The Sealed

Santa Cruz, Sao Paulo State
Monday, January 26, 2009

Dear Prayer Partners,

Upon my arrival here earlier today, I was told that Santa Cruz has a history of hostility towards the evangelical gospel of Jesus Christ. Historically, the Catholic Church forbids its people to read the Bible, a privilege set aside only for the priests. Over the years since it was officially founded 139 years ago, Santa Cruz has witnessed public Bible burnings by Catholic priests. On one occasion the Bibles were given to the people by an evangelical missionary.

This week a group of 400 disciples have gathered here from different cities and states of Brazil under the leadership of Pastor Jonathan Ferreira, founder of the ministry “Valley of Blessing.” They are here at the invitation of local churches. Tomorrow morning at 9 AM  I will begin training them with The Elijah Challenge.

As they are trained, they will launch an invasion called “Visitation of God.” This week they will go door-to-door in Santa Cruz, offering to pray for people in their homes. Preaching the gospel to them, however, will not be acceptable to them at this time, even while prayer is. But in Jesus’ name the disciples will heal the sick in the homes they visit. The miraculous healings will demonstrate that the kingdom of God is near them. This is in accordance with Scripture.

Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 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. …5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. …9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’

There will be six training sessions from Tuesday through Friday in which I will train the disciples how to heal the sick as Jesus commanded the seventy. Please pray that the Lord will enable me as never before to help equip His servants to bring “God’s visitation” to Santa Cruz! It is precisely for this kind of public, outside-of-the-church-box ministry for which the Elijah Challenge Basic Training is designed.

Tomorrow afternoon, after the first Training session, they will begin knocking on doors. Pray that miraculous healings will accompany them even on this initial foray into enemy territory!

Sincerely in Christ,

William