Testimonies of answered prayer

God provided for us through individuals and families. One time we gave almost all our food to the O. people during a food shortage. One day remained before we finished our food, and that day a girl we didn’t know purchased food and sent it to us from a far town.

Another time we were invited to pray for a sick woman who was about to die. During prayer, she instantly got well. Word spread and others also started requesting prayers for the sick. God healed several more people.

— missionary in Northern Kenya

One day I met with a new Arab Muslim convert whom I was discipling. He was a refugee from Libya, and of Egyptian nationality. He was desperate and had lost everything, even his passport. After speaking with this new believer and friend, he told me he still has hope in God.

We talked about Jesus together and I asked what we could pray for him. He said he desperately wanted to return to his country of Egypt. But he did not have the money or a passport. I told him that even if this situation is beyond us, we can present it to God, since nothing is impossible for Him.

After the prayer he felt happier and so did I. After just a few days, to my great surprise, he contacted me, glorifying the Lord that finally he was in Egypt and that he also found a community of believers!

— Burundian missionary in Tunisia

“Brother, if you would enter that province, you must go forward on your knees” – J. Hudson Taylor, missionary to China

The team of Japanese missionaries landed on the island of Buuzu by pure accident. They had to sail to one island, but a strong wind forced them to change course, so they came to Buuzu.

Ibraimu was there when they landed. The missionaries brought a strange message. Being a Muslim, Ibraimu wasn’t interested to follow Jesus Christ. But his village needed water and a school. Over time, the missionaries helped them dig a well and build a school.

The missionaries talked about Jesus as Saviour, but Ibraimu knew Jesus was the Saviour of Israel only. His Muslim teacher confirmed that belief. The missionaries challenged him to read Matthew 28:18-20 and Quran Sura 3. After three weeks of searching and praying, he realized the truth – Jesus was indeed his Saviour from sin. He knew he needed a Saviour. He believed and was baptized together with his family.

— Report of Japanese missionaries in Mozambique

In 1977 when I was at primary school, I was having problems with my eyes, I was struggling to see. I was taken to hospital, but when the doctor examined me, he told me he couldn’t find any medical reason for the problem. That evening I happened to meet with an Africa Inland Church (AIC) evangelist called Samuel, who invited me to a gospel meeting. I went forward for prayer at the end. We prayed for healing and it was given! I gave my life to Jesus and decided I wanted to give myself to his ministry.

— Frances Manungu in Tanzania (www.eu.aimint.org)

After Constance attended our annual “prayer day for the nations” in 2013, a great passion for the unreached was birthed in him, and he has remained faithful till today with our prayer team. He had 40 prayer cards for unreached peoples. An important and interesting aspect of his passion was when he decided to go on a 40-day fast and prayer for the peoples represented in the prayer cards. He does a one-day fast for each people group each year. Today by the special grace of God, he has relocated to another town where he is planting a church.

— From an AIM prayer team leader

When one says ‘yes’ to God, you never know exactly where and how those plans will unfold. God has been so gracious to us in these years of ministry within The Salvation Army. Saying ‘yes’ has grown and stretched me beyond my comfort zone and I have learnt lessons about God and myself.

A way God has answered prayers in a big way has been through our medical care. One of my greatest fears was not having medical coverage through our organization. My heart’s prayer has been that this would not hinder our ministry. In every aspect God has been so faithful; we have always had access to doctors at the right time.

This has showed me over and over that God takes care of the small things. He hears and honours the desires of our hearts. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘YES’!

— Lynn Zola, South African missionary in Namibia

I served four years in North Africa with my family as a missionary. The country was majority Muslim, with an ever widening gap between the rich and the poor. The corrupt police defrauded taxi drivers. Sanitation was almost nonexistent. Sunday was a national working day. The situation called for desperate action. So, the Christian leaders prepared a comprehensive prayer list covering every possible national concern, and mobilized the few evangelical churches in the capital to begin 40 days of fasting and spiritual warfare.

The result of this fast was astonishing. In the same week we started praying about the corruption of the police, the taxi drivers went on strike. Upon investigation, the government ordered the police off the roads immediately and the checkpoints were removed, to the relief of everyone.

Also, in the week we were praying about the sanitation in the city, about 50 big refuse-collection trucks donated by Israel moved around the city clearing the refuse. Our final surprise came when the President announced the changeover to a Saturday-Sunday weekend. The country was making this change after 30 years of a Friday- Saturday weekend. This is the power of fasting, prayer and spiritual warfare.

— Joseph Mensah, Ghanaian missionary in North Africa (originally told in AfriGO story God has taught us to pray in Vol 2:2)

Photos by AIMStories