It’s rainy season in Lagos – its either cloudy or raining. It seems like a perfect setting for the spiritual landscape that lies before me on this trip. It is evident from the very start that we are here on a mission, not vacation, and there is a feeling like a somber cloud that lies over the whole setting. It is here, I believe, that Satan will dig his claws in to hold on to the spiritual grip he has gotten over these people and use that hold to keep revival from spreading across Africa. We are not here for fun; this is war.

We had a couple services in Lagos at the Shepherd’s House where both Cindy and I preached. Great services, filled with the excitement that only comes from the Throne of God. There were many broken hearts that committed themselves to a fresh new fire and to the opening of a new and greater vision to win the lost and prepare the way for a great revival. Everyone was excited and pleaded with us to come back to see the fruits that would be born from these services.

I always wonder when I leave these places. Was it enough? Will that feeling that they have right now stay with them? Will they catch the vision and build the fire? Every place I go, they say the same thing about me returning to see the fruit. They are so full of fire and inspiration that they cannot imagine going back to “church as usual”. But I always wonder.

I really should give people more credit. The stacks of emails I get testify to the hundreds of churches that have been planted, the thousands of souls that are getting saved, and the emergence of a second generation of evangelists and pastors that are out there spreading the fire. It is most definitely working, and working well. It’s not them that I should worry about – it’s me.

The workings of revival that we have seen these last ten years is so incredible to me that I guess I have trouble grasping the reality of what is really happening. Apparently, the people I preach to have no such problem. They get it. Just strike the match and they are off and running. Me, I’m the guy striking the match and I’m still wondering what is going on.

Maybe it’s supposed to be that way. I’ve given up trying to figure it all out. Just keep going. We have a job to do and don’t have time to fool around. We are here to break through the walls of superficial Christianity that Satan has built around the Church, and light a fire that will burn with the zeal of the Holy Ghost. Will we break through? Will these young warriors fan the flames that have been lit? Will they stand the ferocious spiritual warfare that will most assuredly begin to storm against them?

Yeah, I believe they will. There is a zeal and a desperation here driving them that I do not see anywhere else. They are determined to obtain victory. They just need someone to strike the match.
Maybe it is that serious dedication that I see reflected in these cloudy and rainy days. Surely it has to rain before the sunny days of harvest can ever come.

Is that thunder I hear in the distance? Ah, the sound of an abundance of rain.

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The Mombassa Rd. Diaries – April 14th,2012

It is around 11a.m. when the Spirit of the Lord leads me to praise and worship God not knowing that I was being prepared for work that is to come shortly. As soon as I finish praising and worshipping, I turn on my phone and see a missed phone call from a brother who wants me to stop by his home.

Even though we had been meeting casually during my witnessing Jesus along Mombasa Highway, he is bold enough to pour out his heart to me. He and his wife have been childless for some time and due to their desperation for one they went ahead and consulted a witch-doctor whom they thought would solve their problem. He also informs me that after visiting the witch-doctor, he was conned of his mobile phone and driving license by the guy who had promised to get him a job.

Someone he had just met told him of an opportunity for a driving position and therefore asked him to surrender his mobile phone and driving license so that he could make a copy of his license and call the prospective employer. The conman went round the corner pretending he was calling the non-existent employer only to disappear into thin air. At the moment he cannot get employment as a truck driver without a driving license and he asks me to pray with him so that God opens a new door of employment and for his driving license to be returned to him. The other prayer request is for God to give him and his wife to conceive.

Before I leave, I lead this brother to repent his sins especially for going to other gods unknown to him but he declines to get saved arguing that he is baptized. I inform him that baptism by itself cannot remove sins but he is not convinced.

In this century, many people are still consulting other powers and ignoring the true and living God. The fruits of such consultations bring misery to families and individuals. My prayers are for God to send to send revival to Mombasa Highway and then spread to the rest of the country. Many souls are headed for hell and it is our duty to go out there and preach to them as if we are dying people preaching to dying people. Amen

Brother Pius

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Mombassa Road Diaries – the Enemy Strikes Back

In December 2010, I visited .a couple that lives in the rural area and that is deeply involved in witchcraft. The purpose of  that visit was to witness Jesus Christ for the two to be saved. The couple was very eager to hear the word of God and interested in knowing how I had come to receive Christ as my Lord and Savior. By the way, both are child-hood friends. Although the two keenly followed my witnessing, they were not convicted to turn away from their evil ways. The wife is the one who practices witch-craft with the full support of her husband although they talk as if they know nothing about the evil practice. I leave promising to go back later.

 Indeed, I went back to them a year later. The homestead of this couple is enclosed by a hedge with an open gate. Poverty is evident everywhere inside this homestead. Unbaked mud bricks have been used to put up the walls of the simple rooms referred to here as “houses” while rusted iron sheets cover the roofs. In rural   areas, majority of families use pit latrines which are usually built outside of houses but within the same compound. By the look of things, it is obvious no pit latrine exists here. On this day[December 24th,2011],I walk confidently towards the homestead and as I enter through the gate, all of sudden I notice three small emaciated dogs rushing towards me and within no time, they are all over me. The one in front tries to sink her teeth into my right leg but since I am wearing a pair of heavy corduroy pants, his teeth can only leave marks that do not require medical attention. When I realize one of the other two dogs is attacking me from behind, I swing one of my feet – I can’t remember whether it was the left or right – hitting and sending him screaming. The third one could not stand the heat so he has to leave like the rest. The lady witchdoctor comes to give me first-aid but I decline. As I am leaving the homestead, I notice a mature dog rushing at me but this time I take no chances. I pick up a stone and hit him so hard he retreats screaming.

 The enemy will do anything to discourage us from expanding the kingdom of God but it is up to us charge on without fear. Though I was not able to witness that day, I was given another chance to witness to them last December but the couple was very hostile. I believe the powers of the darkness are fully entrenched in this family so I will  keep on praying so that Jesus can be set them free.

 Brother Pius    

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The Mombasa Road Diaries – April 9th

Witnessing is not smooth-sailing because at times the enemy resists evangelizing by using souls to disrupt me so that others do not hear messages which could save them. One such incident took place today in the sand heaps of Mombasa Highway near Mlolongo town.
I come to a group of about seven. These sand loaders are taking it easy as they wait for sand trucks so that they can load or unload sand. No sooner have I arrived than some get up and leave but not before I hear some using vulgar language as others smoke cigarettes while others engage in horse-play. One can see the enemy at work among the members of this group. As I am getting ready to get started, one young man, without looking at me straight in the eyes, comments that everyone has heard the Word. He continues rambling on that he did not go school; therefore, he did not want to listen to me. He appeared to be bitter with himself. I said nothing to him and within a short time, he calmed down and I was able to start preaching on the first commandment from Exodus 20:1-6.
As mentioned in an earlier entry, this area is known for people who consult witch-doctors so that they can get more work than others. One of the loaders has testified there have been times when business was low and they would ask me to pray with them and business would improve. Therefore, some appreciate seeing me there and wish I did not leave because of the messages that I deliver to them.

As I move on with the message only a few are looking up, but most are looking down, on the sides or into the sky. Still others are scratching their heads while others lie down and I am not sure if they are listening or not. I teach revival urging my listeners to turn away from other gods unknown to them and turn to the only true and living God or else they will perish and go Hell. As I finish the message, I ask if anyone would like to receive salvation but no one comes forward. I finish with prayers and leave. This place needs revival and I will keep praying so that God can send spiritual awakening here, among other places I mention in my prayers.

Down the highway, I come to a soul that can be compared to the Prodigal Son. A young man sits by himself against a wall about ten meters from the main highway in Mlolongo town. His arms are folded and his eyes fixed on the highway. He opens up and narrates how something forced him not to finish all the papers in his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination. This exam is very pivotal in one’s life in Kenya because without a certificate from high school, one cannot proceed to college. Usually students are under pressure from their parents to perform, and when some feel they are not up to the task, they either skip the exams, but others take it a step further and commit suicide. Meanwhile, someone reported to his parents that the young man was skipping exams. His parents were unhappy with him so he decided not to go home. I could see that he was very uncomfortable with my asking him where he spends his nights. It appears there is something in him which is not Godly. Finally, he receives Christ. My advice to him is to go back to his parents and ask for forgiveness. We agreed we meet on the evening of the following day, but come that day he was nowhere to be seen. About five meters from this young man, another soul had received Christ earlier and promised to come to our church the following, but he did not.

Brother Pius

PS – write me if you would like:  mutungi25@yahoo.com

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The Mombasa Road Diaries – April 8th

April 8th, 2012

What I have come to realize is that God has many ways of using his people as long as they are willing vessels. On this Sunday, church service ends in the afternoon and as I take a ride to the Nakumatt supermarket, I do not know what lies ahead. The sky is cloudy and a bit chilly as I alight from a “matatu” (small bus) to walk to the supermarket.

As soon as alight from the vehicle, I notice about four people standing around a fellow lying on the ground. Out of curiosity, I move closer to see what the problem could be. The soul on the ground is gasping for air and words coming out of his mouth could hardly be heard. Beside him is an empty ventilating inhaler and immediately I know that he is asthmatic. The good Samaritans who have been assisting him show me a piece of paper with a mobile number on it. This number belongs to the asthmatic guy’s uncle but he cannot be reached. The guy continues to struggle with breathing. I take over and lead him to receive Christ. The two good Samaritans leave and the victim is in my hands. I keep trying his uncle’s number but there is no answer. I was later to learn from this soul that the uncle is a pastor and could be in church as we continue calling him. I should mention that the two good Samaritans left some money with me for buying another inhaler.

As I continue helping this man, I notice a smartly-dressed couple, who look like they have just come from a church service, approach us and address me as a pastor. They enquire what the problem is and the man digs into his pocket and gives be two hundred shillings to buy medicine for the ailing guy. He also transfers airtime worth one hundred shillings into my phone so that I can call the fellow’s uncle. I also transfer the money (including my contribution) given by the good Samaritans to the new believer.    Out there, there are still good people willing to go out of their way to help those in need.

It is now the two of us and I have to find a way of taking him to a place downtown to board a vehicle to his home. He is very weak and I have to hold his hand as we walk towards the Nyayo intersection. We have to stop every few steps for him to catch his breath. He suggests I take him to a church where he can find more assistance.  One church comes into mind and it is Christ Embassy Church right behind Nakumatt supermarket. There we find   two brothers who listen to the woes of this man and I am relieved to hear that he is in safe hands.

In the evening I call his brother but he is still unavailable. I call him again the following morning but he sounds not interested so I leave him alone.

Brother Pius

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Dawn

It’s been a while since I wrote a column. Many of you probably wonder if I had fallen off the edge of the Earth, but I have simply been walking through a dry desert, trudging to the end of the valley.  Down there at the end of valley I can see sunshine (or rather Sonshine) – I can feel dawn beginning to break and fingers of Light beginning to pierce through the desolate landscape.

Lately I’ve been listening to the reports of many of those whom I have ministered to begin take their place as the Gideon Generation. Jonathans, as in 1Samuel 14, are climbing the rocks to claim their heritage in God. A new generation of heroes are taking up the challenge to believe God and take Him at His Word. The harvest that has been long awaited is beginning to grow up and break through the clods of fallow ground.

One young man in Kenya was full of zeal to start a church and become a pastor, but I had counseled him rather to go get a job and start at the bottom and wait upon God. He did just that. It started with taking time during his break and praying with other members at his work. Then he began to stand up on the bus he was riding to work to witness to everyone on the bus. People got saved and encouraged.  Then more people began doing the same and began to infiltrate the morning bus rides into a series of mobile churches. The prayer group began to grow, and then spread. Now people from other companies are coming to the fellowship that takes place at his job. Even the bosses are beginning to promote it. There’s no telling what can happen when a man allows God to do the growing.

Another brother had no church to go to, so he began to walk down a certain highway and simply speak a word to those that he found along the road. Soon people were expecting his daily ministering, and others came out looking for him. Just like the warmth of a morning sun, the glow from the Gospel is beginning to warm this previously ice cold highway in Nairobi. His daily journal, the Mombasa Road Diaries, can be read at: https://garris.wordpress.com.

Then there are the testimonies from churches in Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda of churches that have taken the message of revival to the streets because they were no longer content to sit idly by while the world slides off into Hell. Churches have doubled, tripled, and quadrupled. And where there was no church, churches have been planted.  Thousands of souls have changed their eternal destination, hundreds have seen debilitating diseases washed away in the Blood of Jesus, and a countless number of poor people have been set free by Heaven-sent deliverances that have broken the shackles of Satan’s demonic grip.

The ground has been broken up, the seeds planted and watered with tears, and slowly the harvest is beginning to break free from the confines of the earth.

Revival is coming.

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