“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to my Father.”- Jesus
Rodney’s Testimony
“Ahhheee, the simplicity of the gospel astounds me. It’s not an Algebra thing, it’s a God thing.” -Me
I’m going atempt to paint you a picture of a life that was transformed forever (in my own words).
This is a true story of a mans life that changed in less that 10 mins. See, Rodney has been a cripple, who’s been living as a beggar on the streets of Livingstone, Zambia for the past 13 years. It was a typical ordinary day…until he met Jesus.
We bumped along on Mavrick(Overlands large army-like vehicle) one Saturday afternoon, heading to the markets in town to stock up on some groceries. As a group of around 30 people, we parked and all headed for Shop Rite. Our family grabbed all the necessities we needed and headed towards check out and walked outside into the plaza area.
A few of us picked up a zambian cappuccino and fellowshipped in a large cirlce, waiting for the others to finish up their shopping.
We were chatting away, when Andrey and I noticed a small zambian man who had approached us quietly. “Fifty quacha please”, he asked. Andrey gave me a look and said “lets give it to him?”, but in that moment the Holy Spirit reminded me a story. It was when Peter and John were walking to the temple, and beside the temple gate called Beautiful, their was a lame man who saw them and asked him for money, but in response, Peter told the man to look at them, then said “silver and gold, I don’t have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus, get up and walk!”
I responded to this man that we can’t give him money, then proceeded by asking him if he knew who Jesus was. He replied that he hasn’t heard of this “Man” Jesus. That’s pretty surprising, considering that Livingstone is a city named after a missionary who’s name was David Livingstone. The country of Zambia is considered “Christian”. This tells me that these statistics are completely inaccurate and people are dying each day never getting a chance to hear that their is an answer to their life problems and He is waiting to embrace them with open arms!
We began sharing that there is a God who created us, but because He is Holy, nothing unclean can enter into His presence. So because of mans decision to sin, we all fall short of the glory of God. We were hopeless, we needed a savior so God sent His only son Jesus Christ, to come into the earth, perfectly man, yet perfectly God. I told Rodney about the price that Jesus paid so that we can be made whole, and reunited with God the Father. We told him about the blood, and the body that was poured out and broken for us. Restoration and acceptance touched the core of his soul and he began to weep and said that he wanted to receive Jesus as his Lord and his Savior.
After we prayed, I looked into Rodney’s eyes and asked, “Rodney, do you know what just happened? You just became a child of the most high God! Your accepted, and He now calls you his son!” Rodney couldn’t believe it! “ME?!! Im accepted!? Ma’am, I’ve been rejected from my family, and friends because I became a cripple thirteen years ago from a spinal injury. In that moment, In his eyes I saw that pain of rejection lift off of him, and the identity of Jesus settling into his spirit man. I then proceeded to tell him that he has the right to God’s fullness as a child of God. “Rodney, would you like to be healed?”. He looked at me and quickly replied “yes!”. I noticed my son Isaac running past me and thought that this would be a good time to put our faith into practice that Andrey and I have been teaching them. “Isaac, come here. Lay hands on Rodney and speak over his body.”
“Thank you God for Rodney, and right now I command this body to be healed in the name of Jesus, Amen!” and just like that, Isaac ran away to play (as a typical 7 year old boy would).
Rodney was on his knees, so a few of us pulled him up to his feet. “Alright, now walk!”, I said. He turned to look at me with a puzzled look, then looked forward and started to put his faith into practice. He took his first step and gasped, second step, and gasped ever louder, he then turned to me once again and loudly exclaimed that he hasn’t done that in thirteen years! I told him to keep walking. for the next thirty seconds, Rodney moved step by step without using his stick. He wasn’t shuffling anymore, but walking!
The crowds began to gather around as Rodney fell on his knees and began to yell the name “JESUS!!!!” from the top of his lungs. We came and embraced him as we brought him up to his feet. We explained to him that the reason Jesus did this for him today was because he loves him so much. Rodney continued to sob and nod his head. He then vowed to go and tell everyone about what Jesus has done for him, including the doctor that told him that he would never walk again.
It was time for our group to leave back to the base with our produce, but first we had to make sure to go over some valuable instructions with this new man of God. We shared with him that he must begin to fellowship with God everyday and what that would look like, then we explained that he must read his bible and that helps him grow as a new believer and lastly, to find fellow believers that growing in their faith as well and are plugged into a local spirit-filled church.
As we left back to the trucks, I felt a tug on my heart. What an honor it is to carry the presence of the living God inside of me. The Holy Spirit takes all the credit because He was the one to prompt our hearts to minister to Rodney. What a tender, loving God we serve. May this encourage some of you reading this, to stop for that one person on the street, in your school or work place. It could be that persons breakthrough and God is going to use YOU to make it happen.
There are thousands of stories just like Rodney’s happening everyday. Thank you to those of you who support missionaries, who lay their lives down to get the simple gospel of Jesus Christ out to the nations. This is a team effort, and as you do so, you are storing treasures in heavenly places.
All is to Him, From Him, In Him, and because of Him who sits on the throne of grace. Love you Friends.
Till next time,
Yana Gorlachev
