At our World Race launch back in August 2018, Shelby and I were reviewing our countries, stating our excitement for each one… well… except for Malaysia. I remember we commented how we would rather see Morocco or India or Nepal. We had no idea what was in Malaysia, and honestly we weren’t interested in finding out.
How funny it is to think about that now! Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia immediately and permanently became one of my favorite places in the entire world.
I have so many things I want to share about Malaysia. So, I’ll start with one story, and hopefully I will have time to tell another:
One of the most important pursuits I have ever made of one soul was in Malaysia. There was a man there who was incredibly tough. He pushed people away in viciously rude ways, frequently coped with substances, and he could often act out of anger and be mean. He was told his whole life he wasn’t welcome, wasn’t redeemable, and wasn’t good. The result is that he truly believed he was evil. He was kicked out of the church many, many years ago for something he shouldn’t have been. He (like all of us) is walking in so much brokenness and sadness. He lost sight of hope.
God called Shelby and I to spend a month of our lives with him. It was crystal clear where we were supposed to be, and who we were supposed to spend our time with: the man in Malaysia.
The change I saw in him was incredible. Incredible. Over the month, he opened up. He let us in. He welcomed us into his life. We became friends! We spent so much time together, and shared so many meals, and went dancing so many times. We shared so, so many incredibly fun and good moments together.
Two nights before we left, I asked to pray out loud for him. He was adamant, and said I couldn’t and shouldn’t. For forty minutes he listed things that he’d done that disqualified him from even receiving a prayer. I could feel the enemy stirring, trying to ensure brokenness and ruin would destroy the opportunity for him to be prayed over. It was intense to say the least.
Guided by the Holy Spirit, I looked this man in the eyes and told him I was going to pray over him. I stood firm in spiritual authority, and refused to let these spirits who tormented him take away this moment of reconnection with God. It felt like I was a single, valiant warrior coming up against an army, and I knew I was going to win. It was one of the most incredible and powerful moments I have ever experienced, fighting for this man’s freedom… it was Christ and I versus a legion of spirits, and the victory was already ours.
The man stood in silence during the entire prayer.
The last night we were in Malaysia, I went to say goodbye to him. Tears filled his eyes and he kissed me on the cheek and thanked me for praying for him.
It turns out, he’s never been prayed over before. At least for a very, very long time NO ONE has prayed over him: the church kicked him out when he was young and he has only been served hate ever since. He was astonished to learn that not only did I pray over him, but that Shelby and I had been praying for him too.
And because Shelby and I had the courage to pursue a person that no one else had EVER pursued, we got to witness evil in his life lifted. We got to see a man experience hope for the first time in decades.
You should have seen his eyes. Everything about his presence changed after that prayer. His eyes were SO different… they had a spark in them!
It was one of the most important things I have ever been a part of.
Malaysia was a frustrating and BEAUTIFUL journey, and I got to see a man come alive after walking around dead for so long.
Keep the man in Malaysia in your prayers. I want him in our Kingdom. I want him in Heaven. I want to see him be fully set free from the things that have held him captive for over 40 years. I want my brother to know Jesus.
