ONGOLE, SOUTH INDIA CRUSADE
MAY 2004 REPORT
The "Harvest" in India
Tremendous Harvest of Souls, Healings and Miracles!
The India crusade was put on by Fresh Fire Ministries. Evangelist Todd Bentley preached the Gospel with signs, wonders and miracles following. I'm so blessed and excited of helping and being a part of all that took place there.
The Jesus Festival was held for 6 nights and over a quarter of a million attended. As many as 90% of those that attended the nightly crusades were Hindu or Muslim. The people of India worship over 33 million gods.
The people came to the crusade from everywhere, and in all kinds of transportation vehicles.Over two hundred busses and or grain trucks containing 100 people per vehicle escorted these precious people to the crusade grounds. Others came in rickshaws, some on motorcycles, other on foot, still others in wagons pulled on tractors. Some even came by carts pulled by oxen.
Incredible Harvest
What a incredible harvest of souls for Jesus! Nearly 20,000 received Jesus the first night. There were over 139,200 decisions made for Christ. Tens of thousands received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks to hundreds of participating pastors who began with immediate follow up. Each pastor from the local villages was responsible to those who became Christians, to give them follow up material and to get them into a church and/or home bible study.
Healings and Miracles
There were over 170 deaf and/or mute miraculously healed. Dozens of blind received sight and deaf received hearing. There were also other innumerable healings and miracles that happened, proving to the people that Jesus Christ still heals today. A medical doctor from the Pacific North West in USA, was there checking and confirming the healings and miracles that took place.
Here are some of the many healings and miracles that happened:
- Over 170 deaf and/or mute miraculously healed
- Many blind receive sight
- Many deaf hear
- Lady deaf for over 40 years receives hearing
- 16 year old boy stricken with Polio and constant seizures, walks
- Tumours on legs, backs and breasts disappear
- Boy’s twisted arm becomes straight
- Numerous cancers and growths healed
- Large golf-size lump on lady’s throat instantly disappears
- Even a number of crippled walk
An "Elijah" Challenge
Evangelist Todd Bentley challenged the audience of people to follow after the one true God of the universe— His Name is Jesus Christ and to abandon all the other false gods. The message that Todd Bentley brought forth was regarding his own personal testimony of how God saved and delivered him, after living a life of drugs and alcohol addiction, eventually leading into prison time. If God can do it for me He can do it for you, Todd boldly declared. To further demonstrate that Jesus is alive, Todd brought a challenge to the people "Bring me the deaf and I guarantee the Lord will heal at least five". The deaf came and they were prayed for. And to God to be the glory, they were healed. Hallelujah!
The Enemy Attacks
To add to the adventure of seeing so many make decisions for Christ, was an unanticipated event that took place on the second last night of our second crusade. During the course of the late evening, a vicious cyclone surfaced out of nowhere, causing major damage to the FFM crusade platform and the tent where the pastors meetings were held. The speed of the winds literally twisted the steel frame of the stage, and equipment and other paraphernalia was strewn all over the grounds. It seemed to be an apparent victory for the enemy, as the tail of leviathan struck us, obviously unhappy with so many giving their life to Jesus.
To our amazement, the local pastor with his crew of 30+ had the crusade stage and grounds looking as good as new. What the enemy intended for evil, God truly turned around for good.
A Desparate Crowd
Night after night, Todd called out words of knowledge over the crowd, promising Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Unusual amount of people were receiving instant healings and miracles as Todd began to operate in the gift of faith.
As we were nearing the end of the final night, a sense of desperation rose among the many thousands, hoping that hands could be laid on their sick bodies and/or minds. Although over 30 security and police officers were on duty to maintain control and peace of the massive crowds each night, a spirit of frenzy began to break out among those wishing for prayer. Police barricades were broken and the crowd began streaming to the bottom of the crusade platform, begging for prayer. Ladies would throw their babies to the platform, hoping the man of God would touch them.
What an amazing sight! People around the platform were packed in like sardines, and began pressing the FFM team, so much so that we had to escort the team back onto the stage, lest they be crushed. The police officers guarding the stairs on either side of the platform and trying to restrain the people from coming up, were becoming overwhelmed. Before long, the metal welding of the steps and rails was being torn away by some of angry and desparate individuals.
After Todd released a mass prayer for healing, the pastor encouraged the FFM staff and minstry team to immediately leave the crusade grounds, lest anything worse evolves. Reluctantly, we agreed, and as inconspicuous a manner as possible, we headed to our vehicles and pulled away. Oh, the tearing in our hearts at the awareness that the need is so great, and the laborers so few. This was near riot conditions.
Local Food Distribution
The local pastor we worked with over there, helped us to select 10 of the poorest villages in the area. Each containing approximately 100 families per village, to receive free bags of rice and lentils, which was bought and distributed by Fresh Fire Ministries. These villages represented the poorest people in that part of India. What a divine and amazing time that God let us be a part of! Glory to God!
See more India Crusade pictures
