After the battle

After a spiritual battle, one needs to remain alert. Like in human battles, the powers of darkness try to consolidate, then subtly try to strike back through our weaknesses, and our strengths.

After our overnight prayer last week, I sensed that Yes, the enemy was striking back. The strategy always, is to call out to God and ask for His help.

In this case, He told us last night to confess our weaknesses -- and our strengths -- to Him, and ask Him to protect us in these areas.

Why our strengths? Because the strategy of the evil one is to push the strengths to an extreme till it becomes a weakness. For instance, someone who's a natural extrovert but can't stop talking, and becomes a bore; or, an introvert who keeps on processing her thoughts -- but never shares her deep insights that can help others.

And so we confessed, for ourselves and on behalf of our team. And He extended His mantle of protection over us. Praise God!

What God loves...

God loves it when His children are together, enjoying each other's company. God loves it when we seek Him and seek to understand Him, however imperfectly. God loves to show us new things about Himself. He loves to surprise us. He loves to show His love to us. God laughs with us, cries with us, jokes with us. He corrects us, but with love. He can be strict, but He is also kind. He is generous with His time, His resources and yes, His love.

He is also Truth. All who seek Truth -- and will settle for nothing less than the Truth -- will find Him.

So, so blessed

It has been warfare ever since I sensed the Lord's leading to come up with the Prayer Evangelism course, with my friend Hope doing the main curriculum.

I had two nasty encounters. The first nasty encounter started a month before the launch of the course and continued for some weeks before I realised this wasn't just human. It was spiritual. I asked for extra intercession, I confronted the source of the problem repeatedly before he stopped.

The second nasty encounter came at the end of the course.

But God, as usual, had prepared me beforehand. He had me read a book called "Don't forgive too soon -- Extending the two hands that heal" by the Linns. It was the best exposition on what Jesus meant by "turning the other cheek" that I had ever come across. In short, it was about extending two hands to the oppressor -- "one hand taking from him what is not his due, the other slowly calming him as we do this."

It was about learning who we are, standing up for what is right for ourselves and (if possible) enabling the oppressor to come to his senses, and so reclaim his humanity. In other words, Christians are not to be doormats when bullied -- but rather, do what is right in such a way as to deliver the bully from his bullying, if possible.

The second encounter came end-April. I won't go into details, but basically, not only I, but the church, was insulted by the remark of the 4-star hotel staff I was negotiating with.

I was so angry I complained through the hotel website. No response. I wrote to the General Manager. No response.

But -- God already knew.

I had arranged for dinner with an old friend just a day after I had posted the letter to the GM, and she had mentioned in passing that she knew the top people of the Singapore organisation that this hotel belongs to. Recalling that conversation, I asked her for the contact, and she immediately gave me his credentials and his email.

That Sunday, during our team prayer time, God manifested Himself in a deep, special way. We were silent in His presence. Then, He said: "Those who honor me I will honor" (1 Sam 2:30). It was a prophetic word of what He was doing behind the scenes.

First, because of the nasty encounter with the first hotel, I had to find another. Within a few days, I got in touch with another four-star hotel who gave me much better rates, and first-class service.

Second, the top guy of the organisation that the first hotel belonged to, called two days later, apologising for the lateness of his response, as he had been abroad. He got things cracking. Yesterday, the hotel manager came, and she assigned my account to a much more experienced staff. We cleared the air and we are free to move on.

Third, I had some niggling concerns in my mind, that I had not shared with anybody. The same night, my concerns were allayed by a person sent from HIM. My mind is now at rest.

God knows... everything. And I feel so, so blessed.

My conclusion:

When we do God's will, Satan hates it. The Prayer Evangelism course teaches us from the Word --- contrary to what most Christians believe -- how effortless it is to witness to others. It was non-threatening and enjoyable to both the Christian and non-Christian involved! We all had a breakthrough in that course.

The one thing Satan hates is the truth being taught and put into practice. He did all he could to harrass and torment me. But God knows... everything.

As those experienced in spiritual warfare knows, if you battle with God's weapons including prayer, worship, Word, wisdom, the fellowship and the intercession of others, you'll break through and experience His abundance of blessings. At the end of the battle, God rewards you. He affirms, through various means, natural and spiritual, that you're on the right track. He loves saying "You're doing good!"

After all, He's our Father, and He's perfect in all His ways.

If we obey, we can rest

The first four chapters of Hebrews is all about rest. Here's what the writer of Hebrews says:

God is on the throne... so rest.

Salvation is ours to recieve... so rest.

Jesus is the firstborn among many... we are his brothers and sisters... we all share one Father... so rest.

Our heavenly eldest brother has tasted death for all of us, and through death, destroyed the one with the power of death, the devil... so rest.

He has made propititation for all our sins, and because He shared in our humanity, He can help us when we're tempted... so rest.

Whenever we hear His voice, and decide not to harden our hearts and go our own way, but obey what He says... we can rest.

We are NOT to be like the Israelites, who for instance, entered the Promised Land, but did not completely obey His command to eliminate ALL their enemies. They only eliminated some. As it is said, a partial obedience is no obedience at all. In the end, God let the alien tribes stay to harrass them from generation to generation -- they had no peace from their enemies, which God had originally promised them, because they had not fulfilled their part of their bargain. The core issue, says the Hebrews writer, was that when they heard God's commands and promises, they did not believe Him, and so did not completely obey. The result was -- no rest.

9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God,
10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Let us obey the living and active word of God. He knows our hearts, He knows what is best for us, so listen to Him. And so enter -- into His Sabbath rest.

Jesus' use of exaggeration

Jesus often used exaggeration to illustrate a point. The literary term for this method is hyperbole, which Wiki defines as "a rhetorical device in which statements are exaggerated. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally."

Wikipedia knows it. Some of us readers may know it. But the disciples often miss the point.

One example: To illustrate the seriousness of the hour, Jesus says in Luke 22:

35 "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing."

36 And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one.

The disciples' response:

38 They said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough." (i.e. they didn't get it, so He dismisses the issue. But, as we are later to find out, they still didn't get it.)

Change scene to Gethsemane, where Judas comes with people to arrest Him. The disciples, armed and ready for action, said:

49 "Lord, shall we strike with the sword ?"

50 And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

51 But Jesus answered and said, "Stop ! No more of this." And He touched his ear and healed him.

They just didn't get it. He was using hyperbole, exaggeration, to illustrate the seriousness of the the times. But His disciples took it literally, and He had to intervene and heal the poor man whose ear was cut off. (Btw, there's hope for all of us here. We may make our mistakes, but our Lord is sovereign, and can cover our mistakes. Note though, that the man's ear was healed -- not replaced).

I feel sorry for those poor, earnest souls in China and elsewhere, who took the Lord's words literally and plucked out their eye, or cut off their hand, because they thought they were obeying His commands. May we pray that we have wisdom and discernment in reading His Word, that we may apply it judiciously.

When we read the Word -- the whole Word, from cover to cover, and within context -- have in the back of our minds that God is Love, and Love isn't destructive. Love heals, and Love warns, in order that we may avoid destruction. Let us interpret His Word accordingly, and if anything sounds unloving, leave that on the shelf until He reveals more in time.

Life or death

Luke 20

17 But Jesus looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written : 'THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'?

18 "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces ; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust."

I'm reminded of the first two stones that Man rejected: the ten commandments written by "the finger of God". The first set that God gave him, Moses smashed when he saw the Israelites committing idolatry. The second set, presented to the repentant Israelites, were preserved -- although now lost forever, as far as we know.

These commandments written on stone were mean to preserve life; broken, they cost life -- souls shatter slowly to pieces as they break these commands. Later, Jesus comes -- the chief cornerstone, the one who would fulfill all the commandments, and who would exemplify them, not break them. He lived a wholesome, sinless life, a perfect life, so that death had no hold on Him. Mission accomplished -- to die on the cross to pay for all our sins -- He ascended to Heaven and now awaits a time when He would come again.

The chief cornerstone, the one who embodies the two slabs of stone that were given to the Israelites, and ultimately to the world was, like the first two stones, continually rejected up to now. Acceptance of Him and loving obedience to what He taught would bring life, and life in abundance. Rejection of Him and all he stands for meant a slow shattering of soul, and ultimately, a hell of never-ending brokenness, despair, dissatisfaction, regret -- the list goes on and on.

(Anti-Christ cults teach a systematic breaking of the ten commandments as an initiation rite -- the powers of darkness know that this would result in systematic shattering of the integrity of the spirit-soul-body which gives them greater and greater access to the person's soul, to wreak further havoc in the person's life and those around him/her. Other cults teach a breaking of one or two commandments, but that one or two is deadly enough already to create a big divide within the soul that allows access to the powers of darkness. But it's not only the cults. Society teaches the breaking of commandments as normal and even "hip" and "cool". That's why it's not just enough to call yourself a Christian, you need to know the true Jesus Christ Himself and follow Him, else you'll be led down a very precipitous path.)

Jesus wanted reconciliation; Man, however, has the freedom to reject or accept Him. Many reject Him, and continue to do so to their own peril.

Jesus has said that Narrow is the way, and few find it. He knew right from the start. He knew.

For those of us who are Christ-followers, who truly know Him (there are many who know only ABOUT Him -- to their own peril), our call is to watch and pray, and reach out in love to those who desperately need Him and are open to our hand of help.

If you're reading this and you want to know the Lord Jesus Christ -- pray the following prayer, and mean it:

"Dear Jesus, if you are who you say you are -- the Saviour of the World, Lord of Lords and King of Kings -- please show yourself real to me. I want to know the Truth about who You are. Amen." Note the day and time of your prayer, and watch what happens next.

Another WWJD moment

Yesterday, while waiting for a friend at Starbucks, City Hall, a tall, clean-cut stranger approached me. He was neatly dressed and spoke Mandarin at first before I asked him to switch to English. He asked: "Can I borrow your handphone?"

He explained he was waiting for a friend who was 30 mins late, and wanted to contact her. As he spoke, I had to make a judgement call whether to trust my personal mobile to a 20-something mainland Chinese stranger. Hmmm.

He showed me a paper with a local number. Ok, that's legit. At least he wasn't trying to make an overseas call with my mobile. So, I dialed, and when his friend answered, I handed it to him. While they chatted in Mandarin, my friend arrived.

"He's borrowing my mobile," I explained. Immediately, she frowned and was suspicious. In the meantime, this foreigner obviously had problems explaining where he was. So, long story short, I took over the phone and told the girl on the other end how to get to Starbucks, City Hall.

The girl seemed to get my directions quickly and we hang up. My friend relaxed, realising that the stranger wasn't trying to pull a fast one and the two of us went off to dinner. And as far as we know, there was a happy ending for the stranger and his friend too.

I wonder though... my mobile was one of those free ones given whenever subscribers renewed their subscription. Would I have lent it if it was an I-phone, or a Nexus?

Hmmm...

A WWJD moment

Tonight, as I was travelling home by the North-East Line which is generally fairly full at 6 pm, I had a WWJD moment. It was just one of those things where you (or maybe it's just me) had to decide "What Would Jesus Do"?

As usual, all the seats were taken, standing room only until after about three stops, a seat became available. It was next to a man who looked rather unattractive. I won't elaborate here.

Two pretty ladies in 4-inch heels were standing next to the vacant seat. I could see the man looking at them. They ignored him. Everyone else didn't seem to want the seat either.

"WWJD"? I asked myself (actually the answer was obvious). So, overcoming my reluctance, I sat beside him. And honestly, it wasn't that bad. He was just...unattractive.

PRAYER:

So thank you God, for gently stretching my comfort zone. I won't sit beside someone with bad hygiene though -- I do have my limits.

Brainwashing the woman

In my search for meaning in life, a cult, a semi-cult, and the occult -- one after another -- came to tempt me. When one failed to recruit me, another came to take its place. Satan has a whole range of fake spiritualities for those who are spiritually minded. I tested them all, and rejected them all, in my search for truth.

In the end, through a spiritual crisis, I cried out to Jesus and He sent down the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit fell on me, the Bible came to life and I devoured every page.

Twenty-two years later, as I re-read it, I marvel again at the truths it contains. The Word of God makes the best sense of life. When we interpret life through the paradigm of the Word, things fall into place.

Now, at the beginning the year, I start at Genesis. And in Genesis 3, we see when all our problems began.

I notice the woman is alone -- or if Adam was with her, he was strangely silent and passive. Snake was cunning. He took God's instructions and reinterpreted it to her until she was convinced it made sense and Snake was right. This is perhaps the first recorded instance of brainwashing.

The woman's paradigm changed: at first, she thought God was good. Now, God is selfish, and with-holding good from her. With a change in mind, came a change in direction. She took the fruit, and ate.

Snake is still active in the world today, in thousands of different forms. But his aim is still the same: to brainwash mankind to take the fruit, and eat.

When I was browsing the Web, I came across the forum, Internet Love Scams. And in it, I read the real-life stories of many women, looking for love, who fell for Snake's charms instead.

The stories are similar: they are lonely -- many recently widowed or divorced, looking for a relationship with a good man. Some of their friends have even met their husbands online, so they go into the world of online dating, full of hope. And they meet their "ideal man" -- romantic, loving, endearing, good-looking, rich -- but is always in one crisis after another, where for some reason the man can't get a hold of his money, but always needs the woman's money to help him out. And of course, the man says he would pay her back. But of course, the woman never gets her money back...

Some are tempted by their "ideal man" to engage in internet sex. After all, aren't they "in love", and aren't they going to marry some day? And when they discover that their "ideal man" never existed, the photo they saw in the online dating profile was stolen from a modelling agency, and that they've been led to believe a web of lies, they are shamed, shattered, afraid to tell their family and friends.

They've lost their money (this may include cars, houses, jobs in their all-consuming desire to please their internet "husband), their time, their trust -- even their trust in themselves -- and some even lost whatever sexual wholeness they had.

(Because I'm in the inner healing and deliverance ministry, I know that those who engaged in internet sex have become heavily demonised as well. All the symptoms they described are that of people who've invited the demonic into their life.)

And the only way they can get their healing is to confess their shame, and sometimes their sin, in the anonymity of an internet forum where they are comforted by many others who have also fallen in a similar way.

The woman -- alone and unprotected -- in a pattern as old as mankind itself, meets the Snake, and falls for his charms. To her utter shame and dishonour.

But God is always in the redemptive business. As I read the forum, I'm amazed at the love and comfort these victims offer one another. When my counsellor friend asked me why I liked the site, I said: "Because it's full of love."

The woman falls. But the love and support of others heals and redeems her. And behind all that, the love of God.