OVER 70 YEARS OF MINISTRY
SINCE 1950
David Hathaway
I worked for 30 years under communism, taking Bibles – 2 tonnes at a time – into those countries behind the Iron Curtain separated by their governments from the Word of God, where atheism was the religion of their totalitarian regime. I preached in their secret underground churches and encouraged the people. And I was put in prison for it.
When Jesus was crucified, there were two criminals crucified with Him. One mocked, and one cried out, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.” Our message is for all those who, for whatever reason, are cut off from God.
The message of the early Church, of the first Apostles, was LIFE. They preached it everywhere: Jesus is ALIVE! He rose from the dead, He’s coming again and He’s bringing His Kingdom!
He’s alive today – in Power! And WE should be living in THIS Power!
I’m personally very conscious of the Power of Prayer. To most people, prayer is a formality, but not to me. To me it’s communication with God. Like it was with my Dad. In my formative teenage years, I had such a strong relationship with my father – I was learning so much from him! He was a man of God, and because I was already evangelising in my school, every day when I came home needing answers to my questions, I would ask him. And he would show me
the answer in Scripture. In fact, when I went to Bible College aged 18, within two months I was chosen to pastor a nearby church, because I knew more than the others in the college, and I was already putting into practice what I had learnt from my conversations with my father.
It was always a battle in my adult years, particularly working under communism. When communism finally fell in the USSR, I went and spent 3 months in Siberia – the land of punishment and exile under the communist regime! I took 400 people with me. It was 1994. Nothing functioned, everything we did was impossible. It was such a challenge, but the Lord was saying to me, “You HAVE to reach this part of Russia.” Can you imagine? 400 people in the vastness of the far side of Russia for 3 months – and I had no money even to get started!!! The budget was 2 million USD – and I had nothing!
But I had a vision. I got together 400 volunteers, I even got the money to fly them to Siberia. Then they asked me, “Why’ve we only got one-way tickets?!” I couldn’t tell them I had no money to bring them home… So I was asking the Lord, “What do I say?” He said – and this is what I said to the people, “What does it say in Scripture? It says, ‘Preach the Gospel, heal the sick, beginning at Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria – and then go to the end of the world.’” I said, “Did Jesus tell them to go?” The volunteers answered, “Yes!” I said, “Is Siberia the
end of the earth?” – “Yes!” Then I said, “But Jesus never said, ‘Come back’!’” So they went on one-way tickets!
I had 5 evangelistic teams, working in 17 different cities, whilst I visited every single one along with my central team.
With all the impossibilities I was facing with this project in Siberia, I realised the desperate need for prayer. I had intercessors in every group. Their challenge: PRAY!!! We had no – almost no communication with home, nor between the separate groups scattered across 5,000 miles east to west, 2000 miles north to south, and 4 time zones. The primitive telephone system was totally inadequate for the job – you had to go to a public exchange, wait in line, and hope against hope, when your turn came, that you could connect to someone at the other end. The computer system also was not hooked up like it is today. And of course, no mobile phones. We were absolutely isolated. Our only strength was in prayer – and we saw phenomenal answers to prayer, the most incredible miracles of every kind!!!
My central team consisted of 20 people: interpreters, the worship and sound teams and me. One time we needed visas to enter the next city. We spent all morning trying to get them, but every time the answer was NO! Without visas, we couldn’t get tickets for the 1000km flight! I went back to my team, and I led the prayer, “Lord, we HAVE to get to this
city, Aldan. They’re waiting for me. They want to hear about Jesus. But we can’t go.” Immediately the Holy Spirit said, “Go back to that police station. I’ll give you, not 20, but ONE visa.”
I went back, put my passport on the desk. It was lunchtime. Only one girl in the office. She stamped the visa in my passport. Then I asked for a visa for my interpreter, a Ukrainian. Ukraine was newly independent from Russia, so the girl said, “I don’t know how to issue a Ukrainian visa.” She went into the inner office to ask, and I heard the explosion, “We said, NO visas!” But I had my visa! God had said, ONE visa.
show who He is by the way we live. I, YOU, WE – must show God’s Power to an unbelieving world through our lives.
Power today is stronger today than on that first Day of Pentecost. Wake up, Church!
Solomon built that first Temple in Jerusalem as a House of Prayer! And a House of Sacrifice! It says in 2 Chronicles 6:12ff that he built a platform in front of the altar and stood before the nation in prayer! – That’s what we’ve got to do! And Solomon kneels down on the platform – puts himself on the altar – in sacrifice. That’s what God wants. He wants us to put ourselves on the altar.
But I needed one for my interpreter! I went to the airport with my interpreter anyway. I asked for 2 tickets, showed them my visa – they gave me 2 tickets!!! But first we had to touch down in Neryungri; the police came on board to check if we had visas for Aldan. If not, handcuffs and off the plane! Svetlana showed them my visa, and was so busy talking about Jesus, they forgot to ask for hers! We had a powerful crusade in Aldan! We planted a church and started a Bible School to evangelise in the whole area! But then, there were no flights out of Aldan! It took another powerful miracle to get out of that city to the next one to join the rest of my group for the next crusade! But that’s another story…
And so it continued. We lived for 3 months on miracles. Every day we needed a miracle. Sometimes we had no food. Sometimes we had to sleep on the floor in airports. We always needed transport. And every time, God gave the answer. It was so powerful, when I got home, I wrote a book called ‘Why Siberia?’ about all the miracles that happened in that one summer.
I want YOU to understand the power of prayer!
Now look at 2 Chronicles 5 and 6. When Solomon built that first Temple in Jerusalem, it was David’s vision. Do you understand what was in David’s heart? Why did he want to build a Temple? God said, “I don’t need a Temple.” But what David wanted to do was to show the Power and Glory of God to the world! He wanted to build the most beautiful building ever seen! Greater than the pyramids, greater than all the heathen temples of the ancient world. Can you imagine, David’s Temple was made with 144 tonnes of gold! That’s over 2000 USD PER OUNCE in today’s prices!!!
In my spirit, for the whole of my life I’ve only had one ambition – greater than just evangelising – I want to show the miraculous Power of God! I want the whole world to see who our God is! Our God is the most powerful, the most glorious of many so-called ‘gods’! But we can only
I’ve seen so many miracles. In 2016 in Israel, I did something nobody else has ever yet done in the world. I took the great Roman Amphitheatre in Caesarea and filled it with 5000 unbelieving Jews! The devil did everything to stop me. The Ultra-Orthodox Jews went to the government to stop me taking the stadium, saying David is an evangelist, he’s going to convert Jewish people, that’s a crime worse than the Holocaust… But I was praying, and the man they spoke to in the government knew me, and said, David loves Israel, we won’t stop him. Then they threatened to bankrupt the bus company which was renting us 100 buses to bring the people in from all over the country. But we were praying – and the unbelieving Jews took those buses in their own name. Then they sent their ‘bullyboys’, the infamous counter-missionary ‘Yad L’achim’, to break up the meeting.
I didn’t know that, but I was praying, “O God in 6000 years, You have never, ever been defeated in battle!” Come on Church, God has never been defeated! I said, “O God, surround that stadium with a wall of fire, send angels with flaming swords to defend the stadium.” The Israeli military rounded up those boys, took their details and told them, if there was any disturbance, they would go to prison. They ran away. And the security police parked our buses around the stadium to protect it.
Five thousand unbelieving Jews were now waiting to go in – when the devil sent the strongest storm they had ever known on the coast at Caesarea! The gantry holding the loudspeakers and other equipment on the stage was swaying 2 meters back and forth in the wind; it was so dangerous, the security police wouldn’t let the people in! I was so angry with the devil, I jumped on the platform and in Jesus’ Name I commanded the storm to stop. Instantly, that storm stopped. The meeting was broadcast live and on time to the whole of Israel. And the Ultra-Orthodox Jews published on their website, “Today we lost 5000 souls.” I have never heard the devil admit defeat before!
I’m talking like this, because I want you to understand that the Power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive and working today! Come on! If God’s Holy Spirit could raise Jesus from the dead, if He could work all these miracles I’ve experienced in my life – look what God can do through YOU! Come on Church, the Power of God is HERE. Why am I evangelising in Central Asia aged 92? It’s to declare the Power of God to those cut off from God, who don’t know Him!
The Jesus of the Cross is ALIVE! God’s
We’re living in the days of Joel 2:23. God has poured out the first rain – moderately – 2000 years ago. Now He’s sending the latter, greater rain before the Final Harvest! God says, v28ff, I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh, all people, I will show wonders in the heaven and on the earth, and everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved.
Two thousand years ago the Day of Pentecost was the first rain. The Church was born in FIRE! But God says, in THESE days NOW He’s going to pour out MORE of the Holy Spirit than on the Day of Pentecost! Church! We need to pray! We need to call upon God! It will be MORE powerful!
O God, wake up the Church! Make us understand the Inheritance we have. It’s a prophetic Inheritance. God WILL pour out the Fire of His Holy Spirit – with GREATER Power than on the Day of Pentecost! This is Bible Prophecy! This is why, aged 92, I’m still evangelising! I’m determined, in my life, to see the Power of God GREATER than on the Day of Pentecost, to see BIGGER miracles, to see an EXPLOSION of evangelism! It’s BURNING in me.
Where does all this start? It starts with the Power of Prayer! And sacrifice, when you will put YOUR life on the altar. That’s what I’ve had to do. I’m challenging you, lay your life on the altar for God. I was only 9 years old when I heard God call. Somebody singing a beautiful old Christian hymn: ‘Hear the Lord of Harvest sweetly calling, “Who will go and work for Me today? Who will bring Me the lost and the dying, who will point them to the narrow way?”’ I was listening and I said, “Here am I, Lord, send me!” I was 9 years old.
Who will respond to this call? The ONLY answer to give is to say, “Speak My Lord, speak to me and I will answer, here I am, send me!” I still hear that call, WHO WILL BRING TO JESUS THE LOST AND THE DYING?
O God, aged 92, I only have the strength that I have because I am responding to this call. We have no power in ourselves. Lay your life on the altar, and God will use YOU. The Power that raised Jesus from the dead will raise YOU in Power, and through YOU, will save the lost and dying.
David’s on-demand TV programmes / LIVE webcasts / repeat webcasts / documentaries
Podcast/Weekly Web TV: eurovision.org.uk/media
UK Broadcast Schedule:
GOD TV Global Network: Wednesdays 10:30 – all time zones
TBN UK: Wednesdays 14:30
Loveworld UK: Sundays 11:30; Tuesdays 22:30; Wednesdays 08:00
Revelation TV: Sundays 20:00, Sky 581
UK Radio Stations:
Premier Radio: Sundays 15:45
Branch FM: Saturdays 19:00
Hope FM: Sundays 13.00
GTrack Radio: Sundays 08.00
Heart Song Live: Sundays 19.00
Flame Radio: Sundays 13.45
In January 1947, still aged 14, David began to hand-write a magazine of his own. He called it ‘The Evangelist’, and in
the very month in which he himself would be baptised in the Holy Spirit, he published these two articles:
It is told of a famous metal smith of mediaeval times, that having been taken prisoner and immured in a dungeon, he conceived of the idea of escaping, and began to examine the chain that bound him, with a view to discover some flaw that might make it easier to be broken. His hope was in vain, for he found from marks upon it, that it was one of his own workman-
ship, and it had always been his boast that none could ever break a chain he had forged. And now it was his own chain that bound him!
It is thus with the sinner. His own hands have forged the chain that binds hima chain he has forged, and no man’s hand can break. There is only one way of deliverance. Jesus can break the
fetters – Jesus alone! Seek His help in your need.
“If the Son make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
HE breaks the power of cancelled sin, HE sets the prisoner free.
We do not remember a more striking illustration of the sheltering value of the Saviour’s Blood, than the following incident, which occurred a few years ago:
In one of the Spanish speaking towns in South America, a British subject was arrested for joining in some local riot. He was condemned to be shot and brought out before a file of soldiers for that purpose. Without avail the British consul protested against the act. Suddenly, just as the officer was about to give the word, “FIRE”, the British consul rushed to the side of the condemned man, wrapped him in the ‘Union Jack’ and cried, “Fire
– if you dare!” The result was that the arms were grounded, and the man delivered over to British protection.
The sinner who believes in Jesus is saved by being covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness; for there is “no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” He is redeemed with the precious Blood of Christ and protected as one of God’s children.
“At the Cross, at the Cross, where I first saw the Light and the burden of my heart rolled away...”
speakers spoke on time spent in quiet prayer, studying the Bible etc… But I shocked them. I spoke from Deuteronomy 4:27 where it says, ‘The Lord will scatter you among the nations and you will be few in number amongst the heathen…’ This is true wherever you live in the world today. Believing people are a minority. Britain is no longer a Christian country; the number of Christians is getting smaller and smaller. But, in v29ff, it says, ‘If from there, from where you are, you will seek the Lord your God, you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul. When you are in tribulation and all these things come upon you, even in the latter days, if you will turn to the Lord your God and be obedient to His Voice, you will find Him!’
When do I hear God the most? Not in the good days. The biggest part of my spiritual experience has been formed in suffering, in rejection and persecution. But when the devil attacks, we have to be strong and resist him! The Bible says resist the devil, resist him – and he will run from you. So many people say, oh, I can’t do this because the devil is attacking me. No! We’re called to fight! FIGHT! Spiritual warfare! Paul said, put on the armour of God. Why do you need armour? Because you’re in a fight!
I’m not some kind of a ‘holy man’. I’m just someone like you. I’m a father, I have 3 daughters, 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren! What keeps me humble and down-to-earth is my family –to them I’m not an ‘evangelist’, I’m just ‘Dad’, ‘Grandad’! And despite my great age, I’m not an ‘old’ man – the only time I felt old was when my daughter first became a grandmother, that’s twenty years ago! But I am certainly now the oldest, living, active evangelist! And that does make me a little unusual.
Two years ago, the first church I founded celebrated its 70th anniversary. I must be the only evangelist in history who has ever preached at the 70th anniversary of a church he planted! I started preaching when I was 13, and I’ve been in full-time ministry since I was 18 years old when I pastored my first church, that’s now 74 years ago! Next year I will have been in ministry for 75 years! I like breaking records!
But sometimes I ask myself, who am I? I think I’m two things. One, I’m still the same naughty, mischievous boy that I was in school, and even in Bible College… And two, I don’t just see myself as an ‘evangelist’, but as an ‘adventurer’… You all know about James Bond, ‘007’... My number, when I was put in prison for preaching the Gospel and Bible smuggling, was ‘0035’! I loved that! Come on! I’m a Christian adventurer! And the older I get, the more adventure I want!
Can you imagine? When I did my biggest work in the Soviet Union, going to the far side of Siberia for 3 months with
400 people, I was already 62 years old!!! And now, in my 90s, I’ve started this whole new work in faraway Central Asia. A whole new life, a whole new adventure, a whole new mission field, and I’m 92! I don’t know what new work I’ll be doing when I turn 100!!!
But if you are a born-again Believer, life has no end!!! You see, I shall live ‘down here’ – until the Lord needs me ‘up there’! I refuse to go to Heaven until, one, my job down here is finished, and until, two, He wants me up there! Life for the born-again Believer doesn’t end! –We simply continue our life in Eternity! This now is my preparation, your preparation, for Eternity! Where will Jesus send me when He comes back? Maybe to Siberia, since I did so much work there… But I think most British Christians, given our bad weather, would want to go to Florida…
No, but I want you to realise, what we are doing now is only a part of our living, because the Bible says, when we are born again, we have the gift of Eternal Life and will never die. It’s the simple Gospel message! If you are born once, you will die twice; if you are born twice, you will only ‘die’ once. What does this mean? Ah ha… If you died to sin, if you know the Lord, if you are working for Him, you don’t die when your body dies!
But this doesn’t mean that when you died to sin, your battle with the devil was over! No. Years ago, I was invited to speak at a Bible Conference, the theme was ‘how to lead a holy life’. The other
I’ve had cancer twice; twice I fought, and twice God miraculously healed me without any treatment. I was only 32 years old, married with 2 children, when I had the throat cancer… Of course I fought! I learnt more about God, fighting that battle, than I did in Bible College! And like my salvation, my healing was absolutely complete, it has never come back. Twenty-two years ago, I had lung cancer. I fought. If you have lung cancer, whatever treatment you have, the longest you will live is about six years. Well, I’ve lived for more than 20 years since then!
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me! It’s a demonstration of how God works. I want you to understand, you really must have a powerful experience of God yourself, because the most effective part of your ministry is what God has done in your life. He has done so much in my life. I’m a living testimony to the Power of God, and people want what I have – an experience with God!
I got saved when I was 8, and God began to meet with me. I was baptised in water when I was 12, and after that, aged 13, I demanded to preach in the church! I organised everything, but nobody got saved. What was wrong? My father told me, you haven’t received the Holy Spirit yet. The Bible says, when the Holy Spirit is come, HE, not YOU, will convict the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement to come. I began seeking the Holy Spirit, fasting and praying. I asked people to pray for me, but they didn’t have what I wanted. I wanted the same Power that fell on the disciples in the Upper Room. I got so desperate, I had to empty everything out of my life, I wanted to be FILLED.
When I received the Holy Spirit, it was as if Heaven opened. Still just a teenager, I began preaching in my school that when you die, you either go to Heaven or you go to hell; I preached the truth, without Christ, it’s hell. If you are going to share the Gospel, you need to know the Glory of Heaven; but if you have had a glimpse of hell, it will change your preaching! Aged 40, I spent one year in a communist prison; if hell is worse than that prison, you would give your life to save people from that hell.
I was preaching in school, challenging my unbelieving Scripture teacher. For one year, we never had a normal lesson and the boys loved it! The moment the teacher came in the door, I would throw the Word of God at him. When he said miracles didn’t happen, I fought him with what the Bible says. The Word of God was a sword in my hand, the Sword of the Spirit. After one year he gave his life to Christ, and we began prayer and Bible study together in the school.
My Bible – the Word of God – is my guide how to live, it’s my power when I pray, and when I’m preaching, it’s my sword. I fight the devil with my Bible. I’m challenging you to action!
You’ve got to resist the devil. When I was a boy at home, when I went to bed at night, I would turn off the light, kneel down by my bedside and pray in the dark. One night, it was as if the devil filled the whole room, his presence was so strong and I was so afraid, I jumped into bed and pulled the bedclothes tight. The second night, the same thing. I told my father. He said, don’t turn the light off tonight, and if the devil comes a third time, plead the Blood of Christ. That night, the devil came again, but this time I resisted
him. I said, “The Hand of God is against you, I’m protected by the Power of the Blood” – and the devil ran away!
Resist that devil. You’ve got power over that devil. The second time I had an experience like that I was just a teenager, maybe 15. I was on holiday by the sea with my parents. After dinner at night, I would go on my own up a cliff side to pray. I wanted to reach the top in prayer. I’ll never forget, I came to a place where there was a tree. I could not get past it, there was something there, physically stopping me. I went home. The second night after dinner I again went up the hill to pray, and exactly the same thing happened. It was a physical barrier I could not pass. I went back home and told my Dad. The third night, again the same thing happened. But this time I did what my father said, I claimed the Power of the Blood. I’ll never forget, it made such an impression on me. I threw my coat on the ground and knelt down, “In the Name of Jesus, I claim the Blood of Christ. Satan, you cannot defeat me!” When I resisted the devil with these words, he fled, and I ran up to the top of that hill, praising God!
Do you understand what I’m telling you? Resist the devil! I’ve had to do it all my life. I’ll never forget what happened in Yambol, Bulgaria – when it was still under communism. To cut a long story short, I was in a packed underground church meeting, and a girl in the choir next to me was praying in tongues – in English! She had no idea, but she was saying, “I love You Jesus, I’ll never go anywhere without You Jesus!” In that moment, I knew the Holy Spirit was there, in Power. To act.
When the service was over, I said to the pastor, “We’re going to take the football
stadium to evangelise.” He said, “You can’t. It’s impossible.” But anyway, I took him with me to the stadium and I spoke to the directors, “I want to rent the stadium!” – “Why?” – “To talk about Jesus!” – “You cannot! The stadium belongs to the communist party, and we’re directors of the communist party. You cannot have the stadium.” But you see, God had told me to take the stadium and to fight the devil! So I refused to take NO for an answer. I said, “O God, change these men! Change their minds!”
What kind of a God do YOU have?! I said, “O God, I will not accept NO. I WILL have the stadium!” Suddenly, as I was looking into the eyes of the key director, I saw his eyes change. The Holy Spirit was fighting with us! Come on! You don’t fight alone! When David took on Goliath, he took five stones – one to kill Goliath, and four more for his brothers! Not four more ‘in case he missed’!!! He knew that with God he would have the victory. So in that stadium that day, the Holy Spirit touched those communist directors. They said, “We cannot rent this stadium to you, it’s against the law. But there’s nothing to stop us from giving it to you for nothing!” They gave it to me for nothing! ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!
Don’t run away from the devil! Stand up to him! We packed that stadium! And from that moment, revival swept Bulgaria for 2 years! If God puts something in your heart, DO IT! God is with you. Don’t take no for an answer.
If God is with you – you will win!
I don’t want to live an average, normal life. I want to live an adventurous life like they did in the Acts of the Apostles, with Power, even under persecution! Life as a Christian is a fight. But if God is with you, I can tell you, you will never be defeated! Amen.
On June 22nd over 8000 people gathered in the Sport Palace in Kyiv for the 7th Major National Day of Prayer held under David’s initiative. Led by Bishops of 20 Christian Confessions, military chaplains, government representatives and ordinary people filled the venue… Yet even as the Prayer was taking place, at any moment a power cut or incoming missile attack could have closed the meeting... Praise God there was no incident.
David said, “We're here, praying for God to change the course of the war today and give you the total Victory – to God be the Glory! NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD. This Day of Prayer, no man could bring it to pass under these circumstances. But we’re here, because God has a plan for Ukraine, to use your nation for His Glory. Ukraine, you WILL see the Victory by the Power of Jesus’ Name!”
Preparations for this 7th Major National Day of Prayer were carried out in the most dark and difficult days of this grim phase of Putin’s war: Ukraine on the ‘back foot’ – for six months being without the promised supply of American weapons to defend herself against the Russian invader – who, without ever letting up, cast multitudes of his own men into the ‘meat-grinder’ of his senseless aggression.
Daily blackouts, missile attacks, constant air raid sirens and
serious legal limitations on holding mass events in wartime, how could we seriously plan for this Prayer in the National Sport Palace in the centre of Kyiv under such conditions? As David said, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God, but YOU have to choose which level you will operate at...” And together with our partners in Ukraine, by faith, we chose to do it!
Preparations began at the end of last year. Starting with the Spiritual Council of Bishops, nine working groups were appointed to be responsible for the overall programme, for the prayer to cover every aspect of preparation, for the music and media programme (live orchestra, choirs, drama teams, high-end animation and graphics for every song), for the ushers and welcome teams – 1000 individuals were involved in total! Together they developed a fully integrated unity across denominational, generational and cultural divides – their shared heart’s cry to a just God.
All this was possible because of one key man, Vadym, David’s representative in Ukraine. We are so grateful to God for him. It was he who co-ordinated the work of the 9 teams, made so much more difficult by the war. We had to comply with the extremely high security measures required by the Kyiv Military Administration, City Administration, National Police and Ministry of Emergencies. This burden fell on Vadym alone. We could not even publicly announce the time and place!
The Prime Minister of Ukraine prepared an official letter from the government which was read to everyone present, saying: “I believe that this National Day of Prayer for Ukraine will become a demonstration to the whole world of the unity and unwavering faith of our people in the Victory of our nation.”
David Hathaway
This year I am working intensively in Central Asia. In April I was in Kazakhstan evangelising – hundreds, young and old, found Christ, and powerful healings flowed freely. I held 5 meetings in the capital Astana, and 5 in the commercial capital Almaty. All the meetings were full, with up to 1000 in the larger venues. Many attending were ethnic Kazakhs, ethnic Central Asians, born as cultural Moslems – who were for the first time in a Christian meeting and gave their lives to Christ, often also being powerfully healed by the prayer of faith. I will be back here in August and September.
The whole of Central Asia is a battle ground. The common threat spiritually is atheism and Islamic extremism (Central Asia is culturally Moslem) – and politically, Russia itself.
Under the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan was very important to Russia as a vast place of prison and exile for dissidents opposing the communist regime and for large population groups purposefully displaced from their homelands by Stalin; it was also important for its significant oil reserves (still is); and as the location of the super-secret Soviet Cosmodrome from which all their space exploration initiatives were launched (and still are – it’s the largest space launch facility in the world in terms of size of territory, no longer owned by, but leased to Russia).
Ranked 9th largest country in the world and largest land-locked country, Kazakhstan is wedged between Russia and China. Though a signed-up member of the Russian-controlled CIS trade-agreement since 1991, Kazakhstan is seeking some realignment with the West; total dependency on
Russia has become an unsettling factor since Russia launched its all-out war on Ukraine.
The population living in Kazakhstan today is divided between some who are simply pragmatic, some who are nostalgic for the ‘glory days’ of the Soviet Union, and some original Kazakh inhabitants of the land who, (like the Ukrainians), view Stalin’s enforced agricultural collectivisation policies in the 1930s as genocide, a deliberate attempt to kill off the local Kazakh (and Ukrainian) populations to ‘free’ their ancient lands to be farmed more lucratively by Russians.
Historically, if you look at a map of the region we are called to, Central Asia is the centre of the world empire of Daniel’s day – he is still honoured here as the greatest world administrator of all time. Also, the first apostles preached successfully in these territories, from Turkey to the Caucasus to Central Asia and on to India.
Our job according to Daniel 11:32 is simple: ‘Those who know their God will be strong and do exploits’ – the impossible things. God has spoken, He said, ‘I have set before you an open door and no man can shut it!’ On this 2-week trip in April, all our time in fellowship and ministry was in preparation for an all-out spiritual breakthrough in Central Asia. Pastors and leaders came from all the surrounding ‘Stan’ countries to meet with me, both on the 3000-metre snow-covered mountains in prayer, and in the ten powerful meetings we held. All the leaders believe with me that this is God’s time for a major spiritual breakthrough, maybe the last significant revival before the soon Return of Christ!
Our job is to present Jesus to those who don’t know Him. But we’re living in uncertain times – wars and rumours of war.
On 9th May David called an historic Day of Prayer for the Republic of Georgia: The future of the country hangs in the balance. Having survived political and economic ‘warfare’ waged from the Kremlin since 1991 (Georgia gained its independence from Russia in 1991), and having survived the Russian military invasion of 2008, will the nation now lose control of its independent status? Whilst we were
in Georgia a Kremlin-inspired ‘Foreign Agents’ law was voted into existence by the Prime Minister and his pro-Russian government. But the President, who is pro-West, vetoed it. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens were out on the streets every day protesting the law, braving violent repressions... But oligarchs unfortunately have a hidden power, a cancer with roots in the Kremlin…
Over 1000 pastors, leaders, worshippers, intercessors and youth of almost every evangelical denomination, including ethnic Kurdish and Iranian Churches, packed the prayer venue, standing room only, to pray on behalf of the nation – for the unity, freedom and peace that can only be found in Jesus. From his life-time’s experience David demonstrated that our God always answers prayer – powerfully. And in Jesus’ Name, he declared God’s blessing over Georgia: unity and not division, peace and not war, the devil defeated – a Revival of Faith.
healed! Moslems come to Christ either through a strong personal encounter with Him, or through miracles of healing in His Name: Even Jesus said, “Unless you see a miracle, you will not believe…” Many came forward to repent as a result of David’s powerful but simple preaching; after counselling, and the distribution of literature, David prayed for the sick. Some shyly gave their testimonies from the platform, many more shared their testimonies privately afterwards. Next year we plan to be back with a much larger event, 5000, 10,000 – as many as we have faith and finance for! Please support us in this Spirit-led, Spirit-empowered work among Moslems.
After the Prayer for Georgia, we moved west to the Black Sea Autonomous Republic of Adjara bordering Turkey. Part of Georgia from ancient times but occupied for 200 years by the Ottoman-Turkish Empire, this region around Batumi is home to 350,000 ethnic Georgians, born into Islam as a result of that occupation. Nonetheless, it was through the Adjaran Mountains that Apostle Andrew first brought the Gospel to Georgia. The pastor who invited us is a convert from a Moslem family; sixty percent of his congregation are converts from Islam. For 15 years he has worked patiently and carefully, with his missionaries, to win the trust and friendship of the Moslem mountaincommunities, and so introduce them to his Saviour. He says, “I am a child of Adjara. Many think it’s inappropriate to speak of Jesus in this Moslem region. But we have been given a name, the Name of Jesus. It means ‘God saves’. I am not ashamed of this Name, I do not hide it. They call Him ‘Isa’ in Islam, but I introduce them, gently, in love, to who this Isa really is. Why should we not tell them about the Only One who can save them out of trouble and answer their heart’s cry?”
500 Moslems came from the mountain villages to our 2-day event in Batumi. The head of one village administration accompanied them – and his own son was
From Georgia we went to Vanadzor, the third largest city in Armenia (hit by the massive 1988 Armenian earthquake). The pastor we are working with was born here; he was born again in the Fire of the Holy Spirit as a teenager in the 1960s, under communism. A new convert and no natural hero, he endured many persecutions from the KGB with beatings, and threats to his family of exile in Siberia because of his faith… Despite all the sufferings, over the years he has fathered many pastors, leaders and missionaries, sending them out even to neighbouring Moslem Countries.
Since 1991, independent ‘Christian’ Armenia has found itself politically alone, surrounded by Moslem nations: Turkey, Iran and Azerbaijan, with Azerbaijan split into East and West by Armenia (see map). Azerbaijan calls Armenia ‘Western Azerbaijan’, and makes repeated crossborder military incursions, leading to large displacements of Armenian populations. Despite defence treaties with Armenia, Russia deliberately does not come to their aid. Three million Armenians surrounded by 200 million Moslems –they are scared! And the churches are divided among themselves. This is a spiritual issue.
David came to encourage the church: “God has called me here. I believe in a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit than the first. If we have the faith, if we will pray – God WILL send this GREATER FIRE. God WILL use YOU. Do not look at the problems you have but see the Glory of God. Go in the Fire and Power of the Holy Spirit, ACT IN FAITH.”
Georgia
The next threat to Armenia...?
Turkey
Armenia
Incursions into Armenia Russia Iran
Azerbaijan
Armenian Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) wiped out 19.9.23
Have you ever thought, we SO focus on how BAD things are in our world, and how much WORSE they are going to get, that we forget to do what Jesus actually said do: one, preach the GOOD NEWS; two, He said, when you see all these bad things happening, then look up, lift up your heads – your DELIVERANCE IS NEAR!!! Luke 21.
This is the best news ever! Christ is coming back! It was one of the first things the Lord showed me after I was born again in 1979 – He’s coming back – FOR US! What could be better?!! I was totally excited.
I’ve met so many depressed Christians, depressed by what must happen BEFORE Christ comes. Some years ago, a woman wrote to our office in fear. She was fixated: What will happen when the dreaded Mark of the Beast comes? Would she recognise it? And if she did, and she refused to take it, how could she survive without it?! She was consumed with terror. And these days, there’s so much to worry about. Wars and rumours of wars – everywhere. Luke 21:9. Are we already in World War III? If not, will it, when will it, become World War III? Can anything be done to stop it? I know people can spend hours, just doom-scrolling on their mobile phones.
Ten years ago, when my father was in his very last years of life (he died aged 97), my sons made a special visit to him, conscious that he had not long to live. I remember him looking at my adult boys, his eyes full of love and sorrow, “I’m concerned for you, what you
will still have to live through…” My eldest son replied, “Grandpa, it’ll be alright – look what you’ve lived through and survived! You were born in the worst year – 1917 – of World War I; you lived through the poverty of the Great Depression as a child in the 1920s; you were a teenager in the 1930s when World War II was not a question of ‘if’, but when; you got married during the War and survived a torpedo attack in the Suez Canal – when Grandma was pregnant with Uncle Bernard; you lived through the rationing and shortage of money in the 1950s; you lived through the Cold War with the constant threat of Atomic War; and you’ve also lived through better times, in some comfort and in good health. If you could do this, so can we, whatever happens!”
After the War, my father was ordained as a priest because, he would tell me, “Jesus is the only answer.” Lying on his death bed, he asked, “Katie, is it ok for me to die now? Take care of yourself.” And then he expressed his last desire, “Katie, when I die, I want to kneel at the feet of Jesus.”
I remember the very moment and the exact place where I was standing in 1979 when I suddenly KNEW – JESUS IS COMING BACK! I was just newly pregnant with my third child. I did wonder how would it be, bringing up a child who might never grow up to have the normal life we all expect – career, marriage, kids... But it was as if a voice inside me answered my unvoiced inner questions, “The only thing that matters – in anyone’s life – is to know the Lord.” With that I was at peace.
I must confess to you now, that all
through the years my children were growing up, I spoke to them of my belief that Jesus is coming back – BUT TOO OFTEN!!! AND IN THE WRONG WAY!!! I had no idea that I was expressing my hope all wrong… I even wonder now, what words did I use to tell it all those years ago…? It didn’t go down well! For my children, I now know, it was as if all their future, their hopes and aspirations, were cut off by my words… I deeply regret my lack of wisdom. I must’ve talked about the Mark of the Beast!!! And the Book of Revelation... I must’ve got entangled in gory details… And didn’t convey the love, care and compassion the Lord has for us in all this…
So whilst believing the Lord is coming back, it wasn’t my youngest son’s favourite topic! But what sparked my writing this article, is that the day before yesterday, he told me he’s reading the most wonderful book by Max Lucado – on Christ’s Return! He told me he had hesitated to read it, but now he totally gets it: as a travelling preacher, Max Lucado was often away from home during his children’s childhood. They missed him so much and didn’t understand why he wasn’t there. But when he finally came home – WOW – what JOY!!! They ran into his arms!!!
Then yesterday, as I was beginning to write this article, we spent the day with a wonderful godly man, now 80 years old, an Armenian born in Iran, who has served God all his life and has shared in the persecutions that have been perpetrated against the whole population in Iran since its Islamisation in 1979. He said to me, “The good thing about the situation there is that Islam has shown it’s true face and people don’t want it...”
Then he added this with great tenderness in his eyes:
“People, even Christians, so often don’t have the joy in their heart of ‘loving’ God. We simply cannot fathom the depth of the love God has for us. Even for the worst of us sinners. Look at Christ on the cross at Calvary, how much He loved us! Two criminals crucified with Him. Look at the criminal who mocked Him. And look at the one who cried out, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom!” So great is His love, Jesus replied, “This day you will be with Me in Paradise.””
We should live like the preacher’s kids, missing their Dad – but SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS RETURN!
