Ministry of the Word in Kharsia, Chattisgarh

A brother who used to work in Manesar and whose wife was baptised in the church in Gurugram had invited us to visit him and the believers with him in Kharsia. As we planned for the visit to Madhya Pradesh we felt the Lord also has opened the door in Kharia. Therefore, we prolonged our trip and decided to visit Kharsia and the surrounding areas including two district capitals, Raigarh and Shakti.

As we arrived Kharsia, we were accommodated in a brother's home and the family took care of us very well. Another brother had come to stay in the the same house to cater to our needs; to serve us in food preparation and transportation. Since two meetings were arranged on the Lord’s day, we arrived here last Saturday night.

On the Lord’s day, we addressed two meetings. The first one being the one our guest has been shepherding with his father, a Pentecostal church. We ministered the truth and practice of calling upon the Lord’s name, loving the Lord, praying and pray-reading His word, and the need to have a thorough clearance of the past living so that we can be the shining testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. The second meeting was at Shakti, about an hour's drive from Kharsia. We were late for the meeting, but in the little time we had, we ministered again on the basic of the Christian life; calling upon the Lord’s name and pray-reading His word. We also helped them to pray-read a verse, John 6:63 which everyone enjoyed and memorised. The key brother being so impressed and the believers enjoyed the ministry of the word so much, he invited us again which we did after two days.

The following three days, we went to Dourkot, Raigarh, Chaal, Tamnar, and Shakti. In all these localities we introduced the ministry literature to the Christian leaders, distributed free Rhema books and sold Amana Literature title books. In all the places, the people we met were so impressed by the riches of the ministry we have been graced with. In fact, the brother who took us to all these places testified that when he made a phone call to these ones for our visit their responses were dull and doubted what kind of ministry we would be presenting to them. But as we met them face to face and introduced the riches of the ministry, all of them were so impressed by the ministry we ministered through the literature. Many of them requested for a time to address their congregation and wanted us to stay longer. The brother who made all these arrangements was so surprised at the responses of these Christian leaders; initially not showing any interest and suddenly becoming so interested. 

Four special meetings were arranged in three different localities especially for us to minister the word to the believers in these groups. To all, we followed the Lord’s leading and released the timely word as the Lord burdened. The believers responded very positively and we encouraged them to practice the truth we ministered to them. In two meetings where a good number of young people were present, we ministered on the need to preserve their vessels using Romans 9:21, 23 and 2 Timothy 2:20-22. In one meeting, 2 Timothy 2:22 was pray-read and memorised. I strongly felt the need to encourage young sisters and brothers to look to the Lord for grace to preserve their body undefiled for the Lord’s use. And that they should also have good education for the Lord’s sake, not merely for job or money. Some young sisters who dropped studying decided to start all over again, at least through distant education.

One significant meeting was the last meeting we had in this trip, a whole night prayer meeting. Here, we had ample time as it was a whole night prayer meeting. We began the ministry of the word at 9:30 and concluded at 12 midnight in two sessions. This meeting was supposed to be in the first day of every month, but it was postponed a day to accommodate us. The burden the Lord gave us was "Prayer." Prayer being to absorb God, we helped the believers the way to absorb God by prayer through calling upon the Lord’s name, breathing him. The burden was further strengthened with the need to spend specific time with the Lord daily, using the example of Daniel and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now when Daniel came to know that the writing had been signed, he went to his house (in his upper room he had windows open toward Jerusalem) and three times daily he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave thanks before his God, because he had always done so previously. (Daniel 6:10, RecVer)

The burden on tithing time daily was also emphasized. Since God gave each one 24 hours a day, tithing this time of about 2 hours 24 minutes would be ideal. However, at least an hour must be separated for a time of prayer was strongly emphasized. A young sister on her 12th standard has been practising this and gave her testimony of prayer and Bible reading on my request. Later, I gifted her a book, Breaking of the Outer Man and the Release of the Spirit in Hindi which she also selecetd to purchase. I also gave my testimony to help the believers. In addition, the need for reading and pray-reading the word of God was also ministered and pray-read Romans 8:6 in Hindi.

Now we commit all these believers into the Lord’s hand and may the Spirit continue to speak to them through the word ministered to them and through the ministry literature distributed to them.

Having released the burden this time for the believers in Kharsia and the surrounding areas, we proceeded to our next destination, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.