COMPASSION FOR THE LOST Dr Puji Silva is my SubDistrict leader from Eureka, Caucasian group in Hope Brisbane. I have known Puji for 6 years. The Lord has used him to bring Caucasians to Christ and church. I am really inspire by Puji's compassion for the lost and boldness to share the gospel wherever he goes. Recently, Puji and teams (Paul & Burning Bush Care Group) went on a weekend missions trip. They witnessed 4 salvations and 1 rededication and all the believers were Caucasian. The testimony below will inspire you to reach out to Caucasian in your community!
IPSWICH MISSION TRIP - BY PUJI SILVA
Have you ever wondered what an “Open heaven” experience is like?
An open heaven experience is when the heavens open up and we have free access to everything in heavenly realms, a free flowing of Gods abundant graces and ministry power. Ministering under an open heaven is like toiling the soil without labour or sweat on the brow. When heaven is open for you God will be near and heaven will be manifest in the natural " as it is in heaven".
Last weekend, while down in Ipswich that’s exactly what we experienced for the whole of Saturday. It was just as if God’s removed and held back all hindrances to people hearing the gospel and given us the keys to the hearts of the people.
Every single person we spoke to was open to hearing the gospel message. Personally, I felt an incredible sense of boldness to walk up to people and let them know that I was in the city to share the gospel and whether they’d heard the gospel shared to them. In every single case, I found that people were open to hearing the gospel and they received the message with joy!
I believe much of what we experienced has very little to do with our abilities and competencies, but everything to do with God’s grace and mercy in response to our prayers and petitions for the city of Ipswich and the people there in. Only the weekend before our first team started praying for the city and getting a burden for the people, followed up by our second team petitioning before God on Friday night.
I remember us praying on Saturday morning for Jesus to equip each one with what we needed for the day so that we can be His ambassadors and represent Him. I truly believe God answered our prayer and granted us the open heaven experience. There was no spiritual heaviness in the atmosphere and the word of God was planted in many hearts. God also moved powerfully by helping people to step up to a new level of their Spiritual gifts, especially in the gift of discernment and prophesy.
We saw in total 4 Salvations over the two weekends and 1 rededication Some of them attended Church on Sunday. I believe personally this experience brought us closer to Jesus and took our level of expectation and faith to a new notch.
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:2
Pastor Wilson, Derrick Chew and I have put together a new book called HARVEST – 40 WEEKS OF SHARING.Below is the forward that I wrote for the book…
FORWARD TO HARVEST
He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.Luke 10:2
Wherever I have travelled, one of the most common questions people have asked is:
“Peter, why are you so passionate about sharing the gospel?”
The truth is that I have not always been excited about sharing the gospel.There are moments of enthusiasm and moments of indifference.But the turning point happened about 6 years ago when I decided to commit myself in reading the word of God and sharing the gospel on a weekly basis. These two factors really helped me to keep my passion for reaching the lost.
Hence, we designed “Harvest” as a tool to help leaders and E-Club Coordinators to increase the passion for evangelism through weekly teaching and application.
I would like to challenge you to commit 40 weeks of the year to go through this program. It will change your perspective of evangelism forever!
Write to me if you wish to know how to use Harvest for your local church
[Sharing the Good News in Gold Coast with Ps Lance & Belle]
After coming back from Europe, I went to a Youth Camp organised by Ablaze Ministries International.
I have been so encouraged seeing this youth ministry led by Torchie (Director of AMI) continue to grow every year.There were 64 people at the camp this year.
Torchie shared 3 powerful messages throughout the camp about being set free from fear and infused by the spirit of God, Infused to impact the world and, Infused by Godly influence. God moved powerfully through these messages as every altar call was swarmed with young people lifting up their hands and on their knees committing themselves to God and to His purpose.
SPEAKING ON THE HEALING
I had the privilege to speak a workshop called “Infused by the Supernatural”. I shared the story of Apostle Peter & John healing the crippled beggar at the temple courts (Acts 3:1-7).Below is the outline of my message.
Three essentials to moving in healing:
Be a disciple of Christ (Acts 3:1)
Be ready to ask for healing (Acts 3:2-6)
Be ready to exercise faith (Acts 3:7)
At the end of the workshop, Torchie and I made an altar for healing.Many youth came forward for prayer.Below is a testimony from Jessica who was healed by God.
JESSICA HEALING TESTIMONY
Hello, my name is Jessica and I’ve been a part of Ablaze for over a year now.On the second day of our Ablaze ’06 camp (named Infusion), Torch and Peter Truong called for anyone who wanted to be prayed for healing to come to the front and take a seat. As they took the seat, the rest of us gathered around them and started to pray for their healing. As we prayed, I felt this strong presence of God that really overwhelmed me as I prayed for my brothers and sisters in tongues. The Holy Spirit really stirred in my heart and suddenly prompted and reminded me of my left ankle that I sprained over a month ago and had not yet fully healed. And as I continued to pray for my other brothers and sisters as well as myself, I suddenly felt this warm burning sensation in my left ankle. I wasn’t sure what it was as first, until we finished prayer and I started walking on it that I realised I GOT HEALED!
Wow God is truly amazing! Though I wasn’t one of the people at the front getting prayed for, my faith in God’s healing power for my brothers and sisters healed me! PRAISE GOD!!
DEMONSTRATE HIS HEALING POWER
I want to encourage all of us to step out in faith and to believe God to heal people at care group, church, school, office etc.
God wants to demonstrate His healing power so people will believe in Him.Apostle Paul said:
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
COME TO THE NEXT YOUTH CAMP
I would like to thank Torchie for the opportunity to speak at the camp.Also, I want to thank Nick Lim for organising the camp.I enjoyed it very much and hope to come again in 2007.Torchie told me that the Ablaze Camp will be held during the July holidays.
I highly recommend you to attend the upcoming youth camp.Torchie is a dynamic speaker and the Ablaze Worship Team is awesome!
It was great celebrating Christmas with my Hope Brisbane family.We had a great Christmas service at church called “A Christmas Experience” (see photos).Guess what? We had the privilege to witness a student accept Christ in the Everyday Evangelism Class on Sunday afternoon.
Fatima from Ablaze Youth Group brought her friend to the EE class and we shared the gospel with him and he accepted Christ.Thank God for a wonderful Christmas present!
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.Roman 10:17
MY FAMILY IN BRISBANE…
I really thank God for Pastor Wilson, Pastor Lai Ling, Pastor Wenan, Pastor Lance, leaders and friends in Hope Brisbane.They have all been such a great inspiration for me to love and serve God with all my heart. It is wonderful to have a family to share life and serve God together.
I have been spurred on to achieve great things for God through the constant encouragement and support from Hope Brisbane family.
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. John 17:23
FULFILLING GOD'S CALLING
Looking back, I really believe God was leading me to Hope Brisbane in 2000.It was difficult leaving my family and Christian friends in Adelaide to a new place. Life was comfortable at home. I didn’t have to do much living with my parents.They did everything for me!They cooked and even washed my clothes!Yes, you can say I was spoiled!
My father and Mother tried very hard to persuade me stay in Adelaide.But I sense a strong calling from God to move to Brisbane and I didn’t fully understand why.
STEPPING OUT IN FAITH….
Have you ever experienced a similar situation?God asked you to do something or go somewhere but you don’t fully understand all the reasons.You begin to have internal struggles or battles within your heart. I fully understand what you are going through.
I want to encourage you to step out like Abraham and do something that is extraordinary for God. We only have one life to make a difference....
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. Genesis 12:1-4
LIVING FOR HIS GLORY….
God really blessed Abraham for his obedience.Abraham became the father of many nations. I can really testify the blessing of God since coming to Brisbane.When I arrived in Brisbane, the church leadership encouraged me to start E-Club Ministry.
Now, I am travelling to different parts of the world preaching and training people in evangelism. Wow!God is good!I could not imagine myself doing something like this before.God has wonderful plans of all His children!
However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Cor 2:9
Let us live for the glory of God in 2007 by obeying His call and fulfil the Great Commission.
As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.John 17:18
I thank God and Hope leaders for the opportunity to travel around Europe in August of 2006.I went to 6 countries (Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, CzechRepublic and Germany) in 11 weeks.Every week, I was traveling to a different city by plane, train and bus.I walked many kilometers around Europe and took hundreds of photos (photography is one of my passions for those who know me!).It was exciting to see new places, meeting new friends, sharing Christ with people, preaching, prophecy and praying for healing.
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”Mark 16:15-18
I really want to encourage you to take an adventure with God and participate in the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.Start serving God and sharing Christ at home and gradually going to the nations.
5 months on the Daniel’s Fast…..
Three months before going to Europe, I decided to do start a “Daniel’s Fast”.I heard about “Daniel’s Fast” before but I would never imagine doing it because I am a meat lover!I’ve really hated vegetables since the day I was born! Hahahaa.Vegetables are bad news for me!I remember that when I was growing up, my grandparents used to force me and my siblings to eat every vegetable on our plates. It was like torture every dinner time!
So I knew from the start it was going to be very challenging.It was hard to see all my friends in care group and church eating chicken, beef, burger, seafood and I’m going around with a bag of carrots, tomatoes and bread. I was dying to eat KFC!!!
But I knew that I needed more of the Holy Spirit and His power for my personal life and ministry. I needed a fresh touch from the Holy Spirit to empower me to do great things for God.
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.Jn 7:38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”John 7:37-38
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Eph 5:18
Guess what?After months of eating vegetable diet, I began to like it! Well, it was not that bad after all!But if you want to be my friend, please don’t serve me a plate of vegetables!One of the first things I did when I return to Brisbane was to eat KFC! I love it!My first KFC after 5 months!
Walking with the Holy Spirit…
When I arrived in Europe, I decided to pray in the Holy Spirit as often as I could.I prayed during my devotional time, I prayed while walking on the streets and at every opportunity.I realised that our spiritual strength comes from the Holy Spirit.
Praying in the Holy Spirit helps us:
To be connected with God (John 16:13-15)
To be empowered for service (Acts 1:8)
To be courageous share the Good News (Acts 4:31)
To be strong for spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-18)
I must admit that I have not always been walking in the Holy Spirit in the past.I was just too busy for the Holy Spirit.I like to do thing my way and as quickly as possible.
This missions trip, I learned to wait on the Holy Spirit to move in spiritual gifts such as prophecy, word of knowledge and healing.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.Eph 6:18
Let us walk with the Holy Spirit everyday and really make an impact in our world for Jesus.
A Big Hearted Family …
I was deeply moved by the love that was shown to me by our Hope Europe pastors, leaders and members.Thank so much for your friendship, feeding me with the vegetable diet and offering me a place to sleep.
I was also inspired by the commitment and determination to fulfill the Great Commission by our Hope Europe churches.Many Hope Europe leaders and members have taken time of work in order to be part of the evangelism program.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.1 Cor 12:12-13
I thank God that we are one body and one family in Christ.The love of Christ has broken down all language and cultural barriers. Please pray for our Hope Europe churches. Europe is regarded as a hard ground for the gospel because it is a post-Christian generation. Perhaps, you want to support the work in Europe.
Do write to me and I love to give you more information about Hope Europe Churches.
