My Brother's Conversion

My Brother’s Conversion

By Paul Ratsara

A number of years ago, my heart was really breaking for my brother. He had been in the church but had drifted away. Here I was preaching the gospel to thousands and seeing many won to the Lord, and yet I realized that without a miracle my own brother would not spend eternity with the Lord and me. As a result, I began interceding on behalf of my brother. “Please Lord, I am not commanding you, I am pleading: By December this year I want my brother back to you. Please Lord, work a miracle!” From August until December, I prayed passionately every day for my brother’s salvation.

In November I had to visit one of our Unions in the area where my brother lived. Realizing that I need to act as well and be part of the answer to my own prayer as Ellen White encourages, I sent him a message. “I’m coming to Madagascar during these dates for some meetings. I want to see you. Can you meet me here?” My brother never responded, and I continued to pray.

At the designated time I traveled to the city in Madagascar where the meetings were to be held. To my great joy, I found my brother there waiting to meet me. I had to rush to my meetings, but I told him that in the evening we would get together and talk. I continued to pray and in my mind I began preparing the heart-felt appeal that I planned for months to give him, calling him back to the Lord and to God’s church. Finally, the meetings of that day were completed and I rushed back to the guest house to see my brother.

As we sat down to talk, I started to launch into my appeal when my brother interrupted me.

“My big brother (this is how he calls me), something amazing happened to me 15 days ago!” He told me excitedly. “I just felt this compelling urge to rededicate my life to God. It’s been a struggle the last few years, but now I am walking again with Him, and I am at peace. I am so happy!”

I just sat in amazement praising God. I hadn’t even gotten to give the little speech I’d prepared. God had done the work in answer to prayer, and He’d even done it without my help. The years have passed, and my brother has his ups and downs in his walk with the Lord, but he is still with Him, and I continue to praise the Lord. What a great God we serve!

Most of us have loved ones that are not walking with God, and this burden weighs heavily upon our hearts. Some of us have been praying for years and years and have still seen no answer. But we must not give up. The story is told of George Mueller, who prayed for 5 specific people in his life that he wanted to see converted and brought into God’s Kingdom. One of these gave their life to Christ within a few months after Mueller had started praying, the other 3 took years before they came to Christ, and the 5th one didn’t give his heart to Christ until after George Mueller had died. But all were won to Christ! And there are many many other testimonies just like this!

However, beyond our personal friends and loved ones, what about the world outside our doorstep and the millions lost in darkness who have never heard the gospel? What about all those that weigh heavily upon God’s heart? Are we willing to stand in the gap and intercede on behalf of them, even on behalf of the least of these?

Paul Ratsara now works as Assistant to the President and Chairman of MA in Biblical Mission and Wellness at Weimar University

World Church Prayer Requests

March 29 – April 4, 2024

  • Pray for believers in Israel, and the Middle East. Pray for peace and protection for the people, especially in the areas where the conflict is increasing.
  • Pray for those in Russia affected by the recent shooting. Pray for God to take what the enemy means for evil and use it as a means to pull people back to Jesus.
  • Pray that the Holy Spirit will move mightily in the hearts of Saint Croix's residents, inspiring them to attend the transformative evangelistic series which will be taking place on their island from March 30 to April 13.
  • Pray for a Back to the Altar training event for Pastors and leaders in Kenya and Tanzania that will be taking place in early May.
  • Pray for the spread of the new “Back to the Altar” initiative. Pray that church members worldwide will learn afresh what it means to rebuild their broken altars and worship God. (To learn more, visit: https://www.backtothealtar.org)

Download this week's testimony and prayer requests here.

Join the Discussion

United in prayer

A global prayer movement including 777 and 10 Days of Prayer, in which hundreds of thousands of people have participated.