Butch Berner teaches The Elijah Challenge & heads Light of Africa in Zambia
August 2012
Recently Butch taught The Elijah Challenge to the students attending Overland Missions School for Advance Missions Training.
After the weekend training, they went into the rural area to preach the Gospel. During the few days they were out, they walked between 1 and 2 hours to get to the remote places where they showed the Jesus Film and healed about 250 people. All but two were completely healed, including eyes that were filled with cataracts, and many other pains and problems. 145+ folks made a decision for Christ during this time. We thank God for this mighty teaching of power evangelism! We praise God that Butch was given this opportunity to train and equip others with the Truth.
Following are a few of the testimonies from the students experiences following Butch’s training.
From AMT Student Freida Graber: “And here is a peep into a brief moment of my week.
Friday morning my ministry team walks the 50 minutes to the school to minster to the children. We arrive at the school and all the children are in the classrooms taking tests. The head master steps out and says “I know we said you can minister from 9-10, but can you wait until 10:30? The children are still writing their tests and they need to finish.”
“Sure! No problem!”
So we walk over to the flag pole to talk about what we should do until 10:30. I look over at the road and a group about 10 men were walking, pushing a bicycle with a lady draped over the seat and handlebars “Is she ok?” I ask, and Lena interprets.
“No, she is dizzy and has been vomiting. We are taking her home from the funeral so she can rest.”
“Is it far?” I ask, forgetting that this question is useless in the African bush because nothing is far…ever!
“It is not far, it is just over this hill,” the gentlemen assured us.
So our whole team follows them over the hill to find her home. We lay her down on a plastic mat where she can be comfortable, and then we pray over her the prayer of authority commanding the sickness to leave her body. We give her water, and upon her request move her into the sun where she can stay warmer because the morning chill was still quite nippy.
As she is resting we turn to the men who are now sitting there waiting to hear what these makua may have to say. After introductions and Jack had shared encouragement with them we ask if they have any questions.
Immediately one of them says, “Yes, I do! I have been wondering about this for a while. Why is it that after the demons have been cast out of someone that they can sometimes come back into this person’s body and possess them again?”
I am grieved in my spirit at this question because this means that he had seen this very thing happen, and I am not OK with this thought! I open my Bible, and asked the Holy Spirit to remind me where to find the scripture of Jesus teaching on this subject. I am amazed when my Bible falls open and immediately I see the verses! Thank you Holy Spirit! “I have the scripture right here in Matthew 12!” I told my new friends, and get up to read it to them. The Holy Spirit reminds me to share my testimony about being delivered from the spirit of fear and nightmares, and how this spirit did come back to visit me, but by the grace of God I knew the authority of Jesus name and I knew I could say NO!
“So, you must always remember that after the demons are sent out and you have asked Jesus to fill your spirit with himself and Holy Spirit this demon can’t find any room in you. We must be sure to encourage those who have been delivered to walk in this freedom that Jesus has given them, and remind them that they too have the authority to say, ‘No, demons, you must go back to hell where you come from, you are not welcome in me again!”
It was such a precious moment to me as I saw the light coming into the eyes of these beautiful people. I was now ok that we were late getting to the school because it meant we were able to see these people ministered to. Several of the gentlemen were healed of various pains, a lady was healed of knee problems, and we left the lady who had been so dizzy resting and feeling much better. We arrived back at the school just as they finished the tests and then had an amazing time ministering to these sweet spirits!”
From Bryan Boling: “Africa is the great instructor of flexibility. When you find yourself with failed plans, broken generators, flat tires, dead batteries and a palpable move of God on your hands you have found yourself exactly where you are meant to be. Our expedition was one of long walks, wailing funerals, falls, and praise. Where can these elements be found in harmony but within the Father’s great provision? I tell you this is the only place.
To have witnessed the blind see and the deaf hear, the lame walk and the mute speak is to taste God’s grace. This is my life’s great blessing. The beauty of this blessing is that it is not part and parcel to an individual but a broad stroke of God over all who care to ask. I have walked through the woods and climbed the hills for a conversation with a stranger. Why? Because I have something their soul has been longing for from the moment of their inception. I have the light for their path. I have the truth that creation declares in its very existence. I love them.
Romanticized? I will not argue this. But, how am I to look back upon this season of life but through such a lens? We have witnessed the single most glorious and important instance in the lives of so many, the salvation of their souls. Perhaps this is not the romantic in me but Christ within me that celebrates with a sweet tongue. Yes.”