Prophecy in Kenya
East Africa in June is breathtaking. The “season of long rains” is coming to an end and along the entire Rift Valley the vegetation is lush, bursting with color, and teeming with wildlife. The villages are packed with hard working farmers, fisherman, and shop keepers. The cities are a vibrant hub of young people finishing university, building small businesses, running campaigns, starting families, eager to begin to reshape their nations.
On this particular trip we had the honor of conducting multi-denominational training seminars across several East African countries, and had finally arrived in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital city. Kenya has been intentionally developing its economy, infrastructure, and anti-corruption initiatives for decades, and their country is rapidly emerging as an epicenter of financial activity, growth, and development in East Africa.
An influential young Kenyan leader with a background in federal government and news media had arranged for us to meet with a group of nearly 300 young leaders. These were predominately university students and recent graduates who worked as bankers, parliament as aids, staff, and legislative assistants.
As we arrived at the downtown theatre where the meeting was held, this young leader informed us of three important things:
The meeting we were arriving at was a prescheduled Bible study, and no one was expecting us.
The current leader of this group had been taught that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had ceased to exist with humans when the apostle John died about 60 years after Jesus ascended to heaven. The gifts of the Holy Spirit were absolutely not for believers today!
We were invited to share with this group for fifteen minutes between some of the worship songs before the Bible study.
Arriving 30 minutes early we met many of the young leaders and immediately felt a heart connection to them as we heard stories of faith, perseverance, and a passion to reach their region with the gospel of Jesus. As worship started the Holy Spirit immediately spoke to me clearly within my spirit. I jotted down what I heard God speak, wrote down the corresponding Bible verse and approached my host and the other leader of the Bible Study. After briefly sharing with them, we quietly prayed and asked God if this was for the whole group that night. After a moment, they both gave me permission to share with the entire group.
The word of encouragement was clear and simple that God wanted to pour out His Spirit on them, empower them to be a great influence on their country and the entire region, and that He would perform miracles, signs, and wonders through them if they were willing to partner with Him.
As I finished praying this encouragement over this group of young leaders, one of my ministry partners tapped me on the shoulder and took the microphone. Very humbly and gently, he briefly explained the baptism of the Holy Spirit and invited everyone to receive. In the next few minutes the Holy Spirit moved in power in that room. Over 300 people were filled with the Holy Spirit and began operating in some of the gifts immediately. Spontaneously, people began praying for each other in small groups. As we walked around and listened to these groups pray for each other, much of what I had shared about what God wanted to do through them was being repeated and affirmed.
Our young host whispered in my ear: “There is a sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit in this place. This is pleasing to God. Like incense in the temple being offered to God, this a pleasing fragrance to Him.”
As I spoke with the local leadership team after the meeting, they were surprised that despite their theological training that directly opposed the gifts of the Spirit that we demonstrated God’s power decently and in order. The simple prophetic word being delivered to receptive hearts, had opened the door for the Holy Spirit to take each one of these young leaders deeper into God’s presence and empowerment.
As we sat and ate dinner with some of these leaders late into that night we exchanged many stories, laughter, tears, and hope for what God is already doing in their country.
God is still speaking to us today, and He is fulfilling His word that He will pour out His Spirit upon His people.
