The early hours of the seventh of February 1997
would prove to be a real turning point in my life. I had been born again under
the ministry of Reinhard Bonkee, the famous German evangelist in the year,
1987. I was young and did not understand the implications of my decision to
raise up my hand and repeat the prayer to receive Jesus as my personal savior.
Anyway, I did and though my new found faith would be put to the test and for
many times I would fail God, He had a definite plan and purpose for me.
Though
I had backslidden from the faith many a times, I never ceased to read and be
touched by the Word of God. Many times I would be in prayer but would not find myself
in the church. Of all biblical characters I read about, I was deeply impressed
by the life and ministry of Paul the Apostle. I found myself reading and
repeating the narratives about him. They were so good to me.
By
1995, the year when the All-Africa Games were held in Zimbabwe, I was already
going to church and was already preaching, though I had not fully committed my
whole life to God. My first ever sermon was on the last days and that people
should leave their evil ways because of these times. I felt a deep sense of
talking about the end-times everywhere I went. As I travelled from the Eastern
city of Mutare, in a bus, I heard a voice call my name, and clearly spoke
audibly, in my native language, Shona, “Sibiya
unofanira kundinamata” (Sibiya, you must worship Me). Being an ardent
reader of the Bible and knowing about Paul’s experience on the road to
Damascus, I suddenly begun to pray right then knowing God had spoken to me.
When I got home, I immediately embarked on a prolonged fast as I tried to
please God that He would forgive me. When the guilt of my sins lifted, I
continued to seek God for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God was faithful
and indeed filled me with His Spirit. I continued to preach the Word. Many men
and women of God were sent by God to minister to me prophetically so that I
would be strengthened in the faith and in God’s ministry. I was strengthened
indeed and did a lot of the work of God. I preached in classrooms, school
campuses, colleges, in buses, in streets and hospitals, in short everywhere I
found people. By 1996 I was already in church leadership in the church I used
to fellowship in.
Then
came the early hours of the seventh of February. In the night vision I was
walking and was suddenly approached by a very bright light which forced me to
fall to the ground. As I struggled to rise I saw a human figure standing in the
air. He wore a purely white robe and had a fire blazing around him though he
was not burning. He also had a light that permeated him such that it was hard
for one to really see through to his face. As I knelt He spoke to me and said
that I should do what He did. I didn’t understand this and up until now, though
I now know some things, I am still in the journey to fully understand what He
meant by, “what I did.” He told me to hold His hands and when I tried, they
were hot. I managed to continue holding on to His blood-flowing, pierced palms,
as He strengthened me and in a few moments left. As I travelled home, in the
vision, I saw my youth head evangelist, in the church I attended then, coming
to our place and knocking on my bedroom door. I was suddenly awakened by a
knock on my door and realized it was the same evangelist by my door and I told
him about my experience and how I saw him coming to our place. This inaugural
meeting with Jesus deeply touched my life and I knew from here onwards that I
had to fully commit my life to Him and His service so that I could do “what he
did,” no matter what that meant. It was one of the most dramatic turning points
of my life.
Over
the years repeated revelations of the same nature as those referenced to above
have occurred in my life which have ultimately revealed to me the vision that
me, my sons and daughters are to accomplish. A few of these are mentioned in
this writing in which I try to communicate our vision. This is not an academic
writing but a reflection on the purpose of a people called to minister within
this vision. My endeavor is from a quest to explicate, expatiate and
communicate our specific vision. In the first part of the writing, I define
“vision” and briefly show what Glory Ministries is. I then go on to elucidate
the vision and some expectations in the ministry before looking at a few basic
practical ways of propelling our vision to success. In this work, you will also
be able to have a glance at our mission statement and core values. I hope and
pray that this work will help you as we journey towards our destiny…His glory
is our vision!
Apostle
Pride Sibiya.
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