Zion, the Overcomers

In typology in the Old Testament Zion was the city of King David (2 Sam. 5:7), the center of the city of Jerusalem, where the temple as God’s dwelling place on earth was built (Psa. 9:11; 2:6; 74:2; 76:2b; 125:1; 135:21; Isa. 8:18).  In fulfillment and reality, Zion is the overcomer in the local churches today. It is not enough for a Christian to simply be saved, nor is it enough for him to be in a denomination. And still, it is also not enough to be recovered into the proper ground of oneness in a local church. But much more, we must pray and pay the price to be overcomers to be today's Zion without which God has no real testimony through which He can fulfill His divine purpose. Therefore, Zion is the ultimate need today to meet God's needs.

And  I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. Rev. 14:1

Today God is looking for the one hundred and forty-four thousand amidst the defeated church, who will stand on Mount Zion (Rev. 14). God always uses a small number of believers to pass on the flow of life to the church and to revive the church. As the Lord has done once before, so these overcomers have to pour out their blood before life can flow out to others. On behalf of the church, the overcomers take the stand of victory and also suffer tribulation and despising. Thus, the overcomers of God need to give up what they consider as right. They have to pay the price and allow the cross to cut off all the old creation and deal with the gates of Hades (Matt. 16:18).

Are you willing to endure heartache to gain the heart of God? Are you willing to let yourself be defeated so that the Lord can be the Victor? When your obedience is fulfilled, God will deal with all disobedience (2 Cor. 10:6). (CWWN, vol. 11, pp. 762-763)

The above excerpt from Watchman Nee touched my being so deeply. To be today's Zion, the most important thing is to pay the price.

Lift up your heads, O gates; and be lifted up, O long enduring doors; and the King of glory will come in. We all must be so open to the Lord. Psa. 24:7

We all have to endeavor to reach this high peak. If you think it is too hard to reach this high peak and that the price to pay is too high, be prepared. We surely need to be desperate to pray at any cost and to pay the cost just as the apostle Paul did. There is no other way to reach this high peak except by praying. (HWMR 1 & 2 Kings, msg 10)

The price to pay is to spend time with the Lord in prayer. I released my burden to the church on the need for everyone to spend specific time of prayer every day, at least 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or even an hour of solid sweet time of prayer with the Lord. In this way, we are opening the door for the Lord to come in and do what he needs to do in us to make us His overcomers.

Moreover, there is a need to pay the price of receiving the word of God with prayer. The word is nourishing and the or is also slaying. The word provides spiritual nourishment and it also kills all the germs within our being.

And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind.  Eph. 4:23

That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, that He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish. We need to experience the killing power of God’s word.  Eph. 5:26-27 

As we pray-read, we are nourished on the one hand, but certain elements are killed on the other hand. Perhaps you are troubled by doubts, hatred, jealousy, pride, or selfishness…The more we take in the word with its killing power, the more our pride and all the negative elements within us are put to death. By pray-reading, the inward adversary is slain…by the word we have taken into us. The battlefield for the spiritual warfare…is within us; in particular it is in our mind…The way to slay the adversary in our mind is to pray-read the word. As we pray-read God’s word, the elements of the adversary within our mind will be killed one by one. In this way we shall gain the victory…When the negative things in us are killed through pray-reading, the Lord is victorious. Because He is victorious, we are victorious  also.  (HWMR 1 & 2 Kings, msg 10)

The result of paying the price will be victory!  

Psalm 132 mentions seven precious items related to the overcomers in their going up to Zion; these items are at the top of the church life, and they portray the situation of the overcomers in Zion, the highest peak of God’s mountain—vv. 13-18.

1. Resting with God—“This is My resting place forever”—v. 14a.
2. Dwelling with God—“Here will I dwell, for I have desired it”—v. 14b.
3. Food for satisfaction—“I will abundantly bless its provision; I will satisfy its poor with bread”— v. 15.
4. Glorious clothing—“Its priests I will clothe with salvation, / And its faithful ones will shout with a ringing shout”—v. 16; cf. Exo. 28:2.
5. The horn of victory—“There I will cause a horn of David to shoot forth”—Psa. 132:17a.
6. The enlightening lamp—“I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one”—v. 17b. 

7. The shining crown—“I will clothe his enemies with shame, / But on him his crown will shine”— v. 18; cf. Isa. 62:3.  (HWMR 1 & 2 Kings, msg 10) 

I have released the Lord's burden for the saints in the church in Gurugram. The meeting was so high and we all could feel the intensity of the Lord's timely speaking and His desire to take us forward and make us all His vicotoious overcomers. In fact, from today we have a new beginning in the way we meet and the next generation service groups were practically carried out. 

Lord, make us all Your Zion, Your overcomers! This is Your recovery. Recover us fully in Your victory!

Two Saturdays

The last two Saturdays taught me a very important life lesson. The previous Saturday I was in Chennai and somehow I took it for granted the normal schedule of the church in Gurugram due to the fact that I was out stationed in Chennai. Therefore, I did not join the brothers' fellowship in the morning. I missed a lot by skipping this. 

Though I had an afternoon appointment with the brother in the church in Chennai and the brothers serving the work in India, I decided to go see the land I purchased in 2014. According to my estimation, I could just go and come back on time for the fellowship. But the road was full of traffic jams, then it rained that forcing us to stop in between until the rain subsided, and then the bike we rode had a problem with the brake, slowing our speed down, and later we halted for about two hours to repair the brake. Then I missed the Saturday afternoon prayer over the phone with two brothers, and I also missed to attend physically the fellowship with the brothers in Chennai.  I had the heart to go for gospel preaching but we came back very late in the evening. Therefore, many important meetings I missed on Saturday. Later, as I reconsidered how things went too bad the whole day the simple reason being, my heart was not proper towards my responsibility as a brother; I excused myself so easily from important things just for the fact that I was out stationed, which was a fact. 

Last Saturday, I was very exercised in my spirit. As we fellowshipped, I felt the need to address the need of tightening the screw of our church life and services.  So we reconsidered all the service items one by one and also rescheduled the various meetings on the Lord's day. We all just felt like the Lord came and set all things right. We were shaken up for good for the going on of the church. Then I had my Bible reading time, followed by prayer and physical exercise, then the church prayer meeting for an hour and a half, and gospel preaching for two hours. After which I went to spend time in prayer again, clean up the house, took bath, and rested.

These two Saturdays were an example of losing and gaining according to the condition of my heart. On the first Saturday, my heart was complacent about the things of God and I did not take the schedule seriously. Therefore, I lose much. On the second Saturday, I readjusted my attitude and took the service of the Lord seriously which led to my whole day being truly blessed.

In fact, as we were preaching the gospel, I determined to honor the fellowship of the church to spend at least two hours for gospel preaching. The Lord indeed blessed our gospel preaching and we could preach the gospel to at least five people solidly. The Lord also led us to two professional footballers who just visited Gurugram. We believe the Lord brought them to us and pray that we could meet them again and bring them to the Lord fully.

These two Saturdays taught me the need for a proper attitude toward the Lord's service. I should not neglect the work of the Lord.

Cursed is he who does the work of Jehovah negligently, And cursed is he who keeps his sword from blood. Jeremiah 48:10

But if I have a proper attitude toward God's service, then the blessing is all mine.

Blessed is the man who trusts in Jehovah and whose trust Jehovah is.

And he will be like a tree transplanted beside water, Which sends out its roots by a stream, And will not be afraid when heat comes; For its leaves remain flourishing, And it will not be anxious in the year of drought And will not cease to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8

Fellowship with Young People

Rejoice, young man, in your childhood, and let your heart be merry in the days of your youth; and walk in the ways of your heart and in the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. So remove vexation from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for childhood and the dawn of life are vanity.  

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, I have no pleasure in them;”

(Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:1, RecVer)

The Lord has burdened me to shepherd the college students and the young people. I had been handing over this responsibility to some other serving ones. But recently I realized that I need to pick up this burden and perfect the young ones. 

On my first renewed fellowship with the college student, I encouraged all the young ones to spend at least 15 minutes of personal prayer every day and read at least one chapter of the Bible. Once they were done they have to update it in the WhatsApp group. Besides, I also encourage them to have a separate morning revival for sisters and brothers with a sister and a brother helping them on a daily basis. This has been going on for weeks now.

Today, we had a time of fellowship again and I release my burden concerning our person, and our need to be sanctified from all kinds of distractions that may plague the young ones. More practically, to deal with all kinds of affairs and relationships, to consecrate them all to the Lord and break all unwanted ties, if any. They must also work hard in their studies so that they all could be outstanding students. And by their living testimonies, they can bring at least one student to the Lord before they graduate from college or university. I also encourage them to make a spiritual progress record book, a spiritual diary, and perhaps, write an article or essay based on their experiences and enjoyment of the Lord. 

Besides, young people being so vulnerable to the enemy's temptation, we pray-read 

And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.  Mt 6:13a

Only the Lord can preserve all the young ones from the temptation and the attack of the enemy. Later, when I went before the Lord to pray concerning the young ones and the burden I fellowshipped, the Lord gave me further burden as a follow-up on whatever we fellowshipped which I posted on the group.

As per today's fellowship, let us all maintain our daily spiritual progress record.

Please buy a good note book for Spiritual Diary.

You may record with date your experiences and enjoyment of the Lord. What the Lord spoke to you, convicted you of, your repentance and confession, and the dealings of your inward being. You may bring this record for the young people meeting and to the church meeting, to record into, or, to speak from.

You may also record your prayer burdens, name list of your family members or friends or classmates whom the Lord burdened you to pray for. 

Once your experiences are solid, you may write an article or an essay with scriptural verses of your experiences and enjoyment of the Lord. If you wish, you can blog them using your Gmail account.

Remember, all that you possess; your life, education, qualification, job, money, property, etc., will all vanish one day. 

Only your gaining of Christ, your experiences and enjoyment of Christ will last unto eternity. So, record these as your spiritual treasures for yours and for others benefit. Perhaps, the Lord may use these one day.

You can use your spiritual record for shephering others in need. And sharing with the saints whenever we meet. You may feel free to share with us, serving ones, if the Lord leads you so.

Remember, the Lord's work is our person. If our person is proper and gained by the Lord, everything we do will be proper and blessed by the Lord. Otherwise, we will only become problem to ourself, our family, and even to the church. 

May the Lord grace us all.

Let us run our Christian race together...

Ministry of the Word in Chennai

The Lord sovereignly brought me to Chennai as an answer to my brother who requested me to coordinate with him for a few days to visit all the leading Christian bookstores, Bible colleges, and Christian groups. Through an untoward incident I landed up in Chennai and I felt good to extend my stay and carry out the distribution of the ministry of the word.

Since the past three days, I have been coordinating with the serving one in Chennai to visit all the Christian bookstores in Chennai. Though it was all an impromptu and rather surprise visits, all the managers welcomed us and placed order for display and sales in their bookstores. All the managers were prepared by the Lord to pay heed to what we had to say concerning the ministry books. I basically picked up the burden to introduce the Holy Bible Recovery Version to all the managers and key person in a very specific and special way. Whenever I did so, I also enjoyed the Lord's anointing so much; the word of God just flowed out like streams of living water! In fact, the managers that I introduced the Bible too were all very impressed and they all decided to place order for the Bible.

On top of that, we also received favor from the Lord who granted us favor in the sight of all these managers to willing receive the ministry books by Brother Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. In fact, in one of the biggest congregations in the city we met the key brother, who heads up the literature service, who was so touched by the depth and liveliness of the ministry literature that he decided to take the Bibles and books after consulting with his pastors. Having enjoyed the flow of life, he asked me a question on "the dead burying the dead." I replied by explaining the spiritual significance of following the Lord without any one in between, be it their natural father or whoever. When one decides to follow the Lord, no person, matter or thing should come in between. One must absolutely follow the Lord. I backed up what I said with my own testimony of following the Lord against the wish of many parents in 2003, and now how they have understood me and felt blessed by my following the Lord.

This coordination with my brother has also been a great source of encouragement to him. He has been struggling to effectively discharge his duty. But now, he could foretaste that the ministry indeed is prevailing despite some oppositions. Now that our Chennai office been filled with books, it literally has become a Godown. These many books need to be distributed at the earliest. In fact, I suggested that within a year all these could be sold out. The many books printed are for the supply of spiritual food to all the children of God; they are not meant for stocking.

By the way, all these visitations to Christian bookstores were done by two-wheeler. I simply followed my brother's suggestion and did not give any opinion. What he felt best, I amen. I learn to follow without exerting my opinion. And it turned out to be the most effective way of distribution. Even though there was a heavy downpour, we still could manage on a bike with umbrella. And I made use of the long pillion ride, due to water clogging on the road, for a time of prayer and listening to the life-study radio messages. It was quite a wonderful time of coordination and time well spent. We have done our best to make the spiritual food available through the Christian bookstores. 

May the lakhs of Christians in Chennai be blessed with the healthy teaching and faithful word of the ministry. May the Lord bring His children to discover these truths and be blessed. Chennai for Christ and the church!

Time with Serving Ones

Yesterday, I had a time with all the serving ones in the literature service in Chennai. It was after a couple of years that I came to this city and fellowship with my fellow serving ones. My burden was to simple pray together, fellowship whatever the Lord leads, listen to what the saints have to say, and enjoy lovefeast together with the burden of blending and building up one another. I did this whenever I visited Chennai.

As we came together at our office building, we enjoyed singing the hymn composed by Brother Benson Philips and his wife, hymn number 1212. Then I shared what I learned from Brother Benson Philips on the matter of "listening to the Body" as we pray-read Act 9:1-18. 

Ac 9:5And he said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.

Ac 9:6But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.

As we pray-read the above verses, I was enlightened and supplied by the words "Lord, Jesus, persecute, rise up" and the phrase, "it will be told to you."

I know the Lord in truth, but do I subjectively know Him as my Lord in my daily living? He should be the Lord over my whole being, over all my life, and all that I have. Often, I replaced Him with me as my "lord." When I replaced the Lord with me a lord, I am persecuting Him. What a serious offense! The Lord should be my Lord indeed, all the time. Therefore, I repented for this sin of usurping His lordship over me. This Lord is Jesus, Jehovah the Savior! Therefore, I prayed that the Lord would save me from not making Him my Lord. 

Inspite of my sins, failures, and weaknesses, I can always rise up from my fallen condition. Turn to Him, exercise my spirit to enjoy His resurrection and rise up. When I rise up to follow Him, He will tell me what I should do through the members of His Body.

What a sweet time of pray-reading and prayer together. After we all prayed for ourselves and the serving ones for our services in particular, and the service of to the Body in general, we had lunch together followed by some practical fellowship concerning our health, financial management, and the need for both life and health insurance. This matter of insurance was triggered by recent demise of one of our serving ones who did not seem to have any insurance. Had he been insured his family could have been relieved financially a little bit.

May the Lord preserve all the serving ones that He may grace us with longevity in our service and also in our human life that we can gain more Christ unto full maturity to be His overcomers.

Listen to the Body

But rise up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do. Acts 9:6

"Listen to the Body!" This sentence has been ringing in my ears for the past few weeks now. Listen to the Body! The source of this is from a testimony of a brother who used to co-work with Brother Benson Philips who had gone to be with the Lord a couple of weeks ago. When a brother serving in Russia had no way to go on in his service and was so frustrated as he got no leading as to how to lead the ones he had been serving, he went to Brother Benson Philips to fellowship with the intention of resigning from his service and leaving Russia. Brother's reply was mind blowing, "If you have no leading, listen to the Body!" That solved all the problems.

This testimony and the apt fellowship, "Listen to the Body" has touched me so deeply ever since. I learned a very important lesson in my life, to listen to the Body. Since then, I have been sharing this testimony and also strengthened the same with my further understanding on the need to fellowship and listen to the Body for any matter great or small. 

Therefore, I began to take this word seriously and did my best to listen to the Body. The Body's speaking is the Lord's speaking as the Lord, the Head of the Body, and His Body are one. Saul of Tarsus met the Lord on his way to Damascus, and the Lord blinded him unto his salvation. Yet, for the remaining healing of his blindness that lasted for three days, and future service, he was simply told,  it will be told to you what you must do. Who will tell him? 

Ac 9:10And there was a certain disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

Ac 9:11And the Lord said to him, Rise up and go to the lane called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas a man from Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying;

Ac 9:12And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he may receive his sight.

Ac 9:13But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many concerning this man, how many evil things he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem;

Ac 9:14And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon Your name.

Ac 9:15But the Lord said to him, Go, for this man is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before both the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

Ac 9:16For I will show him how many things he must suffer on behalf of My name.

Ac 9:17And Ananias went away and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him, he said, Saul, brother, the Lord has sent me — Jesus, who appeared to you on the road on which you were coming — so that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ac 9:18And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight and rose up and was baptized.

Ananias was not designated as a prophet or priest or apostle or whatever, but for sure, he was a member of the Body. He was the one the Lord used in regard to Saul, a simple member of the Body. Thereby, the Lord showed Saul from the very beginning of his Christian life the vision, reality, and practicality of the Body of Christ. He saw the Body and he listened to the Body. In fact, all his epistles are concerning the Body of Christ.

Based on this lesson, I myself practiced listening to the Body. Therefore, my distribution plan, my visit to Chennai, or other practical matters, I listened to the Body. And in listening to the Body, I discovered the Lord's leading and much more enjoyed His blessing! O what a salvation to be in fellowship and listen to the Body! Halleluiah for the Body! I must live and walking in spirit in the Body by listening to the Body.

Lord, preserve me in the fellowship and oneness of the Body. Lord, may I live in the reality and practicality of the Body. Yes, Lord, may I do all these by listening to the Body. For You are one with Your Body and You speak in and through Your Body. So, may I listen to the Body.

Gone Too Soon

Last Monday, as usual, I was fellowshipping with the serving ones in the distribution. We started praying together at about 4:00 pm till 4:30 pm. Then, we read a chapter from Hebrew 13, followed by practical fellowship on distribution in different parts of India. I also released my burden related to the distribution and our need to serve faithfully and fruitfully. The fellowship went on till about 5:10 pm. Then, at about 5:30 pm I received a call from a brother informing me that a brother with whom I just prayed and fellowshipped with went to be with the Lord. This brother was one among us who serves in the literature service. I was shocked and surprised and could not believe my ears initially. I did further investigation and found out that he actually passed away due to heart attack while we were still in fellowshipped online via WhatsApp group.

Later, upon further fellowship and consideration, I decided to attend the funeral meeting the next day, Tuesday. Meanwhile, another brother had already come to Gurugram to coordinate with me to go to Uttar Pradesh for the distribution. Somehow, it got postpone due to the key local brother's examination that has been postponed. Then, we planned to go to Madhya Pradesh, that too got postpone due to short notice for practical arrangement. Finally, this news of a brother gone too soon reached me and I needed to go to Chennai.

Yesterday I came to Chenni and went straight to attend this brother's funeral meeting. The brothers gave me an opportunity to testify. I did so with three points on how brother had been useful in producing audio hymns, typesetting the New Testament Recovery Version in Tamil, and how he just released 16 Telugu hymns.

Today, a brother and I visited his family and spent about two hours fellowshipping and testifying of the Lord's faithfulness in taking care of us, His children and serving ones. I gave my own testimonies of the Lord's faithfulness upon me and my family. Then I prayed for the family and the sister especially for the Lord's abounding grace to be upon them. When I requested her to share, I was so encouraged by her testimony. She testified that today morning when she felt so sad, she just turned to the Lord and the Lord shepherded her by the following verse:

Do not let your heart be troubled; believe into God, believe also into Me. John 14:1

This brother who was gone too soon had been suffering from a weak heart and a couple of other medical complications. This serves to me as a positive reminder to take care of my health when the Lord still give me the time. In fact, last night a brother asked a question why a full-time serving one had to go too soon. Well, my feeling was that God is sovereign and, on our side, we must also cooperate with God to take care of our health so that we can live healthily and live long to gain the Lord unto full maturity and be overcomers.