Hosted by the Cheras Pastors Fellowship (“Love Cheras”)
June 2008
The Elijah Challenge in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia (two green land masses) in Southeast Asia
John 17:21 “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. …23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
The Cheras Pastors Fellowship consists of nearly twenty churches in Cheras led mainly by pastors from seven of those churches. Working together actively for over eight years they had advanced beyond the kind of relationships that can result from simply meeting for prayer once a week only. By actively working together to host events that build up the body of Christ, their relationships were refined and established in the furnace of the sometimes painful conflicts and personal differences that arise when pastors take the time to work together closely. There is now something within the Cheras Pastors Fellowship approaching the kind of unity for which Jesus prayed to His Father. “There the Lord bestows His blessing.”
It was in the context of this unity that the Cheras Pastors Fellowship hosted The Elijah Challenge to help equip the local believers to fulfill the Great Commission in the territory entrusted to them by the Lord. Two years earlier, the Lord had given the Cheras pastors a prophetic picture. In this picture He showed them that an army would be raised up to fight for the kingdom of God.
Cheras is an area of the capital city Kuala Lumpur where the population is 80 to 85% ethnic Chinese. Only a small fraction of them are Christians. Their religion is primarily “folk” Buddhism mixed with ancestor-worship. The majority religion of Malaysia is Isl–m. The predominant people group of Malaysia, the Malays, must by law follow this religion and are forbidden to convert to any other religion, especially Christianity.
The pastors had prayed for an attendance of 300, but about 540 people registered for the Basic Training and were joined by others who walked on. It was unprecedented in the history of the gatherings hosted by them. The Lord’s blessing upon them because of their sincere efforts toward unity was evident.
The Training was held in two separate rooms to accommodate the different languages of the participants. In one location it was held in English while in the other location in Mandarin Chinese. The Lord was gracious to confirm the teaching by healing various infirmities in the sessions as the believers laid hands on the infirm. In the first Chinese-speaking session, so many people were healed in the demonstration that here was not enough time to hear all the testimonies. There was much excitement among the saints. Then came the climax of the Training: two nights of Evangelistic Healing Rallies.
Above & below: The Training in English
Cheras Pastor Lawrence Yap
Woman who comes up for healing of chronic painful bump in her head discovers the pain and bump are gone before we can lay hands on her
The woman testifies her knees are completely healed
She had severely impaired sight in one eye. Each time the believers laid hands on the eye she could see farther and farther.
Above: The Training in Mandarin Chinese
Cheras Pastor Looi Kok Kim
We have her lays hands on another woman’s painful knees
We train the believers to lay their hands on the infirm and exercise their authority from Jesus Christ
Man healed of infirmity during “healing practice”
Elder Nio enjoys the teaching
The Climax: Evangelistic Healing Rallies
Then came the climax of the Training: two nights of Evangelistic Healing Rallies. At the first Rally, we preached the gospel of Jesus Christ from Mark 2 where Jesus healed the paralytic to prove that he had authority to forgive sin. Afterwards the hundreds of trained believers stood up and ringed the perimeter of the hall, ready for war: healing the infirm to prove to the lost that Jesus Christ had authority to forgive sin.
The saints took care of business in short order, laying hands on the infirm and healing them as they had been taught. Very soon a line of people formed on the stage to testify that Jesus had healed them. As they were testifying, still others who had been healed went up to the platform to testify, and the line got longer and longer. The name of Jesus was greatly exalted by the Father through the army of trained saints.
When we challenged the people to repent of their sins and to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, a handful of souls came to the front. It was a most satisfying evening for the Cheras pastors. In the past they would have to work hard during evangelistic healing rallies, especially when the healing evangelist would announce that he was finished and go back to his hotel, leaving the remaining infirm people to the pastors to take care of. That evening they relaxed and enjoyed watching the sheep do the work of the ministry. The only problem was not enough infirm people for the eager believers to heal.
The Second Rally
Because of the reports of miraculous healings from the first rally, many more infirm people showed up on the second evening. After I preached the gospel from John 14:6 where Jesus claimed to be the only way to heaven, I asked the infirm people to come up. The trained believers would minister healing to them in Jesus’ name to demonstrate that He was telling the truth. I told the audience that when they heard the testimonies of the people who would be healed, they should repent of their sins and follow Jesus Christ.
So many infirm people came up that there was not enough room at the front of the auditorium. We had to line the people up at the front, along the walls all the way to the rear of the hall, and even down the center aisle. Then we prayed to the God of Heaven—the only true God who created the heavens and the earth—and asked him to glorify His Son by healing the sick in the name of Jesus Christ. Then the many trained believers stood up and and laid hands on the infirm with authority as they had been taught.
What happened next was glorious. Many infirm people were healed by the Lord, came up to the stage and lined up to testify one by one. There were some powerful testimonies. One woman had a painful growth on the side of her face that disappeared. One man’s symptoms of prostate cancer relating to frequent urination disappeared. Another man was practically crippled and felt extreme pain on his leg when touched as a result of complications from an operation to remove tumors near his spinal cord. After brothers ministered to him for over a half an hour, the pain had disappeared and he was able to walk without his cane. See the final testimony photo below. A young woman was lifted from severe depression because of tormenting epilepsy (photo below).
I asked one of our hosts, Pastor Lawrence Yap, to challenge the people to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Precious souls responded.
The photos below were selected from both Rallies
The venue of the Rallies
The crowd in the International Youth Centre
The multi-cultural worship team
Cheras Pastors Stewart Law and Aris Siew
We proclaim Jesus Christ to the crowd as the only way to the Father’s house
An attentive listener
The evidence for the claims of Jesus Christ: the infirm line up for miraculous healing
So many came for healing that they lined up at the front, along the walls and in the center aisle
The trained believers lay hands on the infirm and exercise their authority
Elderly man receives ministry for his impaired hearing
Testimony: The Lord restores his hearing
Tamil couple testifies of God’s healing grace
Many are healed and gather on the stage awaiting their turn to testify
Daughter testifies for her elderly mother who speaks different Chinese dialect
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Mother testifies for daughter (left) who was set free from severe depression because of tormenting epileptic seizures
Pastor Lawrence Yap (left) receives testimonies as many others wait on the stage for their turn to testify publicly about their healing
Extremely timid boy with speech impairment is set free and repeats words to crowd from stage
After Pastor Lawrence Yap (left) ministered to him, a man who suffered from a stroke is able to left his arm over his head
Foreground: People come forward to believe on Jesus Christ after witnessing the many miracles which demonstrate that He is the only way to the Father
The final testimony: the intense leg pain is gone and the cane no longer needed
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The immediate aftermath
There was great excitement among the Cheras pastors and believers. What they witnessed contrasted sharply with events they had held in the past with out-of-town evangelists. In these two Rallies there was no rushing forward of the infirm to the evangelist to be the first in line, and no long lines of people just waiting to receive ministry from the one anointed minister. Such meetings would normally last until 11 PM or midnight because the evangelist could only minister to the sick one at a time. But now with so many trained believers ministering, many were healed simultaneously and the meeting was over before 10 PM.
Moreover, in the past the believers simply sat and watched as the evangelist did all the ministering. But since they had been equipped according to Scripture, the Lord used them to heal the sick successfully during the two nights. They were able to do what Jesus commanded his disciples to do two thousand years ago: heal the sick and tell them, “the kingdom of God is near you.” They were filled with faith and excitement because of what God had done so gloriously through them.
It is just the beginning. One of the leaders, Pastor Lawrence Yap of Charis Christian Centre, is now talking about the Cheras churches coming together to hold such rallies on their own once a month. There will be other outreaches in Cheras, such as the annual Community Carnival, which will involve healing the sick in the name of Jesus Christ. No specially-anointed evangelist will be needed.
One primary reason for this blessing of God upon Cheras—this outpouring of power though “ordinary” believers to bring the lost to Christ—is the genuine unity between pastors gained from years of rubbing shoulders with one another in various events.
Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
The following week
Later the following week we heard indirectly from one of the host pastors in Cheras. Two years earlier the Lord had given them a prophetic picture. In this picture the Lord showed them that an army in Cheras would be raised up for the kingdom of God. They came to realize that the fulfillment of this prophecy had just begun through the Basic Training.
On the evening before we left Malaysia to return home, we had dinner with three of the Cheras pastors. Through the event the Lord had set a fire burning in the churches, and the pastors are intent on keeping it going. In the past they would have to rely on specially-anointed evangelists to come to minister to the infirm. But even such powerful servants of God could not minister to each of the many who would come for healing. When the evening was over, some had still not yet been prayed over and were left disappointed. But through the Basic Training an army of 550 believers had been equipped to heal the sick as Jesus taught His disciples. The Lord’s wonderful grace resulted in two electrifyingly explosive evenings where many were healed simultaneously and the people gathered on the stage to testify. We saw the beginning of the fulfillment of John 14:12—those who believe on Jesus will do the works that He did. The lost repented and put their faith in Christ when they saw the miraculous healings. Such miracles had never happened at the hands of believers in this way in Cheras before, and the pastors want this fire to keep burning and grow even bigger. They recognize that it is not enough simply to do it in church worship settings, although that is certainly a beginning. Since the lost normally do not come to church, the power of God must be taken outside the walls of the church.
Malaysia is a country where the Christian minority is dominated by an oppressing majority—the sons of Ishmael who follow the “religion of peace.” Public evangelism is strictly forbidden by law. So to plan to heal the sick in public places as part of the proclamation of the Kingdom of God is a radical step for them. But they are going ahead with it. For one thing, there is an annual outreach event the Cheras churches are hosting called the “Community Carnival” where they offer various services to the community. This year the event—scheduled for August 2008—will feature a new service: Free Healing in the name of Jesus Christ.
Cheras Pastor Aris Siew of Praise City Church now has a novel way of working with specially-anointed evangelists when they come to his church. After the evangelist feels he is done ministering healing for the night he or she will usually retire to the hotel, leaving some infirm people still not having received healing ministry. At that time the trained believers will spring into action and minister to these who have been left unattended. Many more will be healed in that way and the name of Jesus Christ glorified.
Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like pr ecious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Later Testimonies
“I used what you taught in the hospital where I visit every Friday. I prayed over an unconscious 5-year-old girl at the hospital. Her mother had given up hope. I commanded the the girl to wake up, and she opened her eyes. Last Friday I saw her she was so much better. The color had come back. On another occasion there was a lady with an evil spirit. I commanded the spirit to leave her. It left. The lady is much better now. She attends the same church as I do.
When I was in Cambodia, I commanded bleeding to stop. It stopped immediately. This man had been knocked down by a motorcycle and was bleeding from the nose. He had lost a lot of blood. He said he could not breath. I told him that Jesus had healed him. Then I told him to get up and go to the dentist. He got up up and had two of his teeth extracted.
Now I know how to use this for healing people [for the sake of the gospel of Christ].”
—Sister S. T., July 13
“I shared the knowledge of The Elijah Challenge Training with my Principal (Sister Serene from RLC). I laid my hand on her nose since she suffered from sinus. In Jesus’ name I commanded the sinus problem to leave. (I did exactly what I learned from the Training). Praise the Lord, her nose is clearer. I taught her the method and loaned her some reading materials. Sister Serene did the same on herself and her father who suffers from eye cataracts. Praise God that her father’s vision improved each time Serene laid her hand on him.”
—Sister R., July 17
“Thank you for sending these beautiful testimonies and photos on Cheras, Malaysia. I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of the love of God when I read through your mail which showed that this miraculous healing power is actually happening in our churches. I have never imagined that God’s power is so real and it has been poured over me and anointed me to do these healings which I always thought is only meant for the select few.
I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for sending you to teach us that ordinary people like us could do what the Lord has empowered us to do: to heal the sick when we have faith like a mustard seed. God healed me of my migrane during one of the training sessions which I attended and I have had no pain since then. Glory unto our Lord Jesus Christ.”
—Sister G. P.
“I was preaching in our Chinese section on the 13th July and prayed over several people. I prayed over two elderly women; one with joint pain in her left arm that she couldn’t swing her arm backwards. After I prayed over her by commanding the pain to go away, praise the Lord, she was able to swing her arm after that.
The other lady had pain at the back of her neck. While I commanded the pain to go, her body was shaking. Afterwards her neck pain was gone. Praise the Lord!
The Elijah Challenge has taught me the “correct” way to minister to the sick.
What really amazed me was on Monday, the 30th June, my brother-in-law, Siraw, was admitted to the ICU at the Sarawak General Hospital for a viral infection of the heart. He had an operation on his appendix a couple of years ago, but apparently, the stitching leaked. On that Monday as he was being operated to clean the leak, the virus ahd gone to the heart. After the operation, he was unconcious, his heart stopped breathing (coma) and was on life support.
My younger sister, Rokiah (Siraw’s wife) called me the following Wednesday, crying and sobbing on her cell phone. Over the phone, I commanded the viral infection to go and the heart to function in Jesus’ name. I called her that same Wednesday evening, and Siraw’s condition was stable. We continued to command the heart to function and that he come out of his coma. A couple of days later, Siraw was sober and awake. Praise the Lord! He has been discharged from the hospital and is now resting at home. What a marvelous miracle working God we serve!”
—Pastor B. R.
“We praise and thank the Lord for some exciting events that have taken place.
1. Two weeks ago when we were doing ‘healthcheck’ at the nearby community, my team was there and they ministered and delivered a woman from demonic influence.It was sort of a ‘sudden manifestation’ Her husband was lining up for medical treatment and a team member went over and ministered to his leg condition. Afterwards, he exclaimed, “magic!” the pain was gone- before even seeing the doctor. Both husband and wife came to church on Sunday!
2. Our home fellowships are practicing the healing ministry. One of our members who is a physician has a daughter who was sick. After the laying on of hands, she was healed and also the snoring (caused by her tonsils) that she was having since she was young was also gone. The snoring sound used to disturb her sleep and the physician was pleasantly surprised by His touch. Then, he himself encountered some ‘spiritual attack’ where he had heart palpitation and a spirit of fear was attacking him just last Friday. His heart rate went back immediately to normal after he rebuked the condition in Jesus’ name. (He took the OMRON machine and tested it and the reading was 82 pulse rate and normal blood pressure reading!!)
3. A member was told that she has a growth at her kidneys as shown from the X ray taken. When she went back for her follow up check up last week, the doctor was surprised to find that the growth has disappeared!
Much excitement is growing and when I shared the idea that we are going to start a Miracle Sunday once a month as a preliminary, the members were all excited.
Please pray for us that God will guide and give us divine wisdom to implement His plans and purposes as we walk on water.”
-Pastor L. Y.
“Recently I went for a short mission to the orang asli (aboriginal people) in Pahang (in Peninsular Malaysia). Praise the Lord there were 2 miraculous healings.
1. A lady with pain in her back and affecting her right hand. Her right arm was painful and could not lift anything. After commanding the pain to go and told her that Jesus has healed her, she lifted my bag with that hand. My bag is at least 5 kg. in weight.
2. A 8-year-old boy had severe rickets. He could not walk well because of his condition. His calves were like sticks with no muscles. I commanded the muscles to grow and told him that Jesus has healed him. After that he was so happy running around. Even the Pastor was surprised.
I really praise God For your teaching. Thank you. Glory to the Lord for He has given us his power and authority.”
Sister S. T.
August 26, 2008
“The previous week, we had our Miracle Sunday. Here was 3 testimonies that were reported to me directly.
1. A 50 plus year old gentleman had knee cap problem where he had to go for injections so that there will be ‘lubricant’ or ‘gel’ for the knee cap. No relief was felt inspite of the injection but on that Sunday, he felt the Lord touched him and he testified that he felt the relief over his knee cap problem. He came to me after service and told me of his expereince.
2. A brother over sprained his back the day before at the gym. On that morning, he was still carrying the pain. Three quarter way, even during the worship time on the miracle Sunday, he discovered that the pain was gone!
3. A university student had pain all over her legs because of mountain climbing the day before. During prayer on that day, she felt instant relief!”
—Pastor L. Y.
September 3, 2008
Note: The present age of the one-man-show superstar evangelist is coming to a close. The age of the body of Christ—the nameless, faceless believer—is at hand.