How many believers have read the book of Acts and wished that they could have seen the wonders recorded on those pages? Violet Kiteley, the founding pastor of Shiloh Church, in Oakland, California was one who didn't have to while away the hours wishing - she experienced the Holy Spirit's power in the same way the early church did.
Kiteley, who died at 90 on November 26, 2015, lived a remarkable life and had a remarkable ministry. She wrote an article on one of Charisma's websites back in 2000 entitled, "Remembering the Latter Rain," and that article contains the following testimony,
On Nov. 26, 1946, a missionary coming from Jordan was flying into my hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia, to preach in our local church, and he received a prophetic word while aboard the airplane. The Holy Spirit told him not to go to his hotel room until he went and prayed for a woman who had been paralyzed and told that she would never walk again.
The message to be delivered to me was that I would be raised up that very day and given a new message to preach around the world. My son also would be raised up to be a prophet and would carry the same message.
After the prophetic word was spoken to me, I immediately arose from the bed where I had been lying for 13 months, totally healed. I gave my testimony in my local church, and for the next 1-1/2 years, I preached throughout the region, sharing my story of receiving a miracle in the midst of tragedy.
Kiteley went on to tell about her experience of the Latter Rain Revival at the site of its outbreak at North Battleford, Saskatchewan:
However, what I experienced through the "laying on of hands by the presbytery" and personal directive prophecy altered the course of my life. I was on my knees when I received a prophetic utterance that stated there would be "an immediate validation of the word spoken over [my] life and [my] son's life." The confirmation was to come in the form of "the operation of the miraculous."
When I got up, a woman was brought to me who had fallen on the ice and had a compound fracture with bones protruding out of the skin. She was experiencing unbearable pain, and when I put my hand on her, immediate visible healing took place.
My 3-year-old son was told to pray for a man in a wheelchair and command him to get out of his chair. When he did, the man immediately began walking.
That was the beginning of my family's prophetic ministry, which continues today, not only through my son, but through his son as well. It is a demonstration of the multigenerational anointing that is to be upon the end-time church.Cindy Jacobs, a well-known prophetic minister, wrote the following in her eulogy of Violet that was posted on Charismanews.com,
Shiloh became a forerunner in a new sound of worship that influenced the starting of the International Worship Symposiums where thousands of people came hungry to hear the new sounds that God was releasing in that generation. The hippies she led to the Lord gave up their old ways of drugs and stealing and became the leaders for a new generation of worshippers, and we are reaping the fruit of it today every Sunday.
Fifty years later, the church has members from over 40 nations of the world. In addition, she pioneered Shiloh Bible College, which has existed for 35 years and now has extension campuses around the world.
Her ministry will be carried on through her son, Dr. David Kiteley; daughter-in-law, Rev. Marilyn Kiteley; grandson, Patrick, and his wife, Marlena; and grandchildren.
Sister Violet Kiteley's motto for her 70 years of full-time ministry was, "As long as the Lord is glorified, the servant is satisfied!" As we celebrate her life, there are many around the world who with one voice can say that the Lord was, indeed, glorified through her life and ministry, and we know that her Savior's words to her were, "Welcome home, my daughter, my good and faithful servant."Dr. Jim Garlow, pastor of Skyline Church in La Mesa, California, told Violet's story in one of his sermons - it can be heard at this link.
Violet Kiteley was my mother’s first pastor. In the early 70’s and newly saved, my mom and several others from Reno, NV (100 miles away) would drive regularly to Oakland to attend services at Shiloh. The services would last for hours, break for a few hours then start back up again. The 4 hour drive home over the Sierra mountains was never a deterrent. Violet nurtured their faith along and remained a strong influence in their lives. I had the privilege of having her share her miracle testimony with me about 20 years ago. She was a remarkable woman by any measure.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely testimony to the ministry the Lord entrusted to Sister Kiteley. My family had a similar experience with another Latter Rain church (in our case, though, we only had to drive 45 minutes one way; we did make two round trips on Sunday, though, and it was worth every minute).
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