Entering into the Kingdom!

The Lord has already spoken concerning persecution when we follow Him. The same has been experienced by the saints in the churches in North India these days. There have been persecutions all around. In the midst of all these persecutions, the Lord also speaks and intensifies His move. The last week's Life-study portions were mostly on persecution and how to fact it boldly in the Lord, not denying the Lord.

Mt 10:32Everyone therefore who will confess in Me before men, I also will confess in him before My Father who is in the heavens;

Mt 10:33But whoever will deny Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father who is in the heavens.

The Lord knows best why His believers have to face persecution. He uses it for His testimony and for the spreading and preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God. He even foretold that in the face of persecution, one should not be anxious for the Spirit in the believers will do the necessary speaking.

Mt 10:16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be therefore prudent as serpents and guileless as doves.

Mt 10:17And beware of men, for they will deliver you up to sanhedrins, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

Mt 10:18And you will also be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

Mt 10:19But when they deliver you up, do not be anxious about how or what you should speak, for it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

Mt 10:20For you are not the ones speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is the One speaking in you.

As we were reading the Life-studies, I also could sense that at least three sisters with their relatives being from the gentile family background have been going through persecution. The Lord burdened me over and over again to strengthen the points on the need to be absolute for the Lord no matter what or how strong persecutions or oppositions may be from the enemy.

Mt 10:36And a man’s enemies will be those of his household.

Mt 10:37He who loves father or mother above Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter above Me is not worthy of Me;

Mt 10:38And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Mt 10:39He who finds his soul-life shall lose it, and he who loses his soul-life for My sake shall find it.

In the midst of all these, the Lord also is working on a sister to gain her. She was first introduced to me by a brother and then by another sister. The first time I met her, the only thing I could speak to her was, to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and help her to know the Lord Jesus Christ and believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. As a matter of faithfulness to the truth of the Bible, I also shared the truth concerning baptism right away as mentioned in Mark 16:16. But I left the choice to her; for her to pray, consider, and take her own decision at her own time. But I encouraged her to pray and read the Bible daily, and also join the fellowship and meeting of the saints. She has been regularly joining the daily Life-study pursuit since then, and also the Lord's Day meeting. 

Last week too, as we enjoyed studying the message on the kingdom of God, one point was very clear to her; the unique way to enter into the kingdom of God is through regeneration, to be born of the Spirit, and also of water (baptism).

Jn 3:3Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jn 3:5Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

I do believe, the Lord spoke to her strongly because I could sense that she was really touched as I led the saints in pursuing the truth last Lord's Day. Deep within me, I realized that the Lord would lead her to make her own decision to be baptized. For, she has already believed into the Lord Jesus Christ. A few days later, I received a message saying that she wanted to be baptized. I praise the Lord for leading her to make this decision on her own. At the same time, I look to the Lord for wisdom so that we may know how to help her fulfill God's word concerning baptism in the midst of persecution going on in the region where we are residing. I prayed and brought the matter to the brothers in Gurugram and also in New Delhi. After confirmation from the brothers, I have an inward peace from the Lord to go ahead and baptize her. Meanwhile, personally, and in the church, strong prayers have been offered. The whole church prayed for her baptism in the prayer meeting, in our family prayer, and in my personal prayer. Today, as she came prepared for baptism, the church prayed for her again. After lunch, we had a session on looking into the Scriptures concerning believing and baptism with all the relevant Bible verses. And with strong prayers, the sister was baptized! Hallelujah!

May the Lord continue to work in our sister so that she may grow in the divine life day by day unto full maturity. May she even become a beacon of life and a channel of blessing to all her family members who are yet to be saved!  Praise the Lord for the Lord's move in North India.