GOD’S LOVE STORY

The morning headlines throughout the week leading up to Just Give Me Jesus Metro Manila heralded stories of widespread corruption and instability in Philippine government and business. This island nation teeming with over 80 million people in Southeast Asia has struggled to shed itself of its reputation as a developing country that just can’t seem to overcome the corruption while it ALSO battles with terrorists and poverty.

Though the newspapers also reported on man-made initiatives to rid the nation of its poverty, terrorism and corruption, the headlines in Heaven at the end of Anne’s ministry week surely told the story of the incorruptible love of Jesus – now, newly present in the hearts and lives of thousands of Filipinos. The week’s three-fold ministry opportunity for Anne spun off thousands of men and women accepting Jesus as Savior….marriages healed….reconciled relationships….sinful lifestyles abandoned…recommitments to the study of God’s Word. God’s love story was told….

…To the Leaders.
The capacity crowd of 1,000 was seated and expectant as the Philippines national anthem was sung to open the National Leaders’ Breakfast Meeting featuring a message from Anne. They came…CEO’s, generals, judges, senators, mayors, show business luminaries, church leaders…..young and old, men and women. To the gathering of the nation’s power elite, Anne brought a message of hope that transcends anything the world offers – the hope of a heavenly Home. Her message was aimed at the collective hopelessness articulated by one local leader, “The Philippines is at a threshold of either going to the left or the right. People are getting hopeless about the political situation, the economic situation, and the moral problems.” Anne’s message was that through Jesus, no one has to “hope so” that they are going to Heaven. By trusting Him, they can “know so.” As she asked the audience to raise their hands if they wanted  to RSVP to God’s invitation to Heaven, literally hundreds of hands were lifted throughout the ballroom!  Praise God!  Heaven’s population was increased as God’s love story was told and received.

…To the Public.
In a nation steeped in religious tradition, the country’s press corps is predisposed to writing about how Filipinos’ faith impacts their lives. So, when the media showed up in great number to the press conference held for Anne, it was not a surprise. What was notable, however, was the repetitiousness of the reporters’ questions – whether print or broadcast, secular or Christian media outlets, the same question was asked numerous ways which led us to believe they had asked the question before, but were still seeking an answer. The question, “Families here are torn apart by poverty which has led millions of Filipinos to work abroad to send money home to their families; thousands of Filipino women each year suffer abuse; epidemic poverty and illnesses are striking the population…what do you, Anne Graham Lotz, have to say to comfort those affected?”  Whether to the major TV network audience, or to the reporters of Manila’s largest daily newspapers, or to local radio listeners or to the host of The 700 Club Asia, Anne’s answer was clear and specific – the only answer, the only genuine source of hope, is Jesus. To our great joy, the articles and broadcasts that resulted reported Anne’s Answer, as simply written as she had shared it.  Following the broadcast of The 700 Club Asia, fifty people immediately called in to confirm they had responded to God’s love story, prayed with Anne as she led the sinner’s prayer on the air, and placed their faith in Jesus.

…To the Church.
The capstone of the week’s ministry was Just Give Me Jesus held at Araneta Coliseum. The day targeted those who have been in the church for years, but were seeking a fresh touch from Jesus.  The doors were also opened to any who just wanted to know more about Him. More than 15,000 Filipinos filled “The Big Dome,” the nickname of the largest indoor arena in the Philippines, where years ago, Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier had duked it out in the “Thrilla in Manila.” After Anne opened with prayer, the first thing she told each one seated before her was that “God loves you!  God loves the women of the Philippines so much that He has just given you Jesus!”

The audience sat in rapt attention to the first message as Anne boldly spoke of the corruption that was reported everyday on the front pages of their newspapers, but was surpassed by a greater corruption which is in the human heart, and which the Bible calls sin.  She then proceeded to tell them that God had not established an investigative commission or agency to expose, but He had sent us a Savior to eliminate it.  Because the arena was packed, with even the floor seated, there was no room to invite those making decisions to “come to the Cross” by coming to the base of the stage. So at the end of the message, thousands stood in their places to commit their lives to Christ – many for the first time understanding that simple faith in Jesus was all that is required for assurance of forgiveness, eternal life, and Heaven.  Jesus paid it all!  The work was finished on the Cross. The celebration song, Shout to the Lord, was sung by many as burdens of a lifetime were released.  Burdens of hoping good works and actions were going to be enough to earn entrance into Heaven were lifted. Their “shout to the Lord” was a genuine shout of praise for freedom at last from sin and guilt…a shout of praise for the certainty of a right relationship with God.

Throughout the day, as the crowd joined Fernando Ortega in offering hymns of worship, there were moments where it seemed the Dome’s very roof would raise from the volume and passion of the singing choir of attendees. What seemed to impress our team the most was not just the volume, but the passionate sincerity with which the audience sang. Fernando himself said later that the worship singing “gave me goose bumps while I was trying to play the piano.”

The day, capped with Anne’s message on the resurrection of Jesus and her final call to surrender all to Jesus, was a glorious climax to the ministry week. With so many hardships uniquely experienced by Filipino women, Anne explained if they were surrendered to the Lord, He would use them as “nails” to pin them to the Cross where they would be crucified with Christ.  As a result, He would raise up His life within them, giving them His power to triumph over them while He used them for His glory.  When she asked those in the audience to indicate their decision to surrender  all to Jesus by raising the international sign of surrender—a white flag-- an arena-size sea of white flags erupted, signifying a wave of revival had begun in the Republic of the Philippines.   Our prayer is that the wave will become a spiritual Tsunami, washing over the church with a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit.

…To the Far Corners of the Islands.
 Using the arena’s Bible Study Workshop as a springboard, thousands are now in the process of registering for one of the follow-up Bible studies that will soon begin across Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces and islands. Many responses to the Just Give Me Jesus Revival Team exclaimed, “Learning how to read the Bible for myself was my favorite session of the whole day!” With that excitement for God’s Word propelling them into the studies, we ask you to join us in lifting up in prayer the follow-up that will soon be underway.

~~Pray that what has begun in Metro Manila will swell into more lives, homes, churches, and communities.
~~Pray for genuine, Spirit-led revival to spread throughout the nation of the Philippines as God’s love story is told and retold as His Word is turned loose!
~~ And join us in giving God all the glory!  Great things He has done!