On June 8th, 1981 I was praying at the end of day with Tania. I had been reading a mission book called Bruchko and it had stirred my heart. That day I had been wondering if this was of God and “mission” was for us. We started praying. That night I started praying in my prayer language, in tongues. Sometimes I did that, sometimes I prayed in English. Well that Monday night it was like the Holy Spirit took over my prayer. Within seconds I was sitting on the bed, aware of what was happening but seemingly it was not me who was praying. It was the Holy Spirit. I suddenly started groaning, crying, sighing, moaning and uttering sounds from deep within. That kept going for maybe 10 minutes. Tania was sitting on the bed and wondering what had happened to her husband. This was very unusual. She probably thought she had a right to question my sanity.
At the end of the time I turned to Tania and said “God is leading us to the mission field, I know it.” Then my rational side kicked in. Do you have a spiritual side and a rational side like me? I know you do because you are body, soul and spirit. I found myself praying – “Lord confirm that this book is part of Your will for us.” I was sure something had just happened of a spiritual nature but I want confirmation of it. After praying I thought to myself, “Well that was a dumb thing to pray Ian. How is He going to confirm the book?” That was Monday night. Wednesday night I went off to cell group. At the end of the evening the woman of the house (Yvonne) asked to speak to me and said she had something to share with me that God had told her. She came out with a magazine turned to a book review of the book “Bruchko”. She said “Here Ian, God said to give this to you.”
Wow the Holy Spirit was sure working that Monday night in me and then some more in Yvonne on Wednesday as He spoke to her about showing me that page of the magazine. That’s what happened and so I share it to help peel back the meaning and the possibilities for you. I will share the second part of that story (Yvonne’s part) with you tomorrow again to give you insight into prayer and the Spirit’s leading and work within us. Unless I get hordes of protests that I am messing with the Bible Gems in a way you don’t like.