The Elijah Challenge in Australia
September 2013
Adelaide, Australia
Several months ago, the Lord had wondrously brought a 35-year-old drug addict named Lee to know Jesus through Neville Krieg, one of our Elijah Challenge South Australia leaders. His conversion was powerful. Last month Lee was baptized at the monthly Whitmore Square Outreach, and Neville began to teach and disciple him. But with his addictions to meth, cigarettes. and alcohol Lee’s progress in the Lord was not smooth.
On a Thursday evening Neville and I met with Lee to minister deliverance to him from the addictions and to pray for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As we rebuked the unclean spirits commanding them to leave him over a period of about a half hour, Lee could actually feel them leave and he felt light afterwards. Then as we asked the Lord to fill him with the Holy Spirit that he would receive power to witness for Christ, Lee felt a wave sweep into his body. At the end of the evening we prayed and sent Lee out as a missionary to reach the many other young Aussies who have fallen into the dark pit of drug addiction. The following day (Friday) was wonderful for Lee—he felt a new joy and a new freedom throughout the day from the addictions that had imprisoned him and left his life in shambles.
(A few weeks later, Lee mentioned that he felt the time of ministry we had together in the lounge was a real confirmation for his faith. He said he knows without doubt now the power of God.)
In the afternoon we met at Whitmore Square for the monthly outreach to the poor and homeless, most of whom are addicts. We preached the gospel of Jesus. Then Lee came forward and shared what the Lord had just done for him. Then we invited people to come forward to be healed and set free as proof that Jesus can forgive sin, restore hopeless lives, and grant eternal life.
Among others, two young addicts named Tristan and Justin stepped forward to receive ministry. Lee took part in ministering to both of them, and both of them were gloriously healed and set free.
Tristan was an addict and had been unable to stand up straight for three years. He could walk only bent over. When Lee and the others laid hands on him, he was able to stand up completely straight and move his back freely. Before the people he declared that the craving was gone and gave loud praise to the Lord Jesus Christ who had healed him and set him free.
Justin was a young addict with fire-red hair who had fallen down the stairs and injured his shoulder. It was painful and he could not move it freely. As Lee and the others laid hands on him the Lord healed him. And as he testified to everyone he was moving his shoulder this way and that with complete freedom. He said that the craving for drugs was gone.
Both Tristan and Justin accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
The Lord’s hand is strong upon Lee, and will use him very fruitfully as Neville continues to teach and disciple him.
One of the leaders commented in November: “Lee has been amazing. He is witnessing everywhere. Last night on the train while on his way to church he had an amazing encounter with a 15-year-old girl and she shared her story with him. He is really very proactive and wise in how he talks with people, also very direct about salvation. I could talk for ages about this one encounter. His life is changing day by day as he grows in the Lord. He is like one of our family and my wife has embraced him like a son. He knows that too, and is so thankful. God is so good and so powerful, I look forward to what is going to unfold here in the near future.”
He added: “Tonight Lee went to the movies with a Christian girl from one of the churches he attends. He is growing amazingly. You would notice a real difference, if you were to observe him now. God is amazing in how this one life has changed. He asked if he could pray over me the other day as he saw me struggling. How incredible is that? If I think back to the day I met him in the train, just less than 14 months ago and now see him praying for me! He is so bold and listens to nothing but the Christian national radio station which plays from the phone hanging around his neck.”
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