The Roar of the Lion
Our second group to Brazil this summer came from two different churches, one in Livingston, Tennessee and the other in Dahlonega, Georgia. These two United Methodist churches sent their youth to find the presence of God and to worship the Lord.
One evening as we drove to a small church, I prayed to God, asking what could be done to release this group from what was hindering them. Something had to happen so that they would turn their minds to Jesus and not to themselves. There was one young man in the group who especially burdened me, since he was an intern. The problem was that his brilliant mind kept getting the best of him. He could not stop asking questions, as his brain insisted upon knowing and understanding everything before any faith could be applied.
After a one-hour trip, we arrived at our destination, a poor church made up of three walls and a stage. The young preacher introduced himself to me, telling me he had been called to serve the Lord in one of my services 15 years ago.
The band began a song which lasted 45 minutes. The music was so loud that my mother could have heard it 40 miles away! Since the kids were clapping and praising, I decided to just relax and let it happen. The young men leading the music were without shoes and frequently faced the back wall as they played, where it was written in Portuguese, “You are entering the territory of the Lion - The Lion of Judah!”
In about an hour, the young pastor took the microphone and began to shout
at the top of his lungs,” I release upon you the anointing of the lion, the man, the calf and the eagle!” I thought to myself, “These are the four living creatures of Revelation 4:7.” Soon my intern began to move toward the altar to pray for the people who were standing there. In a matter of one hour, he was roaring like a lion at the top of his lungs. His voice echoed across the church. At least 100 others were jumping, singing and dancing with all their might. The power of God was being felt by the entire group.
As you know, I am open to new experiences, but I wasn’t sure about this one. “What am I going to tell his dad when we get home?” I thought to myself. Should I simply yell “Pepsi,” which is the signal for the group to get on the bus, and get out of there?
Eventually, the pastor brought the congregation to silence and we began to receive the evening offering. I thought that this was good order and things would quiet down a bit. The praise team began to sing, and then something happened which I have seen only one time in my 30 years of mission work: children from all over the church began to come to our team, laying hands on each one of us. These were small children - some of them only four or five years old.
The children praying for us stayed at it for 10 minutes, insisting in prayer. As the music began to crescendo, my intern once again roared like a lion, ruling over the ground and over himself.
Well, you might ask, “Rick Bonfim, what are you doing with our young people, letting them become like animals in a church service?” I agree with you. It was a total surprise to me as well.
We left that night after eating very thin pizza served to us by the church. I took a look at the intern and saw that peace was all over him. This Georgia Tech senior had had an encounter with the Almighty God which had set him free from his mind. How could I interfere with that? This young man is now seeking to serve the Lord full-time. Going to seminary is in his agenda and he will be a powerful United Methodist minister somewhere. He will be led by faith and his zeal for the Lord Jesus Christ, and not only by his brain.
God can deliver, heal, baptize, and save any way He desires! Many others had a similar experience on this trip. Let me invite you to come with us to Brazil and see what God can do in your life!
Rick Bonfim
Edited By Betty McKinney
Well, Rick, even someone as mature as we are can learn something new as how God can reach this generation for Jesus. I’m in a church with loud music, but God has adjusted me so the young people can come to the Lord. Praise God for His ways which are higher than our ways!
Comment by Frank Appel — July 10, 2006 @ 5:25 am
Wow! And Praise God!! Come Holy Spirit upon us…release us! Thanks for a great report!
Comment by Randy F carnley — July 10, 2006 @ 6:04 am
Dear Rick,
I praise God for His ability to work through all and press through ALL until He reaches the heart. I, too, have had encounters with the living God in small churches in Brazil. He doesn’t operate the way we may expect–He is no respector of persons!! Praise the Lord. May the Lord continue to press each of us to know Him more fully. May He continue to pursue our youth with the Fire of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord continue to bless you and Mary Lucy and your ministry with endurance, peace and prosperity. Take care and God bless. Love, Denise
Comment by Denise Nichols — July 10, 2006 @ 6:32 am
Rick and Betty,
What a great story about the faithfulness of God, and a church flowing in the Spirit, not the presupositions of man. Thank you, Rick, for always letting God reign, and not human agendas…
Love you!
Craig
Comment by Craig Green — July 10, 2006 @ 7:06 am
How exciting. I’d love to have been there to see you perplexed!!! (Doesn’t happen often) May God’s anointing continue to strengthen in this and every group and lives be changed for God’s glory and their purpose in God’s plan!! Blessings and supernatural energy to you and Betty and team. Love to Mary Lucy,your great helpmate!!
Comment by Mary B.Rice — July 10, 2006 @ 12:13 pm
Rick, I have found that sometimes the Sovereign God (nay, all the time!) does what He wants to do. I remember this same experience at a meeting with a parachurch group meeting at Baker High School in Columbus.
I have had somewhat of the same experience as the young man, but this was concerning being “slain in the Spirit. I wasn’t against it, but simply couldn’t find any scriptural admonition for it. I had been to meetings in which the preacher literally tried to push people down to emulate the workings of the Spirit. During the height of the Brownsville Revival we carried a van load of my church members, and I told them on the way down there, “If you see me on the floor, you’ll know that it’s real because no jack=leg preacher is going to push me down!” To make a long story short, a man in the prayer team touched me (I think) and it was like having my ankles give way and grabbing 2 220 volt wires at the same time! I lay on the floor for an hour. After I tried to stagger back to the bus (It was nearly 1:00 a.m.) it happened all over again. I couldn’t even speak in English for over an hou r, but God cured my skepticism right then and there. I still haven’t found th e text that says, “Thou shalt be slain in the Spirit”, but I know that God has more for us than we can ever imagine, or even find in the Bible. Didn’t John mention about all the things Jesus did not being able to be putin a book? Same principle today. How about the gold-dust bit that was going for a while? Hadn’t found that one either, but I know, as many of you have found oout, that it’s real. Praise God, we serve a Sovereign God who moves at His will. We Methodists, within our emphasis on free-will need to balance out the doctrine with some “sovereignty of God” thinking, amen? Praise God, and may the lion anointing be upon those whom God selects to be special recipeints of His grace. Eyes have not seen, not ears heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man those things that God has prepared for those who love Him - even on good old Terra Firma!
Comment by Eric Sizemore — July 11, 2006 @ 6:31 am
WOW!
THAT’S THE BEST THING I’VE HEARD IN QUITE SOME TIME.
LESS US AND MORE HIM.
Jan Blomberg
Comment by Jan Blomberg — July 25, 2006 @ 11:42 am