News From The North... India Ever After

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India Ever After
by Bill Paddock




Nearly three months have passed since I stepped into the mission field for the first time. I keep asking myself: “self, why didn’t you do this sooner”? The experience was nothing short of amazing! India is truly the richest culture I have ever encountered, and I’m not referring to material possessions. What I found was a beautiful collage of colors, smells, warmth, and passion. I saw and felt God at work like an artist preoccupied with a masterpiece. I love the way He is working in the lives of the people, through all the diversity and intricacies of life.

While in prayer one day with Mark and Bhalchandra, I saw a vision of the presence of God rushing through the streets of Pune. His form was like a blue comet with a long tail – and as He passed by at supersonic speed, dust and papers and anything not tied down was blasted up and away. Chains were being broken, doors were being opened, and freedom was being released. God was confirming that He is truly at work. While much of what is happening is unseen, the prayers of the saints are bringing powerful results!

Before I left, I wondered if God would use me. Well...He did, but not how I thought. I imagined myself delivering powerful sermons filled with deep revelation. I was consumed with trying to figure out what I would teach on and how I would deliver it. Can I admit something here? I’m not a teacher. Public speaking is not one of my callings. You see, I trusted Him to use me the way I wanted Him to use me instead of trusting Him and His wisdom to use me how He sees fit. Once I figured this out, things went a lot smoother. I simply shared my heart and it went well.

HEALINGS & MIRACLES
Now, I’ve prayed for people before. Lain on hands, seen healing and deliverance, and folks getting overwhelmed with the presence of God. But nothing like this! I lost count after 20 some people. That was the first day. That was before the conference had started. I don’t  know how many people I prayed for when all was said and done. Here’s the cool part. Every one of them came to me asking for prayer about something that I had direct experience with in my life. One by one, I was able to speak into the lives of the people God brought to me, out of the trials and lessons I had lived through, with the Spirit pouring things out of me that I didn’t know were in there. Many lives were touched and many hearts began to heal.

The greatest miracle of all were the broken hearts turning back to the Father. As long as I live, I will never forget one woman I prayed for. She was about my mother’s age. I’m 36. I couldn’t understand what she was asking me to pray for so I gently placed my hand on her head and asked Daddy to love on His daughter. To fill her with His presence and hold her in His arms. When I looked up, she had tears streaming down her face. I knew that she had received something special from Him. The next person who stepped up in front of me was a young girl who spoke fluent English. She said, “Thank you. That was my aunt you just prayed for and she is not a believer.” WOW! I just about lost it. I prayed for her quickly then instructed her to go lead her aunt to the Lord. I didn’t understand the conversation, but I’m pretty sure that’s what she did. Praise God! Salvation is the greatest miracle, and the doorway to the miraculous kingdom that Jesus preached so passionately about.

Thank you, LTI, for allowing me to be a part of this ministry that was so well rooted in India by those who went before me.

Thank you, Mark, for asking me to go and believing in me! You are a great leader and you truly inspired me to push the boundaries of what I am capable of with the Creator of the universe living inside me.

Thank you, Greg, for that last sermon! You brought a message that I know was meant to inspire me and it did.

And, thank you to the body at Valley Church and all of you who contributed prayerfully and financially to this work.

To those of you who are reading this and feeling the pull on your heart to go... Just do it. I promise He will meet you there.

Be blessed and seek the Kingdom.

Love in Christ,


Bill Paddock

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