prison wall.
As I settled into my new home the Holy Spirit reminded me of these verses: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28.
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2–3.
Again the Lord spoke to me, “Be still and know that I am God.”
I began to understand that the presence of God was my refuge. I knew I was about to face a great fiery trial. There was no way I would ever be like Judas and turn against my brothers and sisters. I’d rather be skinned alive than reveal the names of my precious co-workers.
I decided to lean upon God’s Word and fast and pray in order to face the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. I needed to follow Jesus’ example when he fasted in the desert to overcome the devil’s temptations.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Romans 8:35.
On my first day in Nanyang prison I concluded that God wanted me to fast and pray for the advance of the gospel, that thousands of souls would experience salvation, and that the house churches throughout China would be victorious.
I started to fast in my cell on the evening of 25 January 1984. Immediately the sense of hunger attacked me. More and more temptation came. I was so hungry I could hardly stand it.
Immediately my commitment was sorely tested. That nightthe chief prison warden wanted to show his compassionate side in celebration of the upcoming New Year, so he allowed the prisoners to have better food than their usual rancid meals. Each man was given one mantou along with some pork soup and a stick of celery.
To the starving prisoners this was truly a lavish feast. The smell of the food floated down the hallways before we saw it. When it arrived the prisoners gobbled it up like ravenous wolves and literally licked their bowls clean.
The devil reasoned with me, “There’s only one New Year’s holiday each year. You should eat a little bit of good food now while you have the chance.” I very nearly surrendered to the temptation.
From the time of my capture in north-east Henan I’d eaten very little, and had lost weight. I was hungry, bruised and battered. I decided I would eat, but immediately a word from the Lord came to me, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.
I prayed, “Spirit of hunger, leave me now in the name of Jesus Christ.”
I gave my soup, mantou, and celery back to the prison warden and told him, “Please share my portion with all the men in this cell.”
The hunger pains immediately left me.
Food was the god of the criminals in that prison. Because I’d surrendered my portion they began to think well of me and started to treat me nicely. After they finished scoffing down their meal my cell mates wanted to know why I’d been arrested. They asked, “Why is a nice person like you in this place?” I told them it was because I was a chosen vessel of the Lord.
They asked me if I could sing them a song. I began to sing,
The north wind blows, but the southern breeze will arise
In everything God’s will is done
The north wind is bitterly cold, but it will not last long
Soon the warm southern breeze will arise.
Chorus:
Be patient and wait, be patient and wait
The Lord will make everything beautiful in his time
When the time has come, when the time has come
Abundant grace will overflow to you.
You who are burdened with sorrow, don’t sigh any longer
The Lord will undertake for you
If the Heavenly Father does not permit it
Who can do anything to you?
All my fellow prisoners loved to listen to this song. Some
As I settled into my new home the Holy Spirit reminded me of these verses: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28.
“Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 2 Timothy 3:12.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2–3.
Again the Lord spoke to me, “Be still and know that I am God.”
I began to understand that the presence of God was my refuge. I knew I was about to face a great fiery trial. There was no way I would ever be like Judas and turn against my brothers and sisters. I’d rather be skinned alive than reveal the names of my precious co-workers.
I decided to lean upon God’s Word and fast and pray in order to face the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. I needed to follow Jesus’ example when he fasted in the desert to overcome the devil’s temptations.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?” Romans 8:35.
On my first day in Nanyang prison I concluded that God wanted me to fast and pray for the advance of the gospel, that thousands of souls would experience salvation, and that the house churches throughout China would be victorious.
I started to fast in my cell on the evening of 25 January 1984. Immediately the sense of hunger attacked me. More and more temptation came. I was so hungry I could hardly stand it.
Immediately my commitment was sorely tested. That nightthe chief prison warden wanted to show his compassionate side in celebration of the upcoming New Year, so he allowed the prisoners to have better food than their usual rancid meals. Each man was given one mantou along with some pork soup and a stick of celery.
To the starving prisoners this was truly a lavish feast. The smell of the food floated down the hallways before we saw it. When it arrived the prisoners gobbled it up like ravenous wolves and literally licked their bowls clean.
The devil reasoned with me, “There’s only one New Year’s holiday each year. You should eat a little bit of good food now while you have the chance.” I very nearly surrendered to the temptation.
From the time of my capture in north-east Henan I’d eaten very little, and had lost weight. I was hungry, bruised and battered. I decided I would eat, but immediately a word from the Lord came to me, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.
I prayed, “Spirit of hunger, leave me now in the name of Jesus Christ.”
I gave my soup, mantou, and celery back to the prison warden and told him, “Please share my portion with all the men in this cell.”
The hunger pains immediately left me.
Food was the god of the criminals in that prison. Because I’d surrendered my portion they began to think well of me and started to treat me nicely. After they finished scoffing down their meal my cell mates wanted to know why I’d been arrested. They asked, “Why is a nice person like you in this place?” I told them it was because I was a chosen vessel of the Lord.
They asked me if I could sing them a song. I began to sing,
The north wind blows, but the southern breeze will arise
In everything God’s will is done
The north wind is bitterly cold, but it will not last long
Soon the warm southern breeze will arise.
Chorus:
Be patient and wait, be patient and wait
The Lord will make everything beautiful in his time
When the time has come, when the time has come
Abundant grace will overflow to you.
You who are burdened with sorrow, don’t sigh any longer
The Lord will undertake for you
If the Heavenly Father does not permit it
Who can do anything to you?
All my fellow prisoners loved to listen to this song. Some
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