The Work of an Evangelist ~ Wanda Rust

I am honored to feature Rev. Wanda Rust in the Office of Evangelist.  Her ministry spans sixty years, and she can recall all the minute details of God’s workings through those years which thrills me.  She has such a wealth of Holy Spirit stories; I can only hope to have such a power-filled calling! 

Rev. Wanda Rust was moved by the calling of God to start her ministry in 1961. In her own words, 'God spoke to me to establish the organization of the Independent Pentecostal Church.' Over the years, she built her organization in both America and parts of Mexico. All though, she began as an evangelist in 1963, she did take on the role of an apostle and pastor establishing her own church where she lived at the time.

Her true calling and dream have always been an evangelist. Through time, her evangelistic calling grew and began to demand more of her time. She eventually closed her church and began her evangelistic ministry full-time—preaching the word of salvation, healing, deliverance, and moving in the prophetic ministry. Many signs, wonders and miracles have been attributed to her ministry. Including miracles in her own life when faced with the possibility of death.

Through her faith, she has ministered in multiple countries around the world, even took on the role of a missionary in the Philippian Islands for a short period of time. In addition, her ministry has been with the Spanish community, both in America and in Mexico.

Here she is in her own words:

“In 1955, the Lord drew me to himself, and I received the Holy Ghost while my future husband was shipped overseas for three months. I had just come out of a modeling school, and I was one of two, chosen to become a model. I looked and dressed the part when I met Larry, my husband to be. When God got a hold of me, he changed me forever.

When Larry came home, he was not sure that he wanted me, it was the other person he fell in love with. I was a new creature in Christ Jesus. He decided not to make me chose between him and the Lord.  He had wisdom enough to realize that he would lose the battle.

We were married and I drifted toward the world.  I never went back to the sins of the world, but I did not go on in the Lord.  No word to hold me, you must have the word to know God and what is expected of you. I tried going to church, but would not go by myself, no confidence in my- self.  My husband only went to church, twice a year, on Easter and Christmas if he went. I began to listen to my husband, who was of the worldly life.  We have tendency to please our husbands or wives.  I was sick lot of times, with stomach problems, very nervous and had anxiety spirits.

We moved back to San Diego, and I had a son in 1958, who was a miracle. The doctor’s told me I would never have a child, but God was merciful to give him to me. We raised him in a protestant church, no spirit, just words and I would fall asleep. I told my husband I could not take it any longer, I was hungry for God and his movement.

We began to have trouble with his other two sons, who had come to live with us.  I called my mother to come and pray.  Larry was praying also, without me knowing it. It was in 1961, when we were saved, and I was refilled and Larry also received the Holy Ghost.  We started looking for a church. 

We had come home on a Saturday from my mother’s church in Ojai, and Paul was sick the next morning, so Larry went to get him some medicine and saw a van with their telephone number on the side and wrote it down, which I called the next day and told them I was looking for a church that was on fire for God, the pastor’s wife said we are looking for people on fire for God. We started going there the next Sunday

From that time to this time, I have never looked back. God laid it on my heart to start fasting, which I did.  We had a business by then, but I fasted two days straight a week, was in prayer every evening, and in his word several times a day.  I also worked and never miss work because of fasting, this included cooking for the café, while fasting.  I could not get enough of the Spirit.

I was just faithful to seek his righteousness and his kingdom.  He began to open the word to me and began to use me in the gifts, not even realizing when they started, because it was as if they were there from the beginning, because of my faith.  If the word said it, I knew it was for me and can be for anyone who is willing to pay the price of dying to oneself and letting him resurrect them in His spirit.

I grew in the Lord so fast that I was ostracized as being of the devil, because I would not back off from what God was doing in my life. The church decided to put a letter out against me. I just kept on going in dreams, visions, and prophecy.  I began to see the demonic in the Spirit and to know them by smell, and action. They even would speak to me, before coming out.

No one in the churches backed me, only God.  I did not have a dream, prophecy, or confirmation or laying on of hands. God just made a way for me to go, and he sent me.  I even asked to go to a bible school and God told me he would teach me, and he has taught me the word, his way and not man’s way.  I was called, ordained and sent by God, and have had to fight what man has wanted, not what God wanted.

He sent me into home meetings to begin with, then out into the churches.  He proved me the whole time, to see if I would do his will and not mine. I was just obedient, died to myself and God has done the rest.

The way you begin is to seek him with everything you have, not asking for the gifts or the ministry and He will do the rest.  Always put him first, then your family and then your ministry. God will do the rest.

The one thing He told me when I first came to him, was keep your eyes on me and not on man, and you will not fall.  This has kept me these sixty years. Leave everyone to God and stand on the word.  He will never fail you.

1 John 3:6, 9 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 

I have watched people over my sixty years of serving him, fall because they got their eyes on a person and became hurt and unforgiving.  This leads to a person’s downfall.  I stood on the word that Jesus spoke to me about keeping my eyes on him. I have been obedient and I’m still going forth and have seen many people shipwreck because of unforgiveness.

If you want anything from God, then seek him and his righteousness, not the gifts or the ministry.  It will come if you are faithful and obedient.  God will give you the strength for this, and there is nothing that God will not give you, if you walk in truth and faith. This means a life of committing to your carnal death and letting God resurrect you in His image.”

And with many other exhortations (s)he preached to the people.  Luke 3:18.

I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.  Luke 15:7.