Thursday, November 18, 2010

Ex-Mayor Says He will Follow Jesus!

Ex-Mayor Says He will Follow Jesus

On the third night of the Nepal Healing Festival, we issued a challenge, “If you have decided to follow Jesus, come up on the platform and testify.” The first person to come to the platform was the ex-mayor of the city. The entire crowd recognized him. He publicly declared, “I have decided to follow Jesus. I asked Jesus to forgive my sins. From now on, I will live for Him.” All the people cheered for the former mayor.

Saved in the Morning, Healed in the Afternoon

On the fourth morning of the Fire Conference, Daniel gave an altar call for salvation. The Fire Conference is supposed to be for pastors and leaders, but we opened it up for the entire city to attend. Since there were many Hindus scattered throughout the church crowd, Daniel felt the need to give them an opportunity to be saved.

He said, “If you want Jesus to forgive your sins, then I invite you to come to the front of the church. If you have never given your life to Jesus, then today is your day.” About twenty people walked forward in response. Daniel asked them to all kneel on the ground and led them in a prayer for salvation.

One of the men who came forward for salvation was crippled. He could not walk without using a cane. Joyfully, he gave his life to Jesus.

Later, in the afternoon festival, the same man came to the platform. Instead of leaning on his cane, he was holding it high in the air. Jesus had healed him!

Nepal is Open to the Gospel

My wife Jessica worked in Nepal as a missionary for six months back in 2001. She says, “When I lived in Katmandu (the capital of Nepal) I could feel deep spiritual oppression every day. Believers were few and persecuted. At that time, Nepal was a Hindu kingdom closed to the Gospel. Daily we prayed that things would change in this beautiful nation.”

Since then, the government has changed hands several times and now for the first time in history, it is possible to publicly proclaim the Gospel in Nepal. The Healing Festival that we are doing in the center of Surkhet is unprecedented.

We have received no opposition, no persecution. Top government officials have given us their stamp of approval. There is great openness to hear about Jesus. Thousands of Hindus have come to the festival and heard about Jesus for the first time. Here in Nepal there are entire villages and people groups that are willing to forsake their Hindu deities and become believers in Jesus.

All the local pastors are telling us that it is a miracle that we are doing a public, open-air presentation of the Gospel in the center of the city, because previously it would never have been allowed.

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