Maybe the testimony that shook the crowd more than any other was that of Haille gabriel, the high priest of the Orthodox religion.
In order to reach such an exalted status within his religion, the high priest had spent 5 years in a monastery---much of that time in silence---and lived in celibacy his entire life, as well as devoting himself to the study of the orthodox scriptures.
Just days before the crusade, he had been involved in arranging a protest to disturb our pastor's seminar. While the crusade was held on the large grounds with 2 million square feet of land, the seminar for 11,000 pastors was held about a mile away in a soccer stadium. The high priest had arranged for speakers aimed at the soccer field, intended to drown out the teaching. The high priest later told us that a little boy came up to him and handed him an invitation to one of the crusade meetings. At the moment, he heard God's voice speak to him, "THROUGH THAT MAN ON THE FLYER YOU WILL GET TO KNOW WHO I AM".
He immediately felt a longing to attend that evening's crusade meeting, where he listened to the gospel about Jesus' death and resurrection from his car. He watched as the crowd responded to the altar call, and was amazed when Pastor Peter prayed for the sick, and the lame began to walk and the blind received their sight. At that moment he truely understood that Jesus really is alive, only he had never known Him. He, who had dedicated his whole life to religious pursuit, asked Jesus for forgiveness and received Him in his heart. A peace and joy beyond words spread through his whole being.
The next day he arrived at the service dressed in his high priest's robes. when the people saw him, they recognized him, thinking he was coming to interrupt the meeting and try to disperse the crowd. Instead, when they realized that a number one enemy of the gospel had become a follower of Jesus, an explosion of joy swept through the entire crowd. He ran up on the platform shouting the name of Jesus, dancing and rejoycing in front of over 600,000 people. The cheering from the crowd was deafening as people realized the miracle of transformation that had occurred before their very eyes.
Haille Gabriel said, "FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I UNDERSTOOD THAT I'VE BEEN LIVING IN A DEAD RELIGION, AND I HAVE NEVER KNOWN JESUS PERSONALLY. NOW I WANT TO TELL PEOPLE ALL OVER ETHIOPIA ABOUT THE LIVING SAVIOR THAT I'VE FOUND. I DON'T CARE ANY MORE ABOUT THE COMFORTS OF LIFE, JUST GIVE ME A BICYCLE WITH A LITTLE SOUND SYSTEM, AND I WANT TO TRAVEL FROM MARKETPLACE TO MARKETPLACE TO PREACH THE LIVING JESUS, WHO I MYSELF HAVE NOW MET."
This Testimony was taken from a magazine of "PETER YOUNGREN" Ministry.
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