Living in the Supernatural Dimension: Right Choice Now—Best Life Forever

Contents

DEDICATION

PREFACE

FOREWORD

ENDORSEMENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART ONE

1

2

3

4

PART TWO

5

6

7

8

9

PART THREE

10

11

12

13

14

PART FOUR

15

16

17

18

CONCLUSION

AFTERWORD

YOU ARE LOVED

ENDNOTES

REFERENCES

DEDICATION

Dedicated

to

the glory of God.

For His perpetual love, His sustaining power,

and His endless patience toward

me.

To Shirley, the love of my life.

For your trust and devotion, which have been faultless in every circumstance of our lives together. For your part in making me who I am as a husband, father, and His servant, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have faithfully carried an equal share in ministry, which made our missions’ call, and this book, possible.

To our four children.

For Alden, William, Grant, and Shirleen, their spouses, children, and grandchildren, whose circumspect walks with God and their own ministries for the Kingdom richly bless me.

PREFACE

As a Pentecostal family we joyfully acknowledge the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the Church as promised by Jesus. This understanding is not simply to be theoretical or theological, but is to be our daily reality.

John and Shirley Abraham have experienced that reality as they have pursued the Lord’s call on their lives and have shared the Gospel in the power and demonstration of the Spirit worldwide. Living in the Supernatural Dimension is an inspiring, challenging, and instructional account of how God took a couple who were prepared to listen to His voice and live by faith. As a result they have seen God at work in ways they could only have imagined.

Knowing John, as I do, his goal in writing this book is to give glory to God for His faithfulness, while encouraging all of us to trust the Spirit to be at work in our daily lives in a naturally, supernatural manner. I am happy to commend this book to you.

Rev. David R. Wells

General Superintendent

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

FOREWORD

What a privilege and honour I have experienced to be invited by John Abraham to assist him by editing the story of the ministry God has given him! As I have read through, edited, and revised many written drafts of this project, my life has been transformed. I have been made more aware and challenged to live my life in the supernatural dimension through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.

First and foremost, for most of his life John has been an evangelist and moves easily in other ministry giftings. During the past twenty-five years, he has served and continues to serve overseas as a missionary evangelist, teacher, and church planter. A quarter of a century ago, I first heard him preach at our home church in Abbotsford, British Columbia, and have since observed God’s unusual leading in his ministry. He and Shirley, his wife, are some of the most hospitable people I know.

I have witnessed John Abraham to be a man of sincerity, honesty, integrity, and intensity, with deep dedication, devotion, love, and passion for our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. John both mirrors and models the love of God.

Also, John has a heart that loves and cares deeply for people and for their welfare. He continues to give of himself and spend his life so that those who haven’t yet heard the gospel of Jesus Christ may have the opportunity to do so and commit their lives to Him and live for Him.

I immediately identified with the author’s choice of a sports analogy to give structure to the story; with his love for the Bible through internalizing the gospel or good news message; with his value and emphasis on prayer and fasting; with his sacred conversion and baptism in the Holy Spirit experiences; and with his passion for Christ’s missionary and evangelistic cause.

Through the course of John’s ministry as a missionary evangelist, God has spoken into virtually every area of human need. Is God perhaps speaking into a needy aspect in your life?

If you are an agnostic, a humanist, an atheist, religious or a theist, but without Jesus Christ in your life; if you are hungry for more of God or to be filled with the Holy Spirit; if you are physically sick; if you have an unforgiving or broken heart; if you feel alienated; if you are financially in need; if you have a strained or broken marriage; if you are the victim of abuse; if you are addicted, if you are physically or mentally challenged; if you are a prisoner; if your life is in ruins; if you are demonized; if you are dying of a terminal illness; or if you are a backslidden or relapsed prodigal son or daughter, you may want to read this book.

It is for the young, the teenager, the young and older adult, and the senior. It is for the moral and immoral individual; for the single person, the married, the separated, the divorced, and the remarried; for the one living common law; for the nuclear, extended, or blended family member; for the rich, the poor, and the middle class individual; for the executive, businessperson, professional, paraprofessional, tradesperson, labourer, or the unemployed; for the individual who holds to a politically left, right, or center position; and for all cultures, races, nationalities, and religions. God has used John in a ministry that is global and inclusive.

—Laurence M. Van Kleek, Editor

ENDORSEMENTS

During these many years, what an honour it has been to work alongside such precious people of God! These are workers whose hearts of compassion and love brought them to the spiritual harvest fields of their calling to accomplish great things for God. On many mission fields, we have been blessed to have continued fellowship with them.

Some of these workers have honoured us by taking time to share briefly, in an introductory way and from their perspective, what great things God has done during those times of demonstrating His supernatural dimension and intervention. The following are excerpts from their endorsements.

Taiwan Report

The sixty meetings in twenty-four days conducted by Evangelist Abraham were the most powerful visible manifestation of God’s power that I have ever seen in my life. John is a premier evangelist, a man set aside by God who is more sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit than any I have known before. He was powerfully used of God in healing, the gifts of the Holy Spirit (in remarkable ways), and casting out of demons. This was the first time I saw evidenced within a series of meetings all nine gifts of the Holy Spirit… Thanks, John, for impacting my life.

Donald S. Young, Shanghai, China

Philippine Report

John’s energy, his heart, and the anointing on his life have always amazed me. I personally considered it a rich privilege to sit under his teaching. My own life was enriched, and my personal ministry benefited. John is a superb evangelist who moves powerfully in the Holy Spirit, with many coming to Christ, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and receiving physical healing in every service. The altars were always full, and the Holy Spirit was always powerfully present and working in people’s lives. However, John’s greatest legacy may well be as a teacher and trainer of national workers for the harvest field.

Henry C. Borzel

Senior Pastor

Vancouver Chinese Pentecostal Church

Formerly PAOC Asia Regional Coordinator

Sri Lanka Report

‘God Has a Miracle for You’ was the theme of the crusade. John Abraham was the speaker. In thirty-nine meetings, we had over twenty-three hundred recorded responses. A mighty move of God brought many forward for salvation, physical healing, and deliverance. The big miracle, however, was the sudden influx of people into our churches, virtually all of them new converts. One church grew from fifteen to seventy in a matter of six weeks.

Rainer Mittelstaedt

PAOC Missionary to Sri Lanka

Ukraine Report

"A number of years ago, John and Shirley came to Ukraine to teach a week-long course on the Holy Spirit and His gifts. It was a wonderful time as the Word was both taught passionately and demonstrated with power; even in class the sick were prayed for and words of knowledge were given to many. Most of those students are now in leadership positions in the church and regularly minister both in deliverance and healing ministries.

What I remember the most of this time, however, is how John ministered personally to the senior pastor. The Holy Spirit gave him some key words of knowledge—of both correction and encouragement. They came at a decisive time in his life, and I believe they were vital for this pastor to remain focused and fruitful. The church has more than quadrupled since then, with well over two thousand members… and they are always asking for John to come back!

Jonathan Willoughby

PAOC Missionary

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

It has been said, We are the product of the people we know and the books we read. In the natural realm, this is often true. In the spiritual dimension, in my case, it is certainly true.

Thanks, first, to all the many great men, some of whom are now deceased, in my youth and early ministry who poured lavishly of their spiritual maturity and wisdom into my life, majoring on focus and balance in foundational Christian values. Each, in his own way, encouraged, strengthened, and stretched me to newer and higher heights. Each played a significant role in the outworking of God’s hand on my life from which Living in the Supernatural Dimension was birthed.

The late Dr. Andrew Ghi, then of China Inland Mission, which is now known as OMF International, spoke into my life with passion for Asian missions in the late 1940s. Running his fingers through my then mop of dark, curly hair, he said, One day you will minister to my people in Asia, and we still are.

The late Lindsay Glegg of Keswick and Filey Bible Week was probably Britain’s best-known evangelist of the twentieth century, and he continually encouraged young men to ministry. That distinguished, respected, and elderly saint of God, with a full head of pure white and lengthy hair, always encouraged me to do the work of an evangelist.

The late Dr. F. F. Bruce (Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis, Manchester University, 1959) was an author and theologian. He invested much time in me over lengthy periods in the library of his home and helped me hone the finer points of theology that have provided a lifetime of learning. It was such an honour to sit under his tutelage.

The late Rev. Glen S. McLean, Principal of the Full Gospel Bible Institute, now Eston College, played a vital role in my moulding. He was a busy little man with a massive heart and time for everyone. Not only was his lecture time a great highlight in those years, but his private mentoring in impromptu sessions was also excelled only by hours of private discussions as he and I traveled to different cities and on occasion, preached together. Those encounters still play out in daily life and in this writing.

Dr. John Wesley White (D. Phil. Oxon) was a Billy Graham associate evangelist for forty years. He invited me, just ordained in 1958, to be his associate evangelist in Britain. His preaching was to me an art form in communicating to the heart of the hearer. With John, I enjoyed six life-moulding and fruitful ministry years. Our lifetime relationship continues. I love you, John and Kathleen!

In more recent years, the late Rev. William Cornelius, Executive Director of Overseas Missions for the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and who was instrumental in our appointment to PAOC Missions, also played a major role in our lives. He showed us great understanding, patience, and love, fanning the mission flame that we are honoured to hold high as we continue to be credentialed with that great fellowship.

The Rev. Calvin C. Ratz, our former pastor, mentor, and long-time friend, was always an encourager and always affirming. Thank you, Cal, for the long sessions, the great counsel, your patience, and making me much of what this volume is about!

The Rev. Henry C. Borzel for several years was our PAOC Asian Regional Coordinator. His sound spiritual judgement, open-hearted dialogue, and love and friendship made our mission years productive and exciting. Thank you, Henry, for your quiet encouragement to put pen to paper in this writing venture!

The Rev. Laurence M. Van Kleek, BA, MDIV, MA, MLS, is Librarian/Administrator of the Hudson Memorial Library of Summit Pacific College in Abbotsford, British Columbia. He has proofread, edited, and revised the manuscript for this book. Without his literary skills, this project would have been overwhelming. For hundreds of hours, he has worked tirelessly on this assignment. I have personally appreciated his input, patience, and tenacity to get the manuscript to press. He has done an admirable job, for which I have the deepest appreciation. I could never repay him for this great ministry service. Thank you, Laurie!

INTRODUCTION

We often speak in the corporate world of the glass ceiling. It is that invisible barrier beyond which one rarely rises, for a myriad of reasons, such as education, ethnicity, or gender. In a similar way, in the Christian world there is a perceived glass ceiling. Going beyond it to higher levels with God can also, for many reasons, be a challenge.

As I have spoken with numerous Christian leaders around the world, they recognize that their congregations, pastoral staff, or they themselves have at some time in their Christian lives faced that proverbial ceiling.

To understand better this perceived barrier and walk in a closer and more powerful union with God, some basic principles should be noted. Those foundational concepts resemble the threads woven together to create a fabric. Each of these threads represents a biblical concept. When the threads are fully woven into God’s pattern, they produce His perfect plan for removing the imagined glass ceiling.

The Bible is God’s plan, and He longs for us to reach our highest levels by following it. For me there is no shortcut in following His manual. In the spiritual world, for many the glass ceiling represents the limitations many believers sense in experiencing an intimate relationship with God. For some it is a challenge to know to a greater degree His power or to overcome a deep personal hurdle.

As I searched my heart before God and catalogued my personal forks in the road that keep me on track with His will for my life, I wrote this book. During overseas leadership experiences, I learned valuable lessons as God, on occasion, took me apart and then put me back together again. I now share those experiences with you.

Of the many books I read each year, some tell me what to do for a deeper, richer, and more powerful walk with God. Seldom will an author reach into the depths of his own heart to teach how to achieve those goals. Only by revealing my major encounters with God, by bearing my own soul, and by sharing what God is teaching me in the spiritual and supernatural dimension can I help others who face glass ceilings to remove them. This, then, is my desire for you. If you are not experiencing all that God has planned for your life, will you let Him move you from where you are to where He desires for you to be?

Hopefully you will walk this journey with me, letting God take you each step in His plan for you. Sometimes as we travel together, it will demand strenuous training. Often the pace will quicken to a sprint. Many times the demand will be gruelling, as in a marathon. As we press on together with endurance, there will be a fulfilling reward. In this way, you will scale the new heights He has planned for you. New vistas of richer fellowship with Him are your inheritance to enjoy a life fully empowered by the Holy Spirit. Claim your inheritance now by following His divine plan, and walk in total obedience to His Word. He waits to transform you with a fresh baptism of His divine love, peace, and power and to energize you for greater kingdom exploits.

Living in the Supernatural Dimension is not intended to be a literary masterpiece or a theological dissertation but by the Spirit, to speak from my heart to your heart. Each chapter may be read as a standalone unit in that each addresses a notable miracle or event, often contrasting a dimension of our Christian faith or principles. For example, the biblical directive on forgiveness is addressed together with real-life parallels of deliverance that directly result from obedience to His command for us to forgive.

Some autobiographical background is included to apprise you of the Potter’s hand that prepared, moulded, and led me into child evangelism and later, to witness miraculous, supernatural ministry that was considered, from my teaching as a teenager, a dispensational impossibility.

Facing a mission’s call was catastrophic for me. Western evangelism was my calling. My flesh was diametrically opposed to a missions’ lifestyle. Even as a teenager in Bible college, it seemed dishonest for me to sing missions’ hymns about a calling I had no intention to follow.

For security reasons, details of countries, cities, pastors, workers’ names, and dates have mostly been omitted. Many nationals who work to arrange for our ministry in their countries risk great danger to themselves, their families, and their congregations. For this reason, although you may find this minor security measure somewhat of a distraction, I trust that in a spirit of love and understanding, you will accept it for the greater good of all concerned.

PART ONE

Training

1

Flashback

How It All Started

Like watching a vignette, my life flashed before me. Everything of consequence that had brought me to that moment now begged the questions, how did I get here? and, what am I doing? as the crowd before which I stood warmly received me.

A few years ago in an African city late one afternoon, a pastor asked me to speak in his weeknight service. I imagined a small church-plant on the edge of town with fifty people; I agreed to speak.

As we talked, he indicated that he was trained in another discipline and was not a seminary graduate. I took that to mean he was a lay worker ministering in his free time. After further discussion, he left the room and said to his other colleague, Have him speak this evening. Returning to our billet, we refreshed, ate, and then left for the location. Arriving just before the appointed time, we entered a tiny room through a small side door.

Following a brief word of prayer, the colleague led us up a few narrow steps to a large open space. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness beyond the dazzling spotlights, a packed auditorium and balcony emerged. Upward of thirty thousand people, we were told, filled the place. Since this was their regular teaching meeting, within a few minutes it was my turn to speak. As I walked to the pulpit, I was able to see the whole crowd, which, until that time, may have been my largest audience. I learned that the pastor was a medical doctor and that his sizable ministry team were doctors or lawyers, none of whom were seminary graduates.

In this chapter, I will briefly share what led me to that point.

A Different Childhood

I grew up an only child in a small farming community in Northern Ireland and was allowed to have a carefree life. My mother, father, and I lived on a small working farm that kept my father very busy. He also had a full-time job. With dairy cows, a herd of pigs, thousands of laying hens, and a massive greenhouse to care for, even I was put to work. Later, my father built three fabric factories in our district. My childhood days were happy and full. My Christian parents practised their faith in the home and trained me in the way that I should live.

Bible stories from a giant family Bible were part of the bedtime routine, together with prayer. My extended family of many uncles, aunts, and an army of cousins on both sides of the family all attended the Plymouth Brethren Gospel Hall in their communities. The Gospel Hall that I attended was about a mile away and across several farmers’ fields and ditches, which separated the fields and often overflowed in the rainy season. Sunday school, only for children, was held in the afternoons. As a small child, going alone to Sunday school was not a pleasant journey for me and would be unheard of in our culture today. But I really did enjoy the classes.

On more than one occasion, I intentionally dawdled, making myself late. Sometimes when I crossed the ditches between farms, I would accidentally get wet or slip into a water-filled ditch and then return home to change my clothes. By then it was decided that I was too late to go. On one occasion, I was dressed in a new suit when I attempted such a ploy. My father became furious with me and exclaimed, Look at your new suit! As I pulled off my trousers, his trusty razor strap connected with my vulnerable posterior. I quickly redressed, but in older clothes. Then I was on my way again to Sunday school. This time, as my father was watching me, I made better progress and successfully navigated the troublesome ditch.

In the 1940s, my Gospel Hall had special gospel meetings. A young man, Harold Paisley, came and preached the gospel for many weeks. He preached clear, strong gospel messages of God’s love, man’s total depravity, heaven and hell, and the sovereign grace of God. He preached that salvation was achieved only by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Only through His shed blood was cleansing from sin possible. Then salvation was to be received as a gift, not by works. As one is empowered by Christ’s resurrection, one is enabled to live in victory as a new creation. That was his nightly message, the old-fashioned kind of preaching that we seldom hear today in our seeker-sensitive and politically correct world.

One Saturday night soon after those meetings, while playing marbles using a small hole in the kitchen floor left from an air bubble in the cement during pouring, something unusual happened to me. With my father reading the evening paper in a large lounge chair beside a roaring log fire, I began crying inconsolably. Dropping to his knees, he picked me up in his arms and asked, John, son, what is wrong with you?

At first I couldn’t speak. Then I was able only to speak in an indecipherable stutter. Minutes later, with both parents crouching beside me and with a measure of composure, I sobbed, If I die in sin, I will go to hell. With my father’s strong arms comforting me, he placed me on one knee and guided me in giving my life to Christ. This is how you need to pray, he said. Quietly my salvation prayer was whispered. I gave my life to Christ by confessing my sin and receiving His love, forgiveness, and cleansing for my sin. By His blood alone, the everlasting work was done. As Scripture assures, . . . whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved (Rom. 10:13 NKJV). That was and still is a Saturday night highlight in my life.

The next day, seemed to me like a new world. Although I was only seven years old, I felt that a heavy weight of sin was lifted from me. Now, I cleared every ditch without falling or slipping and gladly made it to Sunday school on time. In the following week, my father took me to town to a Christian bookstore where I was allowed to choose my very own Bible. When I arrived home, my first task was to open the front page of the Bible and print in it my name and date of my salvation.

So many Brethren relatives came to our home and were delighted to hear the good news of my conversion. They grilled me with questions to confirm that I really understood what had transpired in my life. They were overjoyed that I had come to faith in Christ.

The next couple of years were uneventful, consisting of an orderly and prioritized life of school and homework, and then chores and play. At that time, there was one more activity: as time permitted, my dog, MacWhurter, and I would hide in the most deserted spot of the fields. He would lie on his stomach with his chin on his outstretched paws and was obliged to listen to me ramble, as I practised preaching from my new Bible.

At ten years old, I walked home the three miles from school and often with a friend. As I preached to my dog, I would also witness to my friend. Sometimes he would feel convicted or cry, and then we would pray together for his salvation.

One time, as my parents and I were eating supper, my father started chatting with me. He said, I was talking with Mrs. Brown and she told me that recently her son gave his life to Christ as you prayed with him on the way home from school. Is this true? Excitedly, I concurred and related to him the event. Go to your room! was his response. He followed me, accompanied by his reliable razor strap. After what he considered was adequate correction, he explained that I was too young to attempt praying with others to receive Christ, and I was not to do it again. We resumed our evening meal.

Perhaps a year later, and again at an evening meal, my father began, Since we last spoke of Mrs. Brown’s son, have you led anyone else to Christ? Immediately, it was as though Satan jumped on my right shoulder, saying, Tell him no! Tell him no! Instead, I answered, Yes!

Again my father sent me to my room—where I experienced the same disciplinary treatment. But this time it was a little different. After I received several strokes to my backside, something else happened. Instead of crying, I began quietly laughing. So my father turned me over and demanded, Why are you laughing when I am strapping you? I explained that the first time he gave me one spanking for leading one boy to Christ. This time I only received one spanking, but I had since led several children to Christ. What a good discount! He began to laugh and said, You be careful; you’re too young to know what you’re doing.

Before the era of television, sometimes I was allowed to listen to the radio, but not for very long because the acid-filled battery didn’t last long in the days before electricity came to our district. One evening, I found a station on 208 Meters Medium Wave, from Radio Luxemburg. I heard a preacher who really fascinated me. It was a program relayed from the United States. The minister had a huge tent and traveled the country preaching the gospel and deliverance. The gospel I knew, but deliverance, what was that about? My parents allowed me to stay up until after nine p.m. to finish the program. As they went for solitude to another room, they left me with my ear glued to the radio program.

I settled back in my huge lounge chair in which, as a small boy, I felt lost. This preacher’s message was different. His name was Oral Roberts. After preaching the gospel, he sat on the platform and prayed for sick people as they filed past. The sick people gave testimonies when some, and often many, were healed. As the weeks passed and I became attached to him and more comfortable with his message of deliverance, something began to happen to my spirit.

Although I was only twelve years old at the time, I sensed a presence—the presence of God. What a good and rich feeling that was! Warmth accompanied His presence. Often it felt like warm oil flowing from my head to my shoulders and upper body. Sometimes I had the urge to cry softly, even though there was nothing wrong. At other times I would begin to laugh gently. After weeks of listening to the preacher, it seemed that at times what he said about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit would cause one of those laughing or crying emotions to rest on my spirit. In addition to all of these experiences that were new to me, as Oral Roberts preached, and while the warmth of oil seemed to be flowing from my head, my spirit was lifted out of my body to the ceiling of the room. It remained there for the rest of the program, and I could view my body sitting in the big chair.

Those evidences of the Holy Spirit’s presence continued regularly and reminded me of when I started laughing during the spanking my father gave me for leading my friends to Christ. In retrospect, it was the same anointing. In His own way, God was quietly and unknown to me preparing me to understand the moving of His Spirit for later use, while, at the time, I only knew a fundamental faith.

As I recall, about this time, a Bible correspondence course was offered by M. R. De Hahn of Back to the Bible Broadcast from Lincoln, Nebraska. It was intended for new adult believers. Over several weeks, I completed these and mailed them back. Then they were corrected, and when a passing mark was achieved, after a few weeks, I would receive the next segment. About eighteen months later,