THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT IN REACHING THE LOST



The view from our window



SPIRIT LED EVANGELISM

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and be ready always to give an answer to everyman that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. 1 Pet 3v15

The best outreach & evangelism is when the Holy Spirit leads it with specific guidance, information and results.

For example; two days ago we headed out to revisit a forest outreach where we had witnessed amazing grace and healing miracles. Its only a two hour drive from where we rent but it takes us to the southernmost eastern tip of the Philippines and into deep forest. Near a place called Magulin.

The team use the drive to worship passionately and pray furiously, binding the strongman of where we are going and loosing the blessing that thr Lord would want to pour out in that place.

First stop on our drive is at a Muslim community were we have also seen many prayers for salvation and healing miracles. We asked them if they would like us to stop by on the Saturday and have a meeting with them. They enthusiastically agreed. Then we continued the journey for our destination. However, I received a strong leading that we were to pull into a village called Kiamba, find “the coffee stop” we were meant to go to and we would be further led from there.

We have driven past Kiamba many times but never had a leading to actually drive in. I knew in my spirit already that it’s for the purpose of meeting someone for salvation. Actually, Nechelle, one of the young members on this trip with us gave her life to Christ only four months ago, also as a result of our the Holy Spirit directing us to take “a coffee” in their little home front store.

On that occasion, the general opening intro chat turned to eternal issues and you can soon see who among the listeners that you have been led there for.  Nechelle stared right at me as I shared testimony of how Christ saved me and how He would save anyone who sincerely called out to him and repented of their ways. Nechelle cried out to Jesus and she is certainly saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, prays with tongues and preaches with power. Only weeks after salvation she preached with such power and conviction directly at the entrance to the family store that her parents, weeping, prayed for salvation also. As did many neighbours. So, we recognise that much of the wonders that we see the good Lord do happen outside the Sunday morning service. So, we look for that

We are about one hour into the 2 hour drive to our destination and I heard in the inner man “going in to Kiamba to the coffee shop I will show you and speak wit the person I tell you”. The rest of the team was protesting since we are short of time and we must not get stuck in that Muslim territory forest in the dark. But, I knew what I heard and we must at all cost obey it.

We took the turn and drove into the beach/fisher town of Kiamba, its not large by eastern standards but quite spread out and larger than most towns in the area with its stores, small businesses and many houses. We quickly saw several places to get a coffee but none of them were the specific one we were meant to stop at. After driving and zigzagging through the town twice, the team getting more concerned about the time by the moment, we eventually saw a small open fronted cafe tucked away down a side street and I knew this was our stop. It had four long concrete stairs the length of the store, only three tables and a few boxes to sit on.

There were about five people and staff milling about the place with others coming and going. But as soon as we sat down I was able to identify the exact one we were to speak to. The Holy Spirit helped again and showed that this woman’s heart had been broken many times, she had experienced strong rejection and carried deep emotional wounds and much pain even till now.

 Even that morning she had again suffered a severe rejection. I told the guys what was revealed to me and what would happen next. “Sister Vennie, you are the one to talk to that woman. When you look at that woman and smile, she will be stunned, stop in her tracks and she will stare at you then you begin to share with her about what the Lord has revealed and there will be tears”.

The word of knowledge really was that simple as if someone had whispered it in my ear.

Then I rose to go to the counter to buy bread for our team, as the practice is to dip the bread in the sweet coffee. As I did so the woman the Lord showed us, crossed the entrance to the store directly to where Vennie was sitting at which point Vennie turned from stirring her coffee and smiled at the woman them straightway turned back to stirring her coffee!!

I was not in a position to shout over but it happened exactly as the Spirit showed us a moment earlier. The woman stopped still, frozen in her tracks and stared at the back of Vennie’s head. Nechelle, Ann & Joy looked on amazed first at the woman, then at Vennie, then back at the woman again. The woman never seemed to see the girls only the back of Vennie’s head. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. 

The woman, recovered herself, slumped her shoulders, shuffled down the steps right into a tricycle taxi and away.
 Arriving back at the table wit h the bread the girls were still staring at Vennie. "Vennie, I think you just missed the Lords cue" I said. Vennie realised straight away what had happened and was shocked that she had been so readily distracted – very unlike her. The girls confirmed the episode and said the woman just stopped 
and stared at you Vennie just like George said.

We sat for a while all committing to try and walk with more sensitivity before the Holy Spirit when, next thing the very same woman reappeared directly behind Vennie’s who’s back was to the street. 
Vennie was told “she’s behind you”, Vennie jumped up, spun round, grabbed the lady by the hands and insisted that she sit with us for coffee and cake. Ann related to her the things the Lord had shown us, about a life of rejection and even that morning. She wept and wept acknowledging that it’s all true, her husband had told her that morning that he wanted her to leave. The girls prayed with her as she repented and surrendered her life to Christ.



The girls explained how the Lord had led us right to her and what would happen when we saw her She was shocked as she relayed her account of the story, saying that when we pulled up and walked in she was overcome
 with a strange feeling that she had to talk to these people. But she had no idea how to open the conversation or what she would even have to say us. She had been walking towards our table looking for an opening and told herself that if Vennie smiled at her she would begin speaking something. She decided she didn’t have the courage to begin speaking to us and even if she did we may not want to speak to her so with heavy heart she was about to leave when Vennie smiled at her. She said “she was shocked” something happened inside of her, her feet felt frozen to the ground she couldn't walk away but only stare at Vennie. But, when Vennie turned away, she was heart fallen as she felt that was her last chance to engage us so she turned and walked away. 

After leaving in the tricycle she couldn't bear that she had not spoke with us and so told the driver to turn around as she must go back to the café and talk to those people. Still she had no idea about what she would even talk about. She smiled and laughed with the joy of her salvation, as we soon become firm friends and exchanged numbers. Her and Vennie are swapping texts already.



Rejoicing with sins forgiven & heart being healed

Broken that the Lord had sent us to meet even her