Father's Heart Blog

This book has rocked me. I’ve been finishing it off while my Pastors came back from preaching at a Conference in India with an American Pastor who moved to China when he was 25 to win the lost – they came back with fire! The Friday I preached at Youth and I tell you I preached with FIRE that I had not experienced before!

Brother Yun’s experience as a young believer was horrendous, as a Christian in the West it is hard to imagine, hard to believe I could go through the same.

When Brother Yun was first in Prison he meditated on what Paul had written during his times of incarceration, and of Peter’s imprisonment and miraculous escape in Acts 12. “They were like clouds of witnesses surrounding my thoughts. Their example cast away the fears and burdens from my heart!”

As the days and weeks passed my fellow prisoners started to discuss among themselves, “What does this man’s life stand for?” My body was getting smaller and weaker, but my spirit was enlarged and strong!

He was told his prison sentence was only 4 years, he was full of joy because God had given him hope for future ministry. Now I could start to allow myself to dream!

The 3 of us entered the toilet block an we worshiped together to celebrate Christmas. I knelt down on the dirty floor and prayed.

In the Spirit of Joseph they said of Brother Yun, We’re afraid that if we keep you locked up you’ll take over the entire prison.

For the next 3 months I remained in isolation in this tiny cell. There was just a bit of light that came though the window, but it was enough to read. In the first 10 days I read through the entire Bible. I used this time to memorize a total of 55 chapters of the Bible, from Hebrews to Revelation!

I didn’t suffer for Jesus in prison. No! I was with Jesus and I experienced his very real presence, joy and peace every day. It’s not those in prison for the sake of the Gospel who suffer. The person who suffers is he who never experiences God’s intimate presence.

Several guards commented – “Look this criminal is even happier than we are, and we are free!”

Because of disobedience and disrespect for the Lord, my wife, and my co-workers, I went to prison for a 2nd time. The Lord saw I was exhausted in the ministry, so he graciously allowed me to rest in him behind bars for a while and learn about inner spiritual life.

Many appear to be “successful” in their ministries while their families are falling apart. For all the strengths possessed by China’s house churches, this area is one of its weakest points.

So I encourage men to take their wife – family with them

When my torturers carried me back to my cell, however, I wanted to show them defiantly that they could never break my Spirit, so I laughed and told them, I want to thank you for the wonderful massage you gave me today. I feel so much better. Thank you!

One day I may be killed for the sake of the Gospel in a Muslim or Buddhist nation. If you hear this news, please don’t grieve for m, but grieve for the millions of precious souls who are enslaves by Satan without any Gospel witness!

If you hear I have been taken home ot heaven, PLEASE GO ON IN MY PLACE WITH THE GOSPEL, PREACHING AND DISCIPLING THE PEOPLE GROUPS OF THE WORLD UNTIL JESUS COMES AGAIN!

We have to see that every trial is a test to take us to the next level – yesterday I listened to a fantastic teaching by John Bevere based on his book Relentless. He said how God will allow the test to come again until we accept it and learn from it, then we will be able to go to the next level of faith. The scripture God will not allow you to endure more than you can bear – means that if you have not learnt to endure the trials at the lower levels he can not promote you to higher positions that require more faith and greater character – wow when I heard that I can embrace trials and testing as Brother Yun so gloriously did!