Healing Miracles at the Ministers Fellowship, Lapu Lapu, Cebu

14 September 2010

Healing Miracles at the Ministers Fellowship

Lapu Lapu, Cebu

On Tuesday, we crossed the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge to the City of Lapu-Lapu that is situated on the Mactan Island.  More than 300,000 people live in this city and there are hundreds of churches serving them. 

The local fellowship of ministers was held at the premises of Maranatha Christian Fellowship. Pastor Alex Esmoso is the chairman of the ministers’ fellowship. He gave us the opportunity to share with his fellow ministers. That day, about 25 ministers attended. 

After sharing from the bible about the ordinary believers possessing the authority and power to heal, we were ready to demonstrate to these servants of the kingdom the actual power of God. More than ten people wanted to be healed. After a simple explanation and challenge, the other ministers came forth to lay hands on the infirm. 

Pastor Alex led them in the prayer of confession and repentance. The healing miracles, as expected, began to manifest. Many pastors had never experienced such immediate results to healing commands. One by one, those who were healed, testified to the glory of God. Migraine disappeared instantly, chronic back pain left the infirm immediately, heart pain was gone, hurting arms healed and a pastora who had a bad throat broke out in song after being healed. She kept saying, “no more soreness in the throat!” 

With her throat healed, this sister sings out loud

We praise God for healing these ministers because these miracles caused them to reconsider their theology. After the healing, many pastors asked whether we would return to Lapu-Lapu to train them thoroughly. We told them that if God opens the door again, we will return.

Healing Miracles at Word International, City of Naga, Cebu

13 September 2010 – Healing Miracles at Word International, City of Naga, Cebu

Showing the believers how to lay hands on the infirm

The Word International Ministries is shepherded by Pastor Poly Calonia, an amiable brother who has a real desire to learn. Pastor Butch Nacua was instrumental in making this even happened. There were quite a number of pastors and church elders from the surrounding regions who attended this Elijah Challenge seminar. The weather was very hot but the people arrived for the training. They stayed from 10 AM right through to 3.30 PM. 

The infirm waiting to be healed

The infirm came by faith. After Pastor Nestor Paculba, who joined us on that day, had led the infirm in a prayer of confession and repentance, the commands began. Once again, the Lord confirmed His Word by signs and wonders. Every time there was a healing, our hearts leapt with joy. We would be surprised if nobody was healed. A good number of people had backaches and shoulder pain because they had injured themselves by lifting heavy burdens and carrying water from distanced well or government-sponsored water faucets.  Stomach ailments were common too but the Lord healed them all. 

Healed - no more pain

The believers who were helping in healing were encouraged by the miraculous results and positive testimonies. After the healing, different pastors approached us to comment that this was the first time they had ever learned about commanding and healing the infirm.

Healing Miracles at Lord of the Harvest Christian Community, Cebu City, Cebu

12 September 2010 – Healing Miracles at Lord of the Harvest Christian Community, Cebu City, Cebu

Grace and I were told that it was an informal meeting with a local pastor. However, when we arrived at Lord of the Harvest Christian Community, a full worship service was in progress. Many young people had gathered and the worship was extremely dynamic in spite of the afternoon heat. Pastor Nestor Paculba is the overseer of this group and he was very open to the teaching of Elijah Challenge. After giving a brief introduction about the authority and power to heal the sick, I invited the infirm to come forward to be healed. The infirm responded readily. 

All in all there were twelve people healed of various ailments. The believers laid hands on their fellow Christians. After receiving specific instruction about how to heal, they proceeded and exercised their ‘mountain-moving’ faith.  A lady with pain in the upper arm received immediate relief. People who suffered from back pain, shoulder pain, arthritic knees, joint pain and headache were also healed immediately. Even simple maladies like sore throats, cold, coughs were immediately healed. Those healed were happy to testify about their healing. The congregation responded with equal enthusiasm. Praise God for confirming His words with signs and wonders.

Sharing about ‘The Elijah Challenge’ on Radio in Cebu City, Cebu

12 – 13 September 2010

Sharing about ‘The Elijah Challenge’ on Radio in Cebu City, Cebu

Pastor Butch Nacua invited Grace, her father and me to join him and Pastor Noel Pintor on DYRB (540 kHz Cebu City) Radyo Asenso for the 8.00 AM Christian program. This is an AM station owned and operated by Radio Corporation of the Philippines and the studio is located at 479 C. Padilla St. Cebu City. 

We had half-hour to share about the power and authority to heal in the name of Jesus in the context of preaching the Gospel. There was an opportunity to heal the sick too. 

On the second day, we were hosted by Pastor Noel Torresos. We continued to present the Word of God about the power and authority to heal. Later, we received reports of positive responses from pastors and church leaders who had listened to the radio program about this ‘new concept’ of healing. There were some reports of healing but we did not get the details of these miracles.

The Rain Stopped for Outdoor Evangelism

11 September 2010

The Rain Stopped for Outdoor Evangelism

Mandaue, Cebu, Philippines

Pastor Butch Nacua and his assistant pastor, Pastor Deo, have been conducting a feeding program in this poor area of Mandaue City which is a part of the Province of Cebu. The young people and children are very responsive to the feeding program and bible study. The night that we were supposed to share the Gospel, the rain came. After commanding the rain to stop, we were able to continue our outdoor ministry. However, the borrowed band decided not to play because of the fear of more rain. 

In spite of our assurance, the band members stacked up their musical equipments and sound system. Pastor Deo grabbed the guitar and began to sing. The people came out of their houses and the children were right in the front. That night, I shared the gospel and challenged the people to be healed. Two children came forward and they were instantly healed. 

The rain began to come again and the crowd started to disperse. But once again, we utilized the mountain-moving faith to stop the rain. We told the people to stay and the rain held. After laying hands one by one on all the children, our miniature rally came to a conclusion. The adults mingled among us and passed very encouraging comments. They wanted us to return. 

We packed up to go back to our hotel and the rain just poured. We had commanded for the rain to come only at the end of the outdoor rally and it dutiful did that. The mistake was that we should have commanded for the rain to come only after we get back to the hotel.

After TEC Training African Disciples Reach Over 20 Villages

September 24, 2010

Just today we received a very powerful report from Africa. Missionary to Zambia Butch Berner and his wife Janet hosted us and The Elijah Challenge in 2005. After that Butch began to train African churches and believers with The Elijah Challenge very effectively. Below is a report on one of those events where Butch taught.

"I am a missionary in Zambia, Africa with Overland Missions. Recently we held a conference where Butch Berner taught the power evangelism course through The Elijah Challenge.  The indigenous men and women of the Chitonga tribe received the teaching with enthusiasm and expectation.  After the teaching, we took our men out for a two-day outreach in a neglected area of the Nyawa chiefdom called Chili. 

We first encountered one of the more powerful witchdoctors in the area and took a time to share the word of God with him and his five wives and various patients who lived on his property.  The Zambian men and women who attended The Elijah Challenge Training were asked to pray for the various patients and every one of them were healed.  Our men weren't asking, they were declaring...they were commanding.  It was a beautiful sight. 

The witch doctor gave his life to Jesus Christ along with the rest of his household.  The next morning we held a large meeting and had over 60 testimonies of people being healed of blindness, pains throughout the body, demonic strongholds, etc.  Every person we ministered to testified of being healed.  This pattern has continued as the norm for an entire month of ministry through over 20 villages representing thousands of people.

This sudden experience has set our disciples on fire for Jesus.  They are now convinced of his desire to operate in power through his people so that the nations may come to Christ.  It has been nearly a month since this teaching was given and the men and women are begging me to take them into areas where they can demonstrate the power of God to an entire village.  Praise God for his truths that are wonderfully expressed through this teaching!"
-By Missionary Jacob Schwertfeger

Praise the Lord for His wonderful grace!
Sincerely in Christ,
Pastor William & Lucille
www.TheElijahChallenge.org