Ever since I set foot in the airport of Malaysia, I have
felt a spirit of intensity and heaviness. It’s as if I can feel the battle
between Satan and God. Half of Malaysia’s population is Muslim, while the rest
of the population practices Buddhism, Hinduism, Animism, and other tribal
religions. 8% are Christians.
It is against Malaysia’s law for a Muslim to convert to
Christianity. Every day I hear the Muslim call to worship at 5:30am and 1:00pm that
resounds throughout the city of Kuala Lumpur. This singing and chanting reminds
me that other gods are being worshipped in this country.
On one of my first days here, my teammate and I were
discussing what it would be like to be put in prison for our faith. I came to
the point where I told the Lord, “Jesus, if you want to use me to further Your
kingdom in a prison, then I must go.” I kept thinking of the story of Paul and
Silas in prison. As they were praying and singing hymns to God, the foundations
of the prison were shaken and the prison doors flew open. As a result of Paul
being in chains, the jailer and his family ended up giving their lives to the
Lord.
While my team has not been taken to a literal prison for our
faith, we have been trapped in a van the majority of our time here. Our
ministry site seems to change every day. We have been to numerous churches to
speak, to various people’s homes for meals, to a Christian ministry center that
provides Hindu children with a free education, to a tribal village to lead
worship, and we are now in an orphanage. The countless hours in the car have
brought on motion sickness, as Malaysian drivers are extremely reckless. All
the driving and continually meeting new people has brought on exhaustion.
It seems the Lord has given me a different type of “prison”
for this month. No matter how many hours I spend locked up in the car and no
matter how much I long to simply stay in the same place to build relationships
with the same people, God clearly has a different form of ministry in mind.
While my eyes cannot see the repercussions of our ministry, God is teaching me
that He is working. I won’t always be
able to see His Kingdom advancing.
If I am taken to a new place every day, I must choose to be glad in the work God has set before me.
If I am left doing the same, monotonous task every day, then I must choose to
be glad in the work God has set
before me. I am learning that my plans are not God’s plans. I am learning that
my life is not meant to satisfy my desires, but to fulfill God’s desires. I am
learning that “whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say: it is well with my
soul.”
God is showing me the
incredible power of His Son’s name. Jesus is the One who sets apart
Christianity from other religions. Jesus is the One who has conquered the
grave. Simply speaking the name of Jesus has rid me of the dizzy spells Satan
has been attacking me with. Simply speaking the name of Jesus has brought me
more peace and comfort than I feel in the comfort of my own home.
Jesus is the one
word that will never grow old on my tongue.
