“This was my second time back to Indonesia to teach the The Elijah Challenge. I have been ministering in this country since 1987. Indonesia has more followers of the religion centered in the Middle East than any other country on earth.
Because of the influence of the predominant religion here (hereafter to be referred to as ‘the Religion’ and its adherents as ‘Religionists’), almost all of the training is for the underground church and ‘contextual’ workers. The islands of Bali and Sumbawa seem to have a little more freedom than Lombok. The Gospel continues to be shared through different ministries despite the opposition.
What is a “contextual worker”?
Reaching our Religionist friends
Entrance to Religionist community
On this trip I was able to train about 300 workers on 3 islands in 2 1/2 weeks. There were 5 seminars for 2 to 3 days each with over 70 miraculous healings. Many cataracts, tumors, backs, and folks suffering with arthritis were healed. At almost every session there was a demonic manifestation. Having said this there were three outstanding highlights.
When I landed in Indonesia I first visited the island of Bali. I was greeted by a missionary couple from Brazil. In the evening they took me to visit three families to minister healing. The second of these families are Religionists and live in a Religionist community. The missionaries have been sharing with this family about Isa Almasih— the name of Jesus Christ in the Arabic language. I was introduced to ‘mom and dad’. They are about 60 plus years old and were in need of healing. ‘Mom’ had severe allergies and nasal congestion. ‘Dad’ had breathing challenges, heart problems, diabetes and a lack of energy.
“We witnessed a dramatic change in his appearance…”
I asked them about Isa Almasih. They knew a little about Him. I told them that I was a follower of Isa and I believed that they could be healed in the name of Isa Almasih. In my heart I had some doubt as to the power of the name of Isa Almasih being the same as the power of the name of Jesus. Up to this time it was just a good teaching which held that both names had equal power. But I had no real experience of ministering healing in the name of Isa.
We first laid hands on Mom’s sinus area in the name of Isa. To my excitement there was immediate relief as her sinus areas were completely restored. She said she experienced heat in her nasal passages as the healing took place. Next was Dad. We ministered three times for all of his physical challenges. We witnessed a dramatic change in his appearance as he testified that his breathing was restored and he seemed to have a new energy come into his body!
Continued follow-up and ministry is ongoing in this Religionist community by the missionary couple from Brazil.”
-2012 Report from a nameless Canadian missionary who trained with The Elijah Challenge in 2008
Ministering healing to the paralyzed and blind in Sumbawa
“In the city of Sumbawa on this island, I was invited by contextual workers to visit another Religionist village just outside of the city. This Indonesian husband and wife team were trained by me in The Elijah Challenge in 2011 on the island of Lombok. Again I was invited into a Religionist home.
Home of Religionist family
There were about 20 folks inside the home waiting to meet me. The intent was to minister to a stroke victim who was dying due to his throat closing. He could not eat any solid food and had not eaten for a month. His right arm was paralyzed and walking was very poor. He was actually in fact dying.
Stroke victim sitting at right next to contextual worker
I asked questions to the group about Isa Almasih. They told me that He was the healing Prophet. Also one man said that he thought that Isa could forgive sin. I told these folks that I was a follower of Isa. I told them that in order to prove to them that Isa Almasih could in fact forgive their sins we would ask Him to heal the sick who were here that day. The first challenge was the stroke victim. I laid my hands on his throat, then on his arm and next on his legs.
Ministering healing to the stroke victim in the name of Isa Almasih
His paralyzed hand “blossomed” open as I exercised authority in Isa’s hame
After two or three attempts there was flexibility restored back to his arm, and he was able to walk. The contextual worker began to feed him some solid food. As I observed him through the afternoon his strength seemed to get stronger and stronger as he continued to eat. At the end of our time in the village, this man had eaten a whole plate of food. The first food he ate in a month.
He got stronger and stronger—able to stoop down
He took his first bite of food in a month
Later he finished off an entire plate of food
“The first challenge was the stroke victim…
next there was a ‘grandpa’ who was blind”
Next there was an older ‘grandpa’ who was blind. I placed my thumbs on his eyes and I asked everyone present to stretch their hands towards the ‘grandpa’ and command healing in the name of Isa Almasih. The first attempt brought partial healing as he could only see and count my fingers.
Blind man at left with friend, both WWII veterans who fought the Japanese
After ministering to him the first time, he was able to count my fingers
So again and with the help of their faith that Isa could heal, I and this Religionist family commanded healing again in Isa’s name. The result was FANTASTIC as his sight was restored! All this done in the name of Isa Almasih (Jesus Christ in the Arabic language).
As I laid my hands on his eyes again at left, the Religionists exercised faith that Isa could restore his sight completely
All totaled there were eight folks miraculously healed in this home. I heard a report back from the contextual worker that over 10 folks in the house wanted to hear more about Isa Almasih. We were invited to stay for lunch and enjoyed a variety of meats and vegetables.”
-Report from August 2014
Dinner served to the servant of Isa Almasih
CAUTION: Parental discretion advised for photos below
Dinner followed by a visit to the bathroom
“Squat pot” fully equipped with bird
Dessert following dinner
This man had fallen from a banana tree and his ribs were very sore
Afterwards free to move with no more pain in his ribs
after ministry in Isa’s name
Interesting side note: “I was teaching The Elijah Challenge in a church the same evening I was ministering in this home. In my excitement I showed the photos above to the believers at the first session. There were over 60 folks attending. I was very eager to have the believers see what can happen in the name of Isa. But the next evening only about half the folks returned for Session 2. Apparently they were afraid that the Religionists would come and burn down their church because of the miracles that had happened in the village! This is the reality of underground ministry.”