The Sunday Mail
APOSTLE Raymond Mujeyi is the founder and president of Revival International Ministries or Eagles Destiny. His passion to serve the Lord started when he was 11 years old, in the Catholic Church. Although he wanted to be an academic and now holds a PhD, he also wanted to be a Jesuit priest. However, he ended up leaving the Catholic Church and going to train as a pastor in Malawi. In this first part of the interview with Tendai Manzvanzvike, Apostle Mujeyi speaks about his spiritual journey and the transition from Catholicism to Pentecostalism.
Q: The first quarter has passed. Any testimonies?
A: Yes. I was excited that in the first three months, we were able to hold a camp meeting for the first time, and to us, it was a success. It was at Marondera High. We had visitors from Zambia, Nigeria and other places. It was beautiful and powerful. That was also the time we launched our first musical album, “Worship Encounter”, by our praise and worship team.
I also launched my two books, “Your Deliverance is Possible” and “The Blessedness of Stewardship”. Is this not a quantum lifting?
Q: Are these your first books?
A: I have written seven books so far, among them “Power of Partnership”, “Rule Thou in the Midst of Thine Enemies”, “This Nonsense Must Stop” and “Kingdom Mysteries for Financial Fortune”. All these books come from our major themes.
God is asking me to write the message as an inheritance for our children in the church. Even when I go to be with the Lord, they must not divert from partnership. I believe in partnership.
With all humility, when God began to show me things about partnership, I did not know. Not that they were not there. I did not know any ministry that was talking about partnership. I started teaching about it, and I put it in a book. After that, I began to see ministries talking about partnership.
“This Nonsense Must Stop” comes from our July programme. It’s a major event – a fire night, with the same theme. The book was inspired by the testimony of our third born son. He died when my wife was giving birth, and I prayed and he came back to life. There is a lot of testimony about that boy in that book.
“Your Deliverance is Possible” is my lifetime book teaching on deliverance since I was 11-years-old. It is also a prayer guide.
It was initially easy mentoring people on deliverance since I had access to them, but now I have sons and daughters all over. They still need mentorship. Thus the need for the book.
Q: Are you saying you were already ministering at the age of 11?
A: Yes. Jesus visited me when I was 11 and I received the Holy Spirit.
Q: What was it like when the Lord visited you?
A: Wow, it was a beautiful experience! You know what, I have never talked about it. I knew it, but I could not share it, the way I am doing now. I could not. I would try to share it, but I just could not.
The power was just too much for me. My body would start shaking and I would cry. So, I could not even talk about it. My experience with the angels, I could not even talk about it, until recently when I was blessed to share it.
It used to happen in many ways — sometimes in a dream or in a vision, whereby I could be at home and I would just find myself being taken up. It’s like I am sleeping, and it’s like I am not sleeping. I could see myself in the house and say this is our house, this is Warren Park (in Harare).
Then suddenly, I am in another land, with Jesus. We are walking. With the understanding that I have now, I can tell you that it was heaven, but as a boy then, I did not know. It was just this beautiful place.
We were poor, so I did not know what a driveway was. But now I know that I was walking with Jesus in a beautiful driveway, and there were flower gardens.
Q: Did you talk to Him?
A: I remember one of the questions I asked Him – I had a friend who had just died. His name was Kays. I said, “Jesus, where is Kays?” And, He told me, “Don’t worry about him. He is here.”
He also told me: “When you grow up, I will use you to cause revival, deliver people, etc. Remain righteous and I will show you things.”
And then suddenly, when I am done with Him, I would just wake up.
Sometimes, we would go up the mountain with friends to pray, and then there was a knowing in me that an angel was standing behind me. I would have mixed feelings – fear and excitement at the same time. Then when I looked behind me I saw a tall guy, donned in white.
These visitations were a new experience in my life. Even today when I preach, the things I preach, it’s revelatory. There is an angel with me that teaches me things.
Q: What gives an 11-year-old boy that deep desire to want to worship the Lord?
A: I think its election by grace. It’s nothing that I have done, neither is it the environment I was in, and it’s not about how I was brought up.
In our family, I was the first one to be a pastor. Even going to church, yeah, my grandmother fellowshipped in the Methodist Church, but I was influenced more from my mother’s side. My maternal grandmother was Catholic, so too my mother, and I went to church with her.
But, the thing is, I grew up loving God, and even wanted to be a priest, a Jesuit priest precisely.
Q: Why?
A: Two reasons. The first one being that I wanted to further my education. My desire was to have a PhD. But my father could not afford, and I knew that in the Catholic Church, if you are a priest, you have to further your education, and they assist you. So I said, why not?
And I also had this desire to serve God! When I saw priests serving, I admired them and I spent most of my time with them.
Q: Which parish was that?
A: St Clara in Warren Park. Initially, there was no Catholic Church in Warren Park, so we used to walk to Rugare suburb. But I had the zeal and hunger for the Lord, so I would go to the Catholic Cathedral in town. I would tell myself that I needed to go where Archbishop (Patrick) Chakaipa celebrates mass. That was the drive.
Q: In the Catholic Church, I understand that you then linked up with Father Lawrence Hood of BLCC?
A: Yes. He helped me shape my life and find my path in the things of God because he was a bridge maybe from Catholicism, to what I am now.
I had to learn about the Holy Spirit and prayer. My thirst was quenched when I knew Fr Hood. Knowing about the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, prophecy – that was exactly what I wanted. So, knowing him really helped me. I would stay at his house praying and being discipled.
Q: For how long did this happen?
A: From when I was 11 and I was growing spiritually. Then something happened when I was in secondary school at Warren Park High School.
The Charismatic women went for a retreat. They had invited Mama Veronica Mwela to teach.
When they got back, my mother told us how blessed they were and also said that there was this woman – they had never seen something like that.
When she explained, I told her that that was what I wanted. I went on to look for her. I found her (she leads Intercessors International).
When I connected with Mama Mwela, I then began to be less of Catholic and concentrated more on prayers, though I was still connected to Fr Hood.
I began to know more as I heard the word of God being preached in another way. This then opened me up to Pentecostalism, and by the grace of God I started meeting other men of God.
But the man of God who really launched me to this, whom I now regard as my father is Apostle Stanley Ndovi of Living Waters Church in Malawi.
One of the guys whom I had influenced in secondary school, happened to be in his Bible School. When you are there, they want to know your history, and this guy always talked about me (Brother Ray). Apostle Ndovi then said, who is this Brother Ray? Where is he? And he was told that I was a Catholic parishioner, and Apostle Ndovi said he wanted to meet me.
Apparently, I was also in prayer and fasting for 40 days asking God for direction and what I should do with my life? Should I be a priest or what?
On the last day of my fasting, I went to Zanu-PF Headquarters Hall where the late Apostle Marufu had a big event. He preached a message: “Free at last!”
I went to him and he prayed for me and prophesied that I would be trained in Central Africa, and will be an apostle.
It didn’t make much sense though, and then that night, Apostle Ndovi called. I was at my friend’s house and he asked, “Is that Raymond?” And, I said, “Yes!” And he asked me, “What are you still doing in Zimbabwe? Take the next bus to Malawi. We want you here at the Bible School.”
When I told him that I didn’t have money, he said he would cover the expenses. That’s how I went to Malawi for my Bible school, and it marked another journey of my life.
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