Last month when we were in Cambodia, we helped teach English in the evenings. We met Ty (pronounced Tee) at the resort where we were staying. He volunteers his time teaching junior high and high school students and asked if we wanted to join him. Within a few days he had handed his classroom over to us and we were given free reign.
In the beginning, we started with simple vocabulary words and verbs. Soon we recognized the opportunity we had to use the classroom to share the Gospel with the students.
We started by telling the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son in Luke 15. This gave us the opportunity to explain the concept of lost and found and the aspect of celebration, which would later come into play as we shared the Gospel.
In the days leading up to our last night, a few of my teammates worked on writing the Gospel in terms the students with limited English could understand while still maintaining its integrity. Ty also graciously translated it into Khmer so the students could read it in their own language for better comprehension.
That night began with our team arriving early and praying at the school, for the students, over the classroom, around the property, inviting Holy Spirit to come and reign down in that place and bring clarity and understanding. Then the students came and we began to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Shortly after beginning, I heard it start to rain on the tin roof. I knew if the storm came in full force it would mean the students couldn’t hear what my teammates and I wanted to share with them. I grew angry as I recognized it as an attack from the enemy. He feared us sharing the Gospel with these students and he wanted to thwart our efforts, but I wasn’t going to let that happen so easily.
Immediately I left the schoolroom, stepped outside under the awning, and began petitioning our Creator to move the storm around the school property and not through. We wanted His Name declared in that place, His glory to be shown, and we needed Him to do it that night by moving the storm away so His Gospel could be shared.
I spent the next hour praying and watching God move the storm around the property. I worshiped the Lord at seeing His power over His creation. I prayed for my teammates as they shared the Gospel. I interceded for the hearts of the students that they would receive Truth that night.
At different points throughout the hour, the rain would come again and so I would again declare the storm away, and in less than a minute each time the rain would cease. I am convinced that it should have rained heavy all night that night, but God showed His love towards those students, and His power over creation, by moving the storm around the school that night so His love could be communicated to the students.
That was an amazing night for me as I spent time with the Father and experienced firsthand the power of prayer. It was also an incredible night as my teammates shared the fulness of the Gospel, how we are all lost, but God has made a way for us to be found, and when we are, He throws the biggest celebration.
So where are you at today? Do you believe in the real, actual power of prayer? Have you experienced it yourself? I encourage you to pray big, bold prayers and watch Jesus show up. He is there and He is listening.
