Ministry As A Couple

When our honeymoon was over, we held special services in Elizabeth and Oos-London. We spent three weeks with the assembly in Paris, (South Africa), and in July of 1971 we returned to Germany. Ivan wondered what happened to the group of believers as they had been without a pastor for some time now, but everyone that had been saved through the ministry of pastor Johnny van Wyk were still together. We started regular services again in the home of one sister.

Ivan was invited one day to speak at a Pentecostal church on how to overcome fear. After the meeting two sisters invited us for dinner. When we arrived they showed us a barn they had converted, at the leading of God, to a meeting hall with benches and a piano. However, they didn’t have a pastor, nor an assembly. The Lord provided in a wonderful way with a place of worship. Souls got added and His power and presence could be felt in each and every service.

The assembly wanted very much to have a place to accommodate the Dutch, Belgian and Swiss assemblies for a conference. A brother came to one of the morning prayer meetings, all excited about sharing that he had found a meeting hall in Metzingen, a village close to their current location. The hall was a barn converted to an automotive garage and was in a very neglected state. Everyone pitched in to transform this place into a paradise. One sister made all of the curtains and cushions. God really blessed us.

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In the beginning, it was difficult for me to communicate with the people in Germany, as the language was strange to me. Although I had taken a five month long correspondence course, I could not understand the local dialect. Three weeks into our stay, Ivan told me that he would no longer translate my testimonies into German during the services and that I just needed to start speaking German. I was very distraught and explained to him that he was unreasonable. That night I talked out loud in my dreams: “Ich kann nicht Deutsch sprechen.” We both woke up startled and Ivan told me that I said in German that I couldn’t speak German. Ivan rebuked the lack of faith in me. 

Although I have never talked in my sleep before, the following night I said out loud: “Ich kann Deutsch sprechen.” (I can speak German) Ivan heard me and commented that I now live by faith. That day God helped me, although I still had to learn all this new vocabulary. Every noun in German has a gender, male, female or neutral. Every noun is preceded by a different pronoun, Der, Die and Das. A chair is male, a bench is female and a window is neutral. 

One day I took a walk with a five year old and asked her for the names of objects I pointed to. After some time she got curious and asked: “Now how come you are a big person and I am small but I have to teach you?” Adults can learn a lot from innocent little children, who are so dependent on their parents, the same way we need to depend on our heavenly father. Some parents had said that it was difficult to raise children. Ivan commented that his job was even more difficult as he was trying to turn adults into children again. Mat 18:3, 7 KJV - "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

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We had a lot of mutual cooperation with Pastor Johnny van Wyk in Belgium. We usually took the train to visit him. During our conversation, Ivan had wondered what language they would have to speak in Belgium. The man sitting across from us answered and said: “Wanneer jullie langzaam spreken zullen alle mensen jullie verstaan.” (When you speak slowly, everyone will understand you). The flemish language has many Afrikaans words in it. Dutch, Afrikaans and German are related languages.

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We had looked for a place to stay in Switzerland. We replied to an ad and went to see a woman who had a room for rent. She asked us what church we belonged to and asked us if we speak in tongues. Apparently, some guy who stayed there before spoke in tongues while he prayed. However, he didn't pay his rent and didn’t live a very exemplary life. Ivan explained to her that according to Mat. 12:33 you will know a tree by its fruit, and not by the language it speaks. We can’t reject Acts 2 where people were baptized in the Holy Spirit and spoke foreign languages. She said she also spoke foreign tongues, namely a German dialect and some French and English. Sadly enough people do not hold to a correct interpretation of the Gospel. After all this, she didn’t want to rent us a room. We ended up renting a room in Zurich, Switzerland. Vacancies were hard to find and we shared a kitchen and bathroom with three other renters. We usually waited until everyone was off to work to have breakfast. We stayed there for nine months while we traveled to Germany for weekend services.

We lived for some time in the Swiss Alps with fellow believers. The mountain tops were permanently covered in snow. It was a nine kilometer drive to get to the bottom of the mountain, filled with dangerous curves. I would pray all the way up and down the road every time the landowner gave us a ride. He was very familiar with the road and drove very fast and I was afraid that we would go over the edge. Only when you get to know God’s ways do you stop fearing all the curves that life throws at you.

After some time , a sister in Germany offered for us to stay with her. Her son had renovated the basement into living quarters. However, she gave up her bedroom and slept in the living room herself. This didn’t seem right to me and for nine months I prayed that God would provide us with our own place. I placed an ad in the paper, looking for lodging. Someone contacted me and we immediately went to look at the place. The house was located in the upscale section of Metzingen. The owner asked us about our jobs etc. and told us that he had been looking for six months for the right renters. An older couple who had lived there had moved to an old age home and the owner offered to sell us the new curtains but ended up donating them to us.The place needed to be cleaned and painted. The church didn’t have finances to help us but gave us leftover paint and a brother gave us six rolls of wallpaper he had bought but didn't use. The Lord provided and Ivan and I painted and papered the place.

Germany has been around for a long time and there are really old buildings as well as new and modern ones. Many Germans had the habit of buying new furniture when they moved into a new home. They often put the old furniture by the side of the road for others to pick up and use. We found a beautiful set of furniture for our home and an elder in the church gave us a modern stove that didn’t fit in the new home. 

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I asked God for a word at one point when I thought that our time in Europe came to an end. I opened my bible and put my finger on John 21:17 “...feed my sheep.” Our home served as headquarters for eight years.

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Ivan ministered in Belgium for a while, before there was an established church. Services were held in a renovated garage. Three hours before service time, I would start a fire in a coal stove to heat up the room. (Translator's note: This ‘garage’ was part of the Pericles baby carriage factory in Deinze.)

In the morning we held services in Belgium and in the afternoon in The Netherlands. The afternoon trip is roughly 55 kms to reach Breskens, The Netherlands, where we had to take a ferry across the Scheldt river to reach Vlissingen, the town where we held services. The port has a very large mechanised loading dock. Some 300 cars, busses and trucks fit in the ferry. It takes about 25 mins to cross the Westerschelde, the large section of the Scheldt river as it empties in the North Sea. We usually enjoy some tea in the ferry’s restaurant, but when the whistle blows, it is time to get back in our vehicles to avoid delays getting off. 

We had such blessed services in Vlissingen that many times Ivan stayed late to share his testimonies. The last boat leaves at 22:30 and I had to remind Ivan constantly that we had to leave. During one of our trips, the ferry was canceled because of stormy weather. We waited three hours at the dock before the ferry could leave. Halfway on our return trip, an unexpected strong storm hit the water. The waves washed over the top railings of the ferry. Although I used the parking brake, the car jostled around the deck with the motion of the waves. We couldn’t do anything but pray. The whole trip back home was frightening. Trees, road signs and traffic lights had blown over. A flickering yellow warning light reminded me that no matter how big the storms in our life, our light should still be shining. I could barely keep the car on the road and, without exaggeration, it felt as if the car got lifted up in the air. It was God’s grace that there were few cars on the road.

Ivan gets healed and marries Martie!

I befriended Ivan in 1957; during the time that he suffered from tuberculosis. Brother Prinsloo, Moderator of Members in Christ Assemblies,advised us not to get married until Ivan was healthy again. Dr. Weeks, an MD attending Members in Christ, also advised us that it would not be possible for us to get married. I had received a prophecy three years before I met Ivan, stating that the Lord would put an angel at my side. Years went by and Ivan did not get healed. Since marriage was a serious business to me, I fasted and prayed, not to ‘get a man’ but to find the will of God. One evening, I felt the Lord speaking to me through Esther 2:17, Ruth 3:18, Gen 2:22, 25:20 and Matt 1:20. In the meantime, the Lord also revealed to Ivan that I was the right woman for him. Later on, God told this to him personally.

In 1969, I was appointed secretary to the Moderator during a period of renovations to the Helderberg Church. I also took care of the accounting related to all the churches to meet government requirements. During this time, Ivan got much worse, and in February of 1971, he was admitted to the South Hills Hospital.All of the overseas assemblies were notified of his critical condition with a request for prayer.

In the hospital, he spent much time praying on a mat. When the nurse would come to give him medication, he would tell her that he hadn’t finished praying yet. He didn’t want to take 47 pills a day and he eventually discharged himself. Sister Leeuwner took care of him at home.

During this time, I felt led to go and pray for him. Sister Leeuwner was very concerned as he wouldn’t eat anything. She asked if I would please take him for some sight-seeing to Vaaldam. While we were sitting by the water, the Lord led me to pray for him. After the prayer, Ivan said that he was very hungry. I had brought a lot of fruit with me and he ate all of it! Many people throughout South Africa and overseas had prayed for Ivan and that day the Lord healed him! Praise God that the time of wonders has not ended! 

We decided to get married on the 8th of May 1971, and we sent invitations to the overseas assemblies. Sister Annie Dreier in Germany feared the worst and thought that the envelope contained Ivan’s death notice, but all this time it was a wedding invitation! God can turn bad news into good news. In February, Ivan was deathly ill, was healed in March and married in May!

Translator's notes:

Vaaldam refers to a lake about 150 km from the hospital. The lake was created by building a dam in the Vaal river.

Below are copies of certificates issued in Middelburg, The Netherlands by a doctor working for the agency responsible for fighting tuberculosis, giving Ivan a clean bill of health. 

Ivan's continuing ministry.

At one of his visits to South Africa, he received a message that he should go back to Germany. He went to buy a plane ticket but all the seats had been sold. The Lord told him to pack his suitcase and to head for the airport and He would provide. Ivan asked himself: “Now what?” He went and stood in line with all the passengers ready to board the plane for Frankfurt, Germany. In front of him was a couple who were flying together. At the check-in, the couple found out that they had only made reservations for one person. The man insisted that he had called and made reservations for two as they didn't want to fly separately. The couple declined their trip and after Ivan asked, they gave him their place on the plane. It was wonderful how God orchestrated for Ivan to stand in the right spot in a long line of passengers. Not only did He provide for a seat on the plane, but also for a ticket. (...your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:8 NIV)

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There were many times in Ivan’s life when God used the gift of discernment through him. 

Ivan met a woman who ended up in great financial need. A so-called prophet had prophesied to her that the Lord would compensate her double if she donated a large sum of money to the church. She trusted this prophet and gave him all her money but no fortune came back to her. She inquired from Ivan what she should do. Through the gift of discernment, Ivan told her that the Lord would restore her money if she served Him. She had already been spiritually searching and with joy she accepted the Lord as her personal Saviour. Later on, all her money was restored to her. The Lord works in wonderful ways for those who serve Him. We must remember that not all prophets are upright. (...did we not prophesy in your name ….?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matthew 7:22-23 NIV) 

There was an assembly where a certain couple was causing the pastors quite a headache so Ivan decided to go visit this couple. When he got to the door of their home, he could hear them swear and insult each other. When he knocked on the door they welcomed him in although they actually didn’t want him there. The woman asked if she could get him some tea. “Never mind, sweetheart”, said the man, “I will make some tea.” “No my love, I’ll make tea, after all, it's a woman’s job”, she replied. The whole evening they pretended that they loved each other very much and didn't want Ivan or the assembly to know that they fought like cats and dogs. 

Before visiting, Ivan had prepared himself in prayer, and in his soft and friendly manner, he told them how he had heard them insult each other. Their hypocrisy came to light and for the first time they saw what they looked like in the eyes of God and realised that they needed to confess their sins. Ivan spent time teaching them how to pray with each other and confess their misdoings. Quite often people blame each other, even in their prayers, and later on resent each other even more. This time around, they received grace from above and saw that they had each been too proud to admit guilt. From that day on, they worked towards living in peace with each other. Sometimes we know inside that we are wrong but the humiliation is too big to admit it to our life partners. Remember James 4:6 says “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." (NIV)

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Pastor Prinsloo, the founder of Members in Christ Assemblies, and Ivan would often visit the overseas assemblies. One time they spent the night in a hotel before flying again the next day. Pastor Prinsloo had gone shopping and when he returned to the hotel, he noticed that he had left his briefcase somewhere. All of the crucial documents for their travels were in his briefcase. Pastor Prinsloo immediately started to retrace his steps to find his briefcase while Ivan stayed behind to pray for him. When he finished praying, he went down to the beach. While at the beach, he saw a man coming in his direction, holding a briefcase. When Ivan noticed the name “CJ Prinsloo” on the case, he immediately told the man that the case belonged to his friend. The man handed it over and explained that it had been left behind in a store. Pastor Prinsloo had returned to the hotel, discouraged. The next moment he was overjoyed when Ivan handed him his briefcase. God had organised the place and time for Ivan to be to the minute, just when this man came walking by with the briefcase. (For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV)

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Many years ago, a Little Person of German descent had come to the Lord. He worked as a clown in a world renowned circus. He was ashamed to confess his sins but God’s Word and His Spirit kept urging him. His Afrikaans and English weren’t all that good and he made a plan to confess all his sins in German, figuring that no one would understand him anyways. During a prayer meeting in a conference, he knelt next to Ivan and confessed all his sins in German, not realising that Ivan was also of German descent. Ivan prayed with him in German asking the Lord to forgive him and wash him in His blood and cleanse him. The man got such a fright that he couldn’t look Ivan in the eyes. (...for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. Matthew 10:26 NIV)

On one of Ivan’s flights, a woman wearing a very short mini skirt sat next to him. Without words, the Spirit of God in Ivan convicted her and a short while later she left her seat, and returned wearing a pair of pants. Later on, she said to Ivan: “Sir, I don't think it’s appropriate for women to wear a mini skirt or a pair of pants.” God’s Spirit who lives in you can convict people if their lives are not right with God. (Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 KJV)

Ivan's Ministry in Canada

Many times Ivan was led to hold open air services in city parks. In those days he had a full beard. When he was talking about the saving grace of God, a godless man tried to set fire to his beard but he was unsuccessful. Back home Ivan wondered if hair doesn’t burn but the Lord pressed upon him not to try to set his beard on fire. (Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" Matthew 4:7 NIV)

We all admired Ivan’s patience. One time during an open air service, an annoying guy kept holding a stick to Ivan’s nose but he just kept on speaking as if he had no distraction.

The main theme of Ivan’s messages was always based on Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” ( KJV). Conviction and confession of sin is a recurring theme in the Bible. Ivan would spend hours in prayer before a service, to be in touch with the Holy Spirit. It is this Spirit that convicts people of sin. Many accepted this message; some didn't.

A man and his family had come to the town where Ivan was holding special services. The whole family came under the conviction of God's Spirit. They searched their hearts and confessed their sins. Back in the assembly in their own town, the pastor noticed that this proud, insensitive and impatient family was totally changed. The man shared his experiences at the special services telling how they had cleaned up their lives. The pastor immediately invited Ivan for special services at his assembly so that they also might be prepared for the Kingdom of God.

Ivan would often attend conferences in Pretoria for his own spiritual strengthening. (Translator's note: Pretoria is the capital of South Africa. In the text of this biography, Pretoria refers to the main church of Members in Christ Assemblies located in Pretoria, where customarily most annual conferences take place). At one of these conferences, the Lord spoke to him and sent him to Canada to start a work for the Lord. The Lord led him to visit a certain assembly when he arrived in Canada. The anointing of God was strongly on him. The pastor of the assembly asked him if he had a word to share and invited him up to the platform. Ivan was prepared and started speaking of the one thing that will keep a person out of heaven, which is sin. During the service, Ivan turned around and revealed the pastor’s sins. The pastor denied everything and chased Ivan from the building. However, a number of the assembly members were aware of his relation with one of the younger woman in his church although he was married. They had been praying that his actions would come to light. They started house meetings and invited Ivan to come and tell them more about the gospel.

Ivan paid for his own travel expenses in those days and he had just enough money to rent a room. The Lord laid on someone’s heart to give Ivan a loaf of bread but the person thought this was too insignificant a gift for a man who travels all over the world and whom she assumed must be rich and therefore gave him nothing. Fortunately someone else was obedient to God's leading and gave Ivan a bottle of Milo. Every day the Lord provided his needs. (Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Matthew 6:31-32 KJV).

Canada gets quite cold in the winter and Ivan relied mostly on buses for his transportation. People just couldn’t get enough of his testimonies and one time it had gotten late before he left for home. He had to wait a long time before a bus showed up. He got tired and sat down to lean against a pole. When the bus arrived he couldn’t get up as he was completely frozen stiff. The bus driver realised the seriousness of the situation and tried to help him onto the bus. His legs wouldn’t cooperate. There were icicles on his mustache and eyelashes. The bus driver explained that you should never sit down in this cold weather but to keep moving around. It’s not unusual for people to freeze to death. By God’s grace Ivan didn’t suffer lasting effects of his ordeal. (And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV) 

Ivan's life consisted of fasting and praying and sleeping on the floor. During the winter he had a gas burner in his bedroom and he slept on the floor. He didn't realize that when he turned around the blanket had extinguished some of the flames. He had already breathed in a lot of gas when the Lord woke him up. In his misery he crawled on hands and knees towards the bathroom. His lungs, already weakened by tuberculosis, were badly affected and when he started coughing there was a lot of blood in the bathtub. The next day people wanted to take him to a doctor but he didn't want to go, as he wanted to trust the Lord. (Translator's note: later on in the biography, Martie shares how Ivan received his healing from tuberculosis).

He often visited the assembly in Tulsa, Oklahoma so he often crossed the border between Canada and the United States. At one time the customs officer asked him for his bank account details because they wanted to make sure that he had enough money to support himself. Every time he would answer: “I am well provided for.” They asked him how he came to be in Canada and where his home was. The night before on this occasion he had felt led to stay in a very expensive hotel frequented by millionaires, although it meant that he used the last of his money. When the customs officer heard where he had stayed the night before he assumed that he was a very rich man and they let him pass through. From that day on he often sang the song: “I am a millionaire.”

Repentance, Restitution, Deliverance and Joy.

In 1952 a former director prophesied that Ivan “would travel overseas, that he would experience oppression and trials like no other person, and that he would be purified as gold”. In the beginning of his travels, Pastor Prinsloo would always accompany him. They founded a Members in Christ church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Pastor Prinsloo returned to South Africa but Ivan stayed behind. Ivan was often invited by other churches to bring this wonderful gospel. At one point he ministered in 15 other assemblies.

Many times Ivan gave expression of the joy that filled him when God blessed him. He would often praise the Lord aloud, usually somewhere in the countryside. One time he praised the Lord on the main street of a large city, shouting and dancing. A police cruiser pulled up alongside. They had received word that a crazy person had been sighted. Ivan told them: “I’m not mad, I am glad”. They asked for identification to determine whether or not he was legally in the U.S., but his passport was at his home. The police ordered him into the car. Ivan would always ask for God's protection when going on a trip and he immediately started to pray. Out of respect the police officers removed their hats and bowed their heads. On the way he explained to them why he was so happy and started singing the song: “Give Your Heart today to the Lord”. The policemen realised that he had all of his faculties, but they were obligated to report to the police station. The captain of the police station asked Ivan what he was doing in the United States. Ivan answered: “The same way you are being sent to catch criminals, the Lord has sent me to teach people deliverance from sin”. They immediately released him and brought him back home by car. 

After a service at a certain assembly a man invited him to come and eat at his home. Ivan noticed that all the cutlery was engraved with the letters USR&H (United States Railways and Harbors). Ivan asked about the initials on the cutlery. The man admitted that he had stolen all the cutlery and asked Ivan what he should do. He explained that he had a number of stolen goods in his camper. He asked Ivan to help him return all the stuff. However, according to God's word he needed to do this himself. Ivan promised him that he would fast and pray for him so that God would strengthen him. (And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Luke 19:8 KJV).

The man put everything in his pickup truck and brought his wife along for support. At the reception desk of the USR&H company he asked how he should go about returning some stolen goods but they couldn't help him and sent him up to the next floor. When he arrived on the next floor they sent him to the manager one more floor up. This is now the third time that he had to cart everything around and admit that he stole all these goods. The manager admired his courage and felt very sorry for him and forgave him all debts. On the way home his wife noticed that he had left a bundle on the front seat. Again he returned and humiliated himself so that God might exalt him. The spirit of stealing was rooted out of this man's life. (Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 1 Peter 5:6 KJV)

Around the Tulsa area are many hammerhead oil rigs that are connected with a network of pipes to transport the oil to town. Someone came up with a hidden system to divert the oil at night. During a church service this man came under such a heavy conviction of his wrong doings, that he went to the oil company to confess and offer to pay for the oil that he had stolen. He was filled with joy that his sins were judged now and would not follow him. (Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. 1 Timothy 5:24 KJV).

The Presence of God

The scripture in Luke 14:12-14 had a deep impact on him. “Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:12-14 NIV) Ivan’s circumstances did not allow him to put on a feast for the poor. However, one day he saw a beggar sitting on a bench. He invited him to a restaurant for a meal for which he paid. The man couldn't believe his ears and said that he had never in his life had such an invitation.

During a certain service where Ivan was invited to speak, the anointing of the Holy Spirit was truly on him. As he explained himself, I was “saturated with the Spirit of the Lord”. Those in attendance said that he was surrounded by a cloud. He didn't go sit on the pulpit but the Lord led him to kneel and to start praying. This was totally out of the ordinary. The presence of the Spirit of the Lord was so powerful that everyone fell down and started worshipping and glorifying the God of Heaven and Earth. What an encounter this was. There was no preaching during the service but all had the experience as in 1 John 2:27: “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (1 John 2:27 KJV) 

Some misquote this scripture and use it to explain that they do not need to attend a church. The apostle John wrote this to warn against misleading teachings. “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.” (1 John 2:26 KJV) We need to be taught by shepherds and teachers whom the Lord has appointed in an assembly. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12 KJV)

The presence of God could really be felt when being near Ivan. One time when he couldn't find lodging, he got a room in a hotel. He spent all of his time in prayer. Some people said that a strange fear took a hold of them when they were walking past his room. Others said that they became aware of the presence of God.

The Lord sent Ivan to a certain village but he did not have enough funds to travel. He never prayed for money because he was a child of God and God takes care of his children. Solomon did not pray for riches but for wisdom to rule the people. “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.” (1 Kings 3:9-10 KJV) Ivan prayed likewise. When he finished praying he saw a roll of banknotes in front of him on the carpet. He thought perhaps an angel brought it.

Ivan had beautiful wavy hair and many people complimented him on this to the point that he became proud of his hair. “...God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”. (James 4:6 KJV) He decided to cut off all his hair. The Lord said to him: “Your pride is not in your hair but in your heart”. It isn't only pride that the Lord wants to get out of our hearts, but also character traits such as hypocrisy, lovelessness, callousness, disbelief, lying, evil talk, disobedience etc.

There were a lot of renovations on the go during his time in the Faith Home in Pretoria. He sat down against a wall but God’s spirit told him to go sit somewhere else. Shortly after, a large part of the wall collapsed. “The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life”. (Psalm 121:7 NIV)

While he was working for the Lord in Durban, he went to visit an East-Indian man. The man confronted him about his faith. He showed Ivan his god and the light that was continually burning for it. He said : “I can see my god, but your god does not exist.” Ivan figured that the only way to show his God would be to pray that He might reveal Himself. As he did so , the man suddenly started to tremble, fear gripped him and full of panic, he asked: “What is the meaning of this?” Ivan responded: “This is the God that I know, who is alive, and is not dead as your idol is.”

Ivan was a proponent of justice. A man wanted to give him a large sum of money but God said to him: “Don't accept it because it was obtained by ill gain”. The man was taken aback and admitted that he earned the money with dishonest practices.

Another time he walked past a flourishing business. God showed him that the owner was dishonest and earned his income by cheating and falsifying his books. He went inside and asked the owner if his books were in order. The man got very angry but when Ivan asked him a third time, he admitted that his books were doctored.

Ivan in Pretoria

In 1942, Ivan spent some time in the Faith Home in Pretoria. Following that, he started looking after an assembly in Pietersburg. He held tent meetings in Messina, Louis Trichardt and East London. He also worked for the Lord in Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia.

On one of his train trips, he felt led to minister to the man sitting across from him and to lead him to the Lord. While he was talking, the man fell asleep but the Holy Spirit urged Ivan to keep on speaking to him. He didn't argue with God’s Spirit and continued speaking. When the man got off at his destination, another man had taken his seat. He explained to Ivan that he had been sitting in the adjacent compartment and that he heard everything that Ivan had said and that he would like to give his heart to the Lord. They prayed together and Ivan spent some time instructing him out of God's Word. We can learn from this that if we are not obedient to God’s voice calling us, He will turn His attention to somebody else.

Here is another testimony of how the Lord takes care of his children. Ivan had gotten holes in the soles of his shoes. During a prayer meeting he had taken off his shoes and put them next to him. At the end of the prayer meeting he noticed that his shoes were missing. About a half hour later, a brother came back with Ivan's shoes with new soles on them. Because he passed the test and never complained about the state of his shoes, the Lord would always provide him with a new pair of shoes.

It is amazing to see how the Lord brings things out in the open in a very simple way. While visiting one assembly member, the sister wanted to invent an excuse for the fact that she watched television and explained to Ivan that she was just watching how Daniel killed the lions. Ivan replied that Daniel never killed the lions. “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6 NIV)

In the past, people were discouraged from using medication and were encouraged instead to trust God for their healing. While Ivan was visiting someone, she told him how she trusted the Lord for all her healing. While she was preparing tea, his attention was drawn to some strange looking beans. He picked some up and noticed that they were not beans, but medicine from a bottle that the she had quickly hidden before he arrived. The Lord works in different ways to bring secrets to light. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” (Luke 12:2-3 NIV)

Introduction to Restitution

In 1940, in East London, Ivan got introduced to people who belong to Members In Christ Assemblies. He learned to confess his sins and make restitution according to 1 John 1:9, and Acts 19:18 - 20 etc. (If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9 KJV)

He was reminded of the fact that his father gave him a few sheep when he was a young boy and one of the farm hands had shaved his sheep one day. He asked Ivan for a present in return for his services. Ivan had seen a knife in the display case of a store and put it in his pocket while nobody was looking and gave this to the farmhand. The Holy Spirit convicted him of this sin and he returned to the owner of the store and paid for the knife. (John 16:8)

Ivan also remembered an incident where all the youth in town had gone dancing. He saw one of his friends with a beautiful handkerchief in his pocket and he “accidentally on purpose” danced into him, pretending to stumble. He quickly grabbed the handkerchief and put it in his pocket. Driven by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he decided to make restitution and to return the item.

It says in Numbers 5:7-8 (NIV) “...and must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer”.

He went to the man's home and knocked on the door. His brother opened the door and welcomed him in as he was glad to see him. In the living room there was only one place left to sit, right next to the fellow that he had stolen the handkerchief from. Ivan whispered in his ear that he stole his handkerchief. The man didn’t understand him very well and said: “Speak a little louder.” Ivan tried again to confess and said that he had stolen his handkerchief but again the man said: “I'm deaf, speak louder.” Full of embarrassment, Ivan had to speak very loudly. It takes grace to confess your sins, but it is a true humiliation to confess your sins to a deaf person! Justly it says in God's word, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12 KJV) And, “In his humiliation his judgment was taken away…” (Acts 8:33 KJV)

One day as a young boy Ivan went to visit his aunt. While she was preparing tea, he saw a bunch of money on a counter and he took it. He had read in 1 Cor 6:10 that a thief will not inherit the kingdom of God. He also straightened this out so that he might obtain a pure heart.

Ivan was a sinner just as we all are. One day he got so mad at his brother Ollie, that he threw a knife at his brother so it stuck in his thigh. God's word says: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23 KJV) and: “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10 KJV). A supernatural glory entered his life after he confessed his other sins.

Evangelism and Faith - part 3

The next day during Ivan's open air service to preach the gospel it started raining again. A man came to stand next to him with a large umbrella so that he would not get wet while he was speaking. This man later gave his heart to the Lord. 

One day Ivan was tired from all the walking. He was grimy and soaked with sweat. The driver of a pickup truck stopped to give him a ride. When the native driver saw his condition, he ridiculed him and told him to go sit in the box in the back. The jews had treated Jesus much worse, but He said: “ Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...” (Luke 23:34 KJV)

At one occasion, the Lord led Ivan to go stand near a hotel and start singing the song: “When the roll is called up yonder…” Although he knew the words very well, he could not make it past the first phrase and continued to repeat the phrase over and over. A man who sat in the pub had just consumed his last drink before deciding to commit suicide and he heard the words over and over: “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder I'll be there”. The man came out of the tavern and started to talk with Ivan who led him to the Lord. 

Ivan spoke of a man who preached the gospel of salvation. Whether Ivan was this person or not, I don't know. He shared that this man very much wanted to preach the gospel but no one wanted to pay attention to him. He came up with a plan and he put his hat on the ground and called out really loudly: “I've got him, I've got him,” while running around the hat. People started to gather around and were curious to find out what was under the hat. He eventually picked up his hat and said: “I've got Jesus in my life, do you?” So he shared how he found the Lord. 

Ivan's shoes had developed holes because of all the walking he did. While passing a shoe store, the Lord told him to go inside and have the shoes repaired. He took off his shoes and asked the man to repair them. The man told Ivan he didn't have to pay for the repairs. 

Evangelism and Faith - part 2

Many times Ivan held services in open areas away from buildings and preached the gospel to the multitudes. One day on his way to one of these open-air services he saw two lions laying in the bushes by the side of the road. He realized that turning around and running away would not help him. All too well he knew the scripture in Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion”. (KJV). As he got closer to the lions he got so afraid to the point that his hair raised and his hat nearly fell off, although he knew that the Lord was with him. Even closer, he noticed that they were not lions but the rocks that were naturally formed in the shape of lions. He learnt that while we sometimes fear, there is nothing to be afraid of if the Lord is with you.

A ways down the road, he saw a group of baboons coming down the mountain towards him. Ivan knew all too well that a baboon can shred a man to pieces and he started to pray in earnest. The baboons turned around and left. “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me”. (Psalm 50:15 KJV)

Another time it started raining in the late afternoon and before he arrived at the next village he was soaking wet. As it got dark, he walked into a field, flattened the long grass and lay down to sleep. The next day he noticed that his clothes were full of mud. He didn't have any choice but to continue on. As he was walking he got a craving for chocolate and told this to the Lord.

Not too long after, two men in a Mercedes invited him to ride with them. He stepped in the back and noticed that there was a block of chocolate sitting on the seat between the two men. The one man asked the other if he could give the chocolate to Ivan. He nodded in agreement and Ivan had the whole chocolate bar to himself.

He got out of the car at the next village and while he was walking past a hotel, the Lord told him: “Go inside”, but he replied: “Lord not with these dirty clothes”. But the Lord repeated: “Go inside”. In obedience he went inside but the manager of the hotel began to yell at him: “Get out of here! There's no place for you here!” As he rounded the corner of the street, one of the hotel servants called him and told him that they had a room for him. The servant offered to wash his clothes and to iron them while Ivan was sleeping. The next morning his khaki clothes were nicely washed and ironed and he also had clean socks to put on. The Lord works in exceptional ways to establish His wonders. “He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous…”(Job 36:7 KJV)

Evangelism and Faith - part 1

When God gave him the scripture in Mark 6:8-9 he prayed a lot about the calling of God and the desire became stronger in his life to walk from village to village to preach the gospel. He quit his job, sold his possessions and gave the rest to the poor. (“And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.”) In Luke 22:36 it says that the disciples had only a purse and a bag when they were sent out. It depends on how the Lord leads you. 

Without money or possessions he started walking. As he was walking from Village to Village, his legs became so tired he could barely move. He prayed as Ezekiel did and asked that he would be transported from one place to the other. According to Ezekiel 8:3, a hand took Ezekiel by the scruff and transported him to Jerusalem. Also in Ezekiel 11: 1, 37 and 43:5, and other passages, the Spirit of God lifted him and deposited him in another place.

In the same manner, the Holy Spirit lifted Ivan up physically. He saw how the lamp-posts started flying past him one by one. He started to get afraid and a feeling of disbelief got a hold of him, very much like Peter who walked on the water in Matthew 14:28-31. Although he had to walk the last little stretch, he was strengthened when he arrived at his destination. He took up a position in the shade of a tree and he loudly pronounced all the wonders of the Lord. A woman who owned a restaurant invited him to come and eat at her place. Some other woman also had seen a ring of light around him and invited him to dinner.

On another occasion when he was hungry and had no money, the Lord led him to go to a certain restaurant and order a plate of food. He said to the Lord: “I have no money.” But the Lord answered and said: “Go.” By this time he had learned to recognise the voice of the Lord and with full confidence he ordered a plate of food and asked the blessing before he started eating. Little did he know that the restaurant owner promised God that the first person who comes to his establishment and prays over his food, he will not charge them. So the Lord provided Ivan with a free supper.

Early Evangelism

The Lord led Ivan to go and preach to the natives that lived on the other side of the Ciskey River. The bridge over the river was about 5 km from the place where he lived but he decided to walk through the river since the location of the natives was straight on the other side of his home. The river was high and he wanted to turn back but he heard a voice saying: “jump”. When he heard this voice for the third time he realized it was the voice of the Holy Spirit and he jumped. Two hands reached under his arms and carried him to the other side of the river. The joy of knowing that the God of Heaven and Earth was with him made him jump over a bush.

There were already many people waiting for him when he arrived at the native’s location. He didn't speak the language very well but the Lord gave him the scripture in Luke 12:12 and he opened his mouth and the Lord filled it. He spoke under the anointing for almost an hour ( “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say”). When he finished his message they brought him a large cup of coffee and asked him to continue speaking. Some came to accept Jesus Christ.

On his way back he tried to jump over the same bush again but he wasn't able to; it was just too high. There and then he learned that God anoints a person for a specific task.

Baptism in the Spirit

Ivan's brother Ollie (Oswald Muller) got saved in a Full Gospel Church and was baptized with the Holy Spirit. One evening, he invited Ivan to a service and together they waited on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A certain brother Thompson fell down under the power of God and began to shake. Ivan couldn't handle the incident and went back home. He waited for his brother to come back and asked him if the man on the floor had died. Ollie answered that the man had been baptized in the Holy Spirit according to Acts chapter 2. Ivan had noticed the radical change in Ollie’s life and although he didn't understand any of it, he knew it was real. 

Ivan suffered from incurable ulcers. As he had seen Ollie do, he started asking God for healing. The scripture in Matthew 6:33 came to him: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33 KJV) Ivan started to pray and seek God in earnest.

Ivan started a new job in East London. One day he decided to take an earlier train back home to Stutterheim. Once he came home, he immediately went for a walk up the mountain near his home and started to pray in private. All of a sudden, the mountain began to tremble, as in Jeremiah 4:24, and it sounded as if the leaves of the trees were clapping their hands, as in Isaiah 55:12. There was a strong presence of the Lord and he started to speak in tongues and out of pure joy he began to dance around. Although he had never seen a spiritual dance, he began to dance on that mountain top.

Being full of fire and zeal, he regularly went to pray on this mountain. At home they didn't understand the change and he didn't want to disturb anyone. One day the Lord told him to find a different spot to pray. As he knelt, he noticed that there was a venomous snake crawling from underneath the rock where he had previously always knelt to pray and he realized that the Lord gave him this word.

Early years and conversion

Ivan Muller was born on February 9th,1915 in Stutterheim, in the Cape Province. His forefathers immigrated from Germany in 1857. Although his parents were German, he received his education in English. He was the youngest of six children.

When he was three years old, his mother and three sisters died during the flu epidemic of 1918. He grew up in poverty and his father had to work very hard in a place called “The Good Hope.”

One time at an outing with his brothers he went swimming in the Kubus River and he nearly drowned. He slipped under the water and after he disappeared for the third time his oldest brother jumped in to save him. He had already turned blue and was lifeless. After they turned him on his side to drain the water out of his lungs, life returned to him.

When he was older, his father gave him a few sheep to look after in his free time. At times while he was tending the sheep, he looked up at the heavens and desired to get to know the Good Shepherd.

After he graduated, he went to work for the Shell company and was a capable rugby player. He was drafted by the Springbok team and would have played in international matches. Because of an injury to his collarbone, he was not able to go on tour. Today we realise that this was the will of God.

One day while walking through the streets he heard a woman during an open air service say that the Lord had saved her soul. While he was wondering what this meant, a man approached him and asked him if he was saved. He answered that he was baptized in the Lutheran Church, that he completed the catechism and that he was accepted as a member. The man explained that Jesus blessed the little children and did not baptize them. The man referred him to Mark chapter 10. The disillusionment in Ivan's heart was so forceful that he decided to join the Baptist Church.