April 2014 EHC Newsletter

Mozambique - Africa April 2014

Anton Ivanov

A Once Dark Nation Glows With God’s Glory!

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12, nkjv).

One of the joys of being involved in the Every Home for Christ ministry is the privilege of seeing firsthand the sovereign power of Christ working in diverse contexts throughout the earth. Although some aspects of ministry may look different from country to country, Jesus is the same. As the Scriptures say, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8, nasb).

traditional animistic religions. Society is widely unstable and susceptible to the whims of militant (terrorist) rebels; and poverty, famine, and rampant disease impact multitudes, resulting in high rates of violence and a tragically low quality of life.

Ministry in these contexts involves very real spiritual warfare, which is why prayer is so critical to the work of Every Home for Christ in such regions. But praise God that amid all of these challenges—the same Jesus who In each nation where Every Home for Christ cast out demons when He walked the earth has an active work, the challenges are is still driving them out today. different. The needs are varied. Sometimes the cultural dynamics are so opposite that Mozambique is a particularly amazing they’re difficult to understand. example of God’s power at work in Africa.

Nevertheless, in every nation (whether Africa or beyond)—for the past 66 years in the Every Home for Christ work, today, and forever—Jesus is the same. Praise God for that! Jesus overcomes all challenges. He is the answer to every need. He is the Saviour of “all the world” and is very much alive in every culture.

Some of the most unique ministry environments where Every Home for Christ labours today are the diverse regions of Africa. In many villages and districts here, Indeed, this once terribly dark nation is now the spiritual realm seems to be thriving beginning to glow with the glory of God. through witchcraft, voodoo, and other When Every Home for Christ first began

our work in Mozambique the country was listed by the World Health Organisation as the most impoverished of all nations in the entire world. Today much is changing in Mozambique, especially in the spiritual realm. The Book of Acts has come alive in Mozambique. The reports and testimonies that come in from our Every Home for Christ brothers and sisters in Mozambique read as if the Book of Acts were being rewritten in present day. There are repeated reports of dramatic accounts of Christ’s power being revealed in the face of manifestations of demonic forces as Every Home for Christ workers confront sickness, demonic possession and the powers and principalities of the evil realm, all “in the name of Jesus.”

nation! Many of the people who have been living under the control of witches, spirits, and curses are desperate for the Gospel. Their hearts are open to receive the power of Christ. Those living in poverty more readily welcome the message of “There is a great spiritual hunger in God’s love. The sick receive the Lord’s Mozambique,” writes National Director healing. We do praise God that the doors are open in Mozambique, which was not always the case in the past. It is now simply a matter of reaching every home with the Good News and faithfully discipling those who respond. It can be done. Indeed, it is being done and the following testimonies confirm this reality.

Jesus Overcomes “Mermaid-Witches” and Demons Anacleto Ferrao, “and there is a great need for the Gospel here. Traditional religions are strong in our country, so it is necessary that we bring a complete paradigm shift to our people. Cults and witchcraft have deep roots in our society. This has continued for many generations. On top of that, the majority of our nation lives in absolute poverty, the worst in the world, and this creates extreme physical needs. To put it mildly, our people are in a spiritual crisis, and only the Gospel—the true Gospel—is the solution. That’s why we are boldly taking this message to every home!”

During a recent home-to-home campaign in a remote part of Mozambique, Every Home for Christ workers met an elderly woman named Anna whose story truly reveals the power of Christ. Anna invited the Every Home for Christ workers into her home and shared her story with them.

“When I was born,” she said, “I was given the name of my grandmother, who was a witch, and I thereby inherited her witchcraft. When I was a child, my grandmother told me that when she was my age she was taken by mermaids to live underwater with them for In Mozambique, Jesus is the same (we know four years. Whether this was in some sort of a dream state or something very real to That)—and so there is hope for this needy

my grandmother, I do not know. When the mermaid witches released her, according to my grandmother, they endowed her with powers of sorcery and witchcraft. The day she told me this, she transmitted her dark skills to me, and I have lived as a witch my whole life since.”

our workers in a bonfire hastily arranged for this act of repentance. Since her salvation and deliverance, Anna is now an active member of a local church and is excited about her walk with Jesus. She is quick to relate that she will be forever grateful for the Every Home for Christ pioneer missionaries who came to her home personally to share with her the transforming Looking at the Every Home for Christ power of Jesus Christ. workers with tears in her eyes, Anna said, “Please don’t judge me. I did not choose Confronting "Goblins and this way of life. It is the only life I have ever Demonic Spirits!" known!” Of course the workers assured her they had not come to judge her, but to offer Another EHC Mozambique team met an her freedom from this way of life through elderly man named Sekuru Lewis. After Jesus Christ. the team presented Sekuru with a clear Anna readily responded, telling the workers presentation of the Gospel, Sekuru told his she did, indeed, want to be freed from the amazing story. Although for most of us in a bondage of her present life as a witch. But Western culture, to hear the word “goblins” as the workers began praying over her, we might almost chuckle, thinking of a powerful demon manifested itself and imaginary beings associated with traditions threatened to kill Anna on the spot if the of Halloween. However, as you will see in this workers tried to cast it out. In our culture report, to people like Sekuru and his family, we rarely hear such testimonies but in they are more than real. places like Mozambique the demonic realm is very real. The Every Home for Christ workers paid no attention to the demon’s threats and boldly cast him out in the name of Jesus. Anna was immediately delivered and cried out in joyful relief, “It feels like a weight has been lifted from me!”

“It all started when I moved to this city years ago,” Sekuru related. “I was a young man, still single, and I had no job. After failing many times to secure employment, I sought out the help of a witch doctor. He gave me some ‘juju’ fetishes [charms] and promised me I would get a job as soon as possible.

Anna then gathered up all her tools of “When that came to pass,just as the witch doctor witchcraft so they could be destroyed by said, my confidence in him increased. I began

visiting him regularly to fix any problems in life. After I married a beautiful wife, I thought it was necessary for me to become very rich.

I wanted to start a business, and so the witch doctor gave me a goblin (another fetish) that he said would bring me money. He told me I simply needed to slaughter a cow every year to appease my goblin. Later, though, the witch doctor said the goblin changed its mind and required human blood instead. I knew this was wrong. There was no way I wanted to take a human life.”

now accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.

Abused, Rejected - Then REDEEMED!

Suzanna lived without hope in Mozambique since she was 12 years old. Sexually abused by her stepfather as a child, Suzanna’s painful past and disgraced reputation haunted her into her adult life until the day two EHC pioneer missionaries knocked on her door. Her story could be repeated many times over by Every Home for Christ workers Sekuru continued his amazing story:“I tried to throughout Africa. destroy the goblin but I failed dismally every time. Finally I was advised that another witch “When my mother and I first moved in with doctor had powers to destroy it, so I took my stepfather Dodo,” Suzanna told our the goblin to him. He managed to destroy workers, “my stepfather was good to me and it but provoked yet another problem: an seemed caring and loving. But then we grew evil spirit emanating from the goblin began very poor, and the only job my mother could tormenting my family! Some may think this find was as a housemaid in another village, is all ‘make believe,’ but to us as a family it leaving me home alone many days at a time with Dodo. That was when Dodo’s evil nature has been very real.” began to come out in force.”

Sekuru explains: “For 30 years, we have lived in fear of this ghoulish spirit. Three of Dodo began telling Suzanna that because our children died mysterious deaths, and he was not her real father, he was doing her the fourth succumbed to a strange mental a great favour by caring for her. “He therefore illness because of the spirit. We cannot sleep. told me that my mother had told him that I We have been reduced to absolute poverty.” should act as Dodo’s wife while she was away.

He said I should sleep in his bed with him so Suddenly, Sekuru cried out spontaneously to he could protect me from evil spirits in the our workers, “I am tired of this life. I need night. Every night I tried to refuse, but he your Jesus! Please, bring salvation into was far too strong for me and forcibly carried my home!” me to his room, tied my hands and feet to the bed, covered my mouth, and raped me The Every Home for Christ workers repeatedly. Every night he threatened to kill responded at once to Sekuru’s plea and me if I told anyone. I was only 12 years old prayed for him. Immediately both Sekuru and at that time and very fearful of what Dodo his wife received Christ as personal Saviour. might do to me.”

Salvation had indeed come to their home.

Today, Sekuru and his wife joyfully report When Suzanna’s mother finally returned that they have been filled with continuing home, Suzanna worked up the courage to tell hope since the day they invited Jesus Christ her what was happening with Dodo. Instead into their hearts and home. Everything has of her mother showing understanding, she been changing. All the tormenting spirits are beat Suzanna as punishment for lying and now gone and they are able to sleep freely attempting to destroy her relationship with at night. And even their mentally ill son has her husband.

“After some time,” Suzanna, now in tears, said, “I became very sick and my mother took me to the clinic. I was diagnosed with an STD (sexually transmitted disease).The nurses asked me how I could possibly have contracted it, and I told them everything about what Dodo had been doing to me. As a result, Dodo was taken to jail.

He is still there today.”

Just when Suzanna thought she might finally have hope, her life grew even more painful in new ways. When word got out in her community about what had happened, Suzanna lost all her friends and family. Many seemed to believe she had brought all this upon herself. Even her mother rejected her, though her mother knew very well the truth of what had been happening all along.

Suzanna now felt totally alone.

This all changed with a visit to her home from Every Home for Christ pioneer missionaries.

As is so often the case with such visits, it happened just at the perfect time. As our workers told Suzanna of the love of Christ for her, her eyes filled with tears of hope. “I want to give my life to Christ,” she said, “for then I will no longer be alone! I will have a new friend in Jesus.”

The workers spent much time with Suzanna, telling her that Jesus had died for her, that He loved her and had a purpose for her life, and that He could help her overcome the suffering of her past. Today Suzanna has been empowered by Jesus. She has hope for her future, and she is no longer alone. Her life has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus and Suzanna is completely transformed.

INTERCESSORY WORSHIP with Dick Eastman, International President of Every Home for Christ to watch continuously: "never be silent day or night"and "give yourselves no rest"(v.6).

Such watching in worship (which we are describing here as intercessory worship) will no doubt help make possible an open heaven over the earth, so that the nations might see, as the text declares, [God's] righteousness, and all kings [his] glory"(V.2).

David certainly understood this key when he brought God's Ark into his humble tent and commissioned continuous worship.

One might argue ,I believe rightly, that David As in Isaiah 62:1-2,6-7 and so many other created an open heaven over Israel for nearly passages, we again see worship and watching four decades. linked to God's glory touching the nations.

Note particularly the phrases "The nations What specifically were the benefits of this will see your righteousness, and all kings your open heaven? Prosperity and blessing glory"(v.2) and "till he establishes Jerusalem accompanied David's rule, unlike those and makes her the praise of the earth"(v.7) experienced during the reign of any kin The goal, according to this admonition, is before or after. It is indeed noteworthy that

David's Kingdom grew beyond all other kingdoms of those times. I believe this was the result of David's passion for God, demonstrated through his lifestyle of praise and worship. In fact, more scriptural insight on praise, worship and hungering after God's heart is attributed to David than almost all other Bible writers combined.

Something in David did not want the flame of worship to die out in his Tabernacle. Perhaps he remembered the Levitical directive that the flame was to burn continuously in the Tabernacle of Moses (see Lev. 6:13). The end result for David was the extraordinary extension of his Kingdom.

A TASTE OF THE TABERNACLE Something similar to what David initiated happened many centuries later, in the 1700s, with the amazing extension of the Moravian movement in one of the great missionary advances in Church history. The Moravians, under Count Nikolaus von Zinzendorf, began a prayer watch before the Lord that continued for more than 100 years. It was, to a small degree, a foretaste of the ultimate restoration of David's Tabernacle that I believe is unfolding in our generation.

The Moravian prayer watch began in late August 1727, after revival broke out among several hundred people who lived in a place called Herrnhut in Saxony (modern Germany).

Populated by persecuted Christians from Bohemia and Moravia, Herrnhut-meaning "watch of the Lord"- was founded in 1722 at the estate of the wealthy and devout Count Nikolaus von Zinsendorf.

For the first five years of its existence, Herrnhut hardly lived up to its name, being wracked by dissension and open hostility.

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In early 1727, Zinzendorf and several others agreed together to seek God fervently for revival. The revival they sought came gloriously on May 12. The entire community was transformed. Later Zinzendorf would write, "The whole place represented truly a visible habitation of God among men."

A hunger for God intensified in the weeks following, and on August 27 a decision was made to cultivate this attitude and atmosphere, so that it may continue. That day 24 men and 24 women covenanted together to spend one hour each day, at different times, in scheduled prayer. This was no short - term commitment, and they fixed no date for concluding.

Historian A.J. Lewis later wrote, "for over a hundred years the members of the Moravian Church all shared in the 'hourly intercesision.'At home and abroad, on land and sea, this prayer watch ascended unceasingly to the Lord."

"The sacared fire was never permitted to go out on the altar (Leviticus 6:13); so in a congregation [which] is the temple of the living God, wherein He has his altar and fire, the intercession of his saints should incessantly rise up to Him."

I went to Israel with Every Home for Christ!

I went to Israel with Every Home for Christ!

BE IN ISRAEL THIS YEAR! Sightseeing with Every Home for Christ October 21/22 - November 9th For more information email ehc@everyhome.org.au Freephone Australia: 1800 807 172 New Zealand: 0800 900 200

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We went to Israel with Every Home for Christ!

I went to Israel with Every Home for Christ!

My beloved EHC friend, This note is to especially thank everyone who has so faithfully supported Every Home for Christ in prayer and finance over these many ! many! many! , some 36 years.

Also, I want to "welcome" you if you have just started receiving these monthly newsletters.

Each month so you can be kept up-to-date, we will send you a letter with news and "recent" prayer requests so that you can join with others who each day are ...

"Praying the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest."

- Matthew 9: 38 This is just as Jesus told us to do.

On the enclosed World Prayer Map there is a page titled "Essentials to your Devotional Habit"; this could change your life.

If you get a set time for prayer you will be amazed how consistant your prayer life will become as we have suggested on the World Prayer Map. If you get a plastic bag and make it your prayer packet with photos of your children, grandchildren, friends, pastor, you will never go to sleep again while you pray because your prayer life will become so interesting as you pray over the photos and people you love most.

The monthly mail you receive and the World Prayer Map can also be put in your prayer packet so that you can pray for the world's people and God's servants as they carry the Gospel home-to-home or in whatever other way they do it.

May God's best be yours.

Sincerely,

Eric Leach Executive Director Australia & New Zealand