Why I Believe Kenya, Africa Is Catching The Vision
Posted: 2012-03-29 18:48:24 by: David Nelson
Why I Believe Kenya, Africa Is Catching The Vision by David Nelson
My wife and I were able to go to Kenya, Africa this last February, 2012. We had come to know a Pastor Charles Mwanda in Mombasa (on the east coast of Kenya) through e-mails for about a year and a half. He has a heart for real revival and was willing to change past traditions and whatever the Lord wanted in His church to do God's will. He knew that the churches around him had gotten off the track and he wanted to get back to what God wanted. He clearly was listening to God and soaking up things we were writing on our web-site.
He was connected with about 90 churches or groups that could hear the messages God sent us to bring but in a 2 week period in February, 2012 he set up for me to preach at 6 churches. Two churches received 4 one hour messages, one church 3 one hour messages, and three churches 2 one hour messages. (the subjects of these messages were, individual revival, corporate revival, we must have love, and the Tabernacle of David) Three churches were on the east coast in Mombassa and three churches were near the western border near Uganda (a 700 mile bus ride across the country).
Why do I feel that Kenya is catching the vision? Pastor Charles of Mombasa believes that God wants everyone in his church to share. He has made a list of everyone in his church and each one takes his or her turn to share. Pastor Charles wanted and tried to give people the opportunity in each congregation of all 6 churches we visited to come forward and give a testimony of how the messages had affected them or to ask questions. It was a great highlight of our trip to hear how others were being changed by the messages they heard at each church. I gave 17 messages at 6 churches, but on the last day in Kenya, pastor Charles organized a meeting where he said I (David) don't have to speak at this one. Charles said we are going to give a chance for anyone who wants to come forward and share what the Lord has put in their heart form this trip. It was awesome! So many came forward, even women, who may have normally been a little more shy spoke boldly with the Lord, anointing on them. Some pastors from other churches shared, even pastor Charles and myself couldn't help to come forward for a few minutes, our hearts were bursting with joy and the Lord spoke through everyone! This is what the Lord wants. This is what the Lord is looking for. He wants to speak whatever He wants through whomever He wants, whenever He wants, at every meeting. What Pastor is willing to get out of the way and let the Lord do whatever He wants through the people (give the Spirit free reighn)?
Pastor Charles one time shared with one church how he used to jump around, shout to the Lord, yell and scream his requests, make a lot of noise, thinking this is how the Lord wants me to seek Him. But then he said the Lord seemed to say to him, stop all this, calm down, speak to me, talk with Me, listen more, wait upon Me more, I will talk to you if you calm down and listen, I know what you need, walk with Me, I will teach you how to pray. And Pastor Charles began to learn how to know God better and listen to Him. God is wanting to clear the decks, strip away all our old ideas and teach us His ways in this hour.
Some of the great testimonies we heard from the Kenyans are as follows. One pastor, pastor Hezekiah, in Luanda, Kenya (not to far from the northern edge of Lake Victoria) said, after hearing the two messages I gave on revival, "If we as a church or if any church does not accept or act on these messages he fears that they will continue on, hardened to the Lord's voice, and will end up in hell. We must accept what has been said here today." One Pastor Peter who came from about 400 miles north of Webuye, Kenya said, "The Lord said to me, you are to go 400 miles south to Webuye (he lives in the north where they are experiencing drought, lack of food and water, and people are dieing). He said to the Lord, what is there that I am supposed to go? The Lord just said to Pastor Peter, you are to go." Pastor Peter was in Webuye two days with other pastors who came to hear two messages on revival and one on love. I just could tell by looking at his face that he was soaking it all in. Then he got up to share at the end of our three sessions. Wow! What a strong word he gave. The Lord impressed me to tell him privately later that he was to speak for the Lord and that people will listen to him!
The goal for all of this is that people will say, I am changed, God has spoken to me, I will never be the same, I must incorporate into my life what God has said in these messages. One man whose name was Geoffrey (he was one of our interpreters) said that he could feel the anointing coming down on him as he gave the messages in Swahili. Later he said to me privately, "You came here for me, I accept what you were sent here to give."
Some of the greatest revivals of the past took place when individuals were allowed to share. God may want to use people who don't normally share. God wants to be in charge 100 % and use different people to show that it is Him doing the works and not a self-talented or self-made "elite." I have no doubt that God has been and will be putting His plans and His ideas into people's hearts all over the world and that we will see His emerging Church come forth without the spots and wrinkles of the past. He will build His Church!
