Spiritual Warfare Testimonies: I Rely on God to Defeat Satan (Part 1)

By Wang Lin, China

I Rejoice to Welcome the Lord’s Return

The year I turned 36, I developed bone hyperplasia, and despite going to many hospitals for treatment, nothing had any effect whatsoever. In the spring of 1996, I began to believe in the Lord Jesus and, by the mercy of the Lord, my illness was healed. From that time on, I began to pursue my faith in great earnestness and before long I became a co-worker in my church. In September 1998, two sisters came and testified to us of God’s work in the last days. By reading Almighty God’s words, I became certain that Almighty God is indeed the returned Lord Jesus for whom we have so desperately longed and I, along with over 130 brothers and sisters from my church, accepted God’s work of the last days. I was thrilled—never had I imagined that I would be able to welcome the return of the Redeemer in my lifetime, and I thanked the exaltation and grace of God from the bottom of my heart. Afterward, I avidly read Almighty God’s words and my spirit was nourished. Just as I was feeling immersed in the joy of being reunited with the Lord, however, the leaders and co-workers from my old church tried every possible way to obstruct me and harass me, and thus a spiritual war began …

Discerning Modern-Day Pharisees and Welcoming the Lord Jesus’ Return

By Hanmei, Myanmar

The Wonderful Surprise of the Lord’s Return

 In June 2017, I got to know Sister Liu and Brother Duan, both in Germany on Facebook, and through my communication with them I saw that they were genuine and modest people. They had a very pure understanding of the scripture and the content they shared in fellowship really contained light and was very beneficial for me. After joining them for a few gatherings, I understood a number of truths I never had before. My heart was really brightened; I loved meeting with them. During one gathering, Brother Duan referenced this passage of scripture: “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:27). In his fellowship, he said that God would once again appear and work in the flesh in the last days, and that He had already come to the East, to China. He said that this prophecy had already been fulfilled. Hearing this, I felt a bit shocked, thinking, “The Lord Jesus has already returned?” In this state, I thought of what I had heard the pastors and elders say, that only the people of Eastern Lightning bore witness that the Lord Jesus has already returned in the flesh. They told us we couldn’t believe in this, because only the Lord Jesus is Christ. I then felt really unsettled and no longer took heed of Brother Duan’s fellowship, thinking, “The pastors and elders are all people who serve God. They understand a lot about the Bible and they should have clarity on something as important as the Lord’s coming. I’ll ask them and then see!”

Spiritual Warfare Testimonies: I Rely on God to Defeat Satan (Part 2)

By Wang Lin, China

I Encounter Satan’s Deceitful Schemes Once Again

When the day of our next meeting came, more than 10 brothers and sisters had just arrived at my home when six leaders and co-workers from my old church turned up on motorcycles. Their faces were grave, and they had a haughty look about them. When I saw them, I couldn’t help but feel a little timid and afraid, and I thought to myself: “I wonder what they will do to threaten and intimidate me today. I understand too few truths and I’m not able to refute their fallacies. What if I end up deceived by them?” And so, I hurriedly said a prayer to God: “O Almighty God! Faced with these religious co-workers, I feel a little timid and I don’t know how to handle it.

I Hear the Voice of God and Experience a Wonderful Reunion With the Lord

The Bible Is the Basis of My Faith

I was born into a Catholic family. Although many of us in the local area followed God, many still smoked, drank alcohol, and worshiped idols, and there were even some in our church congregation who committed adultery. I knew nothing about the Bible back then, and when I saw the church leaders and my fellow believers living in such a way, I blindly followed suit and smoke and drank as well. One day in 2011, several brothers who believed in the Lord Jesus came to our village to preach the gospel.

What is an unbeliever?

Relevant Words of God:

Since you believe in God, you must put faith in all of the words of God and in all of His work. Which is to say, since you believe in God, you must obey Him. If you are unable to do this, then it does not matter whether you believe in God or not. If you have believed in God for many years, and yet have never obeyed Him, and do not accept the entirety of His words, and instead ask that God submit to you and act according to your notions, then you are the most rebellious of all, you are a nonbeliever. How could such people be able to obey the work and words of God that do not conform to the notions of man?

We have seen online many speeches by the Chinese Communist government and the religious world that malign, slander, attack and discredit the Church of Almighty God (such as the “5.28” incident in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province). We also know that the CCP is best at telling lies and falsehoods and skewing facts to deceive the people, as well as being best at maligning, attacking and judging those nations it is hostile to, so any word the CCP says must absolutely not be believed. But many of the things said by religious pastors and elders are the same as the things the CCP says, so exactly how should we discern the slanderous, discrediting words that come from the CCP and the religious world?

Answer:

Why are Satan’s evil forces attacking God’s work in such a way, judging God’s work so? Why are the evil forces of the great red dragon frenziedly attacking and condemning God, and oppressing the church of God? Why do all evil forces belonging to Satan, including the antichrist communities within the religious circle, condemn Almighty God? That is because Satan knows that its end is near, that God has already secured His kingdom and has arrived, and that Satan shall immediately perish if it does not engage in a decisive battle with God. Have you grasped this fact? (Yes.)

It is clearly written in the Bible that the Lord Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and all those who believe in the Lord also believe that the Lord Jesus is Christ and that He is the Son of God. And yet you testify that the incarnate Christ is the manifestation of God, that He is God Himself. Will you please tell us whether the incarnate Christ is really the Son of God, or God Himself?

Answer:

Is the incarnate Christ God Himself or God’s Son? This is really a problem most believers in the Lord do not understand. When the incarnate Lord Jesus came to do the work of redemption of mankind, God became the Son of man, appearing and doing work among men. He not only opened the Age of Grace, but also initiated a new age in which God came personally into the human world to live alongside man. With great adoration, the men who followed Him called the Lord Jesus as Christ, the Son of God. At that time, the Holy Spirit also bore witness to the fact that the Lord Jesus is the beloved Son of God, and the Lord Jesus called God of heaven Father. In this way, the notion of this Father-Son relationship was formed in the religious world. Now let’s think for a moment.

I Relinquish My Conceptions and Welcome the Second Coming of Jesus

By Chen Jing

Editor’s Note: Many people believe that the words spoken by the Lord Jesus upon the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), meant that the Lord’s work to save mankind was then completed, that our sins are forgiven and we are saved, and we are now just waiting for the Lord to come and raise us up into heaven. But is this understanding correct? Does it accord with the facts of God’s work? Let’s read Sister Chen Jing’s experiences together, so that we may understand the true meaning of the words “It is finished.”

How to Be Free From Sin: I Finally Find the Way

                            By Maru, Philippines

      My name is Maru and I come from the Philippines, and my whole family is Christian. I began to believe in the Lord when I was little, and every week I would go to church to hear sermons and attend worship. I remember at church gatherings the pastor often expounding to us the Book of James, chapter 4 verse 4: “You adulterers and adulteresses, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” Although I knew this verse well, and I knew that the Lord hated it when we pursued worldly trends, I still lived just like an unbeliever. All I ever thought about every day was my schoolwork and various other activities at school, and when I was with my classmates, I would skip class and go to the shopping mall with them, pursuing fads and following trends. I never had enough time to read the Bible or pray to God, and I simply had no place for God in my heart. Every time I went to church to listen to the pastor give a sermon, I always felt like I wanted to change myself. Afterward, however, I would just carry on living as I had before. Because I was often incapable of putting the Lord’s teachings into practice and I couldn’t help but sin whenever anything happened, I felt pained.

Understanding the Coming of the Lord: I Welcome the Lord’s Return

By Mu Guang, South Korea

I thank God for showing me kindness, for allowing me to hear His voice, for allowing me to understand how the Lord will return and the truth of the incarnation, and for allowing me to welcome the Lord’s return and be raised up before the throne of God.

If the Eastern Lightning is the true way, why has the CCP government consistently engaged in frantic oppression, arrests, and persecution against the Eastern Lightning?

The Answer from God’s Word:

The manifestations of the great red dragon are resistance to Me, lack of understanding and comprehension of the meanings of My words, frequent persecution of Me, and seeking to use schemes to interrupt My management. … The great red dragon I speak of is not a big red dragon; rather it is the evil spirit in opposition to Me, for which the “great red dragon” is a synonym.

By Learning to Discern the True Christ From False Christs, I Welcome the Lord’s Return

By Ganxin

Editor’s Note: We are now in the last days and the prophecies within the Bible concerning the Lord’s return have basically all been fulfilled—the Lord is about to return to receive us. But at the time of the Lord’s return, false Christs will also appear to deceive people, so how then should we discern the true Christ from false Christs and welcome the Lord’s return? I trust that this is an issue that all who sincerely believe in the Lord wish to understand. Sister Ganxin was once confounded by this very issue, but she now knows the principles behind discerning the true Christ from false Christs, and she has now welcomed the Lord’s return. How did she come to understand these things? Let’s read her experiences together.

Who Is Obstructing Me From Welcoming the Lord’s Return?

By Xinzao, South Korea

Editor’s Note: The Lord Jesus has returned, and this is a matter that stirs the hearts of man. It was only after many twists and turns, however, that she was finally able to be reunited with the Lord. On her journey to welcome the Lord, who was it trying to obstruct her? Let’s take a journey of our own into her story …

The Testimony of a Catholic: Understanding the True Meaning of the Rapture, I’ve Welcomed the Lord’s Return

By Damaris, Kenya

Hello, brothers and sisters! I’m sure every one of us is eagerly awaiting the Lord’s return, for Him to bring us up into the heavens where we will meet with Him. But will He rapture us straight up when He returns, as we imagine? It was only through a period of time of seeking that I found the right answer and understood what the “rapture” really refers to, and then welcomed the Lord’s return. Today I’d like to share this joyful experience with everyone.

Judgment Has Begun in God’s Family

Aishen, America

I am a Christian. When I first started believing in God, I frequently heard sermons where people said, “The Lord Jesus is our Redeemer. He was nailed to the cross for our sins. Jesus is merciful and loving. As long as we frequently come before the Lord and confess our sins through prayer, our sins will be forgiven and when the Lord returns, we will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Afterward, I noticed, when I read the Bible, many parts where the word “judgment” is mentioned. For example: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17). “Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained” (Act 17:31). At the time, I did not understand what judgment meant. So, I went to ask the preacher. The preacher told me, “When the Lord returns, He will do the work of judgment to determine man’s sins. Since Jesus is the sacrifice for our atonement, our sins will be forgiven and we will not be convicted. Furthermore, those who spend and toil for the Lord will receive crowns in accordance with their contributions. There will be large and small crowns….” I did not quite understand what the preacher told me. I felt that this “crown” idea was very similar to the idea that seniority must be given priority in the secular world. My heart could not accept it.

I Have Come Home (Part 1)

By Chu Keen Pong, Malaysia

I have believed in the Lord for more than ten years and served in the church for two years, then left the church to go abroad for work. I have been to many places including Singapore and have earned a lot of money, but in this existence in modern society, where the strong prey on the weak, and where people compete with and scheme against each other, where each person tries to outdo the other in treachery, I have faced innumerable complex interpersonal relations and was always on my guard against others.

Catholic Beliefs: The Lord Really Has Returned

My whole family believes in God. I attended mass with my mom from the time I was a little girl and God bestowed so much grace on us—we were full of gratitude toward Him and we were also longing for the Lord’s return. But I never imagined that when the Lord really did return to work and save us, I wouldn’t recognize His work but would instead rely on my arrogant nature and cling to my old notions, nearly missing out on the Lord’s salvation. Every time I think of this I feel self-reproach but I also rejoice. The Lord Jesus had mercy on me and through my brothers’ and sisters’ patient fellowship on the Lord’s new words I have gained an understanding of His new work, thus becoming able to follow His footsteps. I am grateful for the Lord’s salvation for me that allowed me to catch the very last train for the Age of Kingdom. Now all sorts of scenes of me accepting the Lord are playing in my head….

I Learned to Discern Between the True Christ and False Christs and Welcomed Jesus Christ’s Return (Part 2)

By Xiangwang, Malaysia

Brother Zhang continued his fellowship, saying, “God is the truth, the way and the life, and besides discerning between the true Christ and false Christs by the principles of God’s work, we can also discern them by the essence of Christ.” At that point, Brother Zhang sent over a passage of God’s words: “God become flesh is called Christ, and so the Christ that can give people the truth is called God. There is nothing excessive about this, for He possesses the substance of God, and possesses God’s disposition, and wisdom in His work, that are unattainable by man. Those who call themselves Christ, yet cannot do the work of God, are frauds. Christ is not merely the manifestation of God on earth, but also the particular flesh assumed by God as He carries out and completes His work among man. This flesh is not one that can be replaced by just any man, but one that can adequately bear God’s work on earth, and express the disposition of God, and well represent God, and provide man with life. Sooner or later, those who impersonate Christ will all fall, for although they claim to be Christ, they possess none of the substance of Christ. And so I say that the authenticity of Christ cannot be defined by man, but is answered and decided by God Himself” (“Only Christ of the Last Days Can Give Man the Way of Eternal Life” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

Finding a Church With the Spirit’s Work Resolved My Spiritual Hunger (Part One)

By Li Yinghua, South Korea

Editor’s Note: In recent years lots of brothers and sisters who are genuine believers in the Lord have very clearly felt that their churches have become more and more desolate, and that their pastors are always preaching about the same old things that can’t resolve people’s practical difficulties. Brothers and sisters are becoming weak and negative, and living in sin; they can’t feel the presence of the Lord, and thus quite a few of them wish to seek out a church with the work of the Holy Spirit. So then, what kind of church really does possess the Holy Spirit’s work, and how can we find one? I believe that Sister Li Yinghua’s experience can show us the way.

We Will Find the Light After Seeing Through the Rumors

By Xiaocao, United States

As the saying goes, “The wise man doesn’t listen to rumors.” The unfounded rumors are unworthy of our attention. However, when the rumors reach us, how should we treat them? Especially when investigating the true way, how should we Christians seek the truth in the face of rumors?

From a fortuitous opportunity I heard the gospel of God’s kingdom. After several meetings with the brothers and sisters, I knew the truths of the origin of mankind, the root of mankind’s degeneration, the inside truth of God’s three stages of work, the mystery and significance of the incarnation, and other respects. I also got some understanding of God’s work to save man. The more I listened to their fellowships, the more I had enjoyment in my heart. Later in a meeting, Brother Deng fellowshiped, “The Lord Jesus has returned and long ago been incarnated in China and carried out a new work, and His work of the last days has spread from the East to the West.” After hearing this, I felt so excited: God has already carried out His work on earth! I never thought that I’d be so lucky to welcome the Lord.