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)