Scripture reading: Act 26;12-18
Rev Dr Paul Ai’s grandfather was a medical doctor and his father was a mayor of a city. They wanted him to be a person who doesn’t love the world as they are. They send him to be a Buddhist monk. He sought power from witch doctors. He later encounter Christ. His wife, Ruth was a school teacher. When she was given directions to only teach evolution”, she stopped teaching. Paul has been in prison many times. Together, they were stopped from preaching the Gospel in Vietnam and they received political asylum from US.
“Fasting and prayer has a powerful effect in the spiritual realm that most Christians don’t realize. If Christians realize this they will not treat them so lightly.” From Witchdoctor to Apostle of Christ, Rev Dr. Paul Ai.
Act 26:12-18 "In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. (13) At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. (14) And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' (15) And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. (16) But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, (17) delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you (18) to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Paul’s grandfather was a Chinese Hokkien who escaped communism. He married a married medical doctor. He made a lot of money. The politicians tried to make money from him. He sent his son into politics. His son (Paul’s father) became a mayor and he has power. But both of them were tired of power and money and they name Paul with a Vietnamese name that means don’t love the world.
Rev Paul could not find satisfaction in Buddhism as no one could explain the teachings thoroughly. He turned to witchcraft. He became very powerful in his town.
There was a miracle crusade and people were converting into Christianity. Paul heard about this and decided to go check it out. He saw people singing, clapping, etc. In Vietnam, religion is reverent and quiet. The speaker said they didn’t came to bring religion as they had enough. He introduced Jesus Christ, who could give them rest from their burdens. An altar call was made to for people to bring their burdens to Jesus Christ. Many of Paul’s followers even the leaders answered the altar call. the speaker then read Acts 26.
Believing in Jesus Christ is not about joining a church. It’s about Jesus Christ making a change in our lives, from Satan to God. Jesus Christ transforms our lives and gives us a bright future. It doesn’t matter what kind of problems we have. He is bigger than all our problems.
Rev Paul was angry that so many of his followers went out to answer the altar call. He prayer to his one thousand gods but none of them appear. He fasted. He called two thousand gods this time. Nothing happened. He didn’t sleep and spent the whole night prayer .He went to the parking lot where the crusade would be held at 5 in the morning. The crusade were to start at 7. Rev Paul said sometimes the devil is earlier than the Christians, who may come late. He prayed to all his 3,366 gods to mess up the equipments so the crusade could not happen.
The crusade went on. Those who had their prayers answered were invited to share testimony. Rev Paul thought these evangelists must have paid the people to do this. He was worried he was going to lose all his followers. He ran to the front to confront the evangelists. He said if they could answer all his questions, he’d give up all his gods; otherwise they had to leave town. They took out a Bible. Rev Paul wondered how one book could answer all his questions when his volumes of Buddhism could not.
But all his questions were indeed answered. He lost the battle but looking back he was glad as he became a Christian.
Devil also could perform miracles but these miracles bring people from life to death. Jesus Christ brought people from death into life. He lost his his motorcycle. Instead of a 20-min ride, he took a one-hour walk home.
By the time he he reached home, his grandfather told him the news of his conversion was already all around tome. He asked him how could he gave up all his gods when he (the grandfather) invested all the while to make him a monk. He told his grandfather Buddha was wise, nice but he died. Jesus was wise, nice, died but he is alive again.
His grandfather told him if he wanted to follow Jesus, he would have to leave the family. An hour ago, when he gave his life to Jesus, he lost his motorbike. Not, he could lose everything. he could not sleep that night. He spoke to Jesus even thought he didn’t know how to pray. He was touched by the Holy Spirit and he kept singing the song I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. He slept soundly.
His grandfather woke him up in the morning to find out his decision. He told him he wanted to follow Jesus. His grandfather told him he must leave the family. As a Christian, he was seen as someone who abandoned all that he believed in. He thought of another song about not knowing tomorrow. A witchdoctor came knocking and wanted to bring him back. After hours of persuasion, Rev Paul made a point that he didn’t need to know the future. He’d depend on Jesus.
When people worried about their future, they came to fortune teller. But fortune teller don’t really know the future. It would only make the people more worried. Jesus is the only one who rose from the death.
The next few days, witchdoctors of increasing higher ranks came to try to persuade him. One week later, he became a cell leader with 7 members.
The witchdoctors stopped coming.
Eventually, all 65 of their family members received Christ. Rev Paul was so glad to baptize his grandparents.
When we believe in Jesus, we change from darkness to light, from Satan to God and we have a story to tell.
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