Christ is Victor - September/October 2012

After twenty years, these two brothers meet. Esau had already vowed vengeance after the death of his father. Though his father was yet alive he felt the moment of reckoning had now come. The bitterness of twenty years would now find expression. If you keep bitterness against anyone for any reason in your heart even for a day, your spiritual system will be poisoned. You may feel fully justified. But the Bible says, "Let not the sun go down on your wrath." That is God’s law. Why can’t we keep God’s law? Why don’t we fear God? - because of pride. Why is it difficult to say ‘sorry’ to a brother or sister? When did we become so perfect that we consider ourselves so infallible?

It is just a proud heart that is willing to forfeit the presence of God. Is that not terrible? Anybody who enjoys the presence of God will say, ‘ I would not lose the presence of God even at the cost of my life.’ When you become spiritually insensitive, various things begin to accumulate in your mind. In a spiritually insensitive person, a lot of rubbish accumulates. Ill-will, resentment, evil thoughts, some ambitions which are outside God’s will—all these things accumulate.

We have learnt not to speak lies. We have learnt not to steal. We have learnt not to use foul language. We have learnt to give God the tithes and offerings. We have learnt to pray and give God the time that we should. But in weightier matters we are failing. The devil’s trick is to disturb us in our relationship with one another.

Generally, we see tension between in-laws everywhere in the world. Who is a spiritual person? A spiritual person is one who has victory in the relationship with in-laws. Whatever may be the provocation, a spiritual person overcomes. Are we living in perfect peace with one another?

Life does not consist of smooth and easy situations. Generally, we come across some smart person like Jacob to provoke us. He outwits you. How do you react towards such a person? Esau was a very imperfect man and so disobedient as to be rejected by God. But in this situation, it is amazing how well he fares! He kissed his brother and almost behaved like the father of the prodigal son. Forgiving words came out of this man’s heart.

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us" (I John 4:12). I want everybody who enters our places of worship to feel the atmosphere of God’s love. ‘God dwelleth in us.’ How do we know that? By the positive love we have one toward another. This love does not crack down when rebuked. No, it is a steady flow. Can you stop a river? What massive barrages have to be built to interrupt the flow of a river? Sometimes even those are swept away. The river of God’s love should not be dammed off by anyone of us. It would be very wrong. Yet it is possible. The devil wants just that. Suppose water does not go through a particular canal or channel, what happens? A whole area suffers. They just cannot have a harvest. Is the flow of love interrupted by you? Examine your heart.

The Lord Jesus gave us a very simple rule, "…if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matt. 5:23,24). I have asked pardon of some brothers, not once, or twice or thrice but four times. I am convinced that I am not wrong. Something from me has managed to hurt him. So I will say, ‘sorry’ and say it again and again, if necessary. I do not want that river of love to stop from my heart. I do not want to lose the presence of God. Be very careful, dear people.

If you want to dwell in God, you should dwell in love. If you do not dwell in love, you are not dwelling in God. You are dwelling in an organization and are not dwelling in God: what a dangerous thing that is! When you do not dwell in God, no good work comes out of you, only evil- only evil words, evil thoughts, evil reactions, evil deeds, poison and pollution will come out of you. But, if you dwell in God you dwell in love.

Where are you? Are you at least in Esau’s state to forgive and love a brother who has injured you? When Isaac died, both Esau and Jacob buried him together. Are we at that place where we are sanctified and made ready for such reconciliation? We should humble ourselves and examine our hearts and see that we do not stop revival.

When I was young, I spent my life foolishly, though I thought I was very smart. I thought it was great to meet with my friends every night after work and have a few drinks. Of course, my wife didn’t like me doing this, because I usually came home none too steady on my feet.

In 1972, we gave our lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. As new Christians, we didn’t know what to do. So as a new believer, I did what was normal for me. I’d come home from work, and my car had a habit of turning into this one tavern. I couldn’t control the steering wheel anymore. Because of my commitment to Christ, I realized that what I was doing was wrong, but I didn’t know how to stop.

The fact was, drinking was such a normal part of my life that it was hard for me to see anything wrong in it. When I was a youngster, my dad operated three saloons in South Bend, Indiana. So drinking was something that was part of our lives. In fact, that’s how my dad made a living. And I didn’t see anything wrong with it.

But then, the Lord had a hold of me, and I got to feeling so guilty every time that I would have a drink. Even at home, I found so many hiding places for my bottle. But my wife didn’t like me sneaking drinks, and she said, "Mark, why don’t you just take that bottle and set it here on the cupboard here in the kitchen? You don’t have to go downstairs sneaking drinks. I know you’re drinking."

But I was ashamed. It bothered me, but yet I couldn’t stop. I tried on my own. There was no way I could quit. My pastor even tried to help me, but I guess he didn’t have the right combination.

And then in the year 1978, we heard that a missionary, Reverend Daniel, was coming to our church. For me, I wasn’t one of those fellows that liked to go to church at night. Sunday was fine, but any extra time, that wasn’t my cup of tea. But anyway, Rev. Daniel came and for some reason or other, no matter how much I drank throughout the day, I still attended the meetings at the church on the weeknights. There was something that Rev. Daniel was saying that got to me. His words were like a magnet; the Lord was pulling me there every night.

At the end of the week, Rev. Daniel talked to our pastor, and said, "There is a brother in the congregation that needs help. If you can arrange a meeting of some sort, I would very much appreciate it." So my pastor asked if it will be all right if Rev. Daniel could come over to our house. Well, we liked to have company and said that would be fine.

So when Rev. Daniel came in that evening with our pastor, my wife offered him a 7-up or a cold drink. But he said, "No sister. I’m here on business." And he meant it, too! Then he said to me, "I understand you have a problem."

And he said, "Well, there must be something in your life, between you and the Lord, that’s holding you back. We’ve got to find out what it is." So Rev. Daniel took me down to the pea patch to talk privately. Eventually it came out that I had been a bartender, and he said to me, "Have you asked these families for forgiveness for the amount of alcohol that you gave these fellows that go to the bar? Have you ever asked to be forgiven?"

I said, "Ask the families for forgiveness? Joshua, there’s no way. Most of the people I didn’t even know. There’s nothing I can do about it."

He said, "Would you like to get down on your knees and talk to God and ask Him to forgive you?"

So that night I got down on my knees and asked the Lord to forgive me for being a bartender and for drinking like I was doing. And before I had got off my knees, I could feel something working through my system, completely changing me. You talk about instant coffee, well I was instantly free from drink. From that moment on, I had no taste for it. Even the presence of alcohol didn’t bother me one bit. And God watched over me.

About a year later, I went to an evening service and the Lord began speaking to me. A young man was at the church as a gospel chalk artist. He was up there drawing beautiful pictures out of the Bible, depicting stories. And, the Lord said to me, "Now, you were an artist when you were sober. When you were sober, you could draw. But when the booze would take over, you couldn’t do anything. But I know you’re clean now. I’d like to have you start a ministry as a chalk artist."

So that happened! My wife and I had a beautiful ministry for 13 years. We went to many states, many churches, and many campgrounds. And I would draw a picture out of the Bible, and I would also give my testimony. Many times I was invited to clubs where they weren’t used to hearing the Word of God. And I’d always say, "Yes, I’d love to come to you, providing you let me give my testimony first." So it was always agreed that I could give my testimony. That’s what I would do; give my testimony and I would draw the pictures. And we had a wonderful ministry.

When I look back over my life, I am so thankful for my beautiful wife of 57 years. And I am so thankful that the Lord freed me and gave me a chance to serve Him.

“And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually” (Job 1:5).

What a beautiful picture of a man in whose heart the fear of God lives! Job feared lest his children sin against God or forsake Him in their hearts. He was so deeply conscious of the weakness of human nature that, even when he did not know of any particular sin in their lives, the very thought of their having been in circumstances of temptation made him afraid. He so fully realized his position and privilege as parent that he took upon himself the continual offering of the needed sacrifice.

The book of Job might have been complete without this illustration, as far as the record of Job’s patience and faith is concerned, but we would have missed the much needed lesson that a parent’s consecration to God includes the home life, too. Let us study the lesson his example teaches.

A deep fear of overlooking sin in himself or his children is one of the marks of a wise Christian.

How superficial our views of sin often are! And how easily we are satisfied! Under the appearance of what is good and loving, sin may be hidden. Our children may be growing up renouncing God in their hearts! Let parents ask God to give them a right sense of what sin is in their children – its curse, its dishonour to God, its power.

Every thoughtful parent knows there are times and places when their child may be more influenced to yield to temptation. A praying parent should do what Job did when he sent for his sons; he prayed for them.

Intercessory prayer is a secret of parental power and blessing. Parents need to pray earnestly that God will enlighten their hearts to prevail in prayer for their children. In our family life, the first consideration should not be our personal happiness or the care of providing all the daily needs, but the yielding of ourselves, as ministers of His grace, to God’s eternal purpose: the deliverance of our children from sin. And our family life shall evermore be lighted up with God’s own presence and with the joy of the heavenly home.

In attempting to cross a river in America, Dr. Coke got into deep water; he and his horse were carried down the stream, and were in considerable danger; he caught hold of a bough, and with some difficulty got upon dry land; his horse was carried down the stream. After drying his clothes in the sun, he set out on foot, and at length met a man, who directed him to the nearest village, telling him to inquire for a Mrs… , from whom, he had no doubt, he would receive the kindest treatment.

Dr. Coke found the good lady’s house, and received all the kindness and attention she could show him; messengers were sent after his horse, which was recovered and brought back. The next morning he took leave of his kind hostess, and proceeded on his journey.

After a lapse of five years, Dr. Coke happened to be in America again. As he was on his way to one of the annual conferences, in company with about thirty other persons, a young man requested the favour of being allowed to converse with him; he assented with Christian politeness.

The young man asked him if he recollected being in such a part of America about five years ago; he replied in the affirmative.

“And do you recollect, sir, in attempting to cross the river, being nearly drowned?”

“And do you recollect going to the house of a widow lady in such a village?”

“I remember it well,” said the doctor ; “and never shall I forget the kindness which she showed me.”

“And do you remember, when you departed, leaving a tract at that lady’s house?”

“I do not recollect that,” said he; “but it is very possible I might do so.” “Yes, sir,” said the young man, “you did leave there a tract, which that lady read, and the Lord blessed the reading of it to the conversion of her soul; it was also the means of the conversion of several of her children and neighbours; and there is now, in that village, a little flourishing society.”

The tears of Dr. Coke showed something of the feelings of his heart. The young man resumed, “I have not, sir, quite told you all. I am one of that lady’s children, and owe my conversion to God, to the gracious influence with which he accompanied the reading of that tract to my mind, and I am now on my way to conference, to be proposed as a preacher.”

It is well that there is one who is ever the same and who is ever with us. It is well that there is one stable rock amidst the billows of the sea of life. Oh my soul! Set not thine affections upon rusting, moth-eaten, decaying treasures, but set thing heart upon him who abides forever faithful to thee.

Build not thine house upon the moving quick sands of a deceitful world, but found thy hopes upon this rock, which, amid descending rain and roaring floods, shall stand immovably secure. My soul, I charge thee, lay up thy treasure in the only secure cabinet; store thy jewels where thou canst never lose them.

Put thine all in Christ; set all thine affections on His person, all thy hope in his merit, all thy trust in His efficacious blood, all thy joy in his presence, and so thou mayest laugh at loss and defy destruction.

Remember that all the flowers in the world’s garden fade by turns, and the day cometh when nothing will be left but the black, cold earth. Death’s black extinguisher must soon put out thy candle. Oh, how sweet to have sunlight when the candle is gone! The dark flood must soon roll between thee and all thou hast; then wed thine heart to Him who will never leave thee: trust thyself with Him who will go with thee through the black and surging current of death’s stream, and who will land thee safely on the celestial shore, and make thee sit with Him in heavenly places forever. Go, sorrowing son of affliction, tell thy secrets to the Friend who sticketh closer than a brother. Trust all thy concerns with Him who never can be taken from thee, who will never leave thee, and who will never let thee leave Him, even Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

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This Fellowship is an inter-denominational missionary and prayer group working for revival in churches and amongst students in several countries. We invite every layperson to become God’s ally in changing his or her corner of the world. We train people in evangelistic work and to be self-supporting missionaries.