“All that Christ received from God we too may have. Then ask and receive. With the persevering faith of Jacob, with the unyielding persistence of Elijah, claim for yourself all that God has promised.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p.149)
Adventist Southeast Asia Projects
Continue
earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
(Colossians 4:2)
…men
always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)
With Earnestness & Intensity BY ISAH YOUNG
DID YOU KNOW? The Vietnamese workers fast
“When with earnestness and intensity we breathe a prayer in the name of
and pray three days and nights
Christ, there is in that very intensity a pledge from God that He is about
and prayer walk around the area
to answer our prayer ‘exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.’
before passing out DVDs in a new
Ephesians 3:20” (Christ’s Object Lessons, page 147).
W
hy is the gospel spreading so quickly throughout the country of Vietnam and not as fast in some other parts of the world? People often ask me this question when I have opportunity to share the great advancements taking place in Vietnam. I believe much of the success comes as a result of God hearing the intense, earnest prayers for souls to be saved in this country. As the national missionaries in Vietnam fast and pray for three days and nights before each outreach effort, God responds in marvelous ways. Following is one of many “answer to prayer” stories coming out of my country. Mr. Chinh Dieu* knocked on the door of one of his clients, expecting to make a routine delivery. He handed the box of household products to the lady, and to his surprise, she handed him four DVDs. “Would you like to watch these?” she asked. Chinh quipped back, “Don’t you want to watch them yourself?” “I already have. You take them,” she urged. Mr. Chinh looked over the titles and saw that they were religious in nature. He felt a tug on his heart for the first time in many months. He had drifted far away from his church and his spiritual life was like dried-up dead bones. He accepted the DVDs because he knew he needed them.
community. Why don’t you try this?
When he got home he watched the DVDs once through. He was so impressed he watched the same ones over again the next night and the night after that. He called the number on the DVD and said, “I loved the DVDs. How can I learn more?” The ASAP lay pastor immediately went to visit to study the Bible with him and bring him more DVD sermons. He was like a sponge, soaking up each beautiful truth from God’s Word. Mr. Chinh’s decision to keep the Sabbath and attend church regularly angered the enemy. Three nights in a row he woke up suddenly at night with the feeling like he was being strangled. He cried out to God and prayed in Jesus’ name for help. Each time he prayed the devil left. These attacks frightened his wife and caused her to doubt her husband’s newfound faith. Mr. Chinh invited an ASAP lay pastor to come to his home and pray for the protection of God to be on them. After this added prayer support, holy angels took over the ground the devil had. Not long after he accepted the Adventist faith in baptism, pastors and leaders from his former church planned to gather for a big convention in his city. He was asked to host ten of the pastors in his home during the convention. Mr. Chinh
JULY/AUGUST 2012
EARNEST, PERSISTENT PRAYER