Between April 26 and May 12, 2024, over 300,000 souls were baptized in Papua New Guinea. This was the staggering result of PNG for Christ, an outreach event that was held simultaneously at 2,000 sites across the nation. PNG for Christ was a coordinated reaping campaign involving more than 200 international speakers and countless church volunteers. The mass baptisms followed months of collaborative efforts.
Vision Christian Media reported, “Hundreds, perhaps thousands, reportedly walked for days through the jungle and camped for weeks to attend the baptisms, undertaken by an army of pastors. … Stories emerged of drug lords burning their marijuana crops and being baptized, prisoners responding to altar calls, entire villages declaring themselves Adventist, and miraculous healings.”
Seventh-day Adventist world church president Ted Wilson participated in the event, preaching the Revelation of Hope prophecy series. In a Facebook post, he declared the incredible results to be “a miracle of God!” He then said, “They are being very careful in PNG to instruct people in Bible studies so they understand God’s Holy Word and the gospel message. This is Holy Spirit power being poured out on Papua New Guinea!”
Go Make Disciples
John the Baptist said God did “not give the Spirit by measure” (John 3:34) to Jesus. His indomitable ministry proved this fact. Our Savior went about teaching, preaching, and healing for only three and a half years (Matthew 4:23). Yet, during that time, demons feared Him, enemies were stunned by His words, and thousands were healed by His touch (Luke 8:31; John 7:46; Matthew 12:15). All the while, He was laying the foundation for His church and preparing twelve apostles to continue His work (Luke 6:12).
Shortly before His ascension to heaven, Jesus gave what’s known as the Great Commission, saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19, 20).
Greater Works
The night before His crucifixion, Jesus told the disciples, “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” (John 14:12). Then, after His resurrection, Jesus foreshadowed the power that was soon to come upon them when “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (John 20:22).
On the Day of Pentecost, 120 disciples of Christ were praying together when the promised Holy Spirit was sent from heaven (Acts 1:14, 15; 2:1–4). They spoke new languages and preached the gospel with power. Peter declared this to be a fulfillment of an ancient prophecy from the book of Joel (Acts 2:16–21).
This was the beginning of what the Bible calls the “former” or “early” rain (Joel 2:23; James 5:7). Three thousand were baptized that day! (Acts 2:41). The “greater works” had begun.
This Gospel
In an apocalyptic sermon, Jesus prophesied, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). The early rain, which every believer receives at conversion (Ephesians 1:13, 14), has been falling for two thousand years, nourishing God’s growing kingdom. We can’t predict precisely when the church’s commission will be completed, but we know God promised a special gift to complete the work—the “latter rain.” “Ask the LORD for rain in the time of the latter rain. … He will give them showers of rain” (Zechariah 10:1).
Like the early rain kick-started the church, the latter rain also causes individual believers to sprout up and grow in grace. It will help us each to reach full maturity and purify the church as a whole (Ephesians 5:27). Are you prepared to receive it?
Are we beginning to see the latter rain? Is that what’s happening in Papua New Guinea? One thing is for sure: The Spirit of the Lord is changing hearts and lives for eternity. The gospel of the kingdom will not end with less power than it began. The time is near when the church, like Jesus, will not be given the Spirit by measure but will be filled to capacity with power from on high.
The kingdom of heaven began small, “like a mustard seed” (Matthew 13:31, 31), but it is growing into a great tree. Jesus has vowed to finish what He started through His church. As promised, He is with us as we approach the “end of the age.” Don’t be surprised to see greater works still.
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14).
Read more about the early and latter rain by clicking here.