A number of years ago I was delighted to discover the surprising truth that the Holy Spirit can work over the telephone.
During our time of prayer over the Internet for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the week of Pentecost, we enjoyed that same surprising reality.
The Holy Spirit can indeed transcend time and space to work even over vast distances. As the third person of the Trinity, He has always been able to do that!
But the new thing is that working with Him over the Internet, we are afforded the joy of witnessing the results first-hand.
We held two prayer sessions over Goto Meeting. Those of us who called in through our computers were able to see each other on our screens. Others of us phoned in, using the traditional manner to join this next generation of conference call.
On the first call, participants from the US, Canada and even Nepal, joined as one to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; tangible experience of the global nature of the Church of Jesus Christ!
During the call, the Holy Spirit surprised us in a marvelous way.
I felt like I was taking a huge risk, but found in myself the gift of faith to trust Jesus to do great things for His glory. He did not disappoint!
Jeannie, who lives in Edmonton, Canada, received a very clear word about “vessels overflowing with oil” for Theo, a medical missionary living and working in Nepal.
The internet connection was not very good and there was a lot of distortion in his voice. It was also after 1 am in the morning there in Nepal, so that when Jeannie gave this word, we really could not tell whether it was on track or not. And, Jeannie had no idea what it meant.
Afterward, Theo wrote me to say,
If I remember correctly towards the end, Jeannie from Edmonton had an image about me associated with “vessels overflowing with oil.” To most people this would not mean anything. To me it was very significant as just a few hours before, I had anointed a struggling co-worker with oil (which was only the second time in my life that I have done that). To me that meant that the Lord approved, and encouraged me to continue. Thank you for praying for us!
What is the distance between Edmonton, Canada and Nepal? Vast!
Not just geographically, but also culturally and Jeannie had no idea who Theo even is! Yet the Holy Spirit knew this faithful servant laboring away in a challenging place and through Jeannie spoke a word of encouragement into His circumstances. A number of PRMI intercessors and I have been praying for Theo and Beth as they are following Jesus Christ in Nepal—what joy to see prayers answered so up close and personally!
Pictured here are Dr. Theo Beels and members of the hospital staff in Nepal. They send us wonderful updates on their work there. If any of you would like to join us in providing prayer support for them, please send me a note. We will send them your email so they can keep you in touch with the way Jesus is so wonderfully at work. Email me at prmi@prmi.org and tell me the Holy Spirit is calling you to pray for them!
The second meeting included a group of session members in Pennsylvania who were just completing the Dunamis Gateways Video Course. They were all together in one room with the webcam on.
As we prayed for each of these participants, together with the others on the call scattered across the US, the Rev. Deborah Huffmyer laid hands on her elders in PA, one by one.
Deborah wrote back,
I am thanking God for providing the on-line time with you and all the others tonight, and praising Him for answering our prayers. Thank you so much for giving us your time and energy — a great gift for our little congregation here in rural Pennsylvania. After the on-line meeting ended, we continued to pray together as a group here, and knew the presence of the Lord, in his joy and love and peace. I reminded the others to receive in faith, and to expect an opportunity for obedience. We are very grateful for your instruction through the on-line Dunamis Course #1, and the fruit that we are expecting to see. To God be the glory. Praise the Lord!
We do praise our God and encourage you to join us in His praise!
Amazing! I was surprised at how well the prayers flowed and how they were directed by the Holy Spirit to speak right into the needs of the people on the calls. It was an overwhelming confirmation of the reality of the Holy Spirit in directing the work of intercession. It was also a strong confirmation of how much Jesus wants us to pray for the empowering of the Holy Spirit so that we may be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Thankfully, the empowering work of the Holy Spirit is not just for Pentecost. If you or your small group would like to learn more, our digital materials and four short videos on the infilling of the Holy Spirit are available for you free of cost at the Dunamis Institute Resource center.
Go HERE to access them and be surprised at how Jesus will bless you.
