'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.' (John 3.16-17, NIV.)
I once preached in a Siberian prison to all 1400 inmates, desperate men: 200 multiple murders, 400 serious sex offenders and 800 even worse criminals. The commandant said he was an atheist, that God could not change these men, that I was wasting my time.
It is always exciting for me to minister in these places because of the ten months I spent in a communist prison in Czechoslovakia.
Going through the doors, into the gloomy, despairing, atmosphere brings back memories, although no longer is there the sheer terror which I experienced all those years ago. Instead, it is almost exhilarating because I am free, not only to go in, but also to get out afterwards!
Our men set up the sound system and the music instruments and the praise and worship team led the first part. They sang, then between the songs, testified of what Christ had done in their lives. This always brings blessing as those who listen to these fresh young people realise how real Christ is to them. Then I spoke. Sharing something of my own experience in prison always gets the prisoners interested. When I then tell them that I know how to break the chains and get free from prison, the prisoners either pull their chairs closer, or eagerly strain forward in the crowd. I watch the prison guards get a little apprehensive as I mention getting out. However today, it is Christ who is going to set them free, not me, and they gladly accept the word of the Lord. My joy is to see everyone signify their desire to accept Christ. Afterwards I learned that in the prison is a regular Bible class and some of the prisoners have already found salvation; they will encourage the new believers to become grounded in the faith.
From those 1400 criminals, many are now pastors, and some of the best evangelists in Russia today were saved that day in that place!
God works many different miracles. One time in Blagoveshchensk, Siberia, there was a miracle which was to be so outstanding, which not only blessed the whole city, but also the mayor, and it left an indelible impression on all our lives. A middle-aged man had come forward that night, and I asked him through Svieta what his need was. He had only moments ago received Christ but now he wanted to be set free from smoking. However, as I looked at him, I saw that he was crippled. His left leg was broken below the knee and his right foot paralysed. As I laid my hands on him and prayed, he straightened up, pulled the cigarettes out of his pocket, stamped on them, and then, to the amazement of everyone in the stadium including myself, ran off down the very large football field, leapt over a high barrier and ran all the way back. This man had a broken left leg and paralysed right foot remember!!
That was on the Saturday night. On the Monday, the miracle became even bigger. The organising pastor had gone to see the unbelieving mayor, who called out to him across the room, "Hallelujah!" He had been in the stadium and heard me say that I would search throughout Heaven till I found them singing Hallelujah! So, he had believed also! Then he said, "What did you do to that man in the stadium on Saturday night? I saw him again on Sunday and he was changed! He's one of the unemployed, homeless problems in my city, unwashed and dressed in rags. But after the miracle I saw him in the stadium yesterday, clean, dressed in a suit and even his hair cut. What did you do to him?"
What a miracle... to us that the crippled man could run; to the mayor, that a homeless man could have his life transformed!
The Apostle Paul said, “I’m not ashamed of this Gospel!” If I weren’t living in the Power of this Gospel, if I weren’t preaching it and demonstrating it, I would be ashamed! How can you preach about something unless you really believe in it? I’ve seen so many miracles of healing. In my own life, I’ve been healed of cancer, miraculously, twice! In 1998 I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, they wanted to replace my hip. I didn’t even think about it, within days I was healed! What I am sharing with you, I live in the Power of it. We HAVE to live in the Power of what we preach!
We need to see the Power of God in THIS generation! This generation needs to see the GREATER POWER OF GOD! I stood in faith on those Scriptures in Jeremiah, nearly 20 years ago, for a miracle to deliver me from the lung cancer! Now I’m celebrating 70 years in ministry – but all that’s the past! I’m believing that the future will be GREATER than anything I’ve seen in the past! But not just me. Lord, touch THIS generation, that when they hear and read Your Word, they too will stand in faith and SEE THE GREATER MIRACLES! I’m calling upon You according to Jeremiah 33:3, I’m calling upon YOU to show Your GREAT AND MIGHTY POWER, GREATER MIRACLES in THIS generation, SHOW YOUR GREATER POWER – for the Glory of Jesus’ Name!