January 24, 2018
This blog post was written by Vicki Bentley, member of AnGeL Ministries Board, and Anne’s traveling companion during her recent trip to India.
Some people question whether God still works as He did in the days of the Book of Acts. Anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit, men and women boldly shared the Good News “Jesus is Lord”. Opposition could not stop them.
What I witnessed in India confirms that the Book of Acts continues today! I was there to see and experience the next chapter. Let me testify of what I saw.
After many long hours of travel, Anne was greeted by her host, Mr. Rao, the government leader who officially invited her, and by a delegation of supportive pastors. (Rob Owen, Anne’s liaison with the local security team, stands out in the background.)
~ India is a nation one-third the size of the United States with a population of 1.3 billion people. The Christian body and beyond are awakening to a fresh move of the Holy Spirit.
The city of Hyderabad was plastered everywhere with billboards, bus signs and advertisements for the National Day of Prayer.
~January 5th Anne Graham Lotz was the main speaker at the Second Annual “National Day of Prayer” for the young, 2-year-old State of Telangana, India. The event was held on the military parade grounds in Hyderabad, the state’s capital.
L to R: Mr. Rao, Mrs. Rao, Anne, Esther Rao, daughter, Isaac Rao, son.
~ MK D. Rajeswar Rao, a Telangana State Minister administrated all the official details, assisted by his daughter Esther, to make this event possible. This included thousands of specially chartered trains, buses, and other forms of transportation for those who came from the countryside.
~ John was Anne’s translator throughout; the Holy Spirit blended their voices, expressions, and gestures seamlessly, bringing the messages into the local dialect.
~ The night of the National Day of Prayer shimmered with a beautiful golden light as people streamed onto the vast parade grounds. They came with great anticipation to see and hear.
~ One person, Srinivas Naik, General Secretary of Global Banjara Baptist Ministry, brought four thousand people himself to be part of the evening.
~ Anne preached on Daniel the prophet. She explained from Daniel 9 that “one man, who knew God and prayed, moved heaven and changed a nation.” Then she challenged those present to pray as Daniel did. The police estimated over 500,000 people attended.
~ As far as the eye could see and beyond, people cried out to heaven, agreeing together as Anne led in prayer for personal and national revival.
~ Saturday Anne brought a Word of exhortation to many local Ministry leaders from the Gospel of John. “…you are the light of the world, let your light shine.” She underscored that what we had all witnessed the night before at the National Day of Prayer was more than an event. It was a movement of the Spirit of God. “Catch the Wind,” she challenged. “Just give them Jesus.”
~ Sunday we left the city to join more than 450 Churches banding together to worship in the countryside. Over 10,000 crowded inside an open air tent with thousands more outside, all listening with rapt attention as Anne shared from John 14: Hope for the New Year. Young and old, male and female, children and adults, all sat quietly, taking in every word. When the invitation was given to place their faith in Jesus as Savior a virtual sea of hands went up. It looked as though every hand in the audience was raised. Many came into the kingdom for the first time while many others were renewed in their sure hope.
~ More than 8,000 women on Tuesday heard the message of passion and purpose from John 17 and 20. The audience included tribal women who made a special presentation to Anne, then danced their interpretation of the story of Jesus with the paralyzed man. The beautiful gathering, dressed in rainbow colored saris, enthusiastically responded at the end of Anne’s message by standing to commit themselves to fulfill the same commission that Jesus had given to Mary Magdalene: Go and tell.
~ Anne prayed with many individuals who came up to request it. This photo (see above) is a minister who had flown in from Zambia for these meetings. When Anne agreed to pray for her, she dropped to her knees in humble submission to God’s blessing.
All of our days were filled with public and personal ministry. Anne poured out the love of Jesus in prayer for healing, provision, direction, protection, blessing…the requests went on and on. The top photo is of her praying with her security detail, while in the lower picture she is praying with some of the hotel staff.
~ The Book of Acts continues to be written by faithful disciples of Jesus. Anne’s courage and boldness in her obedience to God’s call personally challenged me.
Please join us in continuing to pray for the Wind of the Spirit to blow across the great nation of India, stirring hearts in real revival…before Jesus comes!
National Prayer Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW3dOUD5-H8
Woman’s Conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvTpQxpZOkI
