Apostolic Vision: India - God's Secret Weapon

INDIA ~ GOD’S SECRET WEAPON.

When considering God’s heart for India the major consideration for me is that He sent at least One of the Apostles there in the first century. To me that indicates Gods love and plan for this nation of over one billion people.

There is no doubt that Thomas spent the last 20 years of his life there from 52AD when he arrived on the Malabar coast,(modern day Kerala) to 72AD when he was martyred on the Mylapore coast (Modern day Chennai).

He was sent out by the Church of Antioch and much of the history of his time in India is recorded in Syrian Orthodox writings dating back to 132AD and possibly earlier.

There are Seven Church’s on the Malabar Coast that can trace their origins back to Thomas and one on the mylapore coast.

WHY DID THOMAS GO TO INDIA?

The south-western coast of India, was also known as Malabar, known for spices, timber and ivory. Sandalwood, rosewood and teak were exported to the Middle East. The port of Crangannore (modern day Kodungallur) on the Malabar coast was an excellent trading post for the West and Far East. Jewish trade was known in Malabar in Solomon's time. The rosewood from Malabar decorated King Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. The warm climate and peaceful living conditions attracted many Jewish families possibly from the time of the destruction of the first temple. When Jerusalem became oppressive under the Romans, Crangannore on the Malbar coast became a peaceful abode for sizeable numbers of Jewish settlers. From Crangannore, trade extended to Arabia, Palestine and Egypt and to China to the east.

So it was to the Jews in Crangannore that Thomas first went in obedience to the call of the Lord, “To the Jew first, then to the Gentiles”

Thomas ventured to reach the local Indian community. The caste system initially limited his contact mainly to the Brahmins, the upper-class Hindus. They were scholars in Sanskrit. But soon spread as the Glory fell.

HOW DID THOMAS REACH SO MANY?

When the Apostle Thomas entered India he came upon a group of Brahman priests in a lake throwing water in the air as an offering to their god. Thomas said to them “It appears to me that your god is not hearing you, or is not interested in your offering, because if he was a true god he would receive your offering, it would not come down again” Angry they said, “Well if your God is able to receive this same offering then we will believe your God is the true God. So Thomas entered the water and threw water in the air, the water remained in the air like a pillar and immediately the Brahmans believed and were baptised. These 18 families were the start of the Church in India.

Signs & wonders and manifestations of Glory were the power behind the remarkable growth of the Church in India. In 2006 the Lord took me in a vision back in time and let me see Thomas preaching the Gospel in India. There were signs in the sky which included flashing coloured lightning’s and unusual Angelic manifestations. Which drew a crowd, it wasn’t about the manifestations, they were just the bait, the message was simple and I wrote it down.

He said “I have been sent to you by the God of Israel to tell you that because of His great love you have been accepted by Him. Not only accepted but chosen. This great and only true God has himself come in the flesh and opened a way for all men to be received by Him. Therefore put away strange gods and accept Jesus as your own sacrifice for sin. For his life was given as a full sacrifice The only one acceptable to the God of Israel. He is to become your God and master. Therefore turn to Him with your whole heart and be baptised”

Because the Gospel was accompanied with signs & wonders there was an instant response. Seems very simple to me.

There is another episode which was originally told to the Portuguese when they arrived in Mylapore. A church which was built almost on todays Marina beach, it only had a sand floor which as a sign and wonder it was said the sand became Gold. This drew huge crowds. It was this, and the fact that the local Brahmans were loosing their grip that eventually led to Thomas being martyred nearby.

Christianity remained strong in the South of India for the next 500 years, the Church remained part of the Syrian Orthodox and the Knowledge of the miracles is well documented both in India and the Syrian Church, which of course had its base in Antioch. When the Portuguese arrived in about 1500, they found an active Church and when they tried to convert them to the Catholic tradition, their question was. Does your Church move in the same miracle power as Thomas taught us?

The Portuguese made little progress in spreading the Gospel until Francis Xavier arrived in 1542. He moved in power and not only preached a simple gospel, but demonstrated it. There were 14 sword eye witness accounts of people being raised from the dead in a ten year window and many other miracles.

Many other moves have been recorded in India including a major outpouring of the Holy Spirit about 1906, that was as amazing if not more so than the Welsh revival in the intensity and transforming nature of the revival. Another outpouring in the 1950’s saw a release of the healing revival that was occurring in the USA about the same time. There were major moves in the North East in Nagaland, Mizoram and other states nearby that saw almost 90% of the population turn from Animism to Jesus. There are stories of outpourings of glory so powerful in the north east that it didn’t get dark for several days because of the reflected glory of God. The Charismatic outpouring also hit India.

Now it seems India is being readied for another major, divine & sovereign move

A Revival has been going on in Shilong India since Sept 2006 it’s transforming and it’s a move of Glory. I want to go! and see and experience a surrendered group of believers and a city in revival.

Children going into Heaven and bringing words straight from the throne 24/7 worship and prayer, abandoned worship and dancing.

Schools can’t function because the Children are under the power of the Holy Spirit

Bars and temple are closing down. No man is mentioned in the move, but all are involved. It started in the Presbyterian Church but now most of the church is involved from Catholic right through to even the Pentecostals. Angels are being seen in and outside the meetings, and in the market place working with the believers. There are unusual signs & wonders that are divine & sovereign. Mass repentance and crying before the Lord, open public confession of sin involving restitution and Thousands turning to Jesus

Many reports and videos of the Shilong Revival are found here at this link!

http://www.freecdtracts.com/revival/shillongrevival.htm

In India they are just as religious as here if not more, but there is a childlike aspect to their faith that opens up when the Holy Spirit turns up, they seem to be more prepared to abandon themselves to God and look silly doing it. The last thing the revival in Shilong needs is a bunch of westerners going in to bring some structure and order to the move, because the westerners will want to own it and put a fence around it, or close it down. I’ve already seen a couple of "you tube" videos claiming their ministry is bringing a great move of God in Shilong.

As I write this I have an overwhelming smell of Honey around me. The Lord just wants me to say that India is God’s secret weapon to take Asia for Him.

I have an overwhelming sense that we haven’t seen anything yet. Ever since I first went to the entry point of the gospel at Kodungallur. I was overwhelmed by the Spirit of God. Rendered speechless! Unable to put into words the hunger for Gods presence. That I realised India was about to explode in Apostolic glory once again.

I am trying to get to India in April/May, I have ministry in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh lined up. Because we minister in very poor areas we have to pay our own way so any support you can give us to fulfil our call to this nation would be appreciated. I need about $50 a day per team member for 21 days. If you want to come it will cost around $2000 for airfares from NZ give or take $400 and $50 per day. You might like to check out our webpage to see what we have been involved in to date in India. http://www.papelim.org.nz/page6.html and if you want to help with the mission check out our Donate page. http://www.papelim.org.nz/page8.html