The Sealed

Sorocaba, Brazil
Monday, June 16, 2008

Dear Brethen in Christ,

I have completed all of the Training here for this trip in Brazil. The Lord’s grace was very evident.

The open-air meeting in the Marcia Mendes Park last Saturday evening was fruitful. A stage was erected in the middle of the park surrounded by businesses, homes, and apartments. With the sound amplifiers going at full blast, we announced that the God of heaven had sent us to proclaim His Kingdom to the people. In order that they would know that His kingdom was near, we were going to ask Him to heal the sick. We invited them to bring those with infirmities.

Then I shared briefly from John 14 where Jesus claimed to be the only way to the Father as well as being God Incarnate. To demonstrate to the people that such words were not the rantings of a lunatic two thousand years ago, we would ask Him to heal the infirm. The miracles that the Lord would do be the proof that He was speaking the truth, and that sinners should repent and believe on Him for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

We ministered healing to the infirm in two separate stages: through healing-at-distance (Luke 7) with the people remaining in their place and then through the individual laying on of hands as the infirm people came forward to the trained believers. Several people were healed in the first stage. They came up to the stage and each of them testified—some with tears—that the Lord had healed them. The testimonies were not translated into English. After the testimonies I challenged the people to repent of their sins and to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Ten souls came forward. We give thanks the Lord for his grace.

During the second stage of the ministry of healing, several more people were healed and testified publicly from the stage. God had greatly exalted the name of His Son Jesus Christ. The saints rejoiced in His goodness.

Encouraged by the results, my host Pastor Daniel Jesus de Leite is planning more open-air evangelistic outreaches with his own people at the rate of once a month. He has assured me that this time there will be a difference; there will be results. The sick will be healed and the Kingdom of God proclaimed to the lost. This is the third time I have been with him since 2005 to train the people.

Thank you for your prayers, dear intercessors and partners!

During the weekly Sunday worship service yesterday, I preached from Luke 17 about the believers’ authority over unforgiveness and the sinful nature which is to be exercised with the faith of a mustard seed. Afterwards I led the people in exercising that authority by rebuking unforgiveness, the lust of pornography, and other works of the flesh. Then I asked who had just been miraculously set free from unforgiveness and other sins. Several people raised their hands, with two of them testifying privately because of the personal nature of their situation. This is the first time I have seen the Lord deliver people from sin and the works of the flesh in such a public way. Perhaps this is another area of ministry which needs to be developed and taught to the body of Christ. I welcome your comments about this.

Later today I return to Houston. On Sunday Lucille and I leave for three weeks of ministry in Malaysia and India.

Thank you again for partnering with us so fruitfully, dear ones.

Sincerely in Christ,

William & Lucille