Supernatural Gifts Today

 A conservative Bible-believing preacher in Australia was travelling through the country. As he left one village, the local tribal elders waved goodbye to him.

When he drove into the next village forty minutes later, the same tribal elders greeted him. He was driving his car, but they had already arrived using magical powers.

The preacher knew that he had failed as an evangelist. The indigenous people looked down on him because their witchcraft was more powerful than the theological doctrines preached from the pulpit.

The frustrated evangelist went to a charismatic preacher and sought advice. He had come to the conclusion that charismatic gifts of the Spirit are still necessary today.

In the Bible, we repeatedly find spiritual warfare. Sorcerers persecute the believing Jews and, in the New Testament, the Christians, but the prophets and later the apostles prove through miracles that the true God is stronger.

When Moses stood before Pharaoh, he threw his staff on the ground and God turned the staff into a snake. The Egyptian magicians also produced snakes, but Moses' snake swallowed the Egyptian snakes. 

In Acts chapters 2 and 3, God used amazing miracles to bring thousands of Jews to faith. In chapter 2, 120 disciples proclaimed the gospel in various languages they had never learned.

In chapter 3, Peter and John healed a paralysed man in Jesus' name.

In Cyprus, the mission was hindered by an evil sorcerer.

Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 
“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 

Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately, mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Acts 13:9–11 NIV

During the Cold War, a faithful Christian wanted to bring a shipment of Bibles to an Eastern European country. At the border, he had to go through customs. The customs officer looked directly into his car, where there was a stack of Bibles, but he could not see any Bibles. 

From the first day of Pentecost, the spread of the gospel was accompanied and confirmed by signs and wonders. God has never ceased to reveal His miraculous power.
 
In our time, millions of Muslims are converting to Christ. 
Numerous Muslims experience or observe miraculous healings in Jesus' name.
Countless Muslims are visited by Jesus in dreams and visions.

What is God's key to opening this seemingly locked door?
Signs and wonders. What is behind them? God's love for lost souls.
How is God's power released in such a wonderful way? The passionate intercession of faithful Christians.

Witch Set Free from Demons

 God created you. Your birth was planned and wanted by God because He saw you and loved you before the creation of the world. 

No matter whether the circumstances of your birth were favourable or not, God simply loves you.
No matter what you have done or what has been done to you. God simply loves you.

This creation is corrupt, but not completely ruined.

God has a cruel enemy who wants to poison and destroy all of God's works, and he has done a lot of damage, perhaps even in your life.

No matter what has happened in your life, God has a plan to give you a good future.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 NIV

I once saw a preacher from Brazil in a video recording. She told how she had been dedicated to demons from birth because her whole family worshipped the devil.

As a toddler, she was tormented by demons. She couldn't sleep without terrible nightmares. 

At the age of twelve, she became possessed by demons who drove her to live as a prostitute on the streets. Gradually, she learned to live her life as a witch with magical powers. She became a notorious witch, and Christians prayed for her.

She herself became cruel, but was also terribly tormented. The devil is very cruel, even to his slaves. Her suffering became unbearable until she desperately sought help. She did not know which spirit was stronger, the devil or God, but she prayed for help.

Jesus then visited her and she saw a vision from God, like in a video. She saw Jesus suffering and dying on the cross, taking the punishment for her sins upon himself.

She converted to Jesus, but then her little daughter fell ill. The devils sought revenge and her daughter died, but she herself was forgiven and freed by Jesus.

Then God raised her up to give her testimony. Many prostitutes and occultists were converted. As a witch, she was very dangerous, but as a Christian preacher, she became a powerful weapon in God's hands.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rom 5:10 NIV

Delivered from Demons

 God created you. Your birth was planned and willed by God because he saw and loved you even before the creation of the world.

Regardless of whether the circumstances of your birth were favourable or not. God simply loves you.
No matter what you have done or what has been done to you. God simply loves you.

This creation is corrupted, but not completely ruined.

God has a cruel enemy who wants to poison and destroy all of God's works, and he has done a lot of damage, perhaps in your life as well.

No matter what has happened in your life, God has a plan to give you a good future.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

I once saw a preacher from Brazil in a video recording. She told how she was dedicated to demons from birth because her whole family worshipped the devil.

As a small child, she was tormented by demons. She could not sleep without terrible nightmares.

At the age of twelve, she was possessed by demons that drove her to live on the streets as a prostitute. Gradually, she learnt to live her life as a witch with magical powers. She became known as a witch and Christians prayed for her.

She herself was cruel, but also terribly tormented. The devil is very cruel, even with his slaves. Her suffering became unbearable until she desperately sought help. She didn't know which spirit was stronger, the devil or God, but she prayed for help.

Jesus then visited her and she experienced a revelation, like in a video. She saw Jesus suffer and die on the cross, taking the punishment for her sin upon himself.

She converted to Jesus, but then her little daughter fell ill. The devils sought revenge and her daughter died, but she herself was forgiven and set free by Jesus.

Then God raised her up to give her testimony. Many prostitutes and occultists were converted. As a witch she was very dangerous, but as a Christian preacher she became a powerful weapon in God's hands.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NIV

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Rom 5:10 NIV

Praying for Unbelievers

 Richard Wurmbrand was a preacher in Romania. He was persecuted under the Nazi occupation, but then things got even worse under the communists.

When the Russian army arrived, it was not really a liberation for the Christians, but Richard Wurmbrand evangelised fearlessly. He even tried to win the Russian officers for Jesus.
 
One Russian officer denied that he believed in God, but with God's wisdom Richard Wurmbrand was able to see through this atheism.

‘But you still pray in an emergency, don't you?’
The communist was caught out and embarrassed.
‘When we were besieged and surrounded in Stalingrad, we all prayed.’

When my mother was 70 years old and still healthy, she didn't want to take my prayers seriously, but at 76 she was close to death. Then she was very grateful for my prayers and she died in peace with God.

Between 1982 and 2000, Argentina experienced a powerful revival. One of the prominent preachers in this revival was Ed Silvoso.

Ed Silvoso explained that many Christians want to pray for unbelievers, but without speaking openly to the unbelievers. They are afraid that God might not answer these prayers and then their faith would appear weak and useless.

Ed Silvoso began his missionary work at the age of 16.

After many years, he has learnt that many non-Christians appreciate our help through prayer, even if they do not expect results and may not even have a clear idea of God Himself.

When we ask our colleagues or neighbours if we should pray for them, they are often grateful for our charity. When they experience that God hears them, his intervention can awaken their faith.

I once spoke to a witch. I tried to win her over to Jesus, but the conversation was very difficult. She had a cunning answer for everything.

Finally, I realised that I should stop striving. I asked God for wisdom on how to end the conversation, and God gave me the right words.

I told her, ‘I will pray that Jesus will visit you in a dream.’

Her demonic power could not resist this attack from the Holy Spirit. Suddenly I saw fear and uncertainty in her eyes.

Your prayers have a power that intimidates even the demons.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Mt 7:7–8 NLT

She Became Invisible

  Jesus preached a short message in the synagogue where He had grown up. The people only saw him as a normal man, but he demanded the respect due to a prophet.

And He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. Lk 4:24 NASB95

When Jesus continued to challenge them, they were furious.

They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff.

But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. Lk 4:29–30 NIV

It happens today too. A man in America was a drug dealer who practised witchcraft.  He was dying of drug addiction but Christians had prayed for his salvation.

Real Christians love their enemies.

A Christian helped him in his extreme need and he was converted.
After a miraculous deliverance and healing process, he became a radical preacher for Jesus.

One day he was talking to a young man on a university campus. The man was deep in darkness, just as the converted missionary had been. He became angry and wanted to knock the preacher out. But he simply couldn't. An angel held his arm.

A young English woman had been a teenage party girl until she saw her christian father die and the glory of God on him as he passed. She was instantly converted,

When she was not yet 30 years old, the young Englishwoman moved to Thailand and served alone as a missionary on a tourist island where there were no missions and no churches. She was a courageous and loving young woman who knew Jesus well and loved people.

She quickly made all kinds of friends and people were converted.

Some Muslims on the island became angry.

When Muslims convert to Jesus, this is the worst mortal sin for the extremely pious Muslims, the unthinkable betrayal, the ultimate catastrophe.

These pious Muslims were determined to kill the young missionary.

They were lying in wait for her. She was hunted down like a wild animal, but each time, amazingly, she simply managed to escape.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit warned her to leave immediately. Sometimes she was told supernaturally that she should not go home or that she had to leave her house immediately.

She was finally ambushed and surrounded and there was no way out.

For nothing will be impossible with God.” Lk 1:37 NRSV