It was the last night of The Quiet Hour/ShareHim meetings in Nagcarlan, Philippines, where I was preaching as a lay evangelist to a group of more than 100 people in March 2008. I was talking about the beauties of heaven and the new earth, but the people seemed uninterested. How could they possibly not be interested?

I suddenly remembered that I had not had the opportunity to “prayer-walk” the church before starting, but worse than that, I had forgotten to say a prayer at the beginning. Yes, someone from the church had offered opening prayer, and a couple of members had prayer with me privately before I started, but I had missed the short prayer that I always said as I started talking.

With this realization, I stopped my speaking and told everyone that although I had forgotten to pray at the beginning, we would pray now. The noise seemed to abate a little and they were a little more attentive, but people still continued to talk. It gradually got louder, and those who always listened attentively checked their watches, and were talking also. In fact, a couple of young people on the front row, who always paid attention, were not only talking, but talking loudly enough for me to hear, although they were sitting beside each other. Then behind the front wall, where there is a corridor, children were playing and screaming – which was also not the norm.

By this time, I was almost finished. I realized that Satan was doing the distracting. It was too late to stop talking to rebuke him, so I completed the sermon. I knew what I must do. I could not ignore Satan’s attack, and I determined to use this experience as a teaching tool.

I spoke to the audience and told them what I had observed, stating that it was because of Satan’s distraction techniques. As soon as I started sharing my observations with them, I had their full attention. I continued to talk to them, telling them my surprise that Satan would be so concerned about such a non-controversial and non-threatening subject. I invited them to raise their hands if they wanted the enemy to know that their hearts belonged to God, and they would not listen to Satan’s lies. My invitation continued as I asked for hands of those who wanted the angels to know their commitment, and finished with a “two-hander” arms raised for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to know their desires.

 I finished with a power prayer claiming the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to rebuke Satan and his demons, and praised God for the power to overcome evil, and for His gift of eternal life in heaven. I felt the Holy Spirit upon me, and I knew that the impact made from dealing with a real situation with a real prayer of power to rebuke the evil ones would make a lasting impression. Glory to God!

As I shared what happened with others in my group of fellow evangelists, I learned of other things that happened when they were speaking on the topic of heaven. My friend, Donna, said that someone threw a rock on the roof of their auditorium where she was preaching; another said that a scuffle started in the audience at that time. This was surely a learning experience for me. I plan to start reading about heaven regularly and double the prayers when speaking on that subject again.

Even though the sermons had to be translated, I was amazed that I could basically read a script and use the supplied PowerPoint pictures and hold their attention. They not only had to wait for each sentence to be translated, but the amount of time for the sermon was doubled because of translation.

I didn’t realize just how powerful the message was at first, although I kept saying over and over to myself that it’s not about me but about God. It’s the message, not the messenger. This became very important on the third sermon, as I was having computer difficulties. I was unable to get the words of the script to show on the computer. So, after 15 minutes of trying, I was 100 percent dependent on the Holy Spirit to tell me the words to say. So powerful were the words, that even the substitute translator (Sheila) said she could feel goose bumps on her arms as she translated the words.

The ground work had been done long before I arrived by church members and the Bible worker, Jerry Rimandiman. Many (about 35) had already completed the Discover Bible lessons. In fact, the graduation was held the first night of my meetings.

I felt so inadequate when I started the meetings, but trusted that God would do for me what He had done for others who had gone as lay evangelists. I’m glad that God didn’t make the results commensurate with my belief that He could use me. There was no feeling of confidence – only God’s promises and the testimonies of other’s experiences. Once again I have seen that nothing is impossible with God – even when I’m the instrument of choice to reach a lost and dying world.

I can’t put into words how it feels to see people give their lives to Jesus and seal that commitment with baptism. Nothing can compare with the happiness and joy it brings. I had the privilege of helping 48 people make the decision for Jesus and be baptized. I have made friends for eternity – friends who are now part of me, so part of my family. I told them all that I would meet them at the Eastern Gate of the New Jerusalem.

This series of meetings that I was preaching, as well as meeting the people and observing their conditions of living was quite an eye-opener. They had so little, but they were kind, courteous and respectful to a degree such as I have never seen.

What is going on? Souls are coming to Jesus despite Satan’s efforts to distract them. This gospel of the kingdom is going forward to all the world, and Satan can’t stop it. For He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. I know firsthand that God keeps his word and I hear Him repeating to me Jeremiah 33:3: “Call upon me and I will show you great and mighty things ye know not of.”

Gloria Wilson, RN worked 8 years at Rogue Valley Medical Center, 1 year at Weimar Lifestyle Center until property issues necessitated returning home to Gold Hill, Oregon. Lifetime SDA. Currently an active member of the Grants Pass SDA Church in personal ministries and prayer ministry.