A Surprise Visit

Eight years ago when a brother and I visited Jharkhand for the first time, our translator was a pastor who boasted of his "prayer ministry" and conducted weeks of "fasting prayer" with visions and waging spiritual warfare against Satan who appeared in a physical form of a serpent. We simply listened to whatever he had to say, anyway, he was our translator. Before I left, I gifted him a small book, "The Prayer Ministry of the Church" and that was the only hope I had for him at that time, in case, he read it at all.

Few years later, he was our coordinator when we preached the gospel in Ranchi. And another year down the line, he came for the full time training, though only for a year. And then, he began to start meeting with people in his hometown. Many things have transpired in his life with almost everyone opposing him in his hometown. Even at times, out of my goodwill I wanted to propose a literature tour and brotherly visit, but nothing worked out. 

Actually, the Lord was simply trying to gain this brother, and it became clearer by the years. Many of his old habit and constitution have to be dealt with; and dealing takes a good number of years. Life training are slow, gradual but definite, until the lessons are learned and the person gained through breaking, transformation and maturity. I am glad at least for one reason, my brother is being gained. God is more interest in person and his works. God needs people for His divine work, but not works per se. He must gain person according to His heart's desire first before He can carry our His heart's desire.

This brother gave me a surprise call a few days back, and day before yesterday, he landed up in our place for hospitality. Praise the Lord! The brotherly bond is so string even after years of geographical separation. We enjoyed morning revival and prayer together, and the constitution of the word in him is solid and strong. Now he has a strong burden for his state Jharkhand, and especially his hometown.  

Though a surprise visit, I thank the Lord for His faithfulness in taking care of His children. Despite all the outward troubles and opposition against the truth even from among the believers, the seed of the ministry of the word sown into him is alive and growing. He was less bothered by the reaction of people around him including his own wife. He definitely wants to stand firm for the truth, for the testimony of Jesus in his home town.

May the Lord gain our brother and his family for His testimony!