Have you ever thought
about what God thinks as
00:00:01.98\00:00:04.47
He looks down
on today's society?
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Let me share what
Isaiah 59:15-16 says...
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Says, The Lord saw it
and it displeased Him,
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He saw that
there was no justice.
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He saw that there was no man
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and he wondered that
there was no intercessor.
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God wondered, he
wondered why people
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didn't love
others enough to pray?
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He wondered why
people didn't have the faith
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to believe in
his power to deliver.
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God wants to
finish the work on earth,
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we're part of it and
prayer is an important part.
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Please join us today
for Issues and Answers.
00:00:43.05\00:00:47.14
Hello, I'm Shelley
Quinn and welcome again,
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we're so excited.
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I'm particularly excited
that you're joining us today.
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Whatever you're
doing stop doing it,
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sit down and watch this program.
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Because I believe it
will be life changing.
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I'm serious this,
there is such dynamic
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information that's
going to be shared today,
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because you're going
to see the power of God
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and how it's released on earth.
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Our very special
guest is Dr. Paul Ratsara,
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who is the President
of the Southern-African
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Indian Ocean Division
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of the
Seventh-day Adventist church.
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Dr. Paul, so glad
to have you here today.
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I'm glad to be here.
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You know, I was
afraid that you weren't gonna
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be able to fit
this into your schedule
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and I know that you had to
really work hard to get here.
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But I wanted you
here specifically,
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because we met two years
ago at the ASI Adventist...
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I remember that very clearly.
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Adventist, you see,
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I can't even
think of the name of it.
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The Adventist Laymen
Services and Laymen's Institute.
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Yes. Okay. And you and
I shared an evening meal
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with some others
in the dining hall
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of the
convention room. Yes, yes.
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And you shared some of
the most amazing stories
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that to me were life changing.
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And so, we're going to share
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those today about prayer. Yes.
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But first, let me
ask you this question.
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How did you become a man
of such passion about prayer?
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Actually, if I
think of my background,
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I was not born in the faith.
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Actually I was not
born in the Christian faith.
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I worship idols, pagan.
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I was a pagan boy.
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The family worship idols.
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And I sensed
that, that was not it.
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And I was searching.
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My life is, was like
searching all the time.
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And even though
during that time,
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I may be I didn't
know that, that was prayer,
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but I prayed deep
down in my heart asking,
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asking God to show me the way.
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And that's why, to
cut the long story short,
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that's why the Lord
guided me to know Him,
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the true God and
I became Christian.
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So through prayer and I
was looking also for truth.
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And I remember very
well when I became Christian,
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I said, Lord, I, I
really would like you,
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I would like to
worship you in truth.
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So, I decided to
study the Bible and to pray.
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I remember very
well, that for six months
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I studied the Bible
just to know the truth and
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pray every night
from 9:00 to 12:00,
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just praying,
Lord, show me the way.
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So you're a new Christian
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and you're praying
three hours every night,
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for God to lead
you into understanding
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His truths. Yes. Praise God.
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So prayer is part of
my journey right from
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the beginning and the Lord
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has shown me the
truth from the Bible.
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And now, He
called me into ministry.
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And that also it is
out of prayer just to know
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what do I need to do.
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So, prayer is, is
part of my journey...
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Well, prayer's
how we communicate
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with the Lord and... Yes, yes.
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And the more time
we spend, you know,
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just got through
writing a new book on prayer.
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You know, and you
realize that sometimes
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in our lives we
have misplaced priorities
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and would begin to
neglect prayer. Yes, it's true.
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And when we do
that testifies to an
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unsurrendered life,
it's what it is. Yes, yes.
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So, the idea was
spending hours in prayer
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is just pressing
into God's presence,
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that's different
than just kind of rushing
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in with your
wish list and saying,
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here's what I need Lord,
and rushing out, isn't it?
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Prayer, you know, Christianity
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is a relationship. Amen.
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And truth, of
course, of God and us.
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And you cannot think
of relationship without
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being together. Amen.
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And prayer is, is just that.
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If we rush all the
time, the time you spend
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with your friend then
that friend start to wonder,
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is he really my friend. Yes.
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If he doesn't have time for me,
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so it is the same
thing and even more with God,
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we need to spend time
with God, with His word. Amen.
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And listening to His voice
and also opening our hearts.
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And tell what is in our
heart and listen to Him.
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So prayer is vital
and that's why the devil
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sometimes is sending
may be not necessarily bad
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things to crowd our days.
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So that, so that we
will not have that time
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to connect with God
and we'll become weaker
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and weaker and
then he can attack us.
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So, we need to
protect that time,
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we need to have our
priority clear and set.
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Amen, I believe
that lot of us, you know,
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have heard it said
that prayer is like
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our spiritual
breathing, the respiration. Yes.
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And a lot of us have just
times of spiritual gasping,
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we gasp for a
little air with God.
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But I want to specifically,
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you have a huge
division that you,
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God has called you
to oversee a very large
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division, it's all
of the southern part
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of Africa, not only South Africa
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but all of the
southern part of Africa.
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And then all the islands...
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All the islands
in the Indian Ocean.
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In the Indian Ocean.
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And God has laid such
a responsibility upon you
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and yet you know
upon who you depend
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and where your strength
and your power comes from.
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When the Lord
brought you into this,
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I know you shared a
story with me of how you
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were seeking God to
see how the work could be
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finished. Yes.
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Please share that story again.
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Yes, as I said, my
life is like searching,
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from being a
pagan to a Christian
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and then leading
me into the truth.
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So, I became a
minister of the gospel
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and I knew that there
is this great commission.
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And I was wondering
what is the key to finish
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the preaching of the gospel,
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because I've
three passions in life.
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First, I just
wanted to be like Jesus,
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I know I'm still
far but that is my goal.
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The second passion in my
life is that I want to finish,
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I want to, to be
part of the generation
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to finish the preaching
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of the gospel
in this generation.
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And the third one is, I
want to alive when Jesus comes.
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Of course that is
the decision of God,
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but if I given a choice
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I just want to be
alive when He comes.
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So, because of that I, I
began the searching again.
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The method that I
used, that the Lord guided me
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to find the truth,
to find a true God.
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I started to
study the word of God,
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I started to pray and fast.
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Lord, show me your divine,
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the divine key to
finish. What is it?
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Because we don't want to prolong
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our stay here on
earth, we don't belong here.
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Our home is heaven.
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So I was praying and
wrestling for a few years
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actually, just to,
while I was preaching,
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I felt that God
must have a key. Amen.
00:09:50.97\00:09:55.32
To, to finish, for
the gospel to go faster.
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And I read in the
book, the book of Acts for
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example, studied and
after a while it was so
00:10:04.07\00:10:10.12
clear in my mind
that the Lord has shown
00:10:10.13\00:10:16.18
the key for the
preaching of the gospel.
00:10:16.19\00:10:19.00
And I was so happy, I
said Lord thank you so much.
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As you guided me, to you
to worship you the true God.
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And also to, you
have guided me to,
00:10:29.18\00:10:32.36
to know the
truth, the truth about
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your commandments,
about the true church.
00:10:35.28\00:10:40.06
Here again, after fasting,
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praying and
studying the word of God,
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the spirit of
prophecy, knelling down,
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asking God guided.
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In a nutshell,
just to summarize,
00:10:50.40\00:10:56.68
it is actually
to have the Bible,
00:10:56.69\00:11:01.43
the book of Acts of apostle
00:11:01.44\00:11:03.37
to be repeated. And what is...
00:11:03.38\00:11:06.76
So, you're praying
for, and you believe God
00:11:06.77\00:11:09.39
wants to see the
books of Acts repeated,
00:11:09.40\00:11:12.85
the books of the
apostles and the books
00:11:12.86\00:11:14.68
of Acts repeated, is
that what you're saying?
00:11:14.69\00:11:17.00
Actually, that is it.
00:11:17.01\00:11:18.51
Because it is, it is a
promise that those sins,
00:11:18.52\00:11:23.18
those events will
be repeated and Christ
00:11:23.19\00:11:26.38
Himself said in
John chapter 14 verse 12,
00:11:26.39\00:11:31.88
that those who believe
in Him will do the work
00:11:31.89\00:11:35.32
that he's doing and even
00:11:35.33\00:11:36.97
greatermeaning that is the key.
00:11:36.98\00:11:40.55
God, God did
not change His mind.
00:11:40.56\00:11:44.28
Sometimes we are wondering oh,
00:11:44.29\00:11:45.94
what is happening,
how come we don't see
00:11:45.95\00:11:48.10
what we are
reading in the Bible.
00:11:48.11\00:11:51.06
The powerful things
that we read in the,
00:11:51.07\00:11:54.16
in the book of the
gospel and the book of Acts.
00:11:54.17\00:11:57.32
No, God, God is still
the same and the promise
00:11:57.33\00:12:02.40
is still the same, the
commission is still the same.
00:12:02.41\00:12:05.66
So, it is not because of,
00:12:05.67\00:12:08.24
this is what I've discovered.
00:12:08.25\00:12:10.08
It is not
because of the message,
00:12:10.09\00:12:13.24
the gospel is still the same.
00:12:13.25\00:12:15.79
It is not because of the method,
00:12:15.80\00:12:17.79
but I realize
that because of the
00:12:17.80\00:12:22.60
messenger, the messenger,
00:12:22.61\00:12:25.35
the messenger is
the problem. Amen.
00:12:25.36\00:12:28.86
So, as long as we
stay the same messenger,
00:12:28.87\00:12:33.74
lack of commitment and
we don't pray, we don't,
00:12:33.75\00:12:37.40
we're not connected.
00:12:37.41\00:12:38.38
Then we'll see a smaller result.
00:12:38.39\00:12:41.98
But when we
become the messenger,
00:12:41.99\00:12:47.00
filled with the
Holy Spirit with prayer
00:12:47.01\00:12:50.69
then God will do it.
00:12:50.70\00:12:53.20
And we can illustrate to this,
00:12:53.21\00:12:55.80
we give an example
in, you know a division,
00:12:55.81\00:13:01.02
we have many examples
but I'm thinking of one
00:13:01.03\00:13:05.55
brother, who really
illustrates this, this truth.
00:13:05.56\00:13:11.32
About the power of prayer,
00:13:11.33\00:13:14.36
the power of the Holy Spirit,
00:13:14.37\00:13:17.60
to finish the
preaching of the gospel.
00:13:17.61\00:13:20.04
So, this brother who we're
gonna use as an illustration.
00:13:20.05\00:13:23.22
And I already know the story.
00:13:23.23\00:13:24.54
But when, when the
Lord prompted you to tell
00:13:24.55\00:13:29.86
your people to pray and fast,
00:13:29.87\00:13:32.80
that would help finish the work.
00:13:32.81\00:13:34.98
You told this
division, is this the division
00:13:34.99\00:13:37.49
where there is only 253 members
00:13:37.50\00:13:39.74
and was he a member of that?
00:13:39.75\00:13:42.45
No, actually this brother,
00:13:42.46\00:13:46.54
the Lord also called him
from a Non-Christian background.
00:13:46.55\00:13:51.82
And he answered the call of God
00:13:51.83\00:13:55.56
and he became so
dedicated into the Lord
00:13:55.57\00:13:59.45
He was a trained
science teacher. Okay.
00:13:59.46\00:14:03.49
But he decided to,
to become a farmer.
00:14:03.50\00:14:07.54
A farmer to have more time,
00:14:07.55\00:14:10.00
almost into a
full time preaching.
00:14:10.01\00:14:13.72
So, God, he knew
God, a science teacher
00:14:13.73\00:14:16.28
knew God was calling him. Yes.
00:14:16.29\00:14:18.26
To be a preacher
and he didn't have time
00:14:18.27\00:14:21.20
as a scientist or
teacher so, he became a farmer.
00:14:21.21\00:14:24.63
Yes, and he is, he is
of course he is supporting
00:14:24.64\00:14:28.48
also himself, he
is still a lay person.
00:14:28.49\00:14:31.58
And, if we meet with him and,
00:14:31.59\00:14:36.85
and that is the way we're trying
00:14:36.86\00:14:38.83
and this is an answer to prayer.
00:14:38.84\00:14:41.56
Just to show that
what the Lord has shown
00:14:41.57\00:14:47.84
as a key to finish the preaching
00:14:47.85\00:14:50.40
of the gospel is true.
00:14:50.41\00:14:52.90
I just want to summarize
00:14:52.91\00:14:54.42
what has
happened to this brother.
00:14:54.43\00:14:58.39
He likes preaching,
00:14:58.40\00:14:59.81
but he spends a
lot of time praying.
00:14:59.82\00:15:04.58
About a month ago
just there are many things
00:15:04.59\00:15:07.91
actually through his ministry,
00:15:07.92\00:15:11.06
the Lord has used him
to win at least 21,000.
00:15:11.07\00:15:17.63
Yeah, let's go back
before because that is
00:15:17.64\00:15:20.59
such an amazing thing
and I want to set this up.
00:15:20.60\00:15:22.71
This is one man... Yes.
00:15:22.72\00:15:25.04
Who as a farmer, became a farmer
00:15:25.05\00:15:27.70
and he went out to
start holding campaigns. Yes.
00:15:27.71\00:15:31.15
And he went to an
area where there were only
00:15:31.16\00:15:33.08
80 members right?
00:15:33.09\00:15:34.27
Yes, that is the
most recent ones.
00:15:34.28\00:15:38.65
So, he went to
this area only 80, it's,
00:15:38.66\00:15:44.68
it's a little town
where only 80 members.
00:15:44.69\00:15:48.87
So, definitely
before going to any
00:15:48.88\00:15:53.76
evangelistic campaign he
spends a lot of time praying.
00:15:53.77\00:15:57.43
Seven, up to seven
hours a day he is praying.
00:15:57.44\00:15:59.62
Yes, he is
praying and getting ready,
00:15:59.63\00:16:02.09
studying the word of
God and of course also
00:16:02.10\00:16:04.78
preparing the field,
but he spent a lot of time
00:16:04.79\00:16:08.25
praying, asking
the power of God,
00:16:08.26\00:16:11.06
the Holy Spirit praying.
00:16:11.07\00:16:13.53
And then he would
emerge with this power of God
00:16:13.54\00:16:16.87
and, and goes to, to preach.
00:16:16.88\00:16:20.02
And this time he's
just an done amazing thing.
00:16:20.03\00:16:23.29
He went there with this
almost hostile environment.
00:16:23.30\00:16:27.97
A sterile environment?
00:16:27.98\00:16:29.48
Well, yes hostile,
hostile environment. Okay.
00:16:29.49\00:16:32.04
Yes, an
environment where normally,
00:16:32.05\00:16:35.55
humanly speaking...
Hostile environment.
00:16:35.56\00:16:37.05
Yes, yes. I'm trying to
figure out what you said.
00:16:37.06\00:16:38.33
Yes, yes, yes Okay. Yes.
00:16:38.34\00:16:39.72
A hostile environment.
00:16:39.73\00:16:40.70
Yes, under normal circumstances
00:16:40.71\00:16:44.43
you would not
win many souls there,
00:16:44.44\00:16:46.33
but because of the
power of God in four weeks,
00:16:46.34\00:16:52.66
the Lord just
brought almost three thousand
00:16:52.67\00:16:56.61
souls, and he's not
rushing people for baptism.
00:16:56.62\00:17:01.04
Because some of them he
put them into baptismal class.
00:17:01.05\00:17:05.09
Right Before baptizing them.
00:17:05.10\00:17:06.51
Let me back up here,
00:17:06.52\00:17:07.49
'cause I want to say something.
00:17:07.50\00:17:08.71
This is a farmer
who is now out preaching
00:17:08.72\00:17:11.87
in over a span of
years, all over 21,000
00:17:11.88\00:17:15.86
people or nearly 21,000
poeple have come to the Lord.
00:17:15.87\00:17:18.94
Yes, more actually
more More than 21,000? Yes.
00:17:18.95\00:17:21.15
Because of this man
who is fasting and praying.
00:17:21.16\00:17:24.25
And most recently he
went into an area where
00:17:24.26\00:17:28.03
there were 80
members and within four weeks
00:17:28.04\00:17:30.66
of preaching after,
after emerging from this time
00:17:30.67\00:17:34.04
of prayer and
fasting, within four weeks
00:17:34.05\00:17:37.14
they baptized three
thousand people? Yes, yes.
00:17:37.15\00:17:40.32
And he turned some
away who he didn't feel were
00:17:40.33\00:17:42.41
prepared? Oh, yes, yes.
00:17:42.42\00:17:44.55
That is the way
he does it, he...
00:17:44.56\00:17:46.88
And because of his
ministry 253 churches
00:17:46.89\00:17:51.01
have been planted as a result
00:17:51.02\00:17:52.82
of the
outgrowth of his ministry.
00:17:52.83\00:17:54.47
No, not in this
case Not in this but,
00:17:54.48\00:17:57.08
but before... Not in this case.
00:17:57.09\00:17:58.91
So, he actually because of
his ministry it was 52. 52.
00:17:58.92\00:18:03.45
There were 52
churches that he planted.
00:18:03.46\00:18:05.49
Yes, he planted
Oh, it's amazing Yes,
00:18:05.50\00:18:07.76
and now the good thing,
I mean the unusual thing
00:18:07.77\00:18:13.40
about this is that he is
not rushing people for baptism.
00:18:13.41\00:18:17.41
But still people are
flocking and not only
00:18:17.42\00:18:21.28
that, we are teaching
these people right away
00:18:21.29\00:18:26.13
to win souls, to
win over for Christ.
00:18:26.14\00:18:29.80
Not only they stay but
they become disciple makers.
00:18:29.81\00:18:35.32
This is what we call
fishers of man. All right.
00:18:35.33\00:18:38.45
So let me repeat that to when,
00:18:38.46\00:18:40.79
what he began doing is once
00:18:40.80\00:18:42.72
these 3000 souls were baptized.
00:18:42.73\00:18:47.71
He immediately put
them to work to become
00:18:47.72\00:18:50.76
soul winners to
introduce Jesus? Yes.
00:18:50.77\00:18:53.54
It wasn't that you
had to go to seminary
00:18:53.55\00:18:55.17
and learn everything, but go
share your testimony and yes.
00:18:55.18\00:18:57.94
What you know
about the Lord God.
00:18:57.95\00:18:59.93
And from that, recently
from this fishers of men
00:18:59.94\00:19:04.72
is what they're calling this,
00:19:04.73\00:19:05.86
and it's now
throughout the entire area.
00:19:05.87\00:19:09.08
From that campaign
that just recently started
00:19:09.09\00:19:12.34
from those 3000.
00:19:12.35\00:19:13.33
You had a special
baptism where you were
00:19:13.34\00:19:16.81
going to baptize
the people Oh, yes.
00:19:16.82\00:19:19.11
Who were only
won, at this baptism,
00:19:19.12\00:19:23.20
only won by new converse.
00:19:23.21\00:19:25.13
And how many
people did you baptize?
00:19:25.14\00:19:27.36
And actually that
one happened in Angola,
00:19:27.37\00:19:30.03
which is one of countries,
00:19:30.04\00:19:32.24
one of the countries
in our division, Angola.
00:19:32.25\00:19:36.34
We, we said, he said
in October last year,
00:19:36.35\00:19:41.17
we set a date.
00:19:41.18\00:19:42.54
That Sabbath will be
only the Sabbath where
00:19:42.55\00:19:46.94
we are going to baptize those
00:19:46.95\00:19:49.91
who are won by
the newly baptized.
00:19:49.92\00:19:53.04
Over 14,000 were baptized.
00:19:53.05\00:19:56.00
Yes. 14,000 people who were won
00:19:56.01\00:19:58.40
by brand new baby Christians.
00:19:58.41\00:20:00.23
Yes, yes Glory of God.
00:20:00.24\00:20:01.84
It was just an
amazing, an amazing.
00:20:01.85\00:20:05.39
And this is how
we are tying to do.
00:20:05.40\00:20:07.83
We, this is a new program,
00:20:07.84\00:20:09.72
we are still working on it.
00:20:09.73\00:20:11.73
But, throughout our division
now we start to have this.
00:20:11.74\00:20:17.16
That's such an exciting thing.
00:20:17.17\00:20:18.71
To be intentional,
every time someone,
00:20:18.72\00:20:23.10
someone is baptized.
00:20:23.11\00:20:24.85
We, we trained him or her.
00:20:24.86\00:20:28.65
Actually we, we're
trying very hard not
00:20:28.66\00:20:31.40
to have what we
call a baptismal kids.
00:20:31.41\00:20:34.87
A baptismal kids
where we, we have, we start,
00:20:34.88\00:20:39.24
we start a new convent
with a little library. Okay.
00:20:39.25\00:20:42.64
Make sure that it has a Bible.
00:20:42.65\00:20:44.50
Make sure that
it has a hymn book.
00:20:44.51\00:20:47.30
And also a book,
writings of Ellen G. White
00:20:47.31\00:20:50.65
like Steps to Christ. Yes.
00:20:50.66\00:20:52.24
And then we've a little booklet,
00:20:52.25\00:20:53.96
a book we call it,
welcome to the family of God.
00:20:53.97\00:20:57.68
Praise God. It is
like an orientation.
00:20:57.69\00:21:00.83
Orientation, how to be,
00:21:00.84\00:21:04.21
how to be a part
of this family? Amen.
00:21:04.22\00:21:06.98
And also the, the
study guide and how,
00:21:06.99\00:21:11.96
how to win souls for Christ?
00:21:11.97\00:21:14.43
Amen, Dr. Ratsara,
this is so exciting now.
00:21:14.44\00:21:17.36
I want to add a quick story
00:21:17.37\00:21:19.13
and then I want to
take you to the story,
00:21:19.14\00:21:21.03
our time is
running out so fast Yes.
00:21:21.04\00:21:22.92
And there are so
many stories you can tell.
00:21:22.93\00:21:24.55
But this particular
farmer who has seen over
00:21:24.56\00:21:27.98
21,000 souls come just
from fasting and praying
00:21:27.99\00:21:32.24
and being anointed by
the Spirit and this has
00:21:32.25\00:21:34.57
happened in such a short time.
00:21:34.58\00:21:36.66
He did so, when you
said hostile environment,
00:21:36.67\00:21:39.77
he's had people
who tried to poison him
00:21:39.78\00:21:42.38
and through prayer the Lord
brought the poison out. Yes.
00:21:42.39\00:21:45.51
He's had other
attempts on his life.
00:21:45.52\00:21:47.07
There was
someone who was murdered
00:21:47.08\00:21:49.16
and thrown into a
river and they tried to blame
00:21:49.17\00:21:52.39
the murder on him. Yes.
00:21:52.40\00:21:54.05
And he prayed for
the Lord to vindicate
00:21:54.06\00:21:56.67
his name and to
vindicates God's name,
00:21:56.68\00:21:59.27
and the Lord after
three days praying,
00:21:59.28\00:22:03.06
actually that body
00:22:03.07\00:22:04.77
that had a 40 pound
stone tied to it. Yes.
00:22:04.78\00:22:07.49
Flooded to the top
Float, yes, yes. God reversed.
00:22:07.50\00:22:10.19
God reversed Gravitational,
00:22:10.20\00:22:12.28
the law of gravity,
I should say. Yes, yes.
00:22:12.29\00:22:14.97
And so he was vindicated
and the whole thing is,
00:22:14.98\00:22:19.54
things are
happening in your division
00:22:19.55\00:22:22.11
that are so exciting.
00:22:22.12\00:22:24.03
Because people are
praying and fasting
00:22:24.04\00:22:27.17
and God is showing
Himself to be the same God
00:22:27.18\00:22:32.13
as the God of
Peter, the God of Elisha,
00:22:32.14\00:22:35.27
the God of Abraham. Yes, yes.
00:22:35.28\00:22:37.67
He is still in
his throne and... He
00:22:37.68\00:22:38.72
is still the same
God. He is the same, yes.
00:22:38.73\00:22:41.08
Now, we have just
a few minutes. Yes.
00:22:41.09\00:22:43.99
Can you please share
00:22:44.00\00:22:45.99
because I know
you're such a man of prayer.
00:22:46.00\00:22:47.92
But I love the
story of your brother,
00:22:47.93\00:22:50.38
because we're talking
about how God can take
00:22:50.39\00:22:53.31
a handful of people and
see such incredible results.
00:22:53.32\00:22:57.03
But just, let's talk
personally one on one
00:22:57.04\00:22:59.96
about your
prayer for your brother.
00:22:59.97\00:23:01.66
Yes, yeah, you see I,
my dad passed away in '92
00:23:01.67\00:23:09.20
and my mom passed away in 2003.
00:23:09.21\00:23:12.96
So, I'm one of
those adult orphans.
00:23:12.97\00:23:18.32
And you know while sitting
I was the first born male.
00:23:18.33\00:23:22.01
So became like the
father of my brother.
00:23:22.02\00:23:24.90
So, this brother of
mine, he loved the Lord,
00:23:24.91\00:23:30.26
yeah, he loved the
lord and then after a while
00:23:30.27\00:23:33.80
he left the church.
00:23:33.81\00:23:35.75
He left the church
and he drifted away.
00:23:35.76\00:23:39.20
And it was painful,
but in 2008 that was,
00:23:39.21\00:23:46.10
that was August,
it became so painful
00:23:46.11\00:23:51.75
and I said, Lord, here I
am preaching the gospel to
00:23:51.76\00:23:55.52
thousands of people,
and here my own brother
00:23:55.53\00:23:58.79
who will not
spend eternity with you.
00:23:58.80\00:24:01.56
So, I was so sad and
I even wept and cried
00:24:01.57\00:24:06.12
and Lord, and then
I decided right there.
00:24:06.13\00:24:09.73
I said, Lord, I'm
not commanding you,
00:24:09.74\00:24:12.31
I'm just, I'm
just, just tenacious.
00:24:12.32\00:24:15.24
But I have this request.
00:24:15.25\00:24:18.16
Lord, by December,
that was in August,
00:24:18.17\00:24:22.35
by December
bring back my brother,
00:24:22.36\00:24:25.79
I'm not commanding it's,
it's according to your will.
00:24:25.80\00:24:30.13
So I prayed, I
make it short, I prayed.
00:24:30.14\00:24:34.46
That was August
nothing happened,
00:24:34.47\00:24:38.34
September but I
continued to pray,
00:24:38.35\00:24:41.45
October, November
and I send a message.
00:24:41.46\00:24:45.24
Because I lived in a,
I lived in South Africa,
00:24:45.25\00:24:48.77
he lives in Madagascar.
00:24:48.78\00:24:50.76
I send a message, my brother,
00:24:50.77\00:24:52.15
I'm coming can you meet with me,
00:24:52.16\00:24:55.49
I would like to
spend some time with you
00:24:55.50\00:24:57.59
because we need to pray and act
00:24:57.60\00:24:59.92
and work at the same time.
00:24:59.93\00:25:02.31
I send that message, I
did not get a response.
00:25:02.32\00:25:06.53
I have given him an appointment.
00:25:06.54\00:25:08.83
Finally it was the
time to, it was the time to,
00:25:08.84\00:25:13.03
to board the plane
and I took that plane
00:25:13.04\00:25:16.91
and I landed and I went
to the place of appointment
00:25:16.92\00:25:21.80
with him and of
course I, I was wondering.
00:25:21.81\00:25:25.60
I don't know if he
would be there or not
00:25:25.61\00:25:28.82
and I approached that place,
00:25:28.83\00:25:30.49
I saw him waiting
for me. I was so happy.
00:25:30.50\00:25:34.74
But I had to rush to
a meeting and I said,
00:25:34.75\00:25:37.60
my brother, I would
like us to, to share my room,
00:25:37.61\00:25:42.06
I would be alone, I
will have this meeting,
00:25:42.07\00:25:46.10
after this meeting we
will spend time together
00:25:46.11\00:25:49.97
and he went to my
room and when I came
00:25:49.98\00:25:52.96
I started with my
speech, like the prodigal son,
00:25:52.97\00:25:56.17
I was ready for my speech.
00:25:56.18\00:25:57.68
Started to, to talk
to him about him coming
00:25:57.69\00:26:01.02
back and he
interrupted me and rejected me,
00:26:01.03\00:26:05.07
you know what he said,
something happened to me
00:26:05.08\00:26:09.04
about 15 days ago,
there was this urge for me
00:26:09.05\00:26:14.47
in my heart to go
back to God and he said,
00:26:14.48\00:26:20.01
I'm back to God now. Praise God.
00:26:20.02\00:26:23.51
I, I laughed a lot. I
praised the Lord Amen.
00:26:23.52\00:26:28.99
I was so happy, all
the burden in my heart just
00:26:29.00\00:26:34.03
removed and that was
more than a year ago.
00:26:34.04\00:26:39.88
Now, he's strong in
the Lord Praise God.
00:26:39.89\00:26:42.05
Winning souls, just
to say that prayer is so
00:26:42.06\00:26:46.55
important. Amen.
00:26:46.56\00:26:48.53
One of the keys to
finish the preaching
00:26:48.54\00:26:51.99
of the gospel is
to allow God to use us
00:26:52.00\00:26:57.62
and we get that through prayer,
00:26:57.63\00:26:59.64
through the word of
God, and through the,
00:26:59.65\00:27:02.78
the feeling of
the Holy Spirit. Amen.
00:27:02.79\00:27:06.35
But we need to
spend more time with God.
00:27:06.36\00:27:09.66
That is the key.
00:27:09.67\00:27:12.41
You know, so many
things that you've said have
00:27:12.42\00:27:14.65
paralleled how the Lord led me,
00:27:14.66\00:27:16.38
it was when He
brought me into really serious
00:27:16.39\00:27:20.05
seasons of prayer, that
I knew he was calling me
00:27:20.06\00:27:22.54
to full time ministry.
00:27:22.55\00:27:24.40
And then he as I
sought Him and ask Him, Lord,
00:27:24.41\00:27:27.69
what's important, you
teach me what you want
00:27:27.70\00:27:29.99
me to teach, he did.
00:27:30.00\00:27:31.96
Dr. Ratsara, thank you so
much for being here today.
00:27:31.97\00:27:34.75
I know we just
barely touched across
00:27:34.76\00:27:37.56
the surface but
we're very grateful
00:27:37.57\00:27:39.89
that you came to inspire us.
00:27:39.90\00:27:41.86
For those of you at home,
00:27:41.87\00:27:42.84
the way this work
is going to be finished
00:27:42.85\00:27:46.13
is when we become
like the early church.
00:27:46.14\00:27:49.79
When we become like
this man who is praying six
00:27:49.80\00:27:53.48
and seven hours a day
and going out and witnessing.
00:27:53.49\00:27:56.83
And God is calling
us to greater prayer.
00:27:56.84\00:28:00.46
If we want to
see greater results,
00:28:00.47\00:28:03.02
God will work
greater results by his
00:28:03.03\00:28:06.39
Holy Spirit through our prayer.
00:28:06.40\00:28:08.70