Portugal Sees Fruit of Evangelism Efforts

Tears of joy and brokenness flowed as they asked Jesus to come into their lives or to restore them.

People
gathered in the library for prayer with those that committed their
lives and there was sweet harmony as people began to sing “Amazing
Grace.”

And nobody wanted to leave.

“We felt that the
Spirit of the Lord was present and active,” José Pego Guedes said. “We
have great joy for the results expressed in the many decisions for
Christ Jesus.”

Preaching on this Sunday was pastor Josué da Ponte,
the mobilization coordinator for the My Hope Portugal project, who was
only asked at the last minute to preach after the planned speaker’s
father-in-law passed away.

“The Friday before, the church met for
prayer knowing that God chooses to move through the church,” Eunice
Cavaco said. “And when on Sunday the speaker presented a simple message
about the need of having an encounter with God and made the appeal, we
saw one after the other, people leaving their seats and coming forward.
Blessings from God rained today and few eyes were dry amongst us.”

This may have been a precursor of what God has in store for December.
That’s when My Hope Portugal, a country-wide television evangelism
project through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, will air on
national TV in “Matthew” host’s living rooms around the country on the
evenings of Dec. 8, 9 and 10.

In previous weeks, there has been
an increasing prayer movement, from many brothers and sisters in Queluz,
a city of 100,000 just outside of Lisbon. And not just members of the
Baptist Church, but also friends and a faithful ladies prayer group and
many lives are being changed.

“I am not ashamed of confessing
that during the service today I felt some tears,” Carlos Mendes Jorge
said. “Tears of emotion and joy to see what the Lord has done and is
doing in the lives of so many, who had the courage of publicly
confessing Him.”

Used with permission of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.