Strong outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Pastor Solomon A. Folorunsho)
Presently, a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit is taking place among us at the International Centre in Benin City.
Hundreds of children were baptised with the fire of God, especially those from the Northeast who have lost everything in life through the terrorist group Boko Haram; they are praying day and night and their lives were totally changed.
These children came to us from many different Christian denominations with different teachings, like for example from Catholic, Evangelical, Baptist, Pentecostal or Brethren churches.
Due to this diversity it was a great challenge for us to have fellowship together. Some don't believe that a woman is allowed to preach, some believe it. Some don't believe in the Holy Spirit, some believe in Him. Some lift up their hands to worship God, others just look at these people - it is strange for them. Some are used to being very quiet during fellowship, some are used to jumping and dancing during fellowship - and so much more. We found out that most of them did not know about the Holy Spirit though they were Christians - just like the Christians in Ephesus whom Paul met.
As someone who is born again and full of the Holy Spirit, I could not enjoy fellowship at times because of that. I love God and want to worship Him and wanted all of us to sing and worship together in unity. But it was difficult and there was nothing one could do about it. So I prayed to God...
One day, when I was preaching in fellowship, I suddenly had a strong urge to pray in tongues. While I was praying, I spoke one of the childrens' native languages perfectly. I spoke to them about God, the Holy Spirit, the Gospel and about so many other things. The children looked at each other and said, "This pastor is coming from the same place we are from!" Then I spoke again to them in their language and said that I am not coming from their place but that it is God who is speaking to them. I myself did not understand what I was saying, but the children understood. When the fellowship was over, the children went to one of our pastors and wanted to know the truth. This pastor showed them from the Bible what happened on the day of Pentecost. He also confirmed that I have never been to their place. This moved the children and made them think about it.
But there was something more that I did not like. Someone who is full of the Spirit does not like dry noise. If people are spiritually empty, they make a lot of noise. It is the same with an empty pot. If you hit an empty pot it makes more noise than a pot that is filled with water.
Most people are talking a lot and without meaning out of the emptiness inside of them. But if you are full of God’s power like Jesus, then everything you say is meaningful.
I could see that the children believe in Jesus but inside of them there was spiritual dryness.
On a certain day, something new happened. The girls were having fellowship and asked many questions. They wanted to know how to receive the Holy Spirit. They were hungry for it.
Gradually, the children began to pray regularly in different groups.
One day, one of the children received the Holy Spirit during worship in fellowship. Now everyone wanted to receive the Holy Spirit. When the fellowship was over, many did not want to go home. They prayed, “Holy Spirit, come upon us!“ and almost all of them were filled with the Holy Ghost!
The following night, a group of ten girls gathered behind their house, asking themselves, “Everyone is receiving the Holy Spirit, but why don’t we receive?“ They confessed their hidden sins and prayed, “God, you said, ’Be holy for I, the Lord, am holy.’ From today, we proclaim holiness in our lives.“ They began to worship the Lord and one by one received the Holy Spirit. When others saw it they joined them, and as they came they were filled with the Holy Spirit, too.
Now the fire of the Holy Ghost is spreading - sometimes 500, 800, 1000 people gather in the open field, praying all night long; without anyone prompting them to do so.
When we now come together for fellowship all of us are united in worship. Everyone lifts up his hands and worships the Lord. The atmosphere has changed greatly.
A woman was suffering from many diseases and she had to go to the hospital several times because of that. During fellowship, when we worshipped God she was always very suspicious, she did not believe in healing and miracles. But then she opened her heart and the Spirit of God came upon her, healed her completely, and she was filled with the Holy Ghost.
This testimony spread to one of our churches in the jungle. That was how the brethren there began to also worship God. The most wicked woman of the whole village owned many idols, and through witchcraft she had killed many people. One day, while the church was worshipping the Lord, the woman came, kneeled down before them and said, “Please tell your God to forgive me, I have done so much evil, I want to give my life to Christ, please pray for me!“ When they informed me about it I sent a team there and the woman brought out all her idols - they were burnt and the woman surrendered her life to Christ.
Now the Spirit of God is moving and bringing forth evident testimonies.
For example, some children came to me and told me that since the Holy Spirit started moving, there is no more quarrel in their houses, and that they now share everything with each other in love. Also, there is no noise anymore. If someone does wrong and another tells him, he takes the correction and they make peace. The frequent little stealings stopped, too. If anyone loses something and another finds it, he will bring it and ask who the owner is. Before, the finder would have just taken it for himself – now he looks for the owner.
Everyone is just careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit, and to cleanse his life. This is really amazing!!!
Another day, when we closed from fellowship, the presence of God was still so strong that many stayed behind to still pray for a long time. In the night even more brethren gathered under the open sky to worship God. Those who had not been filled with the power of God joined those who had received earlier, and all were filled with the Holy Spirit and prayed into the early morning hours.
The experiences we are making at the International Centre day and night are overwhelming.
Recently, we had another wonderful night – more than 150 young boys and girls, together with some widows, prayed in the open field till in the morning, seeking to receive the Holy Spirit. All of them were filled! It was so wonderful that I woke up by their cries to God pleading for his power. As I watched from far I saw how God poured out His Spirit mightily upon them, and I heard them groaning and travailing in the Spirit till early in the morning.
It was so wonderful to see what God is doing with people who have been displaced and persecuted, etc.
It is true and now so evident that when the Spirit of God is moving you will see the proof and evidence of it in the lives of people – which is holiness and total submission to God and His word. One can see that clearly.
It is not just about the Holy Spirit Himself, but their lives have been changed completely. This is a great sign that this is the true and genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
The greatest thing about this testimony is that those from the North, who were very resistant to the Holy Spirit because of their background and their fear, are now those who are so hungry and thirsty for God’s power. They had always wondered why the others are praying in tongues. They had been taught so many wrong things by their pastors and teachers in their homes. But now God has suddenly changed everything.
When we now see that at night they no more stop praying in the open field, we most times ask them to go into their houses. Then they go reluctantly, but continue their prayers there. For example, one of our workers recently had to meet them around 4 o' clock in the morning and tell them to please go and get some sleep. But they just went home and continued praying there.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is continuing here day and night.
Most of them want to become missionaries now. They want to go back to their homes, preach to the muslims and work for the kingdom of God.
I pray you all key into what the Lord is doing now, as evil is gaining momentum in the world, the Spirit of the Lord is raising a standard through the church. So let's rise and defeat the devil and rescue souls!
Pastor Solomon A. Folorunsho