Key Scriptures: Acts 1:8; Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 4:20
The fire of Pentecost continues to burn brightly and powerfully, just as it did on that transformative day when the disciples were infused with divine strength, leading to the conversion of 3000 souls in Acts chapter 2. This same power resonates today. In this narrative, I share a personal encounter with the Pentecost Fire, as it worked miraculously through a group of zealous young people sent to Samoa to proclaim the gospel of Christ.
Samoa, labeled a ‘Christian Nation’ by the 2016 National Census, seemed an unlikely destination for a team of eight passionate youth and PENSA members. Arriving on November 7, 2023, the team was met with a town adorned with church buildings every 200–300 meters, prompting us to realise the need for a distinct approach.
Engaging with the locals, the team discovered that many Samoan Christians were merely churchgoers by familial tradition, lacking a tangible demonstration of Christ-like living. This realisation fuelled the team’s determination to boldly preach the power of salvation and lead many to Christ. The guiding principle became: Holy Spirit, take the lead.
The ground-breaking work commenced with street evangelism in marketplaces. As the Word was proclaimed, locals inquired about the team’s distinction from other Pentecostal churches in the nation. Responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, the team dedicated focused prayer to the manifestation of the Spirit’s power. During a street evangelism rally the next day, the team invited individuals with ailments forward. Despite a limited response, the Spirit’s power became evident through prayers and laying on of hands. This resulted in some marketplace attendees inviting the team for deeper fellowship in their homes.
On Saturday, the team embraced house-to-house evangelism, delivering the Word, praying for the sick, and extending genuine love to the marginalised in society. The Holy Spirit directed us to a particular house with a noise restriction after 18:00 GMT. While praying fervently outside, we received a message that the mother inside would not allow them in. However, the daughter, welcoming the team, began to pray fervently. The Holy Spirit revealed that the mother had a respiratory disease for over a decade, and the doctor had given an urgent diagnosis just a month prior.
Persisting in prayer, the woman, moved by the team’s intercession, invited them in. By the end of the prayer, she testified to a supernatural healing, confessing that the revelation of her ailment shook her, as “no one knew of [her] sickness, not even [her] children.”
I share this to glorify the Lord and to affirm that as Pentecostals filled with the Holy Spirit, we possess a unique and distinguishing essence in the Christian faith. As members of The Church of Pentecost, our actions must manifest the Spirit’s power, providing evidence beyond words. As affirmed by the scriptures in 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NIV), “the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.”
Written by Deacon Michael Benson (PENSA International – Oceania Bloc Coordinator)