"Christ is Victor" May/June 1998

Christ is Victor

May/June 1998 Vol. 11, No.3

"From Confusion to Peace"

- A Young Man’s Search for Meaning

I was born in a Hindu family in India, and I was a strong believer in the caste system. I worshipped idols from my youth. When I was a small boy, I would go to the temples and bow down before the idols. At the age of seven, my family went to Canada, and there also I continued to believe in Hinduism for some time. But at a young age, I became interested in finding out more about God. Then someone told me about Christianity. I began to read a New Testament in secret, not wanting my parents or anyone else to find out.

In those days, I was very afraid of what would happen to me after death. I wondered whether there was a heaven and hell and if Jesus Christ was real. I wondered if God even existed.

Thus, in a way, I was searching for God. But when I went into grades 7, 8, and high-school, the sins of the flesh began to take a stronger hold on me and I began to seek the things of the world. I was too afraid to go to church at that time. I began to read pornographic magazines, I was running after girls, and I was going to the dances and the movies. My thoughts became very corrupted as I watched many hours of television. I could not look on a girl with clean eyes by the time I was in grade 12 and 13. I became a slave to the sin of masturbation at this time, and there was no deliverance for me from these sins.

In about grade 10, I overcame my fears and began to attend a church. I started to go to the youth group and to the Sunday services. Because I went regularly to church, the people there took me for a Christian. I would come forward at the altar call saying that I accept Christ, and I would raise my hand when they asked for a decision. But even when I did all these things, there was no change in my life. There was no deliverance from my unclean sins. I felt that God was real only when I was in a meeting. When I went home alone, I had no prayer life. I would spend only five minutes every night in prayer. I felt very empty and wondered if Christianity was real.

After I got out of high school I began to attend the University of Waterloo where I was studying computer science. There I began to attend a large Christian group on campus. Because I attended regularly and was very enthusiastic, they made me a Bible-study leader and I began to lead others.

But despite all these things, I was growing very restless in my life. I was beginning to wonder about the validity of the Bible. I was talking to many people about different religions, and they were telling me that their religion was the true religion and that Christianity was false. I was very uncertain because I lacked a true conversion. Although I had gone to church for several years, no one had told me that I needed to confess my sins and forsake my sins. As a result, the way in which I was trying to follow God was becoming very unreal to me. So when these people told me these things, I began to believe them and I began to doubt the validity of the Bible, and I began to doubt the very existence of God. Thus I was deciding in my heart that I would throw away the Bible and turn to some other religion.

At this time, in my confusion, I was praying and asking that the one true God should reveal Himself to me—the God who could save me from my sins, the God who could give me peace and deliverance in my life—that was the God whom I wanted to follow. When I was praying this prayer in 1981 in the summer, I met one brother from the Laymen’s Evangelical Fellowship, a student from India. He told me that Jesus Christ is a living and a speaking God, and that Jesus Christ can give a young man the deliverance and the victory over sin in the days of his youth. I had gone to so many Christian leaders and youth retreats and youth camps, but no leader had ever told me that it is possible for a young man to live a holy life.

When this brother told me these things, I was first suspicious because he came from India. I felt that the gospel should go from Canada to India and that I should be teaching him. I had invited him to my Bible-study to teach him. But when he told me these things, the Word of God began to burn into my heart. During this time, many in the Fellowship were praying for me. As I began to pray with this brother and as he talked with me, I began to see the depth of my sins. For the first time, I saw that I needed to confess my sins before God.

As I waited upon the Lord and studied His Word, God convicted me deeply that I needed to restitute the things I had stolen. As the Spirit of God convicted me, I obeyed God in these steps. I went to my parents and asked their pardon because I had stolen money from the house. And I went to places where I worked, at a gas station, and returned money. I humbled myself before people to whom I had lied. In all the areas that God showed me, I set my conscience right with man, and I humbled myself deeply before God.

Then the cross of Christ stood before me, and I saw that the Lord Jesus had died for my sins. A great joy and peace began to take hold of my life, and a new power came into my life. God gave me victory over all my unclean sins. God began to give me victory in my thoughts, and God spoke to me from Psalm 73:22 and on, that he had forgiven me. It says:

"So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever."

When I read these words, I was really filled with joy and praise and I knew for the first time, after over ten years of doubting and questioning, that Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

After this, God taught me how to pray. God showed me that I should spend one-tenth of my time every day in prayer and Bible study. He also taught me to keep the Lord’s Day, to sanctify it and to keep it holy. Even when I had examinations early Monday morning, I would close my books Saturday night. As I obeyed God in these things, a new grace came into me to concentrate more on my studies in the other six days of the week, instead of my thoughts wandering all over the place. God put me at the front of the class in some of the subjects I was taking, much to my surprise. How I praised God for these things. God began to teach me and lead me in every step. He also strengthened me through the fellowship of his children. - Vinay Deshpande

_________________________________________________________________________________

"The Problem in the Post Office"

I was received into the membership of the Christian Church by the Rev. Arthur Harries, and it was he, my first pastor, who told this story to his congregation.

The post office officials were much interested as they read the words on an envelope which had just arrived from Japan. "To the man of God, __, Monmouthshire, England."

"Who can that be?" asked the sorting official; but his colleagues were unable to answer his question. Then one man exclaimed, "Well, it’s not the parson, anyhow," and instantly they all agreed. The local clergyman did not fit the description. One by one, the names of the other ministers were mentioned; but in spite of the fact that several of these men were nice fellows and exceedingly popular, they did not fit the description on the envelope.

The problem of delivering the letter was becoming acute, when rather abruptly a member of the staff said, "I know. Yes, I know who he is. If any man in this town has earned the right to that title, he is the man." The listeners agreed, and one was deputed to take the letter to the man’s house.

The old Christian marvelled that the post office staff should think him worthy of such a compliment; but when he opened the letter, he discovered that their choice had been sound. The letter had been written to him by a Japanese student whom he had entertained months earlier.

The young man had been studying in Wales, and had been received into the home of his new friend. When he returned to Japan, he desired to send a letter of appreciation; but alas, he had lost the address of his former host. However, that presented no problem, for he had gained the impression that he had stayed with a man of God. He smiled and was reassured, for in his own country, a man of God was known near and far.

Surely this would be the case in other lands. Everybody would know the man of God, and if he addressed the letter in that fashion, it would reach its destination. It did; and in so doing, paid tribute to one whose consecrated service had charmed a community. One wonders what would happen if such a letter were addressed to the man of God—in my town. Would the postal officials think of me?

Paul wrote in Philippians 1:20-21, "...that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Paul’s reference to the magnifying glass is most interesting, and its connection with "the man of God" is obvious.

A magnifying glass does not actually increase the size of anything: it only seems to do this. Actually the object at which a man may be looking is exactly the same size, but the glass brings it into bold relief, and the watcher is able to see it more clearly. It is not possible to make Christ more wonderful, for "He is the Altogether Lovely One, and the chiefest among ten thousand." Yet, if by God’s grace we can become magnifying glasses—in perfect alignment with the Master and men—they will be able to see Him more clearly when they look at Him through us. All the details of His superb glory may be brought into delightful relief if we are what we ought to be.

Most probably, St. Paul had a similar thought in mind when he wrote, "Ye are living epistles, seen and read of all men." We read the Scriptures to learn more of Christ. Likewise, people read us in order to achieve identical results.

The fact that the letter addressed to the man of God reached its destination, suggests that the honoured Christian had been a magnifying glass. He had so magnified his Lord that even the people in the post office had been able to see Him.

They had also read his everyday actions, and had recognized in them the presence of the Lord. The old man had been a living epistle of righteousness.

And ever since my old pastor told that story, I have wistfully longed to reach that standard of holiness. It is the Christian’s Mount Everest! — selected

__________________________________________________________________________________________

"The Effectual Prayer of a Church"

"Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him" (Acts 12:5)

Why was Peter in prison? Herod wanted to kill him. Herod killed James. This pleased the Jews very much. He wanted to please the Jews more by killing Peter. The Jews were always carrying evil reports about the Herodian family to Caesar. So Herod wanted to please the Jews. The Jews felt their religion was in jeopardy because of the disciples of Jesus.

Herod stretched forth his hand to vex the church. His end was near. When a man’s end is near, he becomes more active than usual against the Kingdom of God. This is one of the signs that that man’s end is near.

Peter was not troubled about his condition. The next day was the day of his death, but he was sleeping soundly. Peter wanted to follow Jesus. Jesus told him that he could not follow Him then, but a time would come when he would be able to follow Him even to death. Peter’s desire was not being fulfilled. That night, in his mind, he must have willingly died. His faith had grown so strong. Those who continue in the Word, will find their heart’s deepest desires fulfilled. God is greater than our desires. In fulfilling our desires He will far exceed them. Peter had desired this death-daring faith.

Prayer was being made in the church without ceasing. We wonder at the acts of the apostles. But we must know that they took place because the church was praying. The church was one. There was not one person with another mind among them. If there was one man there with a contrary mind, he would have been as a wire that is earthed which discharged the circuit. Some people pray without faith. They will be earth-wires. This was a live church and it was praying for the impossible—for Peter in the Roman prison.

Peter was chained to two soldiers on either hand. There were other soldiers on guard and a final gate outside. The prayer of the church will release those in prison. Many are bound by evil spirits and evil desires and vanity. No one can release them. Some families are bound, they cannot understand the gospel. Father, mother and children are all in darkness. Every kind of sin will be there and they will be in great misery. How to release them? The church has to pray for them.

There are two chains that bind people-sins of commission and sins of omission. Some are released from one chain, but still bound by the other. Who will save them? The church can save them. Where faithful men gather and where Christ is, that is the church.

Prayer was being made without ceasing. This was a real church. An angel came and the chains on either side snapped. There may be big churches which cannot break chains. They are not churches.

Peter was asked to put on his sandals. A man who is freed, puts on the sandals of the gospel of peace. Peter crossed the first ward and the second ward. After conversion we have still two wards to cross. We have to be planted together with Him in the likeness of His death and then we have to rise into the newness of the resurrection life. When the church is praying these deliverances will be experienced.

There was still the iron gate to cross. "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life" (Romans 6:22). We cross over into the holy life. There is holiness there.

"For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Colossians 1:9). We have to join the saints in glory. If we are praying great things will happen.

— Late Mr. N. Daniel