04-14-2010
Friends
26 received Jesus in El Potosi. Believers, Leaders and Pastors from other villages were encouraged. We had about 100 -130 each night. About 50-60 came by bus from other villages each night so our over all turn out from El Potosi itself was much less than expected.
I can honestly say I have never met such strong spiritual opposition on any other trip to Mexico. I knew a strong principality had ruled the city of El Postosi. I had seen into the spirit the week before we left for Mexico and thought the oppressive spirit had been lifted due to much prayer. In fact I was wrong. What the Holy Spirit was showing me was we would have to take on and "lift out" the principality hindering the gospel in El Potosi while we were there.
People responded to the gospel and we had salvations Wednesday (5) Thursday (10) and Friday (5) but there was no great joy. No "outpouring" of the Holy Spirit. Frankly I've never been so uncomfortable in Mexico. As we walked through the city passing out flyers announcing the meeting and candy for the children, instead of coming out to meet us people ran into their homes or into their back yards to avoid us. The churches that are there (which are very dead) opposed us and spoke against us. I did not even want to walk through the town. I’m telling you there was an oppressive spirit so strong that I was sort of fearful of walking through the town.
The Holy Spirit had let me know before we arrived and started the meetings not to be discouraged. The spirit told me we would have to press through. Frankly in light of the vision I had seen the week before leaving and the way I interpreted that vision I thought this meant I may need to be persistent with the invitation the first night of the meeting and if I did a breakthrough would come.
Again souls were saved Thursday and Friday. The new birth is no doubt the greatest miracle. In addition the believers already there were encouraged in the word. Still it was becoming obvious to all that there was a mighty hindrance to joy and the free flow of the Holy Spirit in El Potosi.
Saturday morning our group entered into prayer at our compound. I must tell you.......I've never been part of a prayer meeting like we had that morning. We prayed for quite some time. The prayer became much more than words coming out of our mouths. The words being prayed were from the Holy Spirit and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Everyone in the room perceived a lifting of oppression as it pertained to El Potosi. I believe any one on the mission team that was at that prayer meeting will testify a breakthrough in the spirit was obvious.
I had not planned to minister from Luke 8 at all but immediately after our time of prayer Saturday morning the Holy Spirit led me to prepare a message for Saturday night about the demoniac from Gadarenes. The Holy Spirit made it clear to me that while the "oppression of the principality" was broken or lifted the people of El Potosi had become so intimate and comfortable with their "devils" that they would not let go of them easily. I was given a very confrontational message to point out and confront the devils that the people had embraced for so many years. The main points of the message were:
1 Even though the demoniac was full of devils he was able to come to Jesus. I made it clear in the resurrection of the unjust and the great white throne of judgment being filled with devils would be no excuse for rejecting Jesus. The devils could not stop the demoniac from coming to Jesus and no devils could stop anyone who was hearing the gospel that night from coming to Jesus. Bottom line they had to choose…..devils or Jesus.
2 I made it very clear that the pigs ran down the cliff and killed themselves because not even pigs are willing to live with devils. I stated that any one choosing to keep their devils as opposed to receiving Jesus was choosing to live worse than even pigs are willing to live. I emphatically pointed out that men were made for son-ship and fellowship with God. Not to live worse than pigs.
I've never seen so many hard stares in my life. This message went over like a lead balloon. I began to give an alter call...no one came.....and .....no one came......I continued to cry out and .....no one came......finally a retarded young man that had come forward each night got up and came. Although no one was coming forward I asked our mission team and the 6 Mexican Pastors who were in attendance to come to the front to minister to people. I continued crying out calling people to "come to Jesus". Finally people began to come 1 by 1...then 2 by 2 then the front was just full of people. Many came to be saved. I know of 5 who one by one directly told me they wanted to receive Jesus. I led them each in prayer individually as they came with the help of our interpreter Mary. Bottom line there were so many who came forward that I did not personally get to speak with or lay hands on I have no idea how many wanted to receive Jesus. We'll never know on this side how many got saved. Many came to be repent, be filled, be healed..........there were people laying on the ground everywhere.
Rejoicing and joy broke out like it never had in El Potosi. Once everyone who wanted to come to the alter had come high praise and joy filled dancing broke out. Church started at 7:15 PM. To the best of my recollection we finally left the tent and went outside to eat at about 10:45. It was quite a night. I am still filled with the fragrance of the power and moving of the Holy Spirit. What a calm & peace.
We did not have the numbers of people we expected however ground is broken in El Potosi. A spirit filled church is in El Potosi. I spoke with Randy Harrison our missionary in Mexico this evening and he let me know that earlier today he, his wife Mary, Pastor Gilberto who will be Pastoring the church in El Potosi, his wife Margarita and the youth Pastor Daniel went right back to El Postosi. They went to all the homes of those who they know received Jesus confirming them this very evening. The church has a building to meet in. Every Sunday morning at 11am and each Wednesday evening the Gospel will be preached and believers discipled in El Potosi.
Those on the mission team from The Way will never be the same. This trip has already made and will make our church much stronger spiritually. I'm so enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit. I don't want the fragrance of the outpouring we experienced Saturday night to dwindle.
There is much more that could be told. I will close with 2 noteworthy events.
First there was a little boy age 4 or 5 who according to his mom was very excited about coming to the tent to “see the Americans Thursday night”. Late Thursday afternoon before the first meeting started the little boy collapsed, passed out and began convulsions. The Mother of the boy got him to the town clinic which was next to where our tent was set up. She then ran to the tent to get someone to come and pray for him. I was off passing out flyers around town with part of the mission team. Several of the mission team who were at the tent went immediately to the clinic with Mary Harrison who is our missionaries wife. With the doctors permission they went in to the little boy and began to pray. Mary perceived the Mother of the child was of very little faith and would not let her in the room. Mary left those from our team who were praying with the boy. She put the mother of the child into her van and came to find the rest of us. I’ll never forget the fear I saw in the mothers face when Mary pulled along side us. Mary asked us to come and pray. When we entered the clinic we found many of our team praying for the little boy. I am told his convulsions were much better by then. I know he was very, very hot and gasping for breath. He had on a sweater. Someone removed it. I remember kneeling by his bed. I laid hands on him for Jesus and joined in prayer. A couple of times his eyes rolled into the back of his head. I do not know if he was dying but I know I was concerned he was dying. I remember rebuking a spirit of infirmity and on behalf of the King calling life into his body each time declaring he would not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. Shortly his breathing steadied, his fever broke and I heard the Holy Spirit tell me “he is resting now”. I told Mary to let the Mother in. She came in a touched a boy with no fever who was resting. Glory to God! Believers will lay hand on the sick and they shall recover. This boy’s father and mother received Jesus Thursday night. Randy and Mary visited their home today while confirming the new believers and reported to me this evening the little boy is doing fine.
Second I’ll relate that an elderly Mexican Apostle who has evangelized all over the mountainous region of Mexico we were in for 50 years was in attendance at the meeting Saturday night. His name is Juan Casas. Among other indignities he has suffered for Jesus Juan was imprisoned in his home town of Santa Rosa by the Catholic authorities as a young man for speaking in tongues. After the alter call was over Saturday night Juan came to tell me he had to leave. Through our interpreter Mary Juan simply said ;
“the Lord allowed me to see into the spirit. I saw that you have been shaking the heavens with prayer. When you gave the invitation the people did not want to come………they did not come because they had devils…….but….….they came”.
We kissed one another on the cheek and he walked away. Thank God they came!
To all who went…..to all who sent….to all who joined in shaking the heavens……know beyond a shadow of a doubt……Life has taken hold in El Potosi. Through obedience and prayer many have already chosen Jesus. Many more will.
My friends grace be to you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ!
Pastor Ken
The Way Family Church is one of the non denominational spirit filled churches located in Greeneville TN
Thursday, April 15, 2010
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