Pastor Jaya Sastry, (** Jaya is what I will call him as I can not pronounce or spell his first name), was a former High Hindu priest. His name means Overcoming Darkness and Studier of the Scrolls. As he has preached, I listened intently, fascinated by what he has shared. Tonight, Jaya is sharing his testimony. Much of it is enlightenment into the Hindu priesthood. Jaya was born a high priest as it is his linage (like the Levitical priesthood).
As he grew and participated in the ceremonies they are required to do, he started to ask questions about what the priests were actually saying. His father told him that he did not need to worry about the words, just repeat them. Jaya was not satisfied with that answer and began his search. Eventually, Jaya discovered the meaning of the “holy words” the Hindu priests were repeating: There is only one God (true) Only God can make a way for man to approach him (true) There is only One Anointed (again true) Whoa!!!!! Jaya was confused as in Hinduism there are over 300 million gods. Yet, here the scriptures were saying there was only One….
In the course of his search and studies, he had met a Christian. They often studied together and had some fellowship. On one visit to the Christian’s house, he asked the question: Who is your God? Jesus was the answer. He also asked the maid Who her God was? Jesus was the answer. When Jaya returned home, he asked his mother, who is your god? She gave him an answer. Then Jaya asked his older brother and he gave another god, then his younger brother, still another god. His sister too, and yet, she had another god. Finally he asked his father, who is your god? His father added another god to the ones that were already given.
Further confused, Jaya drove to a town where there were 3 churches: An Baptist church, Penticostal and a Zionist church all near each other. He walked in to the first one and asked Who is your God? Jesus was the answer. He then went to the second one with the same question and was given the same answer Jesus. When he asked the last church and received the same answer, Jesus, Jaya decided that if three churches that were not the same and the scriptures were saying that there was only one… Then Jesus must be it. He asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior.
By doing so, he left the Hindu priesthood and his family put him out. He shared that the temple blessings by the priests are just to make money so with him leaving, he now had no source of income. No income, provision, family or place to stay is how Jaya started to follow Jesus. Through a moving song, Jaya expressed his thankfulness to the Lord for taking care of him over the past 10 years. For the Lord brought him income, provisions, places to stay and a new family. My words can not describe how the Holy Spirit moved. There was an electric intensification as the Holy Spirit touched the people. It was one powerful alter call as the people cried out for Jesus to be Lord. I was honored to hear his testimony and support him in prayer for the multitudes that made decisions for Christ that night. Thank you Lord for allowing me to be a part of this night!