Pati, Indonesia Gospel Campaign
There was a mighty outpouring of God’s love and grace was demonstrated in signs, wonders and miracles during the gospel festival in Pati, Central Java. Many received healing in their bodies and during our last night, thousands lifted up their hands and prayed to invite Jesus into their hearts. Hallelujah!
The publicity campaign was a huge success in announcing the festival using billboards, banners, brochures, speaker cars and radio. A few nights before the festival was to start, a few men came to our festival chairmans’ house to persuade him to cancel the festival. So we were told we can have singing and preaching on the soccer field but move healings to a church next to the field and no altar call for salvation. If we disobeyed, they threatened to put our committee chairman into jail.
The night before the festival we held a press conference and unity dinner with local leaders to spread the word about the festival and also to assure the people that we are here to help and nor cause harm and division. We had a representative from the regent, the head of the local parliament, the district leader, chief of intelligence and local religious leaders. At the end of our dinner, the district leader started to talk about the festival. He felt the situation was too volatile. Therefore he asked if we can move the festival to a Church. Then the intelligence chief interrupted the district leader and said the public is not worried about the singing and preaching but just the healings. So the district leader changes his mind and says only the healings should be moved to the Church. After a long conversation and clearing up many misunderstandings, we were miraculously given permission to do all parts of the festival including praying for the sick on the field but we still could not do alter call for salvation.
Our first night started with only a few people on the field. There was a lot of tension because of the threats coming our way. The police were there to keep the peace. After delivering the message of the Gospel, we prayed for the sick and called all who were healed to come up on the stage. We interviewed four healed people from the stage before Daniel ran up on stage and told me that the police want me to stop. Later they apologized for stopping us. They were concerned that a few people in the crowd might cause a problem. Overall it was a victorious night for the Gospel and many more experienced healing in their physical bodies.
More people came during the second night of the festival. Since we could not call people up on stage to testify about their healings, we asked everyone to sit down and asked only the ones that were healed to stand up and wave their hands. We counted over 30 people that claimed healing in their bodies.
Our last night was by far the best night. The soccer field was almost all covered with people. I preached the Gospel story starting with creation, the fall, Jesus’ redemption and building a relationship with God. I asked everyone on the field to stand up, raise their hands and gave them 1 minute of silence so they can pray to start a relationship with God through Jesus. That was wisdom from God.
We saw many more miracles during the last night. I really desired to share the testimonies with the crowd. So instead of calling the healed people on stage, I went off the stage into the crowd and had a camera follow me. Everyone saw on the big screen and heard the testimonies. Praise Jesus! Afterwards, we even got to lay our hands and pray for the chief of intelligence and another police officer so that they can receive miracles. They asked for it. They were the only 2 people we laid our hands on in prayer during the festival. We were strictly told not to lay our hands on anyone by the same intelligence chief! We also handed thousands of salvation books during the last night of the festival.
Here is another interesting thing that happened and many were talking about it after the festival was done. We had great weather the first 2 nights. The last night, it started to rain just before the festival started. But there was no rain on the field. In fact we were told, it was raining everywhere except inside a 100 meter radius around the soccer field! Then all the rain stopped before we started. The next day we got heavy rain so much so water was starting to come into the house we were staying in. I believe this is a sign and wonder God granted to the people. All glory to Jesus and none for us!
During the morning hours of the festival days, there was also a two days leader’s seminar, 150 food packages were handed out to poor families and 160 people received free medical treatment.
Thank you friends and partners for making this event possible through your prayers and giving. God bless you.