How We First Learned To Heal The Infirm In Jesus' Name!

Picture: The Elijah Challenge that changed my ministry - Left circle: Rev William and Lucille Lau; Right circle: Rev Albert and Grace Kang

It was our dentist, Dr. Thiagan Sinnadurai, a dedicated servant of God who challenged Grace and me to attend a healing seminar organised by his house church. I was not keen to attend because I knew that I did not have the gift of healing. For over 20 years of my ministry, I did not see many successful healing miracles after my prayers. In fact, a few people died after I prayed.

On that hot day of 8th December 2005, Grace drove me to the healing seminar. I was not in the most amiable mood. I had work to do and my nerve was also not accommodating. The pain caused by the disease, Ankylosing Spontylitis, had often caused chronic pain in my part and also down both my legs.

When we could not find a parking space, I was elated. Now, I could miss the seminar and give a great excuse to Dr. Thiagan. However, God had other plan and He opened up a nice parking space for us. Still mumbling under my breath, I decided not to take my walking stick with me. With Grace helping me, I walked slowly to the training location at Bangsar.

That day was to become a defining moment of my life and ministry. Pastor William Lau, an American-Chinese, with a gentle Christ-like spirit, was systematic in his teaching. In his Elijah Challenge teaching, there were no strange doctrines or scary testimonies of being caught to heaven. This founder of the Elijah Challenge was not there to impress us with his theology but simply allowing the scriptural verses to speak for themselves. 

Verse upon verse, precept upon precept, line upon line, my eyes were opened. Suddenly everything made sense. Why didn’t they teach me this in the Bible seminary? Even after earning a Master in Divinity, this truth in the Bible had completely eluded me.

Why wasn’t I told that there is a difference between the gift of healing and the authority to heal? Why didn’t the professors teach us how to use the kingly authority to do spiritual warfare and heal the sick in the context of preaching the Gospel?

The most fascinating part was when Pastor Lau said that he would demonstrate this God-given power and authority by healing some of the participants in the name of Jesus. He did exactly that. A few participants were healed of the back pain, leg pain and other infirmities.

Then he invited some of us to try. I remember feeling the pain in my own back and facing an Indian pastor who claimed to have three numb toes. With a fellow participant, I laid my hand on the toes and commanded the feeling to return in the name of Jesus. To my great surprise, the pastor claimed that feeling had returned to his toes and he quickly testified to the other participants. That was my first experience in having immediate healing result after ministering.

Grace and I were to attend the same seminar another three more times and subsequently took an advance training with Pastor Lau. Since then, our ministry has been completely transformed. It is filled with power and miracles which is line with what the Bible says about the kingdom of God as not being a matter of talk but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

Grace and I had personally healed many in the name of Jesus with the God-given authority and power. In the last eight years, we have trained Christians from both the mainline and Pentecostal/Charismatic churches in seminars and training sessions. We have the joy of seeing our trainees healing the infirm in the name of Jesus and literally thousands are being miraculously healed.

Rev Albert Kang

Coordinator

Elijah Challenge Asia

Jesus Healed My Heart

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Here is the personal testimony of a woman in Alabama, Mrs. Birdie Carter, who was healed of her heart condition when her niece, Dr. Princella Johnson of Virginia, ministered to her over the telephone during The Elijah Challenge Virginia Training 10 days ago. It's actually a note written by Mrs. Carter to her niece.

The Lord is so good!

Rev William & Rev Lucille

www.TheElijahChallenge.org

"Jesus Healed My Heart"

From:  Mrs. Birdie Carter
To:      Dr. Princella Johnson

My dearest niece,

I want to take the time to testify how the Lord truly blessed and healed my heart through your ministry over the telephone, and the other pastors and ministers of healing. I couldn't wait any longer to let you and the others know that through the powerful ministry Jesus healed my heart as per your request to him on my behalf!

I just want to tell you the story how it began on the eleventh of February, I had a Nuclear Medicine Stress Test.

The next day, my doctor called me, and said that the test showed that my 30/40 blockage of 2007 had worsened, and that it showed that my heart was not getting enough blood on one side. He scheduled an appointment for the 26th of Feb. for a catheterization of my heart so he could decide what he would need to do for my heart. That's when I called my niece, Dr. Princella Johnson of Virginia, and told her what the doctor said.

I asked her to pray that when I had this test, that my heart wouldn't need any surgery. She said, “Auntee, I'm going to be in a conference this week, and this conference is for healing.” So, she said she was going to call me via speakerphone, and she and other believers were going to minister healing to me. She called Saturday, Feb. 23; and they ministered. While many ministered to me I could hear her voice also, she was holding the phone over speakerphone so I could hear them ministering and I prayed along with them. As they ministered to me, I felt the Holy Spirit going through my body like electricity, and it felt as if my hair was standing on ends!

And I know the Lord healed my heart!

So on the 26th of February, I reported to the hospital as ordered, along with my two daughters, Marie Carter of Birmingham, Alabama and Mrs. Brenda J. Law from Columbus, Georgia. They had both come to be with me during the catheterization of my heart. When they were putting me to sleep, I advised the nurses, and also my heart doctor, Dr. Steven George, who is a top cardiologist, that I'm not claiming anything, and they smiled and said, “OK, that's good.”

After the test, the doctors told my daughter that my heart is operating fine, and that I do not need any surgery on my heart.

I give Jesus, God and the Holy Ghost the praise and the honor! He healed my heart through the ministry and faith of the righteous saints and believers! Many people were praying for me to include my brother and sister in-law, Mr. Allen and Mrs. Beatrice Foster of Tacoma, Washington and their church family. I was also praying myself, along with many others. The Lord has also divinely healed me from cancer of my throat in 1963, and breast cancer through prayer and faith!

I love you, 

Your Auntee,
Birdie Carter!!!Montgomery, Alabama

The Fulfillment of a Vision Seen in 1999

Rev William Lau

By Rev William Lau, 

Director, The Elijah Challenge

On a Sunday morning in June 1999 as I was preparing to preach at the Sunday morning service in our church in Houston, I received a vision from the Lord.

We had been in full-time ministry since 1978 when we began serving as missionaries preaching the gospel and making disciples in unreached areas of Indonesia. Following our return to the United States in 1987, we planted and pastored churches in New York City and Houston. But by June 1999 I had made a decision to step down from the pastorate. Although we could plant churches, I discovered that staying on to pastor them in the traditional manner was not my calling. Although my salary at our church was helping us to pay our bills and feed our family of three daughters, I could no longer serve. You could say I was miserable.

But I had no idea what I was going to do after stepping down from the pastorate. For all I knew, I might end up flipping burgers at McDonald’s. Nevertheless I was going to trust the Lord, just as I had done in 1978 when by faith Lucille and I gave up everything we possessed to follow the Lord the ends of the earth to minister in primitive regions of Indonesian Borneo.

The vision

During that Sunday morning in June 1999 while in prayer in my living room, my eyes were opened. No longer in my living room, I was walking down the street in a somewhat dilapidated neighborhood. To my left I saw a drab rectangular structure of some kind by the side of the road. It seemed to be made of adobe or concrete and was unpainted and unattractive. There was a single window-like opening in a wall that faced me as I walked toward the structure. Curious, I left the road and walked toward the structure to peek through the window.

As I stuck my head through the opening, the entire structure turned to dust around me in the blink of an eye and disappeared. There was no trace of it. Suddenly I was lifted up into the air and whisked away high in the sky. In rapid-fire movie clips as it were I was taken to different places around the world; I could see them from the air above. Finally I saw what appeared to be heavenly sights that were not of this world. Then the vision ended as abruptly as it had started. The vision appeared to take a few minutes.

The dream

Needless to say I was amazed at what I had seen. In view of my giving up the pastorate in just another week to live by faith, I wanted to know what the Lord was showing me. And so I prayed to the Lord to reveal to me the meaning of the vision. I then fell into a sleep during which the He gave me a dream. The quality of the dream was identical to that of the vision which I had just seen. In the dream I was riding in a vehicle which I can only describe as similar to a train car. I was the only one in the “train.” However, there was no locomotive pulling the car and no one operating it. The car was moving over the ground at very high speed all by itself. Nor was it traveling on rails as normal trains do; it did not touch the ground at all. And I was simply a helpless passenger on the train looking out the windows in wonder as it powered ahead irresistibly.

The train did not slow down regardless of where it went. When it ascended a steep mountain its speed was not diminished in the slightest. I was terrified when it rounded a sharp curve high up on the mountain but kept going at full speed. Amazingly it stayed on course and did not go flying off the mountain as I thought it surely would.

In the car I was taken to all kinds of distant places around the world. Finally I saw glorious sights which appeared heavenly.

Then I woke up. Though I did not understand the meaning of the vision and the ensuing dream, I felt that the Lord was somehow telling me that He would be with me as I left the pastorate in one more week to live by faith in Him. At that time we had one daughter about to start college at New York University and two younger ones to follow.

The fulfillment of the vision and dream for us personally

The following year in 2000 I went on a mission trip to North India as one of the team members. I was given an opportunity to preach in open-air evangelistic crusades, and I witnessed the Lord heal the sick miraculously to confirm the message of the gospel. During our nine years as missionaries in Indonesia, the Lord had taught us how to heal the sick as Jesus did in the gospels and as He taught and commanded His disciples (Luke 9:1-2; 10:9). Because of the many miracles which took place through us and the Indonesian disciples we had trained, many who had never heard the gospel before came to saving faith in Christ. On that mission trip to India in 2000 I began to minister to the infirm in the same way, and many were healed.

Then I decided to train the Indian believers, including those who had just received Jesus Christ, how to heal the sick as I had learned from the Scriptures while we served in Indonesia. And as these believers laid hands on the infirm and exercised their authority in the name of Jesus Christ, people were being healed. I was so excited to be able to give away what the Lord had so freely given to me.

When I returned to the United States from this short mission trip, I knew what the Lord wanted me to do. I was to train ordinary believers to heal the sick and cast out demons as Jesus did and as He taught and commanded His disciples to do when He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God. The ultimate purpose would be the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Since then we have taught The Elijah Challenge to tens of thousands of believers in 37 nations, including pastors, evangelists, and missionaries. Some of these have gone on to have very powerful ministries in miraculous healing and are also training others as they themselves were trained. We now witness miraculous healings every time we teach and when we preach the gospel. In India, churches are been impacted and new churches are being planted following the preaching of the gospel accompanied by miraculous healings performed through trained servants of God. Unreached people groups are now being reached by disciples we have trained. The gospel can be preached much more effectively to the lost when miraculous healings confirm the truth of the gospel to them.

As we train the Lord’s disciples, we are beginning to see the fulfillment of John 14:12 in which Jesus promised that those who believe in Him will do the works that He did, including the miraculous works of healing the sick and casting out demons.

The Lord is graciously fulfilling the vision and dream which He gave to me in June 1999. I now understand their meaning more fully.

The drab, unpainted concrete-like structure which I saw in the vision represented my ministry as a traditional church pastor. As the structure had turned to dust before my eyes, so my ministry as a local pastor had disappeared. The Lord has since then taken us to distant nations around the globe to teach and preach. The speeding “train” in my dream was not anchored to the ground on rails and did not touch the ground. Instead it was carried by the Spirit and powered by the Spirit. And that is what the Lord has so graciously done for us since 2000. Wherever we go the enemy has not been able to stand against us and we see victory.

He has graciously fulfilled many prophecies made over us by His prophets over the years, all of which have been consistent in theme with the vision and the dream He gave me in 1999. One such fulfilled prophesy is:

2 Samuel 7:8 This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock...  9  I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.

We are extremely grateful to the Lord.

The wider meaning of the vision?

But now (March 2012) we are sensing for the first time that the vision and dream might not only be for ourselves personally, but perhaps prophetic in a wider sense.

We believe that the teaching and practices of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6 & 15) which Jesus hates are alive and well to varying degrees in the Church today. This teaching erects a wall of separation between a special, professional class of clergymen and the “lay people” who are forever subject to their authority. Only the elite class of clergy are entitled to perform ecclesiastical duties. The Roman Catholic Church of course excelled in the teaching of the Nicolaitans. This in part resulted in the Protestant Reformation over 500 years ago which sought to reinstate the “priesthood of all believers” according Revelation 1:6, 1 Peter 2:5 & 9, and especially John 14:12.

However, the Reformation fell short. Today the Nicolaitan teaching is still firmly embedded in the Church of Jesus Christ. The result is the failure of the Church to fulfill the Great Commission in which Christ commanded us to make disciples of all nations. God’s people are not being discipled to maturity, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). They are not bearing much fruit---the evidence by which they show themselves to be disciples of Jesus Christ (John 15:8). Most so-called believers bear little fruit at all for Jesus.

We believe this is the result of the Nicolaitan establishment in the Church today.

Before Christ returns, the Great Commission must be fulfilled. If His return is near, then it may mean that He will seek to destroy the Nicolaitan establishment He hates which has spread like a cancer through much of His Church in varying degrees.

The teaching of the Nicolaitans

The wider meaning of the structure which turned to dust

At the beginning of the vision which the Lord gave me in June 1999, I saw a drab-looking, unpainted concrete-like structure by the side of the road where I was walking. When I stuck my head in an opening in one of the walls to look inside the structure, it suddenly turned to dust around me and disappeared. Up until now I had interpreted this structure to symbolize my ministry as a local pastor which had turned to dust, setting me free to do what I am now doing around the world. But now I am sensing that the meaning of the structure could be much broader than that.

Could that concrete-like structure also represent the prison---the Nicolaitan establishment---which has kept believers from maturing to become fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ? The victims of the Nicolaitan system also include the many thousands of frustrated pastors around the world who are unfulfilled in their calling to equip God’s people for works of service. Well-meaning and sincere pastors and ministers are just as much victims of the Nicolaitan system as are the believers who have been imprisoned by it. Because of the very nature of the system, their “church members” will never mature to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Of course, in the Church there are those who have personally benefited from the teaching of the Nicolaitans, and will continue to hold to it. They have power and wealth, and these of course are exhilarating and addictive. These are the ones Christ spoke of who come in His name, claiming, “I am the anointed one,” and will deceive many (Matthew 24:5). In Greek the word Messiah means “anointed one.”

Is it possible that during these last days the Lord is turning this Nicolaitan prison to dust, setting the Church free to be the Church in order to fulfill the words He spoke two thousand years ago?

John 14:12  Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

Only then will we fulfill the Great Commission. Only then will Jesus Christ return.

Man Healed of Chest Pain and Maurijuana Addiction

Jakarta

Pastor William Lau who is now ministering in Jakarta, Indonesia reported the following testimony on Thursday, March 15, 2012.


We just received a most wonderful report which we'd like to share with you. Eleven days ago on Sunday, March 4 we ministered at an Assemblies of God English-language Sunday Service here. (The day before on Saturday we had taught The Elijah Challenge Basic Training for the church.) At the Service people were healed of various infirmities as the trained disciples ministered to them to prove that Jesus is the only way to the Father.

After the service a young sister named Ira came to us bringing her husband Paul who worked as a guard at the US Embassy in Jakarta. While Paul was studying in America some years back, he met Ira who was a Muslim and they married in a local mosque there. After they returned to Indonesia Ira came into a vibrant relationship with the Lord Jesus, but Paul fell into bad company and became addicted to marijuana and cigarettes. Their marriage suffered. Every day Paul would experience episodes of  paralyzing anxiety and chest pain.

At that Sunday Service eleven days ago, Paul requested through Ira that we minister to him. He wanted to repent and to come back to the Lord. We laid hands on him and rebuked the demons of addiction and commanded him to be healed in Jesus' name. We commanded him to be set free from the daily anxiety attacks and chest pain. As we ministered to him Paul felt the magnificent power of the Lord Jesus Christ setting him free and healing him.

Today we heard from Ira, his lovely wife who had brought him to us. Below is what she wrote.

_________________________________

Pastor,

This is Ira. Paul's wife.

Paul is doing so fine. This has been the best ten days of our lives as spouses, of peace, joy, and love and love only. It is all because of the Lord our God, Christ Jesus and His Love to us, to our marriage, and to our family. But most of all, for Jesus' Love to Paul.

Paul now is back to his real being. The man that I used to fall in love with. The man full with zealous love towards Jesus; the man that I knew then when I first met him; that he was born to be a servant of God and will be used to win souls and to glorify His Name. Paul is really changed. He never for once touched  marijuana again; not a single day has passed (after that very day - when he was healed at the altar by your prayer) during which he was contaminated by that substance anymore, not even regular cigarettes such as Marlboro. Praise the Lord.

He is patient. He is humble. He is willing to admit and to be taught. He is my real deal Paul. No longer in anxiety mode; all the chest pain has stopped. He is gentle. He is loving. He is Paul. Apology to always repeating the same words over and over, because His Love left us amazed, Pastor. Paul erased all the names in his cell phone [of his former friends]; who potentially can lead him back to the temptation. He chooses his friends, the right crowd. He spends time with God, by playing church music and also contented with our children by be with them in most quality moment.

I could not be more thankful to the Lord. All I wanted was my Paul to return home---the so-called prodigal son. He is indeed now, home.

Thank you, Pastor. WE LOVE YOU AND MRS. LUCY.

__________________________________

Finish The Race

Pastor William Lau and his wife, Pastor Lucille.

Houston, Texas

Monday, January 23, 2012

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Last night we returned home to Houston from burying my mother in New York. Twelve days ago she had gone home to be with the Lord at the age of 96 years. The Lord had used her in her own way to help us greatly in the work of the gospel since we began serving God full-time in 1978. We continue to miss and remember her.

Early this morning as I stirred from sleep I sensed the words “finish the race” in my spirit. I came downstairs to write. I’d like to share with you what I wrote.

Mom had stayed with Lucille and me for most of her last 19 years on earth. Over the last few years of her life she needed more and more care from us. During the past year she was admitted to a nursing home facility where we visited her twice a day when we were in town and not ministering overseas. Now she is with the Lord, and no longer needs our care. And just two days after Mom left us, our dear family dog Tuffy of nearly 14 years also passed away. This added to our grief. But we believe the Lord had a purpose in this. There is no longer anyone at home who needs our care.

By the grace of God we have labored for Him for over three decades as missionary, local pastor, and now teaching and equipping the body of Christ around the world. Since The Elijah Challenge began in 2000, ten of thousands of servants of God and disciples have been trained how to heal the sick and cast out demons as Jesus taught and commanded His disciples when he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God. Some disciples we have trained have gone on to be very fruitful for the Lord.

 With the Lord’s wonderful grace our marriage of 37 years is doing very well. We have learned to treat one another with kindness and gentleness. Lucille who is nearing 60 years of age remains youthful and pretty.

By His grace we have matured in the knowledge of His son Jesus Christ. We are careful to obey the Lord’s holy commands producing good fruit for Him; and to live a holy life to honor Him.

Like Paul, we can now say:
“Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” (2 Corinthians 2:17)

Moreover, “we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2)

I am now 62 years old, and am already considered a Senior Citizen qualifying for various discounts. But by God’s grace I am in very good health; both of my parents passed away in their mid-nineties. According to a Blood Pressure Chart on the internet, my blood pressure, which is in the 100s over 60s, is that of a young person. I do not take drugs or medication of any kind.

Since I am a steward of my body which is God’s temple, I take good care of it. I go to the gym about six times a week. I can easily bench press my own body weight several times. I exercise self-control and am very careful with what I eat and drink. We do not have health insurance coverage of any kind and very little retirement funds set aside for the future, but with the Lord’s help we will never need any.

Indeed all this is the wondrous grace of God at work in us.

Now with the Lord taking Mom we are in transition---shall we say, at “half time” in a football game. Our “second wind” is about to kick in. We are to finish the race going away. I sense this is what the Lord is telling us. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded (Luke 12:48).

Brethren, please continue to pray for us and partner with us. We want to be increasingly fruitful for the kingdom of God in the years to come---more productive than ever. In five weeks we are scheduled to be training 300 to 400 Assemblies of God pastors in Indonesia at their yearly nation-wide meeting for leaders.

We again echo the words of Paul the apostle:
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

This was Paul’s raison d’être, the reason he lived. He did not live for worldly success, accomplishments, and rewards in this life from God. No, he was straining toward the goal of the heavenly prize---his reward in heaven. Unfortunately, many popular preachers today use the lure of earthly success from God to draw crowds unto themselves, and will persuasively use Scripture to support their teaching.

But Paul warned all believers in the very next verse:

“All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.” (Philippians 3:15)

Paul’s reason for living was not limited to and applicable for apostles only. It was for “all of us who are mature.” Let us grow up now and mature in Christ. Let us leave behind childish things like focusing on earthly success and accomplishments primarily for the sake of enjoyment in this life. Rather, whatever we do in this life should be for “pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.”



Then some day along with Paul we can all say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Thank you again for asking the Lord to comfort and strengthen us at this time. He has answered your prayers wonderfully.

Love in Christ,

Pastor William & Lucille Lau

www.TheElijahChallenge.org

Limping Man with Bad Pain Walks & Climbs Effortlessly

Mission Harmony Summer Camp

Pastor William and Pastor Lucille Lau write from Taiwan where they are involved with Mission Harmony Summer Camp where 2,000-2,400 Taiwanese elementary school children in various schools in the community attend. In the evenings, they teach Elijah Challenge and share in this letter about the healing miracles during their training sessions.

Ligang, Taiwan

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

In the evening we held Session II of the Basic Training. The Lord's grace was very evident again. At the end of the session an older man, the husband of a lady pastor from Taipei, hobbled forward to be healed. He suffered from pain in his upper thigh/hip area which was especially bad when climbing stairs. Two brothers came forward to minister to him. Gerhard is a German expatriate who has lived in Taiwan for twenty years. Eric is a graduate of Oral Roberts University as well as Rhema Bible School in Oklahoma. They laid hands on the gentleman and authoritatively commanded his leg to be healed in Jesus' name. Then I asked him to walk. He took some steps and a slightly amazed grin appeared on his face. The limp was gone. He walked back and forth easily and normally. I asked him to climb the steps to the platform and he glided up effortlessly. The Lord had graciously confirmed His word before His disciples.

Then five more people experiencing pain in their bodies came forward to be healed. Disciples came forward from their seats to lay hands on them. Afterwards, each of the five testified that the Lord had healed them. One woman had been unable to raise her arm. But as she testified she was lifting it up and down effortlessly.

Then I encouraged the disciples to use what the Lord had given them to preach the gospel in Ligang. There are 112 idol temples, but only four churches in Ligang. This is a reflection on the lack of power in the Church's evangelism. Now that they have been trained to use the very powerful weapons given to them by the Lord, they must use them to fulfill the Great Commission. There will be a mass movement of Buddhists to Jesus Christ here only when the Church obeys the Lord's commands to "heal the sick and tell them, 'the kingdom of God is near you.'"

There is darkness here which can only be dispelled by the gospel and the authority the Lord has given to His people. Last night our host pastor was very late in picking us up to take us to the meeting in his church because his mother, who is now staying with him, had been attacked by severe depression. He had his hands full. 

Later that evening after the meeting while we were preparing for bed in the retreat center, we were called to minister to a young lady who was on the Mission Harmony team. She was staying in a big dormitory room just across the courtyard from us. She was seeing spirits and was suffering from severe pain in the back of her head. We got dressed and went to the dormitory room where she and about a dozen other young women were staying. We laid hands on her and rebuked the spirits and the pain in Jesus' name. She was healed and set free.

Message of Repentance to "Prosperity Gospel" Church Confirmed Through Miraculous Healings

The City of Pontianak from the air

Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Sunday, June 12, 2011
 
Dear Brethren in Christ,
 
This morning at our host church we preached a message of repentance to prepare the people of God for the great and terrible Day of the Lord. I shared that seeking after God's blessings in this life is not the central message of the New Testament. But rather, Jesus taught:
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. 25 He who loves his life shall lose it. And he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal. We shared our testimony of how years ago we had followed the Lord's footsteps by giving up our hopes and dreams and possessions in America and by faith moving to the primitive unreached regions of Indonesia to share the gospel to those who had never heard. We challenged the believers to repent and to produce fruit in keeping with repentance by dying to the world and hating their lives in this world. Only then, like grains of wheat falling to the ground and dying, can they bring forth much fruit for God.
 
It was quiet in the spacious church while I shared. It was likely not the kind of message they were accustomed to hearing. The people were listening.
 
After the message we asked the Lord to confirm the message of repentance through miraculous healings. People with infirmities came forward to receive ministry from the trained disciples. Afterwards, most of them came up to the stage to testify of what the Lord had done for them. Two testimonies were quite striking. One man had suffered from a stroke and had difficulty speaking, along with other problems due to the stroke. He took the microphone, and fighting back tears he paused to compose himself. Then he began to speak with little trace of difficulty. Not only was his speech almost completely restored, the other symptoms of his stroke were receding as well. A second man in his late thirties or early forties had suffered from shaking hands since he was a child. His hands were no longer shaking as he testified. A woman was healed of the symptoms of a heart condition, but was too shy to testify publicly.
 
Through the miraculous healings the Lord had clearly confirmed to this prosperity gospel church the message that He had delivered to the Laodician Church:
Rev 3:15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ...19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. At the end of the meeting the people applauded, not loudly, but I sensed sincerely and appreciatively. I think they had received the message into their hearts.
 
Thank you for standing with us in prayer, dear ones ~
 
 
Testimony from Doha, Qatar
 
A disciple who attended the Training we held late last month in Qatar wrote us:
 
I am Adebola Olu, a disciple of the Lord at Redeemed Christian Church of God in Doha. The healing training was powerful and it changed my life since then. My eyes would pain me as though salt/pepper was in my eyes any time I woke up in the morning and during the day sometimes. When it gets bad i will have to rush for water but it will only help for a while. During the healing service I was healed till now i have not experienced it again.

i have now gained so much confidence in Christ. I just heard that someone I know had an accident, I'll go and lay my hands on him in Jesus' name. May God bless and enrich you more in Jesus name. Amen.
 
 
Tomorrow we fly out to Jakarta for more meetings.
 
Pastor William & Pastor Lucille

Mission Deep Into The Interior of West Borneo

Pastor William & Pastor Lucille Lau and their West Borneo congregation 1987

West Borneo, Indonesia
Saturday, June 4, 2011

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Last Thursday morning we landed in West Borneo, the area in Indonesia where we first began to serve the Lord 33 years ago. Putussibau, where we are now, is a town nestled deep in the interior of West Borneo near the border with East Malaysia.

Way back in 1980 we had settled in another region of West Borneo called Batu Ampar---an area at that time unreached by the gospel. One of the first families to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ was a man and his wife who owned a few small stores. They had six young children, three boys and three girls. The six have now grown up with children of their own, and two of them serve the kingdom of God very actively. One girl, A Lan, now pastors a church alongside her husband. One boy, A Hwat, is now a successful businessman who enjoys an unusually close relationship the Lord. When we first saw him in 1980, A Hwat was an illiterate barefoot urchin who spent his time playing and running around the village with his little brother in tow. They came to Lucille's classes where every day she taught the village kids---many of whom could not read---the Word of God, and also how to read the Indonesian language.

A Hwat now lives in Putussibau and is our host here. The Lord has given him unusual grace and favor with the people. We thank the Lord that the seed we planted thirty years ago in a remote village is now bearing much good fruit for the kingdom of God in Indonesia. There are other similar testimonies as well from people who received the kingdom of God as children during those early days.

Yesterday we began the Basic Training in A Lan's church with various area servants of God in attendance. The Lord's grace was evident during the teaching, with people testifying of being healed during the time of demonstration during the session. We took turns teaching directly in the Indonesian language. At the evangelistic healing service in the evening, the gospel was preached from Mark 2. The Lord confirmed his Word by healing many people with infirmities as the trained servants of God ministered to them. It was wonderfully encouraging to us all.

Today we will complete the Basic Training. Tomorrow morning on Sunday we will split up and preach in different churches. On Monday we will head for Batu Ampar---where it all began over three decades ago. All of our beautiful daughters---Esther, Sarah, and Christina---were born there. 

The Lord was so gracious to us during the seven years we labored to introduce the gospel of Jesus Christ in that remote and unreached area. If you'd like to download and read our adventures of faith during those early years, just click on http://www.box.net/shared/static/8z47xksj1i.doc to download Dancing on the Edge of the Earth.

Access to the internet here in this remote area is quite uncertain, so please bear with us if you don't hear from us regularly.


Prayer requests

• Please pray that the Lord will continue to keep us safe and in good health as we minister and travel here. May His wonderful grace continue to be revealed as we train God's people to minister in the spirit and power of Elijah.

• Please pray for Pastor William's older sister Mayin. She has been diagnosed with Stage III cancer in some polyps recently removed from her colon. Please pray for her spirit & soul as well as for the healing of her body.

In Christ alone,

Pastor William & Pastor Lucille Lau
www.TheElijahChallenge.org

Healing Miracles in Doha, Qatar

Doha, Qatar

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Dear Brethren in Christ,

Last night the Lord graciously enabled me to complete the meetings here. It appears to have been a very fruitful event.

Qatar is a little peninsular country on the Persian Gulf in between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as you can see in the map of the Middle East below. Qatar is the finger of land inside the black circle.

The background

Of the approximately 1.5 million residents, only about 400,000 are local. The rest are a mixture of expatriate Indians (800,000 strong), Filipinos, Nepalese, Nigerians, and various other nationalities including Americans. The USA has an airbase here. As I mentioned in an earlier email, the government here makes it extremely difficult to share the gospel with the local Arabs. One cannot share Jesus Christ in the conventional way here as done in the west. You have to be on the ground here to understand the scope of the difficulty. One needs great wisdom from the Lord to be able to reach them effectively. Even in the meetings I was not free to share an effective approach for reaching them, because the government can send informers to spy on what is being taught in churches. 

Within a particular expat community here consisting of nearly 5,000 people, the Lord has raised up a vibrant church which we will not name. The members are mostly expat believers. There are thousands of these churches around the world; in the USA alone there are 551.

The host church

A Church here in Doha is led by a faithful brother who works as an engineer. I found the leaders to be filled with the Spirit and committed to the Lord and the gospel. The response to the Basic Training was unusually enthusiastic. From feedback I received it was eye-opening, ministry-transforming and even a "revelation" to them. The Lord was gracious to confirm the teaching by performing various miraculous healings during the meetings as the believers laid hands on one another.

In particular were testimonies of people healed last night during the climactic evangelistic healing service. Instead of preaching "God's love and blessings" in the usual manner, I preached repentance as did John the Baptist when he appeared two thousand years ago in the spirit and power of Elijah to prepare God's people for Coming of the Lord. In order to confirm the message of repentance needed to prepare God's people for the great and terrible Day of the Lord, we asked the Lord to perform miraculous healings on the infirm.

Two testimonies of healing

Now within the expatriate community consisting of mostly healthy workers, there are probably few cases of severe illness. But some did come forward for healing last night and were touched powerfully by the Lord. One man had been suffering from severe back pain for 18 long years. He had tried everything to no avail. But as the brothers laid hands on him and rebuked the infirmity, God's healing power came upon him. Through tears of joy and amazement he shared dramatically that after 18 years the pain was completely gone. 

Among the others whom the Lord touched was a woman in her forties. After sisters ministered to her, she stood silently with her eyes brimming with tears. When after the others had testified I asked her to tell the people what the Lord had done for her, she was so overcome by emotion that she stood speechless for several moments as the crowd waited. Finally she blurted out the barely decipherable words, "I cannot say." The Lord had healed her of something extremely personal. She nodded when I asked her if she had felt the Lord's healing power in her body.

Through all the testimonies of healing the Lord had said to His people, "Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent." (Revelation 3:19)

An abominable practice

There is a special brother who is faithfully serving me with my transportation needs during my stay here. Last night in my hotel room this brother shared with me how impactful it was that the miraculous healings were used to confirm the message of repentance at the final service. In the past he has seen how miraculous healings have been used by unscrupulous ministers to dig into people's wallets and purses. If an infirm person gave an offering of $500, they would receive a certain level of ministry from the minister. But if they gave $1,000 they would get much more effective "treatment." The miraculous healings were not used to confirm the truth of the gospel, but to line the pockets of the minister. This gives us some understanding of Jesus' words:

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Prayer request

The pastor of this congregation is now determined to make this kind of ministry a vital part of the life of the congregation. Please pray that the Lord will grant him the strength and wisdom to carry out this intention for the purpose of reaching out to the big expatriate community here with the gospel of Jesus Christ. May the Lord grant him the wisdom to lead his people to reach out to the unreachable nationalities using what was taught.

Late tonight I will fly back to Malaysia where Lucille has been staying. May the Lord grant me a safe and pleasant overnight journey.

Thank you all for praying for the work here, dear ones. The seed has been planted.

Below is the view of Doha I see from my hotel window. The climate is very hot here, and buildings with light colors will reflect the sun's rays and stay cooler than they would otherwise. There is not much greenery or vegetation here with the desert climate.

Pastor William Lau

www.TheElijahChallenge.org

Testimony Following Omega Man Radio Webcast

On 18 May 2011, Pastor William and Pastor Lucille Lau were in Houston and taught the Session II of the Basic Training on Omega Man Radio over the internet. Today he received a testimony of a miraculous healing the Lord performed through a disciple named Marc who had listened to the webcast. Please take a moment to read it below!

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"On May 18th I listened to a broadcast you did with Omega Man Radio. I have been listening to your teachings and they have been very encouraging for myself and my family. It was 2 days after that broadcast my daughter became ill with flu-like symptoms almost like a bad cold. That morning she woke up itching her entire body severely to the point were it was bothering me to see. There were large bumps all over her legs, arms, back, and even her face. The doctor said the day before that it was a reaction her body was doing by fighting of the bad cold or flew she may have had. To continue, that morning she was digging and crying because the itching and swelling would not leave. 

So I had decided that I was going to use your teachings and have the Lord heal her with the authority you taught. I had just came off a 24 hour fast and new this was the time to step out in faith. By fasting and praying the day before I felt that the Lord had prepared me for this. So I went up to Sierra my daughter and said to her Jesus can heal you. I then laid my hands on her legs and began to command the skin disease or virus to leave in the name of Jesus with authority. After I had her stand and walk around and asked how do you feel. 

She said the itching was not bad anymore, but the bumps were still present. I then said we will pray again and command this to leave and command complete healing of your skin. So I had laid hands on her again and prayed. After the second time the itching completely stopped and she was feeling good enough to start playing again. That was when I left it alone and waited. After about 1.5 hours. I asked Sierra to show me her legs. To my amazement her legs were completely healed and no dig marks or red marks, nothing, the bumps were completely gone! Her head, arms and back still had bumps, so before I went to work, I laid hands on her again, this time on her arms, and then on her head. 

After I went to work and called home about 1.5 hours later and asked my wife how she was doing. To my surprise her whole entire body was healed not a mark or bump on her, PRAISE JESUS!!!! The work and teachings you are doing will show people the power of God and bring them to repentance. I believe that my daughter will never doubt the power in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That moment will give her the ability to call on our Savior by showing her my faith and seeing the healing God had done for her. Thank you brother for what you are teaching it is life changing. May the Lord bless your ministry."

God Bless!!!

Marc Havens

Listen To A Radio Interview With Reverend William Lau, Founder of The Elijah Challenge

Please click here for the radio interview of Rev William Lau. Listen to the second part of the interview, Rev Lau actually teaches from the Bible on how you can use God's power and authority to heal the sick and not just to pray for the sick.

Rev William Lau, Founder of The Elijah Challenge

Baptist Pastor Reports New Testament Miracles

Baptist Pastor Oneias Cezar Fulho reports New Testament miracles after attending Elijah Challenge Basic Training held at Juiz de Fora, Brazil in August 2010.

Here is the report that this pastor emailed to Pastor William Lau.

Juiz de Fora, Brazil

I am Pastor Oneias Cezar Filho, who met you at the airport in Rio on your way to Juiz de Fora in Brazil [in August 2010]. My son Pastor Daniel and I were with you at The Elijah Challenge Basic Training in Juiz de Fora.

On Wednesday night there I had my ears healed from a disability which had been getting worse. Returning to Rio de Janeiro, I felt that God would apply in our ministry the vision which was given to you regarding the “Jesus method of healing the sick.” I taught what I received in Juiz de Fora to our people, and miracles began to happen.

Rectal cancer miraculously disappears

One Sunday I went to one of our daughter churches to minister. There I met a dear brother who had cancer of the rectum. He was to undergo surgery on Tuesday for the removal of his rectum. He was forbidden to eat solid food by the doctors. I laid my hands on him and rebuked the disease. 

That same day he went home and asked his wife to prepare him some good solid food, and he ate everything. On Monday the day after, it would normally be time in the bathroom for him. But on Monday he ate normally and the next day, before going in for surgery at the hospital, he went to the bathroom and defecated normally. 

When the brother arrived at the hospital, the doctor was very embarrassed because he had forgotten to schedule the surgery. The brother smiled, knowing that God was at work. He asked to be examined again and the doctor found no more cancer. Thanks to God Almighty!

Blind woman sees at Sunday service

But at that same worship service on Sunday there was a woman blind in both eyes. She was not a member of the church, but the mother of one of the members. I confess that I trembled inside, under such pressure, having to begin by facing someone who was blind. But I laid my hands directly on the eyes of the woman and rebuked the disease. When I removed my hands, she said that she was seeing. I did three tests to prove the miracle before the people who had crowded the church. It went perfectly with the three tests. She even accurately described how I looked and how I was dressed. 

There was a Dutch girl at church who was going to the United States for a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. She was a scientist along with her Brazilian husband. He translated into Dutch everything I said and she was delighted. After the service, she came to me wanting to talk to me. But I had already gone. I went away soon after the miracle, passing the word to the local pastor, our assistant pastor at that church who is my daughter. Before the women’s eyes were opened I was so perplexed. I could feel the tension in the church as they looked to me for the final element of the miracle.

Blind man screams he can see

But God would do more. In those days, a brother from my church who had heard what I forwarded to people about the power to heal the sick was making a business visit to a family in the neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca. Arriving in Rio, he found an elderly gentleman who was blind in one eye and who had experienced loss of vision in his other eye as well. He suffered from a degenerative disease and the doctors had done surgery on the second eye trying to save it. But they failed, and so he was also blind in this eye. Andrea then told him what he had learned in church with me and asked if he believed that the Lord Jesus could restore his vision and heal him. He said yes. Andrea then put his hands over his eyes and rebuked the blindness. When Andrea removed his hands, the man opened his eyes and started screaming that he was seeing. His family ran and started calling other family members on the phone, tell them about the miracle. That's when the man's sister turned to Andrea, and asked: "Son, in addition to selling health insurance, who are you?" And Andrea was then able to share the gospel to the whole family.

Spinal Columns Healed

God is healing many people in our church since then. There have been many cures for spinal columns. On Wednesday, when I prayed for people with problems in their spine, a sister who was from another church was present. She believed she would receive her healing right there sitting in the pew. She said the pain was totally gone in hours. She came home and felt nothing. The next day to prove the miracle was real she jumped rope one hundred times, and felt nothing. That same day, in the afternoon, she again took the rope and jumped more than 100 times, and felt nothing. She was healed!

Dying cancer victim gets up healed in hospital room after life support removed and takes shower

She received a urgent telephone call from her relatives in another state of Brazil, in Minas Gerais. There in the city of Juiz de Fora, her mother, a terminally ill cancer patient, was dying. The doctors had reported that they would pull the plug on her so that she would die.

The daughter traveled there and went to the hospital. The doctor had disconnected the life support which had kept her mother alive. But she laid hands on her mother and rebuked the spirit of death. She spent time rebuking the spirit of death forbidding it to touch her mother, and commanding her healing in Jesus' name. That was when her mother opened her eyes and started talking to her normally. She had been in a coma but now she was completely healed. She sat up in bed and said he wanted to take a bath. She went alone to the bathroom to take a shower. 

At this time the nurse came in and seeing the scene, she was amazed. She took away the bed sheets and replaced them. That was when the doctor came in and did not see the patient. He told the nurse, "She's dead? You already took the body to the morgue?" The nurse then told the doctor: "Doctor, go into the bathroom and look." When the doctor went to the bathroom, he saw the woman who had been dying now bathing alone. He hugged the daughter who had been ministering healing to her mother. Moved, he said something like, "Yeah ... You are a woman of faith!" They then did some tests to confirm the healing. The next day she was discharged and went home. 

When she was still in the hospital her daughter had bought roast chicken for her to eat. When the mother saw it, she ate almost the whole chicken. Sentenced to death, she ate almost the entire chicken. But now the old lady is a blessing, completely healed. 

There are many healings in our midst. Often people feel great heat at the site of the disease as they are healed.

Many healed as Pastor Oneias conducts Basic Training

We conducted a seminar here at our church based on your seminar on the Internet. It was a great blessing. We had about 600 people, and they are already asking for the second phase. Again we saw many people healed. A lady who suffered from pulmonary emphysema, a lung disease caused by having smoked a lot for many years, was fully healed. She said that she had been unable to lie on the left side of her back. But she is now completely cured. 

Brother, I am communicating these testimonies to you for joy, knowing that the vision that God gave you is [for] another large city in the world: Rio de Janeiro. I have a great desire that you come soon to Rio and to our church. We will welcome you warmly as we do with all the servants of God that come from Him to bless us. But know, dear brother, that something good is happening between us. May God bless you for it. 

There are many other healings---many---and they will be increasing. 

To God be all the glory, forever and ever!

A fraternal greeting in Christ Jesus,

Pastor Oneias Cezar Filho
Zion Baptist Church in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro