The burnt-down Church building that became the BUILD-UP Church Building. An inspiring story. Part 1 of 3. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."…1 Peter 2: 4 to 6
I had the privilege to visit South Sudan during January 2016. God opened the way to meet with TWO new strategic partner groups, Greater Reach Alliance and International Aid Services, at ONE place in South Sudan. Sharing with you in this article an amazingly inspirational story in spite of evil intended against the people of God. From the ashes God is rebuilding a burnt-down Church building through the cooperation his people.
We had a four day meeting held at a Church building of one of the congregations at the Yida Refugee Camp. Starting on the Wednesday, we had our first three days of meeting, ready to do the last day meeting on the Saturday. On the Friday evening, at the camp where we stayed, we heard the news: THE CHURCH BUILDING (where the team met the past three days) HAD BEEN BURNT DOWN!
The team immediately came together to pray. God gave peace and joy in spite of works the enemy to burn down the Church building. We realized that the next day we would be watched very closely by the community in which this happened for how we would respond to this human tragedy.
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| The Church building that we had our meetings were burnt-down. |
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| Burning Church building |
The next morning we walked to the site of the burnt-down Church building. We saw and recorded what we observed.
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| Still burning the next morning. |
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| Still burning. TT taking pictures |
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| The Church building burnt down but the cross stands |
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| Received this prophetic word in my spirit: "From the ashes beauty will arise". | |
We then moved onto our place of meeting. What a wonderful surprise awaited us. In a temporary tent structure, the meeting continued. This was the last day of our four day gathering.
What happened then was just amazing. It was clear that these Christians, who had lived under persecution in Sudan for so long, understood the truths about Christ Jesus taught about persecution infinitely more than us, coming from the outside, who have not really been directly exposed to it.
This was certainly one of the biggest praise parties that I've ever attended. The Christians gathered at the Church building clearly UNDERSTOOD, SAID and LIVED the TRUTH the THE BUILDING IS NOT THE CHURCH, THE BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, THE CHRISTIANS ARE THE CHURCH.
[Refer also to the Scripture above that confirms that Christ Jesus is the corner stone of the building and we as believers are the living stones.]
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| We then had an amazing time of celebrating the TRUTH of God's word, the Bible and giving PRAISE and WORSHIP to Jesus. What the enemy intended for evil, God turned for good. |
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| Believers from Sudan and South Sudan giving PRAYER, PRAISE and WORSHIP to Jesus. Through this persecution, their faith did not decrease, it INCREASED dramatically. |
Bottom-line: Physically the persecution of the evil committed through Sudan is NOT good, but SPIRITUALLY it brings in a great harvest of believers; many turn to Christ Jesus.
