Travelling from village to village in Africa is rarely a mundane experience. Bad roads. Checkpoints. Overcrowded Buses. But Moses does this regularly to spread the Gospel across his homeland. That’s why, when the bus he was riding in ran over someone, he knew God was going to use tragedy for His glory.
It was a motorbike rider that didn’t stop at the barrier. It killed him instantly. As they waited for a new bus to arrive, people ran to the scene to help. This is how Moses met Isa.
Moses is a national missionary, discipled and trained by Team Expansion missionaries who serve in Ghana and throughout West Africa. This missionary team has seen thousands of baptisms, the results of disciple-making movements, as the Gospel is spread rapidly through multiple generations of new believers. Moses travels throughout this area, sharing the Gospel wherever the Lord leads him.
Isa
Isa was giving a history of the man who died. He had shot someone, ran over someone else with a motorbike, the police had arrested him and arraigned him for court, but he ran away. The police couldn’t control him. This man was a person everyone was afraid of. They thought he had superpowers. Moses used that situation to share Christ with Isa.
Moses told Isa that he wasn’t grieved about the man’s loss of life, but where his soul was going. Isa told Moses that everyone uses things to protect themselves, charms, talismans, etc.
“What do you think?” Moses asked him, “This man had charms on, what do you think of that? Isa, do you know where this person is going in eternity? Do you know where you are going in eternity?”
In Isa’s culture, they believe strongly in ancestor worship and relied on their protection using charms and talismans.
A Story
Moses told Isa the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Moses said, “Your ancestors have not been fortunate to know this One. The only one who said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ is the one you are hearing about today.”
In Isa’s tradition, everyone will bring chicken and goat to celebrate in memory of the ancestors. As they are rejoicing here on earth, they believe their ancestors are rejoicing in the afterlife. Moses told him, “This celebrating with food has nothing to give the ancestors on the other side. You are the only one who is in joy. The only thing that gives joy to ancestors is to know Jesus Christ forgives sins. It’s not the death of this man that has brought us together. God has brought us together. God wants to show you the way. Then through you, the rest of the family still living will know the way.”
Can I Trust God?
Isa expressed his fears. If he gave up the ancestry worship, would he have any assurance of protection?
Moses said, “If you believe in the creator God, He knows how to take care of it. He made you. Your ancestors practiced these things and died, but they are not in a place of joy. Their prayer is that someone comes and tells their family the truth, so they won’t go there.”
Sharing the voice from hell with Isa, got him to know his ancestors were crying and pleading that their family not come to where they are. Isa wanted to know, if he doesn’t know this Christ and dies, will he not be in eternity with God? Are his ancestors not with God? Moses told him that he will go to the ancestors who don’t want him to be there. At this moment, his countenance changed. Isa said that he wanted to know this way.
BLESS
Moses prayed for him, led him to accept Christ and taught him two things: the BLESS prayer and the 3 circles. Moses spent a few hours with him before leaving that place. He told him to share these with his friends and that God would add to his experience. Isa is from the Bassari tribe.
Moses called him when he got home. Isa told him that he had started praying with his wife and children. Every night they pray the BLESS prayer for each other and go over the 3 circles. Isa has three children.
Can you Share?
God used this tragedy to create a chance encounter that would change the eternity of a family, if not a tribe. How could God use you today if you spoke His word boldly in faith? Want to learn how to evangelize and disciple others using tools like the BLESS prayer? Attend a Jonathan Training.
