Testimony - International Healing Evangelist

Childhood:

I was born in 1964 in a remote village of Punjab - Pakistan to my father Sharif Masih Khokhar and mother Sharifan Khokhar. My father was a farmer (agricultural laborer) for Muslim landlords. I am part of a big family, as I have 6 sisters and I am the only son in my family. My parents have never been to any school and I am the only child in family who attended school.

My mother passed away in 1989 and my father in December 2006. They were God fearing wonderful Christians having great prayer life. We are Christians for 4 generations.

While I was just about 8 - 9 years old, my father became totally blind, so the Muslim landlords dismissed him from his work. There had been no provisions or resources for us to survive in that village. So my family moved to Karachi , the biggest city of Pakistan.

My family lived through a very tough time and several times we had no food at all and in our struggle to survive we faced much discrimination.

Accepting Jesus and Calling:

I received Water Baptism in the year 1976 at the age of 12, with strong conviction and soon after accepting Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord, different preachers most of the times unknown to me started coming to my house telling me that God has spoken to them about me and God wants me into Christian Ministry. In my early childhood living in the worst kind of poverty I had decided to become a BIG businessman so I always rejected the idea of getting into ministry. After getting these messages I often thought
that I shall earn lot of money that I shall contribute to God`s work through supporting ministries and poor people.

Education and Struggles:

Despite of great struggle for survival in Karachi, I completed my MBA degree with Marketing major to fulfil my obsession of becoming a big businessman. Even during these years various preachers asked me to accept the calling of ministry, as this is the will of God for my life. I had never been willing to accept this proposal and once I said.. "why God keep sending you all people to tell me that He wants me to get into His ministry. Why doesn`t He listen when I am saying I want to be a businessman and not a preacher. Why doesn`t God leave me alone and find somebody else ?" (Now, I am thankful to God that He did not do it). 

I worked at different corporations and at four places, I was dismissed by my Muslim employers because they wanted me to convert to Islam to continue my job I refused it despite facing all kind of pressures and charms from my employers.  Finally, being disappointed of working for others, I started my own business.

I was doing fine with my business and made good progress until 7th May 1992 - this was one week before my wedding, when suddenly I suffered a great loss and my business was destroyed totally. There had been no reason for that loss and I could feel some supernatural intervention in my business and my plans for my life.

From that point on, the next almost 7 years I tried everything in business. I changed several lines of businesses and I used to run around 16 - 18 hours a day in my quest of success but nothing worked out at any point. My every effort resulted in a total failure. The more I tried the more I got into debt and troubles. My life turned out as total embarrassment and even my close friends did not want to be associated with me.

God`s Persistence:

At the end of December, 1998 I searched on internet for prayer ministries and I sent my prayer request to several prayer ministries including one prayer network in California, USA..

My prayer request was that God would help me in my business.

Few days later, I received an email from one lady sister Terri E. Hansen, who was part of that specific Prayer Network. In her email she wrote: "Salamat, you are on the wrong track. Why don`t you do what God wants you to do? " I did not answer this email and trashed it. We never knew each other, never talked before, but, I knew what she was talking about.

After 40 days sister Terri E. Hansen sent me another email saying " Salamat, you are suffering a lot, isn`t that suffering enough for you? Do you want to go deeper into your troubles? Why don`t you accept the will of God for your life and do what God wants you to do?." This time I replied to her and asked, "Sister Terri, what are you trying to tell me?

Her answer was, "Salamat don`t be ignorant. Don`t you know that God has been calling you for His ministry for over 22 years? God would not let you run away and there is no other way out for you in life. God wants you in ministry, better surrender."

My correspondance with Sister Terri was the final blow of God on my life which put me on my knees one night to repent for my stubbornness, to surrender my life, my plans and accept God`s calling of ministry.

Few years later, when I met her 2nd time in real life, she said to others about me"I have never seen such a man of Faith in all my life"

(On 18th July, 2003 in her early 40`s Sister Terri E. Hansen, the wonderful servant of God went to be with the Lord. She meant a lot for me. I regard her as my spiritual mother. We miss her very much but, I am glad that she is in the best place with her Master). Glory to God.

Total Surrender and Ministry:

I surrendered myself for the ministry in the early 1999 after my correspondance with sister Terri E Hansen. After the exact completion of my 7 years period of trials and difficulties, God sent Brother James Bartie - A South African man of God (a white man with dutch descent), who layed hands and dedicated me and my wife Cecilia for the ministry on 8th May, 1999 . He prophesied great things for me including international healing and miracles ministry. I received the anointing of healing and miracles from God through the laying of hands by Brother James Bartie. He prophesied and said, "God says, Salamat I am taking fear out of you. People of Pakistan depend on white skinned foreignors that they would come and heal them and bless them, but God says I am doing something new in Pakistan. I am raising a man in Pakistan who will go to the nations of the world and people would be healed and blessed". After he laid hands on me he again prophesied and said, "Salamat - you will be a great Crusades speaker."

(Brother James Bartie has passed away in October, 2007. He is with the Lord. Both my friends, mentors Sister Terri Hansen and Brother James Bartie have fought the good fight being on earth and now they are at the best place. They are inseparable part of my life, ministry and testimony.)

From that day God has put His Word in my mouth and I am regarded as a noted Crusade speaker in Pakistan and abroad. God takes me around the world for His glory to proclaim His love and power. I travel 5 - 6 times a year to United States of America. God has given me clear vision of worldwide Revival, with special burden for the Western World. This vision has been confirmed by several people internationally.

God has given me great favor with the authorities and the people as well.

I started and was running this ministry without any kind of financial support from anywhere as an evangelist… then God arranged my meeting with a friend from USA who confirmed what others had been telling me that I am a potential Church Planter and mentor.

Church Planting:

We started Church Ministry by the name Grace Bible Church of Pakistan on 10th September, 2000 and since then we have planted 106 Churches in Pakistan .

Accomplishments and Responsibilities:

We also arranged the most successful and organized Christian event in Pakistan "Karachi Conference of Revival & Evangelism" with an American Evangelist in February, 2001. People of Pakistan still remember the impact this event has on the local Christianity. We had over 5000 pastors and lay leaders attend this event for 3 days. After this event we were awarded "Best Crusades Organizers in Pakistan " by the Minority wing of Pakistan Peoples Party. In the year, 2001, I was elected as the Founder/Chairman of All Pakistan Council of Churches   - This is an organization of Non-traditional/Evangelical churches in Pakistan  and is recognized by the Government of Pakistan. In the year 2002 I was ordained as Bishop of Grace Bible Church of Pakistan - a non denominational ministry.

I am known as the representative and spokesman of Evangelical Churches in Pakistan . We have also started Grace Bible Institute of Pakistan in August, 2003 and literacy projects.

In February, 2005 I have been appointed as the Central Vice President of then Ruling Political Party of Pakistan . In this honorary political position I represent the religious minorities including Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Parsees, Buddhists, Bheels, Kohlis, Marwaries and other indigenous people groups living in Pakistan.

In Pakistan , any non-Muslim person is part of Minorities. While almost 97 % population is Muslim, officially. I am also the President of Voice of Minorities Pakistan. This all is only because of God`s mighty hand over me.

There had been a time in my life when I refused to work for the ministry of Lord Jesus Christ. But, now I know that there could be no bigger honor than to serve the King of kings. I can not thank Him enought for His Grace and Mercy who chose me to serve in His Harvest. We are seeking volunteer help from Christian brothers and sisters all over the world to spread Good News of the power and love of God through our Lord Jesus Christ with our ministry.

Glory to God.

Bishop Salamat Khokhar

Founder and Chairman

- Bishop Salamat Khokhar Ministries
- Grace Bible Church of Pakistan
- All Pakistan Council of Churches
- Grace Bible Institute of Pakistan
- Voice of Minorities Pakistan    (President)