|
2018 - An Amazing Year!
100's upon 100's came to faith in Christ
We want to take this moment, as we have already begun the New Year, to revisit some of the AMAZING things the Lord has done in 2018. Of course there are more than can be reflected upon here, but we want to inspire you to believe that there are GREATER things ahead for 2019. One of the things that we can do in our lives to believe and have hope for the future, is to reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord.
SO LET'S BEGIN...
-----
January / February 2018
We did a local outreach event in a neighborhood park. 13 people gave their lives to Christ. This was not in a church setting, but was in a public neighborhood park. These are unchurched people who heard the life saving good news of Jesus Christ and responded. Not only did people come to faith in Christ, but the Holy Spirit responded to the cries and hunger of the people present. A wave of healing and deliverance moved through this park and so many were touched by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
Above Two Photos: 13 people gave their lives to Christ.
 
Above two Photos:
This woman's back was healed and the young girl who was scheduled for surgery for TMJ (lock jaw) was healed.
This memory strikes a cord in our hearts because it's the power of the Gospel being released in a public setting outside the walls of a church building in a local community of people.
Read what someone who attended this event posted on Facebook...
Sem comentários... Eu não sei se a gente subiu ou se o céu desceu... Mas que Deus estava naquele lugar... DISSO TENHO CERTEZA!
Without words ... I do not know if we went up or if heaven came down ... But that God was in that place ... OF THAT I'M SURE!
March / April 2018
We had been asking the Lord for more effective strategies. We always see the God do such amazing things in the meetings, but a question remained in our hearts, "Lord is the fruit lasting?" With that said, we felt that in the context of ministering in churches, that a one-time service wasn't enough time to impart and develop something beyond that moment in a church service. So we sought the Lord about doing less one service meetings in churches and asked the Lord to give us opportunities to spend more time with the churches and pastors and do more revival oriented meetings of 2, 3 or more days. This would mean we would preach in less churches but spend more quality time with the churches and people God connects us with. This would give us more time to be with the pastors, church leadership and to impart a culture of God's heart for the people. Also, when there are several days of meetings happening, this gives people more opportunity to invite friends, neighbors, and family as they see and hear what God is doing. In these meetings it is the norm where each night the meetings progressively grow with more and more people.
Above Photo: We did three days of revival meetings where we saw so many miracles, healing's and salvations. Close to 200 people came to Christ at these 3 days of revival meetings. In Brazil, when is rains people generally don't go to church because so many people walk, use bikes or public transit. On the the third night is was pouring like crazy. Yet the church was almost full. One lady told said, I don't care what the weather is, I'm not missing this move of God.
Wow, such hunger and expectation!
Above Photo: The Holy Spirit was present in such weighted glory that the worship team was overcome by His presence. (2 Chronicles 5:14)
The work and ministry of the Holy Spirit manifests in so many ways. Often, in the quietness of the moment, in response to the heart's cry, or in the thunder of celebration.
Jesus gave a command to believers to not move forward unless they have received the power of the Holy Spirit. It is vital not just to minister in words, but in the Power of God. The Apostle Paul said it clearly, "
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's Power" (1 Cor. 2:4)
Photo on the left:
This woman had an open hole in her foot and her foot and leg was swollen and purple. She was scheduled for an amputation when someone invited her to the services and she was prayed for. She came back the next night and testified that the hole had closed and the purple color and swelling was gone. Best of all, she gave her life to Christ.
 Just when you think you have seen all. This women was struck by lightening several months earlier. And just a fews days before the meeting she went to the emergency room with excruciating cranial and ear pain. There the doctor told her she would have that pain that the rest of her life. Well, the power of God touched her during the meetings and she was healed! It's often difficult to communicate the shock, awe, joy and emotion that people have the moment they receive a miraculous healing. It's something we never forget!
MAY / JUNE 2018
A milestone for the Sozo Mountain Children's home was established. We had the first official board meeting with the new Sozo Mountain board of directors in Brazil. Even though we had not received government approval or recognition yet, Brazilian law states that the board must be established first and an official meeting must be held.
Above Two Photos:
1st board meeting at a hotel in Campos do Jordaõ, SP Brazil and the board praying over the property we are believing God for the finances to buy. This place has been vacant now for 10 years and we are believing this year in 2019 the finances will come through to buy this place.
Above Photo: Every opportunity is important, both big and small. Débora is doing a worship clinic here a church's worship team.
July / August 2018
From glory to glory. We saw a great shift in the ministry in the level of anointing, miracles and elevation in Brazil. We definitely witnessed the Lord take us to another level. Our
prayer
is not only to reach to the one, but to reach with integrity and influence all of Brazil with the Gospel. In doing that, effective partnerships and the favor and call of God upon the ministry is vital. In life and ministry there is a Biblical principle, how can one be faithful with the great things, if he/she can't be with the small and simple things. God will test our hearts, commitment and resolve by taking us into the desert places to prepare us for the palace places. To the simple things before the great great things. Get ready!
 Above Photo: We spent 5 days as the keynote speakers at a prophetic conference. Meetings went on for 4 and 5 hours. Wave after wave of people kept coming to the altars pouring their hearts out to God and receiving from the Lord. People from around the city came to these meetings and the impact was significant.
 
Above Two Photos: During a time of prayer and intercession for the orphans of Brazil, the Holy Spirit led us to go down from the platform and randomly pick a girl from among the almost 1k that were present. We brought her up on the platform and we were praying for the orphaned children of Brazil. After the service the mother came up to us and said that that very week they had just finalized the adoption of this little girl we were holding into their family. Can you imagine, how the Holy Spirit knows all things. While Sozo Mountain has been a work in progress and we have be patiently moving forward, this was a real confirmation to us that we must press on with faith to see that it comes to fruition.
Photo on the Right: This young man wondered into a service we were preaching as he was walking by on the street after just being released from prison. We prayed with him as he gave his life
to Christ. At that moment he described how he felt something leave his body and a peace come in. This is why we share the life saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, because not only does the Lord change lives but He bri
ngs the person
into an eternal everlasting life with Him.
September / October 2018
We had been told over time from several people that we should go to the south in Brazil and visit MEVAM, the ministry of Pastor Luiz Herminio. He holds a monthly meeting in which pastors come from all over Brazil to experience and be part these monthly meetings.
Above Photo: Monthly Pastors Saturday meeting at MEVAM.
Above Photo: Sunday lunch with Pastor Luiz Herminio (front center), Pastor Jefferson, their wives and new friends.
We had not met the pastor previously, but decided to make the journey to the south of Brazil to attend one of the monthly pastors meetings. The Lord spoke to me that we would be preaching there. I thought it strange because we didn't know anyone there. The end story is that we had three opportunities in which we shared the Word. The first in the Saturday night youth meeting, the second in the Saturday midnight prayer meeting and the third in the main Sunday night service of the church which was televised throughout Brazil on the ministriy's media network.
We felt that the Lord had done a unique thing and was sovereignly involved in connecting us with the ministry of Pastor Luiz Herminio. They have ministries in over 20 countries and are well known throughout Brazil as a ministry of influence and integrity, and as a pastor to pastors.
One of our missions, goals and pursuits in being effective and fruitful in the ministry is to engage and minister to pastors. If pastors are equipped, challenged and supported properly they will have a much greater reach in their spheres of influence than we ever could. With that said, this particular weekend was is a real highlight for us in 2018, as we anticipate the greater things that these moments will lead us to in 2019.
November / December 2019
We closed the year before returning to Kansas City for the Christmas season with three days of revival meetings in an agricultural community in the city Dourados in the central state of Mato Grosso. The Lord had been faithful to us throughout this year and we will certainly remember this revival moment in Dourados. We saw many saved and numerous people healed at these meetings. These were simple meetings with profound results. We've captured the love of these people in our hearts and are truly grateful for every opportunity to share the love and power of the good news of the gospel.
Photo on the Left:
This
young
lady spent three months in bed with an open hole in her foot the size of a silver dollar coin. She was in risk of the foot being amputated. Miraculously that didn't happen and the wound healed. She had not been able to walk is high heals and had restrictions in her foot movements due to muscle and nerve damage. As well as, experiencing constant pain.
While in her seat during the service there was a word of knowledge about someone's foot being healed, specifically in relation to a hole in
the foot. At that moment she believed it was for her and her foot began to vibrate. She realized she was healed as all pain left and her foot had full freedom of movement. In this picture, she came the next night in high heals and gave Débora her favorite pair of earrings. Explaining that she didn't have money, but this was the best way she could convey her appreciation and thankfulness to God for her completed healing.
One thing is sure, God is always looking and ready to pour out His Spirit on all people. The question often is, are people wiling and ready to avail themselves and prepare themselves to receive a move of God. Certainly, this is one region I hope we will return to for a city-wide crusade. The seeds have been planted and we will wait to see what the Lord will do in the days ahead. Not every city and region is ready for revival and a move of God. But I believe this one is on the threshold.
|
