When you buy a home, a car, a refrigerator, a cell phone, what are you
looking for? Results that last. Dependability for the long haul. Yet when many
people support charities or Christian ministries, they often think of none of
these factors. They should. Whether you’re committing to a material investment
or donating tithes and offerings, lasting results should be considered. Which brings
me to a Russian man named Vitali. I first met him in September, 2011 when I
spoke in Poltovskaya (Krasnodar region), Russia. I had taken a ferry from
Crimea, which has been much in the news since Russia invaded and took control
in early 2014. This was our first ministry venture into Russia.
During the Poltovskaya seminar, the enthusiasm of the crowd was
electrifying. Hundreds sought deliverance, but I concentrated on a 27-year-old
man named Ivan. I later learned that he had recently been released from three
years in prison for drug dealing and violence. It took eight of the biggest and
strongest men in the room to control Ivan’s demons of Murder, Hate, and
Witchcraft. When he was finally freed after a lengthy battle, his soft demeanor
was a sharp contrast to the belligerence of his demons. At the end of the
seminar, before I left for Moscow, a young couple made a special request. They
asked me to officiate at their marriage ceremony the next day. At first I
thought I’d say a short prayer, but they wanted me to do the whole wedding,
traditional Russian style.
Fast forward to our most recent mission to Ukraine, teaching, for an entire
week, more than 1000 students at the New Generation Bible College. Among the
students was Vitali. During a class break he approached me and explained that
he was the man for whom I had performed the wedding ceremony in Poltovskaya,
six years ago. Vitali shared an update. He and his wife are very happily
married “and happier every year.” They are making plans to adopt
children. “At first when I saw you at the seminar, I was afraid to come
near to you. But then I saw your kind eyes we started to cry,” he said.
“We knew then that we wanted you to perform our ceremony.”
Then, Vitali shared the best part. “I and my wife are now pastors and
have four churches in Krasnodar region. We do healing encounters and
deliverance ministry. Thank you, pastor Bob. It is a great honor to know
you.” Then a smile came across his face as he said, “When I tell
people that Pastor Bob did our wedding ceremony, they know that when I pray for
them they have to get rid of their demons.”
Six years later, results that last.
An encouraging word: HOW RICH ARE YOU?
I am truly blessed! I have farmers
all over the world who grow food for me, and people who ship it to convenient
locations. Teams of people design and manufacture technological devices to make
my life easier. I have air conditioning, clean hot and cold running water, a
box in my kitchen that heats up food almost instantly — all this without the need
to haul wood and build a fire. The list goes on and on. As Americans, we take
for granted so many amazing blessings that happen in our life on a daily basis.
But it is easy to complain about the smallest discomfort or inconvenience. 1 Timothy 6:6 says that “Godliness with
contentment is great gain.” Let’s take our eyes off of ourselves today and
reach out to those who are truly less fortunate by sharing our blessings and
God’s message of hope, love and freedom.
Bob Larson has trained
healing and deliverance teams all over the world to set the captives free and
Do What Jesus Did® (Luke 4:18). You can partner with Bob and support this
vision to demonstrate God’s power in action
By Bob Larson
Teaching a Generation How to Wage Spiritual War!
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