Many times Jesus said things that caused His listeners to wonder if they had heard right. One of these times was when He made this statement:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:12-14)
How many times we read through this passage and don’t really stop to realize what Jesus was really saying. The Bible teaches us that Jesus is “The Word” of God. In fact, the first verse of John chapter 1, tells us that the “Word” was God! This same Jesus in the John 14 passage said that His followers would not only do the same works that He did while He walked the dusty roads throughout Israel, but even greater works!
Think about this with me for a minute. Jesus healed lepers! He healed the blind, deaf, dumb, and the lame! He restored withered limbs, set the demon-possessed free of their captors! He silenced the violent storm! Jesus also raised the dead! Would greater things than these really be done by us, His faithful followers? This is exactly what Jesus said! Most of us, however, don’t believe it literally. Yet, all it takes is faith the size of a mustard seed (the black mustard seed being the smallest seed that a 1st century farmer would ever plant).
We have all had the experience of asking God for a miracle, yet not seeing it happen as we asked. But this does not mean that such miracles do not happen. There is a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit in many places on this earth today, and the supernatural manifestations that the Bible promised are multiplying. This is exactly what is happening among the believers in the Middle East today. Some of these miracles are absolutely astounding. There are those in northern Syria that are even being protected from the winter cold, but not by their clothing. It’s purely a supernatural intervention by the Spirit of God!
For those that have read the last few updates, you know how the Holy Spirit has been healing scores of people during communion services. These communion / healing services are now being held in several places across the Mideast. The latest series of miracles witnessed and documented by House of Blessing missionaries began in Fallujah, Iraq and soon spread to Syria. Now the same is happening in the Kurdistan area, as well as Iran. I expect we will soon hear that it is happening in northern Jordan, in some of the first locations where Pastor R and the HOB missionaries took the first shipment of Bibles.
The reader might also remember that five teaching centers have been set up to train up the new believers in how to minister the Word of God. They have begun taking an in-depth course that will help them learn the basics of the Word of God and how to share it with others. It is exciting for me to share with you that the same kind of training centers are now opening up in Syria, Kurdistan and Iran!
In my latest update, I shared the first names of the teachers that are discipling the new believers in and around Fallujah. These teachers are so convinced of the power of prayer, that they have asked the brethren around the world to pray for them so that they will teach God’s Word with accuracy, with power through the Holy Spirit, and of course with protection from on high. Please join those who pray for these men every day. I have now received some more names to add to the prayer list. I know that it is difficult for people from the West to pronounce some of the names, but God has no problem with the names. He knows exactly who they are!
The Schools of Ministry are smaller in the new areas, but will grow quickly as people are trained and as we pray. Here are the names I received through the HOB office in Jerusalem:
Kurdistan:
Two sisters (facilitating the communion, and praying for the sick): Avan, Behar
Two sisters teaching: Berma, Dilsa
Kurd brothers teaching: Bayiz, Hazo, Behar, Rojan
HOB Leadership overseeing the missionaries: Serkar, Bari, Sirwan
Iran:
Two sisters (facilitating the communion, and praying for the sick): Zahra, Sarah
Two sisters teaching about the baptism of the Holy Spirit: Roya, Donya
Brothers training new disciples: Azin, Erfan, Davood
HOB Leadership overseeing the missionaries: Ali-Dad, Fardat, Bahram
Syria:
Two sisters (facilitating the communion and praying for the sick): Hafizeh, Ferial
Sister Mufiedah, Widow Sisterhood leaders, and HOB brethren overseeing all the missionary work in the area
Just for explanation: House of Blessing has several hundred missionaries scattered across the Middle East. The names I have listed in the last two updates, are a very small portion of them. These happen to be the ones who are involved in the latest outpouring of God’s Spirit upon the people. In all areas, there are large numbers of people being healed and baptized with the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, in northern Syria, people are being killed so quickly due to the bombing campaigns that there is not enough time to put together teaching centers at this time. The missionaries are scrambling from one injured person to another, just trying to speak to them before they die so that they can reach them with the Gospel. They are literally working around the clock! There are constantly numbers added to the injured, the dead, and those that have thankfully found Jesus the Messiah as their Lord and Master. At the same time, House of Blessing is trying to get as many bodies buried in short order as possible, so as to try and avoid disease.
In the new “Schools of Ministry”, great things are transpiring. These brave disciples have given their lives for the work of the ministry, and many will pay the ultimate price…but not before having completed the course laid out for them by the Master of the harvest.
The bombing raids continue to intensify. It is impossible for those of us in the West to even comprehend the chaos and cataclysm being experienced by the people, especially in Syria today. The refugee camp where Mufiedah and her widows are ministering (Note: I have been misspelling Sister Mofidah’s name all these months without knowing it. The correct spelling for her name is Mufiedah), continues to lose people to the bombs and missiles. In the last few days, another 32 of the new believers were killed. We thank God that they were reached before they entered eternity! Mufiedah and the widows she has trained continue ministering to those with badly broken limbs, administering the healing mixture that the Lord gave her many months ago. God is still using it and astounding miracles continue happening as a result. God is good!
The situation around the Middle East continues to worsen. Winter weather has arrived and many thousands don’t even have the basics. HOB continues to supply as best they can, but the need is enormous. Please pray, and keep an ear open to what the Holy Spirit might say.
I ask for continued prayer for Pastor R. He is still in the suburbs of Damascus, and the bombing campaigns are horrendous. Bashar al-Assad’s forces are bombing with a chemical that produces a smoke that caused great distress to Pastor R’s lungs. Some of the brethren around him risked their lives and managed to get him some more oxygen from one of the bombed hospitals, and it is helping him. I have to add this about our brother, Pastor R. In the nearly four years that I have been involved with this project and writing the HOB updates, I have never heard him complain about anything! He has only praise and thanksgiving for our Lord having taken such good care of him.
I would like to close this update with a communion Scripture:
When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:14-20)
Note, Jesus said that He would not partake again until He has brought His own home! I am ready for that day, are you?
May Abba Father keep and strengthen you until we are called HOME!
Jake Geier
House Of Blessing; 3206 SW 45th Street; Redmond, Oregon USA 97756