Years ago I asked the Lord to position me in the frontlines of what He wants to do in my generation. I believe the Reinhard Bonnke farewell gospel crusade taglined “Passing the Torch” is a significant part of His answer. I believe that evangelism is something that God is emphasizing in our generation. What I witnessed is litterally a new page in church history! Bonnke has led 75 millions souls into the Kingdom! The Gospel is triumphant, irresistible, especially in Africa, South America or in Asia. Europe’s turn is on the way! Amen! Nigeria is a particular blessed country, and it were where God told Bonnke to return for this crusade. I had a privilege to talk to some members of the Redeemed Christian church of God in Lagos with auditoriums of 1,5 millions for the little chapel and 3 millions for the larger one. At one of their annual congress there were 12 millions people attending at the same time in the same venue! That’s incredible and reminds me of the words of Bonnke : My church is large, it has no wall, the sky is its roof and the soil its carpet!
While I am writing this, I am on my way back in a royal dutch airlines plane sitting close to the grand children of Bonnke. This passing week was a blast!
On the first day, after the presentation of the spiritual fathers of the land (ADEBOYE, KUMUYI, GBAMGBOLA, …) Reinhard BONNKE took the stage to deliver a message about “the searching saviour”. Many gave their lives to the Lord and Kolenda prayed for the sick and miracles happens.
Infirmities (crippled) and others ailments disappeared to the Glory of the Lord.
The second day began with a Fire Conference led by Kolenda and Peter Van den Berg. Kolenda taught about how to get rid of fear, preaching through the story of Gideon and Peter preached about the first step in receiving Gods power! I also had a deeper discussion with my new nigerian friends and I get an understanding of how money can prevent frustration and discouragements to break over ministries. I also realized how they truly have developed a generous heart! Nigeria is indeed a blessed country! I also can say that I am nigerian. My ancestors came from this land. Actually I learned in hitory books that they came from Oyo. I was very impressed by the generosity of christians here. There is all over the crusade’s open field a manifestation of generous spirit. People used to buy like twice or thrice what they need with in mind a possibility of offering to someone else that might need it! I was spoiled litterally. They don’t have enough comparing to us coming from Europe but I was the one being blessed by generous acts. That stirred in me more dispositions to give also in turn. Even the CFAN organization show and display that generous spirit. All the crusade is free as usual thanks to generous donators from all over the world! No offerings has been taken! This second day finished with an honor gift from all of Africa to Reinhard Bonnke. The Father of the land, Mike OKONKWO brought it to express the gratefulness of the continent to Reinhard & Anni for their dedicated lifes to see the continent washed from Cape Town to Cairo by the blood of Jesus! Bonnke accepted, and moved to the core, he gave an introduction to Kolenda and left the stage! Such an expression of love for his successor and also a display of true humility. Kolenda preached about Romans 10:13 on how we may be somebody or nobody but everyone can be saved if he only calls on the name of the Lord Jesus.
The third day began with a preaching of Bonnke after he greeted Loren Cunningham from Youth with a Mission! Bonnke taught during the Fire Conference about the flame that is made in Heaven. Regardless of its size, coming to the worst and the best of us! Then Peter VanDen Berg took over to teach about when is the best time to take action! Now! Even if we are not the best one, not well known, but if we know our heavenly Father that’s enough reading from the story of Jonathan and his arms bearer! The third day finished with a preaching of evangelist Daniel Kolenda on the power of the blood of Jesus! Witchcraft (amulets, juju, …) were all destroyed by fire each of the remaining days of the crusade and many healings took place as usual! Thanks Jesus!!! Amen!!!
After the service a woman brought on stage her baby who is dead. We were around 5 people, we prayed into the night and we were filled with faith for the resurrection of the child! There was a word that said the baby is sleeping and that he will breath again in the morning. So we dismissed the mother and son to have faith that God will heal her baby! We were really convinced in our heart except to this day I didn’t check if the resurrection occured. But the best is yet to come.
On the fourth day, Reinhard Bonnke preached a very powerful message titled “Passing the Torch”. It is during that meeting that he releases over African leaders his anointing to go preach the Word all over the world! He talked about anointing; which is the only thing that the devil respects, not theology degrees. He insists that the Holy Spirit has no substitute. After the releasing of the anointing, I used to take a nap between the morning fire conference sessions and the evening crusade but I felt I must go join the intercession team. What I did. We prayed passionate prayers, very exuberant prayers!!! At one point, we were praying for the power that raised Jesus from the dead to manifest in our midst after praying and contending for five millions salvations of souls. Then a car arrived and a young man, dead, around 17 years old, even stinking a little bit. We raised our voices and he was raised back to life.
I didn’t see him opening his eyes but for sure something happened. First time in my life I have experienced praying for a dead body to come back to life. Hallelujah. The joy was immeasurable! The intercession team leader insists that it is like if we personally have raised him from the dead. God is truly powerful and Jesus is indeed the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Amen!!! Hallelujah!!!
As I go, I heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons! Freely I have received, freely I give (Matthew 10:8): These are the last words of Reinhard Bonnke “Passing the Torch” message. I really experienced it hours later. May God be glorified!
After this marvelous experience my backpack was stolen in retaliation!
Daniel Kolenda preached abouth Zaccheaus and righteousness that elevate nations! Nigeria needs to be cleanse from corruption, no more thievery as it is spread. Amen!!!
On the fifth and last day of the crusade Reinhard Bonnke preached his last message in Africa. After 50 years of ministry in Africa? it was a very emotionally charged moment even with tears of gratitude for some. He preached about Luke 20:19-25 about giving to the Lord what bears His image and is His!!! Here is what one of Bonnke’s old partners in CFAN Suzette Hattingh wrote :
“Tonight a watched a legend preached his last sermon on the soil where he became a legend …Africa.
What a price he and his family has paid for ” a blood washed Africa” …like an Master Eagle that did his last hunt, a mighty ship brining in its goods for the last time, a mighty harvester harvesting a field and what a mighty harvest it was with the crowed being an estimate of 750,000 tonight.
I can not thank God enough for the example he and his family has been. Thank you Reinhard , thank you Anni we all follow you like children their parents – small Eagles learning to fly from the master Eagles. Generations after you will still be thankful for the price you paid ….we give thanks unto you and Jesus our Lord.”
I left the crusade after praying specifically to carry on God’s anointing in order to run with Bonnke’s torch lighting up the darkness! The gospel of Jesus Christ is just sufficient to do exactly that! Amen.
I took a local bus and spent the night at Ikeja before going to the airport. A woman was preaching all the way down to the bus final destination and it seemed like no one is shocked, it is just normal. There I met John Darku, the african director of CFAN. I asked him of prayer and he blessed me mightily.
The I met Karim Kabli and his friend France both from Paris. We spent a couple of hours together before he took off to Cairo to minister there.
Then I met the german father evangelist Walter Heidenreich. We had a friend in common, Daniel Wild from Wurzburg that I met at the Reinhard Bonnke School of Evangelism in Zurich in 2013. Walter prayed heartily for me for wisdom, ressources and encouraged me strongly to bring back the gospel to Europe!!! In the plane I was in the cabin with some of the guests of the conference including Bonnke’s grandson and grand daughters. Such a blessed trip surrounded with anointed people. To God be the glory now and forever. Amen!
I can truly say that I am on the frontline of what the Lord of the universe wanted to do in my generation! Just to sum up this whole experience in a humouristic tone, the last flight I took from Amsterdam back home is exploited by “Olympic Airlines” and that made me smile especially when the event is tagline “Passing the Torch”! I will run with the runners to the advancement of the Kingdom!
A little girl prophesysing
JESUS 