outreach work. Glab Singh woke up early in the morning around 4:30am to prepare lunch for the believers (He used to be a cook for Indian cuisine) who would be coming for the fellowship.  Some believers were coming from nearby areas, and some were from Rishikesh, 12 miles away, and others from Raiwala 15 miles away, by taxi and bus.  Over one hundred believers attended the morning fellowship.

 

Young and new believers heal others

Some of them came early and I got to talk to them.  Shanti, a woman, from Raiwala, originally from Nepal, received physical deliverance after hearing what the True God could do for her. A young girl only 15 years old witnessed to her and healed her. Shanti's husband was an alcoholic and whenever he drank, he became violent. After Shanti was healed and had come to know what God could do, she prayed to God for her husband. He was delivered from heavy drinking and became peaceful.

 

Shanti's friend, whose name I forgot, also attended the fellowship. She had had a severe liver problem for the past two years.  This friend related to me that Shanti spoke to her of the true God and how she could be delivered in the name of Jesus Christ.  One day she went to Shanti and desired healing.  Shanti then healed her in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Fierce devil spirit obeys and leaves

Gopal, in his mid-twenties, also shared with us about his deliverance from devil spirit possession.  He and his family suffered also since Gopal was fierce and violent; and none could come near him.  The spirit in him threatened and cursed everyone in his home.  The family heard Glab Singh could cast out devils so they brought Gopal to him. The devil spirit shouted through Gopal and became fierce; however, it recognized Glab Singh and obeyed his command and departed.  Gopal then accepted Jesus as Lord and believed that God has raised him from the dead and spoke in tongues.  

 

Deliverance from sixteen years of spirit possession

When we began our fellowship, Glab Singh played the Tabla (a small drum) and Vijay, an elder in this region, played the harmonium (a small hand pumped organ) and they sang hymns to God in their language, Galwahli. They knew also Hindi, so there were no problems in communicating to the believers.  These believers had their own home fellowships weekly; some even had daily fellowships.

I was told how this door of utterance had been opened in Dehera Dun area.  Ram Singh, had been a devout worshipper of the Hindu god, Hanuman.  He fasted weekly on Tuesdays and had a séances with Hanuman who would speak to him. Despite this, his wife remained seriously ill for many years. 

 

One day he visited a relative in Delhi when one of the members of the house was possessed with a devil.  Ram Singh began to pray to Hanuman to deliver the woman from the devil.  As he prayed to Hanuman, the devil spirit in the woman spoke to him and told Ram Singh that he had no power to cast him out. Then to his shock, the spirit told him that it had come to Ram Singh's house sixteen years previously and was the cause of his wife's sickness.

 

Ram Singh became disappointed with Hanuman since his god had no power to cast out devils. His god not only had no power over this spirit, but his wife became sick the same year he began to worship Hanuman. He also thought at that time, what was the use of worshipping Hanuman with his whole heart when his wife had been seriously sick for many years?

 

After this incident, Ram Singh returned to his village in Garwahl when some one told him about a fellowship in Delhi where they could heal the sick.  He contacted one of his relatives, who also had a big problem with devils haunting his house, to go to a Delhi fellowship with him and his wife.  All night, they heard thumping of feet on the roof as if someone were dancing or knocking at the door and windows.  When they went to check where they heard the sounds, they saw no one.

 

Ram Singh took his wife, Pinky, Pinky's mother, and her younger sister to Delhi.  The five of them found the house of Ram Singh (the name of the fellowship leader was also Ram Singh) in Delhi.  Ram Singh, the fellowship leader, first heard from all of them what had been happening and proceeded to speak the Word of God and told how the True God could deliver them.  As Ram Singh (the fellowship leader) spoke the Word of God, the devil in the wife of the other Ram Singh began to speak and said that it came to live in her when they began worshipping Hanuman. 

 

They then understood that Hanuman, who they worshipped, was in fact the devil spirit possessing Ram Singh's wife, causing her sickness these sixteen years. Ram Singh, the leader, ordered the devil to leave because they no longer worshipped it.  The devil obeyed him and departed.  Immediately, all of them confessed with their mouth Jesus as Lord and believed in their heart that God has raised him from the dead. (Ed. note: It is the nature of devil spirits to lie and deceive.)

 

Ram Singh, the fellowship leader, taught them for several days about the True God and what was available from Him. He also led them into speaking in tongues.  Ram Singh taught them about the authority they had over the devils and that Pinky and their family no longer had to fear the devils that haunted their house; the devils must depart their house. 

 

When Pinky's mother and her two daughters returned to their home in Raiwala, they began fellowship in their home daily.  The devil one day appeared in such a way that they could see half of its body.  Pinky's younger sister (I forgot her name) commanded the devil to go away in the name of Jesus Christ; then, the devil vanished out of their sight and since then there were no more noises and sounds heard at night. 

 

Snowball effect in believing the true God

Pinky's younger sister told us about her school friend, a daughter of a Hindu priest, who often had seizures. One day, during a seizure in the classroom, she fell down.  The class teacher was about to take the child to a doctor when Pinky's sister told the teacher about the fellowship she attended and that she could heal the girl.  The teacher gave permission, and she then proceeded to heal her friend with the power of God.  Her friend's eyes opened immediately, and she regained consciousness. Since that time there have been no more seizures. Once this became known in the school, whenever anyone was sick at the school, the person would seek Pinky's sister to be healed.

 

Side trip to the mountains

After the morning fellowship and lunch, we drove up to the hills about 75 miles on winding mountain roads to the Tiri Garwahal district.  It took about 5 hours to get to Khandhi, Glab Singh's village.  We arrived about 7:30pm: the weather was cool, pleasant and only 68 degrees.  During this drive, we passed the huge Tiri dam, which was still under construction. 

 

Many of the villages on the mountains did not have telephones or electricity but had solar panes to produce from 500 to 1000 watts of electricity.  There was no running water, and the villagers had to walk several miles for drinking water. From the age of ten, women would transport water in containers. This was in addition to housework, farming and caring for cattle.  The men worked as manual laborers; some were fortunate to work in private or government offices.  However, many men went out of the state to earn incomes while wives and children remained in the villages.

 

 

 

Miracles converts Hindus

We had a fellowship at Glab Singh's village home at 10:00am; his mother, elder sister and relatives prepared lunch for the believers.  There were about 70 or so believers in attendance from local villages.  All the believers here as well as in Dehera Dun and nearby cities were from the Hindu faith. They all turned to God because they saw miracles happen in their lives or the lives of others.

 

We also had a fellowship at 9:00pm.  There were about 30 or so saints present. Since most of the saints already spoke in tongues, I taught on tongues with interpretation and prophecy.  I thank God for all that He is doing for these people. I thank God also for Glab Singh for his faithful loving service in reaching out to many in these mountain areas and raising up elders so they too could reach out and win others.

 

We left Glab Singh's home in Khandhi at 6:30am to go to Dobe, where another elder, Dev Singh, lived. The trip was about 20 miles; there was another fellowship scheduled for 10:30 am.  It was only a dirt road, so we had to drive very slowly.  Eventually we had to walk.  We walked for about 30 minutes up the mountain footpath and stopped briefly for breakfast at a local restaurant. The path was surrounded with pine tree and shrubs.  We found wild rose and rose hip on the way.  We arrived about 9:20.

 

The blind healed

Dev Singh, the fellowship elder, became a Christian after he had heard of the healing power of the True God and had been healed of seven years of blindness. At the time of his healing and conversion, he was living in Delhi.  About three years ago he returned to his village home in Dobe and began to boldly witness to people about the True God and His delivering power.  Since that time, many were healed of physical sicknesses, devil spirit possession, and confessed Jesus as Lord and believed that God had raised him from the dead.

 

There were over 70 believers attending the morning fellowship, and many gave testimonies of deliverance they had received from God.  All of them knew nothing about Jesus Christ before Dev Singh returned to the village.  With the help of Glab Singh's monthly visits to this village, believers were getting established and some of them were rising up to be elders.  Dev Singh is in his mid 50's and has grandchildren.  Whenever his grandchildren were unwell or hurt, they go to Dev Singh and are healed instantly. 

 

 

Affliction caused by devil spirit

Mrs. Shanti, around 45 years old, also gave her testimony of deliverance from devil spirit possession.  For 23 years she could hardly lift her arms, feet and legs because of acute pain in her body.  When she heard from Dev Singh that God was able to deliver her, she went to him to receive healing.  When Dev Singh began to heal her, a devil spoke through her and said that it had been in her for 23 years and was causing the affliction that was destroying her.  Dev Singh commanded the spirit to depart, and it went out.  When Mrs. Shanti was delivered from this spiritual and physical bondage, she was able to do her house work for the first time in twenty-three years.  Glab Singh and Bhupinder encouraged the believers and leaders to continue in the Way and to enjoy the more than abundant life Jesus Christ had made available.

 

Water buffalo healed: village believes

A woman who heard Dev Singh preach the Word in his village had a water buffalo that had been sick for about a month from a deadly sickness. The doctors and villagers knew from experience that no cattle had previously survived this disease.  Many people in the village told her to take an offering (goat or hen) to their idol gods and goddesses.  They also said that this disease came because she was attending the fellowship at Dev Singh's home, so the gods and goddesses were angry.

 

 The woman refused to make offerings or serve the idols even if her cattle died but she chose to trust that the True God would deliver her buffalo.  The next morning her neighbors reported that her buffalo was eating grass; in fact, it gave an abundance of milk. The villagers were astonished and recognized that this deliverance was from the True God.  Consequently, many people from the village began to come to the fellowship of Dev Singh and believed the True God.

 

After lunch, we left the village Dobe, walked down the hill for about 20 minutes to reach our parked car, and drove back to Khandhi to Glab Singh's home.  We reached his home around 6:00pm.

 

God intervenes for drunk

Once we reached Glab Singh's home we rested since every night there was a fellowship lasting until 2 to 3 am. Once refreshed we decided to see a man who was well known for his drunkenness.  He had a good job but he spent all his money on alcohol.  His wife, two sons and mother all believed the True God once they forsook the idols they worshiped. (They physically threw out all the idols and altars out of their house.)  However, the father who drank heavily maintained idols in his office drawer.  In the privacy of his office he would burn incense sticks to the idols and worship his gods.

 

His wife asked Glab Singh to pray that her husband would stop drinking and worshipping other gods.  Glab Singh told the wife that he would pray with her to the True God.  The next morning when her husband began to burn incense in his office, both his arms turned around to the point where the back of the palms faced each other.  He was shocked. Soon as he dropped the incense, his hands became normal.  The next morning he began to worship and attempted to light the incense, the same thing happened.  He immediately called his wife; she said this was caused by his worshipping other gods.

 

Previously, we had wanted to meet the husband but he always slipped away, and he drank as much as possible.  This particular day we prayed to God to find him home when we arrived and that he would be delivered from his drinking problem.

We were able to meet him this morning and to speak the Word of God to him. He promised that he would attend the fellowship in his home that evening.  When we arrived for the fellowship he was present and sober.  When the village neighbors saw this, they were astonished because they had never seen him sober at night.  The neighbors wanted to know who and what power had changed the man over night.

 

Hymns composed in native tongue

The songs believers sang during the fellowships were in Garwahli, the language of this part of India and were composed by Glab Singh.  He and Vijay Singh took turns playing harmonium and tabla.  He had composed about 24 beautiful hymns and praises.  These were the first hymns in the Garwahli language, since no one had ever preached the word of God in this mountainous part of India before.

 

Our plan today was to attend a fellowship at Andhethi nine miles away from Khandhi, Glab Singh's village house, and then to return to the city of Dehera Dun about 90 miles on the plain.  By the way, we have been in the mountain villages at 2500 ft to 3000 ft above the sea level.  We started the day with a fellowship at Ram Singh's (This is another Ram Singh; this name is common here) home in Andhethi at 10:00am.  We heard various testimonies at the start of fellowship.

 

True God is faithful to heal

One lady said that she had fallen down over 30 feet, hit the ground and then tumbled down further.  As she fell down, she shouted and cried to God to deliver her and cried who would look after her little children.  She lost consciousness after she hit the ground and tumbled twice more.  Someone saw her fall and called people from her village to rescue her. She regained consciousness after they carried her back to her house. She had no ill effects only  had little pain on one ankle and one side of her hip.  She and her family thanked the True God for saving her life.

 

There were several women who had infirmities for many years; each one gave her testimony. One had the infirmity for 5 years, the other for 7 years and the third over 20 years.  They were living with heavy doses of medication daily; however when they turned to the True God and believed, they were healed of  all the infirmities and had not needed a single dose of medication.

 

Child raised from the dead

Meher Singh's daughter, about 5 years, old fell down a flight of stairs and lost consciousness.  While they walked up the road to a vehicle to go to the hospital, the daughter died.  However, Meher Singh held her tight and had confidence that God would surely bring back her breath.  It took over 2 hours to get to the nearest hospital. Meher Singh said that about 2 hours after her death and before they reached the hospital, her daughter began to breathe.  He then showed us his daughter who was sitting with her mother in the meeting.

 

We heard many more testimonies of deliverance from believers after they heard the good news.  By the way, we had to walk up a narrow and steep mountain path for 45 minutes to get to Ram Singh's house.  Since we were not used to walking up such steep roads, we had to take many stops to catch our breath.

 

Now, there were over 500 believers in Dehera Dun and the mountain areas where Glab Singh has been reaching out and speaking the Word of God.  He is confident that multitudes of people would be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth in the near future through speaking the "quick and powerful" Word of God and manifesting the power we have been given from God.

 

After fellowship and lunch, we said farewell to these wonderful believers and left for Glab Singh's home down in the city of Dehera Dun.  Glab Singh's mother and sister also returned to Dehera Dun, and we heard from them how they too came to the True God and the many wonderful blessings their family received as a result of believing the True God that night.  We left Glab Singh's home at 8:00am to drive back to Delhi 250kms or so and reached Delhi around 2:30pm.  

 

I pray to God to raise up more faithful leaders who would go out to all parts of India, as there are many regions of this country where there are multitudes of people ready now to be saved, delivered and come to the True God.  The harvest is indeed plenty but the laborers are few. I too pray that our God to raises up multitudes of leaders who trust Him and love Him to go out to the field to reap the harvest.

 

We will be sending another leader, a full-time minister and his family to the different parts of this mountain region soon, so that more people may be saved and more leaders may be raised up to do the work of the ministry.

 

 

Sangat's Story of His Life and Ministry

 

How I became a Christian

I was born in Tokyo, Japan on September 14, 1953.  My Father was an Indian from Hoshiar Pur, Punjab, and my mother is Japanese from Tokyo.  When my Father was young, he left India, I think, during the time of World War II. He joined his elder brother in Stockton, California to assist him and other Indians in liberating India from the British rule.  As it became difficult to continue these activities in the US ( as the British were allies to the US), his brother asked him to leave for Japan, which was helping India to gain independence from Britain, to continue the liberation work.  That was why he came to Japan and there he met my Mother.

 

My Father's religion was Sikhism; perhaps you might have seen an Indian man with turban, beard and mustache; that is what the Sikh looks like.  My mother was a Buddhist, but when she married my father, she followed his religion.  Sikhs believe in an invisible God, and they believe that there is "One Guru", that through him mankind could get to that Highest Spirit, God, and to receive the way of salvation.

 

We had a prayer room in our house where my Father instructed us to go and pray to God in the morning and evening. Besides this we thanked God before each meal.  We prayed in the prayer room together, and he also read scriptures from "Granth", the holy book of this religion. At that time, I did not understand anything from these scriptures because I did not know the Punjabi language in which the scripture was written.

 

Tokyo to Bombay

I studied in Tokyo in a Japanese school up to the seventh grade. After completing this class, I asked my Father to take me to India and enroll me in school there because I wanted to see my Father's country which was mine also.  At that time, I only spoke Japanese. In 1968 he took my two older sisters and me to India.  We took a large ship and traveled in route to Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and finally Bombay.

 

 The voyage was enjoyable, but when we reached Bombay, I was shocked with the poverty I saw in this country. It seemed that many people were living at a very a low standard of living.  They were living in a very different lifestyle from that of Japan.  My Father enrolled me in a school that had a hostel in Dehera Dun, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, 135 miles north of Delhi.  It was a hostel of an English Medium School where I began to learn English and a little Hindi, since the instruction was in English.

 

I faced difficulties in adjusting to the culture, food, way of life and language but even in those days, I prayed to God to help me overcome.  I knew a little about Jesus Christ because the founder and wife at the school I attended in Japan were devout Christians. We had begun each day with prayer and a Bible reading in the auditorium. All aspects of the school, architecture, environment and emphasis in teaching were very godly. 

 

In the Indian school, I loved playing various kinds of sports and I was good in them, therefore, I looked forward each day for after school and afternoon play time. Sports activities helped me to be positive in the midst of many challenges I faced living in a country that was less comfortable than that of living in Tokyo, Japan.

 

After three years I returned to Japan and attended an American High School in Tokyo for my Junior and Senior years. It so happened that I had many American friends who were children of Christian missionaries.  I noticed that they were loving, friendly and manifested godly qualities.  One of them gave me a Bible; I had a Japanese Bible, but it was written in an older form that was difficult for me to read or to understand. It was easier for me to read the English Bible. Of course, I did not put any effort into reading the Bible at that time. At that time, I was not inclined to the Lord Jesus Christ, though I heard about him from the Gospels that were read while I was in the Japanese school many years previously.

 

I attended Menlo Junior College in Pal Alto, California in 1973 and 1974. I then transferred to Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon, as I thought I would like to be a farmer. ( I heard that OSU had excellent Agricultural and Engineering courses).  However, as I studied, I realized that I did not want to work as hard as a farmer, so I changed my studies to business administration.

 

During this college year in Corvallis, I became very hungry to know the Truth.  I prayed to God since I really did not know Him.  I prayed and said to Him, "You have to show me that you are really there and you have to show me the Truth".  Soon after this prayer, I met Dr. Richard Walker, who was carrying out research in the Pharmaceutical Chemistry department at OSU.  He took me to a Christian Fellowship in Salem, about 25 miles from Corvallis.  During those days, since I did not see power and life in Sikhism, I was searching for answers elsewhere, and one of them was Christianity. 

 

I remember that the teacher who taught God's Word that night taught in such a way that it made sense to me, though I do not recall exactly what he had taught.  Towards the end of the meeting I heard people speak in tongues and interpret.  I did not understand the unknown language. However, the interpretation was in English, and I heard words as if spoken from God.  I distinctly remember God saying that He was our Father. Immediately after the meeting, I asked Richard what was that unknown language? What was the meaning of someone speaking as if God were speaking?

 

He showed me from the Bible about speaking in tongues, and told me that God spoke to us through these individuals by the power of God.  I believed and I was elated and filled with joy.  What enlightened me the most was that, for the first time in my life I came to know that GOD WAS MY FATHER!  That Great God who created the heavens and earth was my Father! What a revelation to my soul, enlightening the depths of my being!  All the way back to Corvallis, I kept on asking Richard whether God was indeed my Father or not, and Richard kept on assuring me that He was my Father.

 

From the next day onward, I could not wait to meet Richard to learn from the Bible.  We began a Christian Campus fellowship in the student union.  I began to witness and share about God and His wonderful Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, from that day that I came to know Him with absolute certainly, which indeed was God's mighty work He did in my heart.

 

We reached out to many souls to share the knowledge of manifesting the spiritual power as spoken by Jesus Christ before his ascension?that we are endued with the power from on high, the gift of holy spirit.  This is a brief sharing of how I became a Christian.

 

Return to India

I never thought I would return to India but, by the grace of God, I learned and grew.  God worked in me, and put the desire in my heart and showed clearly to return to India to make known His Truth to Indians.  That was why I returned to India temporarily in 1978 and 1980 and permanently in September of 1983. Since then, we have been reaching out to those who hunger and thirst for the Truth and making available teaching of God's Word in home fellowships throughout India.

 

Greatness of the Body of Christ

There are many Christians in India, but percentage-wise very few in a population of about 1,000,000,000. These Christians and Christian ministers have various ways of worship, doctrine and practice, but all belong to the One Body of Christ. This is true for all the Christians in the world.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church of God, the Body of Christ.  God is looking after all of them with loving care and diligence regardless of their beliefs, practice, color, culture, both good Christians and bad Christians, rich Christians and poor Christians.

 

I am not the only one who is doing the works for the Lord Jesus in India but there are many just like me in the USA who are reaching out to the lost, teaching the faithful and unfaithful.  I do not magnify myself nor am I the center of focus, but it is the Word of God and what God is doing that is the focus. The testimonies I relate are not centered on what I do, but on what other believers believe and do.  It also shows through the testimonies that anyone could do the healing, casting out devils, and miracles; and anyone could receive deliverance from any problem.

 

Sangat's family

My wife, Beautrice, is from a Christian family; her father and mother are preaching and teaching God's Word with us in Punjab, 280 miles north of Delhi.  She looks after our children and me wonderfully. Beautrice and I have three daughters: Preet is 16 now and will be 17 in January; she is in the twelfth grade. Priya is 12 and will be 13 in November; she is in the eighth grade.Prakashini is 8 years old and is in the third grade. We have one son, Sidhant, who is three years old.

 

Teaching God's Word in the family

Our family has a family fellowship daily at 8:00pm regardless of who may or may not be available, except when we have open fellowships at our home.  The home fellowship begins at 8:00 and ends around 9:00pm; it is a wonderful time to be together to communicate with one another and to share our own testimonies each day. We sing songs, pray, bring messages from God by speaking in tongues with interpretation and prophecy and receive an offering.

 

My wife or I teach the children God's Word.

I thought to do this since we could easily be watching TV an hour a night. Why not make one hour for something that is the best? Taking one hour a day to recognize God and be thankful to Him and to learn His Word will go a long way after awhile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look Only to God

A Study of the Biblical Terms "Faith" and "To Believe"

 

Sangat Singh Bains

 

In this study of "Faith" and "To Believe", we will observe many verses that have the words "Faith" and "To Believe" from the Bible.  At each verse where the words "Faith" or "To Believe" appear, a brief comment and explanation is made.

 

The purpose of this study is to instruct the believer how to:

• Receive or evidence the promises of God is through faith,

·         Have unbelief, if that is desired

• Have faith
• Become strong in faith. 

 

This study will begin from the four Gospels, and we will read many inspirational verses that contain the words "Faith" and "To Believe".

 

New testament uses of "faith":

 

1.  Matthew 6:30

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 

God, our Father, really cares for us; however, the human tendency is to look at circumstances and to become little in faith.  God wishes us to have confidence that He indeed cares for us and provides all that we need in our lives. 

 

This is one of the few times Jesus spoke the phrase, "O ye of little faith".

 

God cares to provide all that we need for us to live since He cares even for the fowls of the air and the grass of the field.

 

2.  Matthew 8:10

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

 

This centurion had great faith. We can learn something about having confidence from reading the surrounding verses.  What is it that the centurion spoke that caused Jesus to perceive his great faith?

 

Matthew 8:8 & 9

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9   For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

 

The centurion really understood and believed about authority and the words spoken by a man who had authority. This man was one of the very few persons that Jesus referred to as having "great faith".

 

3. Matthew 8:26

And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

 

We, too, would get scared seeing and hearing the wind and water roaring.  Seeing circumstances causes one to fear and have "little faith".  Jesus said fear from the circumstances of even a dangerous storm constitutes having little faith.

 

The way in which a man and woman are to live is to have confidence in God, knowing that God cares even when in a dangerous situation such as shown in verse twenty-four.

 

Matthew 8:24

And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

 

The scripture here says, "There arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves".   A tempest means a violent storm with high winds accompanied by rain, and it was a great tempest.  To fear this was considered to have little faith!

 

What was Jesus doing at that time?  He was sleeping.  Well, we need to consider deeply why God would say that fearing in a great tempest was a demonstration of little faith. God's point of view is that He absolutely protects us in all situations, even a great tempest.

 

4. Matthew 9:2

And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

 

Faith could be seen by the confident actions of people.  They were convinced that Jesus would absolutely heal the paralyzed man.  We must know that our God and Father, who is the Creator of the heavens and earth, is all able to bring to pass His promises, and one of these promises is our healing wholeness.

 

To become convinced of this truth one must focus on God and look only to God to bring to pass the desires of the heart.  God's promises shall absolutely come to pass because God cannot fail to do what He has promised in His Word.  Handover your challenges, desires, supplications and requests to God with confidently knowing that when they go to God's hands, He will absolutely bring them to pass. Therefore when we handover these works to Him, we give thanks in advance.

 

Once Abraham and Sara tried to help God to bring to pass His promise He had made to them and they got Ishmael instead( from Haggar).  Finally Abraham focused on God and looked only at the Promise from God's mouth considering God's ability.  When Abraham finally focused only on God he became fully persuaded as it is written in Romans chapter four.

 

Romans 4:21

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

 

5.  Matthew 9:22

But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

 

The woman had confidence that made it possible for her to receive the desire of her heart that she had kept in her heart for many years.  Jesus said thy faith.  This faith is built up by looking to only God and hearing the word of God from God directly, from others or from the Bible.  Once we decide to look only to God for the desired result, God will make sure to build us up so that we have the necessary faith or confidence in Him so that He can bring the result to pass.

6. Matthew 9:29

Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

 

Jesus said to the blind men these words.  "According to your faith be it unto you".  Looking only to God and recognizing how powerful and wonderful He is certainly builds our confidence in Him.

 

7.  Matthew 14:31

And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

 

Peter walked on water!  Peter just did what Jesus told him to do and he walked.  When Peter looked at the circumstances then he feared and became of little faith.  Initially he had faith.  We have faith when we look only to God and refuse to look at the circumstances; the circumstance say it is impossible! But God says it is absolutely possible.  We can do impossible things and supernatural things when our eyes are fixed on God and His logic.

 

8.  Matthew 15:28

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

 

This is another person; both of them were Gentiles, one man and this woman whom Jesus referred to as having great faith.  He said to her, "Be it unto thee even as thou wilt" and her daughter was made whole from that very hour!  Our God is able indeed!  We cannot be ashamed putting our confidence and trust in Him.

 

9. Matthew 16:8

Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

 

Looking at and reasoning according to circumstances will cause us to have little faith.

 

 10. Matthew 17:20

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

 

The disciples could not deliver the child because of their unbelief.  Nothing shall be impossible with faith.  The truth is that if you have faith even as a grain of mustard seed then nothing shall be impossible unto you.

 

11. Matthew 21:21

Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

 

So it is absolutely possible to do all things with faith.  Just focus on God and His logic and we shall be built up in our confidence so that we could say the thing we want and they shall come to pass.  If we have faith and do not doubt at what we say, it will come to pass!

 

12. Mark 2:5

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

 

It is possible to observe faith in people.

 

13.  Mark 4:40

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

 

Jesus rebuked the wind.  The disciples looked at circumstance and feared.  People tend to fear because they focus on the circumstances instead of God who is able to deliver.  Again the lesson to learn here is: Focus on God and not on circumstances so that we have confidence and thus receive the desired results.

 

14. Mark 5:34

And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. Thy Faith" hath made thee whole. 

 

Still the same truth holds and the same truth works for all of us.  So what we need to do is, to focus on God and His promises and to see that He is able also to perform.

 

 

 

15.  Mark 10:52

And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

Again the same truth is repeated here.  "Thy Faith" hath made thee whole.  And immediately he received his sight.

16. Mark 11:22

     And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

 

After Peter saw the fig tree dried up from the root and expressed his surprise.  Jesus taught them on how to do miracles and how to get prayers answered, that is, have faith or confidence in God.  What do we need to do?  Have faith or confidence in God.  How do we have faith or confidence in God?  Read or hear God's word and consider His word.

 

17.  Luke 5:20

     And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.

 

Jesus Christ always looked for faith; he checked where the faith of that person was because he could give healing only to those who had faith.  That's why he preached and taught the good news.  Why? Because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

 

 Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

The word of God helps us to focus our eyes on God and that word produces the conviction that God is able to bring to pass what He promised in His word.

 

18.  Luke 7:9

When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

This was another centurion; this centurion never met Jesus Christ face to face. He had great confidence.  It was he whom Jesus said that he had "great faith"

 

Luke 7:6-8

Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest

enter under my roof:  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

 

This centurion had not even heard a word that Jesus spoke yet he believed that when Jesus said that the servant was healed then that was going to happen. So that was exactly what happened.

 

Luke 7:10

And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

 

If we believe that what we say will come to pass because we have confidence in God that God will bring it to pass, then what we say will absolutely come to pass.  Now, God absolutely backs up what He said in His

 

Word.  There are many things God said that He has done for the Body of Christ.  All the rights and the benefits of being God's sons and daughters are ours.

·         We are holy and without blame before Him. 

·         We are lovely and acceptable. 

·         We have received remission of sins. 

·         We are risen with Christ and made to sit together in heavenly place in Christ Jesus.

·         We are God's dwelling place, the Temple of God. 

·         We have God's spirit, Christ in us.

·         We were healed and made whole.

·         We need not to be worried about anything

·         We can give our requests and desires to God with thanksgiving. 

·         We are super-conquerors in all situations.

·         We have the right to receive help, assistance, resources, knowledge, wisdom, guidance, love and care from God our Father.

 

These and much more information from God's Word can build our confidence in Him so that we may be able to manifest all these wonderful benefits in our lives. 

  

19. Luke 7:50

 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

 

Again what hath saved her?  "Her faith" or "Her confidence" made her whole.

 

20.  Luke 8:25

And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

 

We certainly can endeavor to look to God who is all able and get our faith up.  Jesus knew that God absolutely protected His people from all things and one of the things was this storm. Looking at circumstance and confessing what we see around us will csuse us to have unbelief and never make our faith strong but weak.  Knowing God and His information and focusing our minds on that will enable us to have faith.

 

21. Luke 8:48

And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.

Again Jesus said "thy faith" had made thee whole.  This woman had an issue of blood for 12 years.  She suffered many years and spent all that she had to get this healing.  One day she heard of Jesus and what was available from God.  Hearing the good news and hearing from someone who received deliverance inspired her to believe and her faith rose to a level that she was convinced that she just needed to touch the hem of Jesus' garment to be healed.

 

When she did that she snatched healing away from Jesus.  She no longer considered how difficult it was to receive deliverance though she went through many years of disappointments.  She changed her focus from the circumstances and her experiences of failures and she made a decision to get the deliverance from God who was able.  Our deliverance surely comes from God.

 

Psalm 62: 1-9 (NASB)

Note six uses of only:

            1.My soul waits in silence for God only;

                        From Him is my salvation.

                 2. He only is my rock and my salvation,

                      My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.

                 3. How long will you assail a man,

                             That you may murder him, all of you,

                             Like a leaning wall, like a tottering fence?

                  4. They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position;

                             They delight in falsehood;

                                  They bless with their mouth,

                      But inwardly they curse. Selah.

                 5. My soul, wait in silence for God only,

                             For my hope is from Him.

                 6. He only is my rock and my salvation,

                             My stronghold; I shall not be shaken.

                 7. On God my salvation and my glory rest;

                             The rock of my strength, my refuge is in God.

                 8. Trust in Him at all times, O people;

                             Pour out your heart before Him;

                             God is a refuge for us. Selah.

                 9. Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie;

                              In the balances they go up;

                             They are together lighter than breath.

 

22.  Luke 12:28

If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

 

We become of little faith when we look around at circumstances, what people say, what we watch, read and hear.  We become confident when we decide to get information from the Bible, to hear the Word of God, to pray to Him and to focus our mind on Him and His Word only. 

 

What matters is His opinion.  God indeed cares for the grass that grows and perishes in a short while.  This is the truth.  Then how much more than these grasses does He care for us?  We don't need to answer this question; it is obvious.

 

That is why it is absolutely wrong to worry and be anxious in our lives because God Almighty who is our father cares for us and supplies all our needs and wants.  We need just to look at Him and let our requests for needs and wants given to the safest hands of God with thanksgiving knowing that our requests are granted and the works are done!

 

 

 

1 John 5:14 & 15

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

 

This is the confidence that we have in God.  What are we confident of? If we ask any thing according to God's will, He hears us. What is God's will?  God being our Father, he wants us to be prosperous, successful, healthy, wealthy and many more good things. He desires this for all of us, in this life and life to come. 

 

Some people think that we can ask only for a few things from God because it is according to His will, that he hears us".  Those people say, "It has to be according to His will". I also say "It has to be according to His will". However I know that His will covers all things for us to prosper and be in good health, therefore there are many, many things I can ask in this line. Thus that "all" covers so many things that we could ask Him.

 

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Therefore we have confidence in Him that what we ask him we know that He hears whatsoever we ask and we know that we have the petitions that we desired of God.

 

23.  Luke 17:5

       And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

 

We increase our faith by hearing the Word of Faith, by changing our attention to God from what we see around us and what we hear from the senses world.  Our faith is increased by focusing solely on God's ability,

 

His unfailing word, the promises and testimonies in His word of what he has done for His people.  Our faith is also built up by hearing testimonies from believers today of what our loving Father has done for them.

 

24. Luke 17:6

And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

 

Once we have faith as a grain of mustard seed then what happens?  We just say the things that we wish to come to pass then what we say shall absolutely come to pass.

 

25. Luke 17:19

     And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

 

This is the record of ten lepers and one of them returned to give thanks to Jesus. Jesus said that his faith (this leper's) made him whole.  This same truth is repeated again and again.

faith is The basis of all receiving.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God so that we learn that He is able to bring to pass all that He promised in His Word.  A decision to look only to God for deliverance will get us to that point of full persuasion that what God has promised, He is able also to perform.

 

26. Luke 18:42

     And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.

 

A certain blind man had made his decision to receive deliverance.  He did not consider the reasons and logic of this world; he stopped considering the medical report but believed the good  news.  He certainly received what he believed in his heart.  God's promises never fails.  He said it and it is all true and it is for you to enjoy seeing it come to pass in your life.

 

27.  Acts 3:16

And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

The faith which is by him, the crippled man's faith, gave him this perfect soundness.  Faith in Jesus Christ's name, the name of Jesus Christ means all that Jesus Christ represents, his power and authority is what made this man strong.

 

28.  Acts 6:5

And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

 

Stephen was a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost.  So it is available for us also to become full of faith.  We should not quit on God just because the circumstances are absolutely discouraging, because we have been defeated for years, because our bodies feel pain, or because we have not seen deliverance and have given up hope of deliverance.  We must change our focus of attention to God who absolutely delivers.  He is the one who will be with us even in the valley of the shadow of death.

 

Psalms 23:4-6

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

Make a decision to confess or say what HE says to us in the Bible then the thoughts of fear and worry will eventually vanish and we will have faith. Remember what Jesus said to a ruler of a synagogue whose daughter just died, he said to him, "Fear not, only believe and she shall be made whole".  What did Jesus say to a widow whose son died and was being carried that day?  He said to her, "Weep not".  What did Jesus say to Martha in front of the grave of Lazarus who had been dead for four days already?

 

John 11:39-44

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that

they may believe that thou hast sent me.

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

 

Jesus said to Martha, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" Jesus always got people who needed deliverance to change their minds from holding fear, negative thoughts, utter hopelessness and grief to faith in God that they shall absolutely receive deliverance.  We can change our minds right now to say what God has already done in Christ Jesus, that is:

 

• I am made whole
• I am absolutely complete in him
• I am holy
• I am lovely
• I am acceptable
• I am a son/a daughter of God
• My daddy is God
• I am seated at the right hand of God in Christ
• I am a joint-heir with Christ
• I have access to the Father
• I have God's holy spirit
• I am an ambassador of God in place of Christ here upon the earth
• I have authority over all evil spirits all sickness and diseases
• I am the light of this world
• I shall be gathered together when Christ returns
• I have rewards for my labor
• I shall rule with Christ hereupon earth
• I am more than a conqueror
• Nothing shall separate me from God
• I am born again
• I have salvation

 

There are many more rights and privileges that can be added here.  Saying these words both in our minds and out of our mouths begin the transformation of our minds to believe what God says we are and what God says we have and what God says we shall be.

 

Romans 12:1 & 2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

We will be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  We renew our minds by holding the thoughts of God:

 

• who He is
• who we are in Christ
• what our rights are as God's child
• what ability we have in Christ,