Genesis Of Her Ministry

When Olivia was nine years old, an extraordinary occurrence took place in her life.  A peculiar child who often spent much of her time alone, Olivia, with her mother’s permission turned the back room of the family hay-barn into a dollhouse.  This place was a sanctuary for little Olivia where she spent hours playing with her dolls in safety and seclusion. On a particular summer day an unexpected storm blew over the farm with a terrible fury.  So horrendous was this storm that the little girl, playing alone in the barn, could not even escape to run 100 yards or so to the house.  So she lay down with her dollies to nap. Strangely unafraid and quite at peace, suddenly young Olivia was awakened.  To her great amazement she saw thousands of rays of multi colored lights beaming through what should have been the ceiling, but which was no longer there.  Olivia knew she was not asleep. She had never felt more alive in all her short nine years of life; but she also realized she was vaguely disconnected from the storm, the barn, and her dolls. 

In this twilight of consciousness, she felt her spirit being drawn out of her body into the beautiful light.  As she ascended upward, she encountered a man she instinctively knew was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He welcomed her warmly and began to show her things she had never imagined before.  He showed her heaven and He showed her hell.  Jesus told Olivia that she was very special in God’s plan and purpose for His kingdom.  He then showed her a place that saddened young Olivia.  Jesus explained:  that this place represented His Body – the Body of Christ. Here there were many people but they were all sick with many different illnesses.  Some were in wheelchairs and some were covered with oozing sores.  There were dismembered bodies far and near.  The state of these inhabitants represented the present state of Christ’s Universal Church. “And”, Jesus instructed Olivia, “You will do for them just what I have done.  “Do as I do”! He instructed Olivia to say “in the name of Jesus” to manifest the almighty power and provision that He was now anointing her with. Young Olivia obediently responded, “In the name of Jesus”!  Instantly physical infirmities were healed and the dismembered bodies came together in wholeness.  Awed by the powerful love she felt flowing around her Olivia humbly looked at her Savior.  Jesus then asked her to kneel before Him.  As she did, He laid His right hand upon her shoulder and said: “This day I ordain thee for my purpose and my plan on earth.  I ordain you to tear down, to build up, to plant, to sow and to reap.  I ordain you to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, to cast out demons, to raise the dead, and resurrect lives that are dead in sin.  I ordain you to unify the Body of Christ”.  This is the commission that God Almighty charged young Olivia with that fateful day in the dusty little town of Aulander, North Carolina during a summer thunder storm.

She presided over the Revival Center Holy Church of God on Graham Street in Portsmouth, Virginia.  This house of God was located in an area better known to the community as “Little Vietnam”.  Many shepherds had come and gone, not having the fortitude to stand in the midst of such turmoil and chaos; but not Pastor Olivia Sharp! She renovated the church  as well as the grounds.  The heavy anointing of the Holy Ghost over shadowed them and as God moved the congregation grew.  Many people were saved and delivered, and set free.  This scenario would be repeated again and again throughout Apostle Sharp’s ministry. 

As Olivia grew in grace and anointing her mission from God did not go unchallenged.  She had to resist physical as well as spiritual attacks in her dedication to preach the gospel.  An attempted victim of gunfire, Pastor Sharp not only dodged bullets but she stepped over used syringes and other drug paraphernalia just to reach the lost with God’s message of saving grace.  No demon is too big and no devil is too bad for this warrior of God. Many have been set free from alcohol, drug addiction, lust, fornication and every wicked work of the flesh.  She is ‘the devil’s worst nightmare”. 

The battle intensified on the physical front as well.  Many times over, Satan attacked her health.  But every time the strong arm of the Lord would prevail. God has miraculously healed her of three heart attacks, cancer, kidney failure, paralysis, and pneumonia among many other physical maladies.  Once she was even pronounced dead and secured in the hospital’s morgue, only to be raised up again by the Holy Spirit.  As she ran up and down the halls shouting the glory.  God brought her back from the dead and she would spend her life repaying that gift by raising the dead spiritually and seeing salvation come to the lost.

In 1981, God instructed Pastor Sharp to establish a Prayer Tower Ministry — a comprehensive outreach ministry to include a toll-free prayer line, prison and tape ministry and daily noon-day prayer.  A heavy anointing and reverential fear of the Lord abided in the prayer room constantly.  When stepping inside of the room it was obvious you had entered — the holy of holies.  People came from far and near just to stand in His presence.  Prayers were answered quickly there and tremendous miracles were wrought.  Even those standing in proxy for others would receive praise reports within minutes of leaving.  It was a place of great restoration and reconciliation for several years.  

As the ministry continues to grow and churches are established, outreach ministry is instituted at each church.  To date, Apostle Olivia Darling Sharp is the Founder and Overseer of nine churches.  

This is only an abbreviation of the beginning of her ministry.