Reports from Butch & Janet Berner
Elijah Challenge Update…from Butch
July 2011
We are fine and getting back to routine after the ORU group left. They were great and helped a lot. We first went to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe for the training. Each night we demonstrated the teaching and God was faithful to heal those in pain and sick. Headaches, stomach problems, leg pains, etc. were healed on Saturday at the end of the teaching.
Many people were ministered to and even ministered to at a distance. Two testimonies of people being healed at a distance have been given. Two young men were minister to right off. One had boils and rashes on his whole body. After ministry he testified that he felt better. The other had a lung that had collapsed and experienced shortness of breath; but, after ministry he was better and able to run up stairs without shortness of breath.
That afternoon the team and trained church believers went out into the townships doing door-to-door evangelism. They witnessed many healings. The group I was with prayed for three people with foot problems. One young man had hurt his foot playing soccer and after ministering healing, he wiggled his foot grinning ear to ear. I could see him thinking, ”Now I can play again!” A woman experiencing joint pains and was healed; a man was having problems walking but after ministry was walking better. Many others saw pains and aches go in Jesus name.
That night we held a crusade at the community center hall. Just as we started the power went off. After a bit of time a generator was brought to the meeting and we could now use electricity rather than the candles we had been using. We have not experienced darkness like that in quite some time!
There were about 15 healed of pains and aches of various kinds. Two men from the morning outreach were there. After more ministry they both confessed that they had been healed. The one with the lung is now running everywhere, whereas before he could not walk quickly at all. The other has seen the boils dry up and the lumps from some internal infirmity melt away. Both are praising God today.
Sunday we attended the same church where the training took place. We witnessed three more people healed. One woman had neck and back pains for the past three days. After ministry, she was instantly healed. A man came to church walking with crutches but after ministry and the “heat of God”, he said he felt, the man left carrying the crutches. The third person healed was a person with a bad headache. God healed her.
I had a follow up meeting with Pastor Pete yesterday. He was very encouraged and went on to say they have 4 new believers and the evangelism team is re-energized to go out into the community. Others, who were trained, have expressed gratitude for the teaching and its practical application – that they can do great ministry by being obedient to God’s Word.
Zambia
Later in June, the ORU team and I taught TEC again at the “Arise and Shine” Church here in Livingstone, Zambia. We saw 2 people healed during the teaching. 1 had a bad headache and the other had stomach problems but, both claimed healing in Jesus.
After the training, the group split into teams and went visiting in the township ministering in Jesus’ name. A number of healings took place. An older person had hip and back problems and God healed her. Another boy had a foot stepped on during soccer. God took away the pain and I’m sure he went back to play! Others ministered to sore backs, legs, necks and headaches. We had a crusade that night on the soccer field. Many came for healing and some were delivered from demons. One young boy had suffered from heart pain for 2 years, God took away the pain! Lumps in the stomach and legs disappeared. Pastor Dominic said 4 people have joined the church from the outreach and they are planning another outreach this week.
We then took what we had learned to the villages. As some of the team worked with Janet and the kids, others went out with translators to evangelize and heal using authority. We prayed with many, some said they were healed. Headaches and backaches are common with the women from carrying the water and wood, etc. We prayed for a married couple having pains. God healed the man of shoulder pain and the wife of stomach and leg pains. We prayed for the husband of a church member as his eyes were failing. After ministering to him, he laughed and said he could see and tell colors again. These healings were in Katubiya. From this outreach, 2 young ladies have started coming and have been faithful attendees for 3 wks now. Another – the lady with stomach pain came today!
The following week we were in Sekute Village doing the same type of visiting. God was good as we ministered in authority. Aches and pains in backs, legs and heads were commanded to go and they were gone. A woman who had a stroke that left her arm bent was healed as her arm straightened. Some have come to the church and are seekers now, as a result of the ministry.