The Power of the Blood of Jesus in Abakaliki
Written by: Peter van den Berg
05 December 2007
Redemption and Cleansing Through Christ
The huge crowd remained silent as Bonnke explained one of the most thrilling and overlooked truths about the blood of Jesus. ‘It marks those who trust in Christ, and distinguishes them from everybody else. ‘Internally, Externally and Eternally! It reaches right into the depths of our being.’ His blood is the secret of victory!’ When Reinhard Bonnke arrived in Abakaliki, the state governor, Dr. Martin Elechi, excused himself from a function with the President of the Republic in order to personally welcome Bonnke to Ebonyi state. He also suspended all state activities during the crusade week so that civic workers could attend the event–such was the level of expectation prior to the start of the crusade. Before the crusade got under way, Pastor Paul Nwachukwu of Grace of God Mission commented that, “Bonnke and his team go to places in Nigeria where others don’t go because they are considered ‘too difficult’ for evangelism but then Bonnke holds a huge crusade and afterwards the churches are overflowing with new converts. Abakaliki is such a place.”
From Dust to Destiny
But at the very start of the meetings it became quickly apparent that the whole place was eagerly anticipating the crusade as tens of thousands arrived on the very dusty field for the first meeting. The ground was so dry that during every meeting great clouds of dust rose above the worshiping and dancing crowd as if the earth itself was joining the great chorus of praise to heaven. Every night after the Gospel message multitudes responded to the salvation call and the thousands of personal workers then connected each respondent to the church-based follow up program. In one of the meetings a former witchdoctor stood on the platform after bringing all his witchcraft items to be burned, and told the crowd of how he and all his household of fifty-nine members had repented and dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ just the night before. Even though the ground was physically dry and dusty, a mighty eternal harvest was being reaped.
Miracles Authenticate the Gospel
An Outpouring of Miracles’ well describes the magnitude of what happened at the end of each meeting as scores of people lined up to testify about the wonderful healings that they had received in answer to prayer. Each time a testimony rang out the crowd roared it’s approval and sang praises to the Lord. After one of these meetings, when asked if he was a healing evangelist, Reinhard Bonnke replied, “this is not a signs and wonders show, but there is a higher purpose... salvation... Miracles are an authentication of the Gospel and not an end in themselves.” Mrs Mary Nchukwu had suffered a stroke four years previously and since that time she had great difficulty walking and lost the ability to speak clearly. She had been a singer all her life and totally lost the ability to sing a single note. She attended the crusade with her family and on the very first night when Reinhard Bonnke prayed a single prayer for all those in the crowd who needed a healing, she reports that she felt a warm sensation moving over her body and then right after that, she could walk well and her speech impediment disappeared. Her family came with her as she pushed through the crowd toward the platform to testify about what had happened to her. It was only when she actually stood on the platform to testify about her healing that she realized for the first time that she could now sing. And sing she did, with Reinhard Bonnke and the whole crowd joining her in the celebration and giving glory to the Lord. After four years with a stroke inflicted speech impediment that made her sing, Mary sang out praises to the one who had healed her – Jesus!
Anointed for Service
Each morning during the week, just under twenty thousand pastors and church workers attended the Fire Conference which culminated in a great anointing meeting as the fire of the Holy Spirit fell on everyone present. Later in the week, at a state banquet organized by the governor of the state for Reinhard Bonnke and the CfaN team, it was made public that a new United Nations designed city development would be built in the vicinity of the crusade site and that it would include a ‘Reinhard Bonnke Avenue’ in honor of the visiting evangelist. At the end of the week, the Rt. Rev. Godfrey Agupusi, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, summed it all up by saying that, “It was a yoke breaking, city shaking, demon chasing and soul-winning crusade!”