Mute and Lame Man Walking and Talking!

Amazonian Wednesdays 🌴

June 2019
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Paulo was an angry old man. A stroke had taken away his ability to walk and speak. For six years, he had been sitting in a wheelchair. Waiting to die. Wanting to die. A wretched mix of despair and wrath. He exuded misery into the atmosphere around him.

A few weeks ago, someone from our church invited him to our all-night prayer meeting. The unexpected happened. Something about this invitation sparked a desire in Paulo’s heart. He decided to go.

There was only one problem. We hold these meetings out at our remote Missions School campus. Most of the attendees take a bus out as far as the bus can go. Then they hike for another hour through the jungle to finish the journey in. Paulo couldn’t walk one step. An arduous hike would be utterly impossible for him.

However, he and his wife were determined. They showed up at the meeting point. A third frail, elderly lady named Ema had joined them. Pastor Carmen looked at the three of them, surprised. “You really want to go?” she asked. They nodded solemnly. So she arranged for a special motocarro ride to carry them in. An extremely bumpy hour later, they arrived at our School’s chapel.

Later that night, Pastor Carmen looked up. A supernatural light was glowing through the trees. “Look!” she exclaimed to Pastor Israel. “It’s the glory of God!” Indeed, an overwhelmingly beautiful sense of His presence was filling the meeting.

In the midst of this, Paulo was receiving extensive ministry. Our team surrounded him, saturating him at length in prayer. He could feel the power of God moving through his body.

As the sun came up, the old man got up out of his seat. He began to walk! Joy was now emanating from his wrinkled, radiant face. He then opened his mouth – and spoke for the first time in six years! His first words? “Glory to God!!”

Tears streamed down his wife’s face as she watched this miracle unfold. The next moment, Ema piped up too. She was laughing ecstatically. “I can see! I can see! I was blind, but I can see!” Giggling, she strode back and forth gleefully. “Look! I can see where I’m going!” Even as the Lord was strengthening and healing Paulo’s body, He has been opening her eyes too!

We have been holding these monthly all-night prayer meetings for three years now. More and more of our members are participating. For this last one, 150 people gathered in the middle of the jungle to pray through the night. God is responding to His people’s hunger for Him. He is pouring out His glory!