ALIVE IN CHRIST VIJAYAKUMAR VELUTHAKKAL

I understood in my heart that Jesus can forgive all my sins and deliver me from all kinds of curses. By the end of the week of that particular retreat, I moved forward at the time of altar call and I repented and acknowledged Jesus Christ as my Savior.

My name is Vijayakumar Veluthakkal and I was born call and I repented and acknowledged Jesus Christ as on the 26th March 1958, in Rourkela, Orissa. I was my Savior. On the spot, I removed the talisman and born in a Hindu Menon family. My father was from a turned to the Living God who made heaven and earth. village called Kannadi, in the Palakkadu district of I understood the fact that the God of the Bible is the Kerala. However, later we have moved to Vandazhy in maker of heaven and earth. The Bible says that all the Palakkadu district of Kerala and I spent my other names that take the position of God will perish childhood with my parents there in Kerala. I had the (Jeremiah 10.11). Right after the retreat I bought a privilege of marrying my late wife Shobhana from R.S.V- Bible. I had a lot of blessed experience of Karur, Trichy district, Tamil Nadu on August 4, 1986. hearing God while reading that Bible hence I was all On October 4, 1987 we were blessed with a baby girl the more eager to read it. and we named her Sharon Vijayakumar. A few days later I met Daniel Manoharan, a friend of I had a lot of dreams and plans regarding my life. On mine, who suggested me to attend an AG Church for one blessed day, I took a decision to go to Bangalore to spiritual fellowship. That following Sunday onwards I find a good job. Hence, in the year 1979I came to started attending a fellowship at an AG Church named Bangalore and after a few days of enquiring around First AG Church with Pr. Rev. Benjamin Shindae. the city, finally I got a job in an Engineering firm called Even though I was attending the church I was a very NGEF-AEG (New Government Electrical Factory) for shy man, particularly for the first few months. I was one year (1979-1980). After working there for one hesitant to go inside the Church in the first instance. year, I joined another company named Madura Coat However Pr. Benjamin tapped my shoulder and told and worked there for six years. I had an opportunity me to go in. Then I went inside the church and start with Wold Vision India during the 1986-1992 as an enjoying the Sunday services. After a while when I Internal Auditor. From 1993 I worked with Global looked back at what happened to me, I understood Security Company and I resigned as a regional that even though I was raised up in a secure financial manager. status; it was my spiritual vacuum that enabled me to My life came to a turning point when a Catholic friend of mine observed in me a spiritual vacuum and suggested to me that a spiritual awakening will induce the change. He encouraged me to attend a Catholic know about Jesus Christ. Further, I understood and acknowledged Jesus Christ as the sovereign God and Lord of our family and I was so eager to share about my Lord Jesus to my parents and everyone I met. Charismatic Seminar in Good Shepherded Hall at I cannot forget the day before my salvation; I had a Museum Road, Bangalore in the year 1980. Though he vivid dream in that day. In the dream I saw myself did not force me to go to the camp, I decided to attend caught by an Anaconda kind of snake, black in color, for a week. At that time I had a talisman in my right twisted around my body from my leg up to my neck hand which I thought was directing my future and with only my hands free from its clutches. As my giving me magical protection against all kinds of evil hands were free I was just able to squeeze its neck and or disease. During that week of seminar the Holy kill the snake. I got liberated from the snake. That day Spirit convicted me that Jesus is the only way for I sensed in my spirit that I'm fully delivered from the salvation. Moreover, I understood in my heart that devil's influences in my life. Jesus can forgive all my sins and deliver me from all kinds of curses. By the end of the week of that particular retreat, I moved forward at the time of altar Again, I had yet another dream. During a holiday I went to a place named KGF in Karnataka. As I was sleeping in my sister's house, I saw a dream. In the Kingdom Perspectives | September - October 2019 9

dream a Sadhu (Hindu Ascetic) man came to me and After one year of my salvation I took water Baptism in did few magic to entice me back to my old religion. In my native land and witnessed my Lord Jesus Christ the dream I saw a man approaching me and made an publically to my parents, siblings and neighborhood. A4 sheet out of tamarind seed and draw a god's face on Before taking Baptism I wrote to my parents a detailed it and gave it to me, saying 'keep it with you always.' I description about my faith and told them on my 60th knew inside of me that I am a believer so I used the birthday that “I decided to worship God in truth and name of Jesus and escape from that issue as well. Then spirit. So I told them I will never visit any other I understood just how powerful is the name of Jesus worship places other than church of the living God.” Christ and Jesus' name is above every other names. Pr. Jacob an AG church Pastor in Palakkadu town gave Once Jesus appeared to me, face to face in a dream at me water baptism on my personal desire. During my our native home in Kerala. In the dream Jesus told me baptism I saw a vision that Jesus is on the cross for the “I am coming soon dear boy.” I replied, 'thank you salvation of many lives. After coming to faith the Holy Jesus,' and then He disappeared. Lord Jesus Christ helped me to overcome my Since I got the new Bible, I didn't know from where to read. One day as I was turning the Bible pages I came upon Isaiah 44 and the Holy Spirit guided me to read from there and it was addressing image worship. Then I was convinced that God had chosen and delivered me from all kinds of devilish worship patterns. Today I am brought to the marvelous light of the Son of God. I challenges one by one. It was impressive for me to read the history of Daniel who experienced fire and was put in a lion's den. A scripture verse from the book of Daniel “Even if you kill me I will not worship the king's idols” challenged me to stay strong in faith in every challenge. In this manner Daniel's book helped me to survive in my faith. became stronger in faith with each day. A few specific There was so much grief in my life after the death of Bible verses have been used to encourage me to stand my wife at the age of fifty. Due to grief I sensed in my firm in the faith while I am challenged. One such verse body that my blood vessels were broken and I had lost from the Bible is Luke 6:40-46, it gives me confidence most of my memory. Due to the brokenness of blood that I must put a foundation in my spiritual life. In the day-to-day affairs it is more important to obey God than simply calling him Lord and Lord. Christian life is not so smooth there have been many ups and downs. However, the one who has called us is faithful and He vessels I used to have lots of petechiae in my skull. A few days later Pastor Daniel from the Gateway of Heaven Church invited me as a guest. On that particular day the Holy Spirit clothed me and took me to a higher realm in the Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord told me, “I am the Lord who created the heavens and will enable us to walk to the destiny he has for us. Even the earth and I know that you are having much grief though I have gone through water and fire kind of and dismayed in your spirit. However, I want to tell situations God has sustained me from falling and it is you that your wife is already with me,” and He also told all because of His great faithfulness. While God is m e , “ I w i l l t a k e c a r e o f y o u a n d y o u r faithful we must also be steadfast in our affection and daughter.”Further, He said “I will use you as a sharp relationship with God our father. sword in the land of India for my glory.” Then with a

little bit of doubt I asked Him; “are you really speaking to me?”Then God said to me, “I am the Lord who is speaking to you. Whatever I say I shall do it then you will know that I am the Lord God Almighty who has spoken to you.” After this intervention of God the grief that was in our family for the last six months left us forever. Moreover, I got healed and I recovered my memory. Then God started fulfilling all the promises He had promised to our family. At present I am working as a field officer in church relation for Gideons International Ministry. For the last seven years starting from 2012 I have been working with Gideons and God has been so faithful. God is enabling me to give my best performance in my work even during the last year and I succeeded in reaching my targets. God has been faithful and never forsaken me even in times of my deepest troubles. God has helped me by opening up all the resources that I was in need of. At present I attend the worship service at F.G.A.G church in Indira Nagar, Bangalore, under the spiritual leadership and mentorship of Pastor Paul Thangiah who has been a great support and blessing to our family. My daughter Sharon is also so happy, worshiping the Lord in the F.G.A.G Church as one of the choir team. I am so glad that Sharon is a growing in the Lord spiritually as a fervent woman of God. She has been a great support to me in my ministerial works at Gideons International Ministry. We are so thankful to God for all His faithfulness in our Life. Jesus is the ultimate God, by whose image we are made. It is our responsibilities to honor and glorify Him as He is God almighty, who has loved us and given His life for us. He can wash you from every wretched sin just as He did to me. May His everlasting name be glorified. God bless you.

Etymology of the Word Faith

The Greek word for faith is 'pistis' which means absolute trust or belief. In Hebrew the term for faith is 'Hephil' and is used in the sense 'to believe' and could also mean 'hold God' (Gerald F. Hawthrone Ralph P. Martin ed., Dictionary of Paul and His letters). Faith means abandoning all trust in one's own resources. Faith implies casting oneself unreservedly on the mercy of God. Faith signifies laying hold on the promises of God in Christ. Faith demands complete reliance and full obedience to God. The Biblical definition of faith is, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1) (NIV). Let us lay down our complete faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12.2).

Shyam Raj

Professor in Theological Studies, Bangalore