Entire Village Comes to Jesus

Amazonian Wednesdays 🌴

Today’s story is a recent one, from this past November:

***********************

“Pilar, we need your help. Can you come?” 

This urgent message came in from San Mateo, a village in the Datem region of the Amazon Jungle. The villagers were in terrible trouble. Black magic was taking over the entire village of 150 people. Sinister witches had allured the young people into its practice.  

These influencers were kidnapping other youths to force them to participate in satanic rituals, making covenants with the devil. If the kidnapped person resisted, they threatened to kill their family members. No one dared to resist the wave of evil sweeping over the community. 

You may remember Pilar’s testimony from two of our earlier newsletters. She and her husband Percy got radically saved and are now serving the Lord together out in that part of the Peruvian Amazon. They were ready for action. 

Pilar conferred with her team. “We’ve got to go intervene,” they all agreed. In preparation, they fasted for seven days, calling on God to deliver San Mateo from the enemy’s clutches. After that week of focused prayer, they were ready. They set off down the river for the village so in need of His delivering power. 

The journey there was arduous. Their small vessel nearly sunk several times. Every inch forward, the team could feel the spiritual resistance coming against them. The enemy was trying everything to keep them from their mission. He did not succeed. The gates of hell will never prevail against the church of the Lord! Pushing through every peril, they made it to San Mateo. 

Arriving, they visited the chief. He himself had been deeply involved in the occult practices going on. No one knew what kind of reception he might give them. To their great surprise, he agreed to call his people to meet with the visiting missionaries.  
 
The team continued to fast. That first evening, they met with the people. During the gathering, they drove two stakes into the ground. They had prepared these stakes during their extensive times of prayer and fasting, covering them with Bible verses as Holy Spirit led them. The moment they drove them in, an intense, visible darkness settled over the village. It looked like an immense tropical storm was about to begin. However, nothing further happened. 

The second night, they gathered again. They drove two more stakes into the ground, covered with the Word of God. The third night, they drove in three more. The team had not stopped fasting. They sensed that God was about to do something mighty. 

The seventh stake went into the ground, prophetically declaring San Mateo belonged to Jesus. At that moment, a supernatural light began to visibly illuminate the whole place. The power of God fell. As the team proclaimed the gospel, the young people came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. The witches and witchdoctors of the village came forward, renouncing their dark practices and giving their lives to Jesus. Right and left, precious souls were getting delivered from the power of the evil one. By the end of the visit, the entire village had surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus. 

All praises to the One who reigns above it all! 

I believe that He also wants to encourage your heart right now. Nothing is impossible for our Lord. What is your need today? His power is at work for you. Only believe!