MAGEVA Gospel Crusade, DAY 1:
Tonight was spectacular! I cannot deny that this crusade is unique. First, we need to abide by various government regulations that include mask-wearing, social-distancing and stringent crowd-control. Second, due to us delaying this crusade for as long as possible—hoping that many of these regulations would lift—we are now fully in the Autumn season and hence, facing chilly weather conditions. For this reason, we are making use of tents to accommodate more sensitive crusade attendees, something which we have not needed to do in years. However, other than these elements that are keeping us on our toes, the Gospel remains the Gospel and its impact remains unchanged! I preached first on the three parables recorded in Luke 15: the lost sheep, the lost coin and the wayward son. Among other things, I explained that just as a sheep is defenceless against a predator, so we are defenceless against the devil. This is why we need to call on Jesus and ask Him to become our Great Shepherd. Hundreds called on the Lord and asked Him to make them His. It was glorious! I then preached a short message on the Holy Spirit, the first in a three-part series that will conclude on Sunday night when we will pray for the Holy Spirit baptism. We then prayed for the sick with many testifying of the healing power of God. Be blessed by these few. Joyce is a 78-year-old widower. She lost her husband five years ago and since then, her body had been in constant pain. Walking in particular was difficult for her. Even though her home was located a short distance from the crusade field—a few hundred metres—it took her two full hours to walk the route. Tonight, Jesus touched her from head to toe. Liberated, Joyce wept as she shared her story. “I thank God!” she exclaimed. “I could not focus on anything other than the pain. Now, all the pains are gone!” Langutelani is a young lady of 16. She had suffered from severe and frequent migraine headaches together with a paining ear, since childhood. Attending the crusade while still suffering from one such migraine, she was thrilled when the Lord vanquished both the headache and the earache. She is utterly pain-free and we believe with her that this newfound state is permanent.
Hallelujah! Another teenage girl named Precious was eager to testify. She had been unable to hear out of her one ear for the past two months. “It felt as if there was something moving inside my ear,” she expressed. Now, her hearing is perfect and that strange sensation is no more. How fantastic! Idah (71 years old) had struggled with nerve pains in her legs for the past three years. “I could not kneel down,” she said. “I could not kneel to pray or do many house chores.” Jesus healed Idah completely. Rejoicing, she was ecstatic. “My life will be so easy now that I am healthy,” she shared. “I thank God so very much!” Tomorrow, we continue. Your prayers are bearing abundant fruit. Let us soldier on, together.
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MAGEVA Gospel Crusade, DAY 2:
While hopelessness is ruling and reigning in many rural communities as a result of the pandemic, this is no longer the case in Mageva! What a terrific service we had tonight. Villagers attended in their hundreds in spite of the cold weather, bedecking themselves in beanies, blankets and masks. I preached two messages again this evening. The first, a Gospel message based on John 3 and the encounter that Nicodemus, the Pharisee had with Jesus. I explained the necessity of being born again and what exactly it involves: God taking our spirits, washing away the sins that pollute them with the blood of His Son and making His home inside of them. And, when we die, we go to heaven. Hallelujah to that! The response to the altar call was marvellous. Young and old called upon the name of the Almighty God, confessed their belief in Jesus and asked Him to work the born-again miracle. For me, there is nothing more splendid, nothing more awe-inspiring than these salvation-miracle crusade-moments under a starry African sky. Ushers laboured to distribute Tsonga follow-up material and collect the details of the new converts.
Thereafter, I taught on the Holy Spirit, explaining how when He fills us with Himself, we become His partners in the miraculous. I explained how we must labour with Him, fulfilling our responsibilities of speaking to people about Jesus and praying for the sick and needy in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit in turn packs our words and prayers with power, convincing the lost that Jesus is Lord and healing the sickest of bodies. Tomorrow we will pray for the Holy Spirit baptism—quite appropriate on Pentecost Sunday!—and all are excited. We prayed for the sick and the Lord got to work, mending broken bodies and liberating oppressed minds. Be blessed by the testimony of a 69-year-old lady named Joy that follows. Joy had been tormented by severe pains all over her body for many years. “I felt like there was something living inside of me, moving constantly and eating away at me,” she expressed. “I could not do much housework, the pain was so intense.” In September 2019, our team held a crusade in the nearby village of Mphagani. A friend had told Joy about the meetings and all the wonderful miracles that were taking place. However, the friend told her a day too late. Travelling to the crusade field, Joy had discovered to her despair that the crusade had concluded the day before. Understandably, she was thrilled when she received one of our marketing flyers, which was handed to her at a local shop, promoting the Mageva meetings. The In His Name team was coming to her own home town! Joy attended the service with great expectation and the Lord rewarded her eagerness. All pains have left her and every inkling of sickness has dissipated. “I want to thank the Lord for what He has done for me!” she voiced. “I can now do everything for myself. My life will become so amazing!” Tomorrow, our crusade concludes. Let us continue to pray. The Lord is at work in a mighty way!
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MAGEVA Gospel Crusade, FINAL DAY:
Our crusade has come to a glorious conclusion. This morning, we are told, the local churches were bustling with new converts. This is why we do what we do! Tonight, representatives from the office of the mayor of the Greater Giyani Municipality addressed the crowd. They emphasised the important role that the church plays in society and also, commended the local pastors and our team for abiding by all the rules that are currently regulating gatherings. The chairpersons of the Mageva and Dzumeri fraternals also addressed the crowd. Many kind and touching words were spoken and powerful prayers prayed. This village and its neighbouring communities are in very capable, God-fearing hands. Ev. Samuel Murrombe preached a red-hot Gospel message and shared his testimony with tremendous passion. Hundreds received the Lord as Saviour and were translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of our God. Hallelujah! I then gave one last teaching on the Holy Spirit baptism before we prayed for all to be filled from on High. Glorious, God-ordained chaos ensued as new tongues rose heavenward, demons manifested and believers were transformed into power-packed vessels for the King of Kings. What a splendid time we had in His presence! As the Spirit filled, He also healed. We heard some wonderful testimonies. Be blessed by these two that follow. Sarah is 54 years old. A painful tumour had developed on her neck that was both growing in size and interfering with her breathing. “I would cough a lot,” she shared. “I could feel the tumour pressing against my throat.” The Lord touched Sarah mightily and during prayer, that tumour completely disappeared. Praise the Lord!
Rikhotso is 17 years old. For the past two years, she had struggled with debilitating back pains. She could neither bend nor kneel down. She had also started falling, her legs giving in beneath her. Scared and desperate, this young lady attended our crusade and Jesus did not disappoint her. “I felt power moving into my body during prayer,” she said. “I felt the pain moving out of me as the power entered, like it was being pulled out. I thank God!” Dear friend, we are incredibly grateful for your prayers and support. This crusade was uniquely challenging but I am so grateful that we persevered together. The lost have been saved, the tormented set free and believers set ablaze with Holy Spirit firepower. In His Name, Africa is being saved!
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