Participants: Shelley Quinn (Host), Paul Ratsara
Series Code: IAA
Program Code: IAA000418
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00:01 Have you ever thought about what God thinks as
00:04 He looks down on today's society? 00:06 Let me share what Isaiah 59:15-16 says... 00:12 Says, The Lord saw it and it displeased Him, 00:16 He saw that there was no justice. 00:17 He saw that there was no man 00:20 and he wondered that there was no intercessor. 00:24 God wondered, he wondered why people 00:27 didn't love others enough to pray? 00:30 He wondered why people didn't have the faith 00:34 to believe in his power to deliver. 00:37 God wants to finish the work on earth, 00:39 we're part of it and prayer is an important part. 00:43 Please join us today for Issues and Answers. 01:12 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn and welcome again, 01:14 we're so excited. 01:16 I'm particularly excited that you're joining us today. 01:19 Whatever you're doing stop doing it, 01:22 sit down and watch this program. 01:23 Because I believe it will be life changing. 01:26 I'm serious this, there is such dynamic 01:30 information that's going to be shared today, 01:32 because you're going to see the power of God 01:35 and how it's released on earth. 01:37 Our very special guest is Dr. Paul Ratsara, 01:41 who is the President of the Southern-African 01:44 Indian Ocean Division 01:46 of the Seventh-day Adventist church. 01:48 Dr. Paul, so glad to have you here today. 01:52 I'm glad to be here. 01:54 You know, I was afraid that you weren't gonna 01:56 be able to fit this into your schedule 01:58 and I know that you had to really work hard to get here. 02:02 But I wanted you here specifically, 02:05 because we met two years ago at the ASI Adventist... 02:11 I remember that very clearly. 02:14 Adventist, you see, 02:15 I can't even think of the name of it. 02:16 The Adventist Laymen Services and Laymen's Institute. 02:21 Yes. Okay. And you and I shared an evening meal 02:26 with some others in the dining hall 02:27 of the convention room. Yes, yes. 02:29 And you shared some of the most amazing stories 02:32 that to me were life changing. 02:34 And so, we're going to share 02:36 those today about prayer. Yes. 02:39 But first, let me ask you this question. 02:42 How did you become a man of such passion about prayer? 02:50 Actually, if I think of my background, 02:54 I was not born in the faith. 02:58 Actually I was not born in the Christian faith. 03:01 I worship idols, pagan. 03:03 I was a pagan boy. 03:04 The family worship idols. 03:08 And I sensed that, that was not it. 03:13 And I was searching. 03:15 My life is, was like searching all the time. 03:19 And even though during that time, 03:22 I may be I didn't know that, that was prayer, 03:25 but I prayed deep down in my heart asking, 03:29 asking God to show me the way. 03:32 And that's why, to cut the long story short, 03:36 that's why the Lord guided me to know Him, 03:40 the true God and I became Christian. 03:43 So through prayer and I was looking also for truth. 03:50 And I remember very well when I became Christian, 03:54 I said, Lord, I, I really would like you, 03:57 I would like to worship you in truth. 04:00 So, I decided to study the Bible and to pray. 04:05 I remember very well, that for six months 04:09 I studied the Bible just to know the truth and 04:12 pray every night from 9:00 to 12:00, 04:17 just praying, Lord, show me the way. 04:20 So you're a new Christian 04:21 and you're praying three hours every night, 04:23 for God to lead you into understanding 04:27 His truths. Yes. Praise God. 04:29 So prayer is part of my journey right from 04:37 the beginning and the Lord 04:41 has shown me the truth from the Bible. 04:44 And now, He called me into ministry. 04:51 And that also it is out of prayer just to know 04:56 what do I need to do. 04:59 So, prayer is, is part of my journey... 05:02 Well, prayer's how we communicate 05:04 with the Lord and... Yes, yes. 05:06 And the more time we spend, you know, 05:08 just got through writing a new book on prayer. 05:11 You know, and you realize that sometimes 05:15 in our lives we have misplaced priorities 05:20 and would begin to neglect prayer. Yes, it's true. 05:22 And when we do that testifies to an 05:25 unsurrendered life, it's what it is. Yes, yes. 05:27 So, the idea was spending hours in prayer 05:31 is just pressing into God's presence, 05:34 that's different than just kind of rushing 05:36 in with your wish list and saying, 05:39 here's what I need Lord, and rushing out, isn't it? 05:40 Prayer, you know, Christianity 05:43 is a relationship. Amen. 05:44 And truth, of course, of God and us. 05:48 And you cannot think of relationship without 05:52 being together. Amen. 05:54 And prayer is, is just that. 05:57 If we rush all the time, the time you spend 06:01 with your friend then that friend start to wonder, 06:04 is he really my friend. Yes. 06:06 If he doesn't have time for me, 06:08 so it is the same thing and even more with God, 06:12 we need to spend time with God, with His word. Amen. 06:18 And listening to His voice and also opening our hearts. 06:24 And tell what is in our heart and listen to Him. 06:28 So prayer is vital and that's why the devil 06:33 sometimes is sending may be not necessarily bad 06:38 things to crowd our days. 06:41 So that, so that we will not have that time 06:46 to connect with God and we'll become weaker 06:50 and weaker and then he can attack us. 06:52 So, we need to protect that time, 06:55 we need to have our priority clear and set. 06:59 Amen, I believe that lot of us, you know, 07:03 have heard it said that prayer is like 07:06 our spiritual breathing, the respiration. Yes. 07:10 And a lot of us have just times of spiritual gasping, 07:14 we gasp for a little air with God. 07:15 But I want to specifically, 07:18 you have a huge division that you, 07:22 God has called you to oversee a very large 07:26 division, it's all of the southern part 07:29 of Africa, not only South Africa 07:31 but all of the southern part of Africa. 07:34 And then all the islands... 07:36 All the islands in the Indian Ocean. 07:37 In the Indian Ocean. 07:39 And God has laid such a responsibility upon you 07:45 and yet you know upon who you depend 07:48 and where your strength and your power comes from. 07:52 When the Lord brought you into this, 07:55 I know you shared a story with me of how you 07:59 were seeking God to see how the work could be 08:02 finished. Yes. 08:03 Please share that story again. 08:05 Yes, as I said, my life is like searching, 08:10 from being a pagan to a Christian 08:14 and then leading me into the truth. 08:18 So, I became a minister of the gospel 08:22 and I knew that there is this great commission. 08:27 And I was wondering what is the key to finish 08:31 the preaching of the gospel, 08:32 because I've three passions in life. 08:35 First, I just wanted to be like Jesus, 08:39 I know I'm still far but that is my goal. 08:42 The second passion in my life is that I want to finish, 08:47 I want to, to be part of the generation 08:50 to finish the preaching 08:51 of the gospel in this generation. 08:53 And the third one is, I want to alive when Jesus comes. 08:59 Of course that is the decision of God, 09:02 but if I given a choice 09:04 I just want to be alive when He comes. 09:07 So, because of that I, I began the searching again. 09:13 The method that I used, that the Lord guided me 09:17 to find the truth, to find a true God. 09:20 I started to study the word of God, 09:23 I started to pray and fast. 09:26 Lord, show me your divine, 09:30 the divine key to finish. What is it? 09:34 Because we don't want to prolong 09:37 our stay here on earth, we don't belong here. 09:41 Our home is heaven. 09:43 So I was praying and wrestling for a few years 09:48 actually, just to, while I was preaching, 09:50 I felt that God must have a key. Amen. 09:55 To, to finish, for the gospel to go faster. 09:59 And I read in the book, the book of Acts for 10:04 example, studied and after a while it was so 10:10 clear in my mind that the Lord has shown 10:16 the key for the preaching of the gospel. 10:19 And I was so happy, I said Lord thank you so much. 10:23 As you guided me, to you to worship you the true God. 10:29 And also to, you have guided me to, 10:32 to know the truth, the truth about 10:35 your commandments, about the true church. 10:40 Here again, after fasting, 10:42 praying and studying the word of God, 10:44 the spirit of prophecy, knelling down, 10:47 asking God guided. 10:50 In a nutshell, just to summarize, 10:56 it is actually to have the Bible, 11:01 the book of Acts of apostle 11:03 to be repeated. And what is... 11:06 So, you're praying for, and you believe God 11:09 wants to see the books of Acts repeated, 11:12 the books of the apostles and the books 11:14 of Acts repeated, is that what you're saying? 11:17 Actually, that is it. 11:18 Because it is, it is a promise that those sins, 11:23 those events will be repeated and Christ 11:26 Himself said in John chapter 14 verse 12, 11:31 that those who believe in Him will do the work 11:35 that he's doing and even 11:37 greatermeaning that is the key. 11:40 God, God did not change His mind. 11:44 Sometimes we are wondering oh, 11:45 what is happening, how come we don't see 11:48 what we are reading in the Bible. 11:51 The powerful things that we read in the, 11:54 in the book of the gospel and the book of Acts. 11:57 No, God, God is still the same and the promise 12:02 is still the same, the commission is still the same. 12:05 So, it is not because of, 12:08 this is what I've discovered. 12:10 It is not because of the message, 12:13 the gospel is still the same. 12:15 It is not because of the method, 12:17 but I realize that because of the 12:22 messenger, the messenger, 12:25 the messenger is the problem. Amen. 12:28 So, as long as we stay the same messenger, 12:33 lack of commitment and we don't pray, we don't, 12:37 we're not connected. 12:38 Then we'll see a smaller result. 12:42 But when we become the messenger, 12:47 filled with the Holy Spirit with prayer 12:50 then God will do it. 12:53 And we can illustrate to this, 12:55 we give an example in, you know a division, 13:01 we have many examples but I'm thinking of one 13:05 brother, who really illustrates this, this truth. 13:11 About the power of prayer, 13:14 the power of the Holy Spirit, 13:17 to finish the preaching of the gospel. 13:20 So, this brother who we're gonna use as an illustration. 13:23 And I already know the story. 13:24 But when, when the Lord prompted you to tell 13:29 your people to pray and fast, 13:32 that would help finish the work. 13:35 You told this division, is this the division 13:37 where there is only 253 members 13:39 and was he a member of that? 13:42 No, actually this brother, 13:46 the Lord also called him from a Non-Christian background. 13:51 And he answered the call of God 13:55 and he became so dedicated into the Lord 13:59 He was a trained science teacher. Okay. 14:03 But he decided to, to become a farmer. 14:07 A farmer to have more time, 14:10 almost into a full time preaching. 14:13 So, God, he knew God, a science teacher 14:16 knew God was calling him. Yes. 14:18 To be a preacher and he didn't have time 14:21 as a scientist or teacher so, he became a farmer. 14:24 Yes, and he is, he is of course he is supporting 14:28 also himself, he is still a lay person. 14:31 And, if we meet with him and, 14:36 and that is the way we're trying 14:38 and this is an answer to prayer. 14:41 Just to show that what the Lord has shown 14:47 as a key to finish the preaching 14:50 of the gospel is true. 14:52 I just want to summarize 14:54 what has happened to this brother. 14:58 He likes preaching, 14:59 but he spends a lot of time praying. 15:04 About a month ago just there are many things 15:07 actually through his ministry, 15:11 the Lord has used him to win at least 21,000. 15:17 Yeah, let's go back before because that is 15:20 such an amazing thing and I want to set this up. 15:22 This is one man... Yes. 15:25 Who as a farmer, became a farmer 15:27 and he went out to start holding campaigns. Yes. 15:31 And he went to an area where there were only 15:33 80 members right? 15:34 Yes, that is the most recent ones. 15:38 So, he went to this area only 80, it's, 15:44 it's a little town where only 80 members. 15:48 So, definitely before going to any 15:53 evangelistic campaign he spends a lot of time praying. 15:57 Seven, up to seven hours a day he is praying. 15:59 Yes, he is praying and getting ready, 16:02 studying the word of God and of course also 16:04 preparing the field, but he spent a lot of time 16:08 praying, asking the power of God, 16:11 the Holy Spirit praying. 16:13 And then he would emerge with this power of God 16:16 and, and goes to, to preach. 16:20 And this time he's just an done amazing thing. 16:23 He went there with this almost hostile environment. 16:28 A sterile environment? 16:29 Well, yes hostile, hostile environment. Okay. 16:32 Yes, an environment where normally, 16:35 humanly speaking... Hostile environment. 16:37 Yes, yes. I'm trying to figure out what you said. 16:38 Yes, yes, yes Okay. Yes. 16:39 A hostile environment. 16:40 Yes, under normal circumstances 16:44 you would not win many souls there, 16:46 but because of the power of God in four weeks, 16:52 the Lord just brought almost three thousand 16:56 souls, and he's not rushing people for baptism. 17:01 Because some of them he put them into baptismal class. 17:05 Right Before baptizing them. 17:06 Let me back up here, 17:07 'cause I want to say something. 17:08 This is a farmer who is now out preaching 17:11 in over a span of years, all over 21,000 17:15 people or nearly 21,000 poeple have come to the Lord. 17:18 Yes, more actually more More than 21,000? Yes. 17:21 Because of this man who is fasting and praying. 17:24 And most recently he went into an area where 17:28 there were 80 members and within four weeks 17:30 of preaching after, after emerging from this time 17:34 of prayer and fasting, within four weeks 17:37 they baptized three thousand people? Yes, yes. 17:40 And he turned some away who he didn't feel were 17:42 prepared? Oh, yes, yes. 17:44 That is the way he does it, he... 17:46 And because of his ministry 253 churches 17:51 have been planted as a result 17:52 of the outgrowth of his ministry. 17:54 No, not in this case Not in this but, 17:57 but before... Not in this case. 17:58 So, he actually because of his ministry it was 52. 52. 18:03 There were 52 churches that he planted. 18:05 Yes, he planted Oh, it's amazing Yes, 18:07 and now the good thing, I mean the unusual thing 18:13 about this is that he is not rushing people for baptism. 18:17 But still people are flocking and not only 18:21 that, we are teaching these people right away 18:26 to win souls, to win over for Christ. 18:29 Not only they stay but they become disciple makers. 18:35 This is what we call fishers of man. All right. 18:38 So let me repeat that to when, 18:40 what he began doing is once 18:42 these 3000 souls were baptized. 18:47 He immediately put them to work to become 18:50 soul winners to introduce Jesus? Yes. 18:53 It wasn't that you had to go to seminary 18:55 and learn everything, but go share your testimony and yes. 18:57 What you know about the Lord God. 18:59 And from that, recently from this fishers of men 19:04 is what they're calling this, 19:05 and it's now throughout the entire area. 19:09 From that campaign that just recently started 19:12 from those 3000. 19:13 You had a special baptism where you were 19:16 going to baptize the people Oh, yes. 19:19 Who were only won, at this baptism, 19:23 only won by new converse. 19:25 And how many people did you baptize? 19:27 And actually that one happened in Angola, 19:30 which is one of countries, 19:32 one of the countries in our division, Angola. 19:36 We, we said, he said in October last year, 19:41 we set a date. 19:42 That Sabbath will be only the Sabbath where 19:46 we are going to baptize those 19:49 who are won by the newly baptized. 19:53 Over 14,000 were baptized. 19:56 Yes. 14,000 people who were won 19:58 by brand new baby Christians. 20:00 Yes, yes Glory of God. 20:01 It was just an amazing, an amazing. 20:05 And this is how we are tying to do. 20:07 We, this is a new program, 20:09 we are still working on it. 20:11 But, throughout our division now we start to have this. 20:17 That's such an exciting thing. 20:18 To be intentional, every time someone, 20:23 someone is baptized. 20:24 We, we trained him or her. 20:28 Actually we, we're trying very hard not 20:31 to have what we call a baptismal kids. 20:34 A baptismal kids where we, we have, we start, 20:39 we start a new convent with a little library. Okay. 20:42 Make sure that it has a Bible. 20:44 Make sure that it has a hymn book. 20:47 And also a book, writings of Ellen G. White 20:50 like Steps to Christ. Yes. 20:52 And then we've a little booklet, 20:53 a book we call it, welcome to the family of God. 20:57 Praise God. It is like an orientation. 21:00 Orientation, how to be, 21:04 how to be a part of this family? Amen. 21:07 And also the, the study guide and how, 21:11 how to win souls for Christ? 21:14 Amen, Dr. Ratsara, this is so exciting now. 21:17 I want to add a quick story 21:19 and then I want to take you to the story, 21:21 our time is running out so fast Yes. 21:22 And there are so many stories you can tell. 21:24 But this particular farmer who has seen over 21:28 21,000 souls come just from fasting and praying 21:32 and being anointed by the Spirit and this has 21:34 happened in such a short time. 21:36 He did so, when you said hostile environment, 21:39 he's had people who tried to poison him 21:42 and through prayer the Lord brought the poison out. Yes. 21:45 He's had other attempts on his life. 21:47 There was someone who was murdered 21:49 and thrown into a river and they tried to blame 21:52 the murder on him. Yes. 21:54 And he prayed for the Lord to vindicate 21:56 his name and to vindicates God's name, 21:59 and the Lord after three days praying, 22:03 actually that body 22:04 that had a 40 pound stone tied to it. Yes. 22:07 Flooded to the top Float, yes, yes. God reversed. 22:10 God reversed Gravitational, 22:12 the law of gravity, I should say. Yes, yes. 22:15 And so he was vindicated and the whole thing is, 22:19 things are happening in your division 22:22 that are so exciting. 22:24 Because people are praying and fasting 22:27 and God is showing Himself to be the same God 22:32 as the God of Peter, the God of Elisha, 22:35 the God of Abraham. Yes, yes. 22:37 He is still in his throne and... He 22:38 is still the same God. He is the same, yes. 22:41 Now, we have just a few minutes. Yes. 22:44 Can you please share 22:46 because I know you're such a man of prayer. 22:47 But I love the story of your brother, 22:50 because we're talking about how God can take 22:53 a handful of people and see such incredible results. 22:57 But just, let's talk personally one on one 22:59 about your prayer for your brother. 23:01 Yes, yeah, you see I, my dad passed away in '92 23:09 and my mom passed away in 2003. 23:12 So, I'm one of those adult orphans. 23:18 And you know while sitting I was the first born male. 23:22 So became like the father of my brother. 23:24 So, this brother of mine, he loved the Lord, 23:30 yeah, he loved the lord and then after a while 23:33 he left the church. 23:35 He left the church and he drifted away. 23:39 And it was painful, but in 2008 that was, 23:46 that was August, it became so painful 23:51 and I said, Lord, here I am preaching the gospel to 23:55 thousands of people, and here my own brother 23:58 who will not spend eternity with you. 24:01 So, I was so sad and I even wept and cried 24:06 and Lord, and then I decided right there. 24:09 I said, Lord, I'm not commanding you, 24:12 I'm just, I'm just, just tenacious. 24:15 But I have this request. 24:18 Lord, by December, that was in August, 24:22 by December bring back my brother, 24:25 I'm not commanding it's, it's according to your will. 24:30 So I prayed, I make it short, I prayed. 24:34 That was August nothing happened, 24:38 September but I continued to pray, 24:41 October, November and I send a message. 24:45 Because I lived in a, I lived in South Africa, 24:48 he lives in Madagascar. 24:50 I send a message, my brother, 24:52 I'm coming can you meet with me, 24:55 I would like to spend some time with you 24:57 because we need to pray and act 24:59 and work at the same time. 25:02 I send that message, I did not get a response. 25:06 I have given him an appointment. 25:08 Finally it was the time to, it was the time to, 25:13 to board the plane and I took that plane 25:16 and I landed and I went to the place of appointment 25:21 with him and of course I, I was wondering. 25:25 I don't know if he would be there or not 25:28 and I approached that place, 25:30 I saw him waiting for me. I was so happy. 25:34 But I had to rush to a meeting and I said, 25:37 my brother, I would like us to, to share my room, 25:42 I would be alone, I will have this meeting, 25:46 after this meeting we will spend time together 25:50 and he went to my room and when I came 25:52 I started with my speech, like the prodigal son, 25:56 I was ready for my speech. 25:57 Started to, to talk to him about him coming 26:01 back and he interrupted me and rejected me, 26:05 you know what he said, something happened to me 26:09 about 15 days ago, there was this urge for me 26:14 in my heart to go back to God and he said, 26:20 I'm back to God now. Praise God. 26:23 I, I laughed a lot. I praised the Lord Amen. 26:29 I was so happy, all the burden in my heart just 26:34 removed and that was more than a year ago. 26:39 Now, he's strong in the Lord Praise God. 26:42 Winning souls, just to say that prayer is so 26:46 important. Amen. 26:48 One of the keys to finish the preaching 26:52 of the gospel is to allow God to use us 26:57 and we get that through prayer, 26:59 through the word of God, and through the, 27:02 the feeling of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 27:06 But we need to spend more time with God. 27:09 That is the key. 27:12 You know, so many things that you've said have 27:14 paralleled how the Lord led me, 27:16 it was when He brought me into really serious 27:20 seasons of prayer, that I knew he was calling me 27:22 to full time ministry. 27:24 And then he as I sought Him and ask Him, Lord, 27:27 what's important, you teach me what you want 27:30 me to teach, he did. 27:31 Dr. Ratsara, thank you so much for being here today. 27:34 I know we just barely touched across 27:37 the surface but we're very grateful 27:39 that you came to inspire us. 27:41 For those of you at home, 27:42 the way this work is going to be finished 27:46 is when we become like the early church. 27:49 When we become like this man who is praying six 27:53 and seven hours a day and going out and witnessing. 27:56 And God is calling us to greater prayer. 28:00 If we want to see greater results, 28:03 God will work greater results by his 28:06 Holy Spirit through our prayer. |
Revised 2014-12-17