This week, we remember the International Day for Persecuted Christians. It is a time we pray for the suffering saints of the Persecuted Church. During my undergraduate days, I read “Tortured for Christ” by Richard Wurmbrand, which deeply impacted me. I began noting the Bible verses and passages that relate to persecution and suffering for Christ and discovered that they are connected to discipleship.​

During our courting days, my then-boyfriend Chee Lu and I would pray for God’s guidance in our lives to be aligned to His will and purpose for us. We also studied Romans together and learnt not to be ashamed of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16) by confessing our faith despite parental objections and even persecution. I had also earlier learnt that from my mother’s faithful example in enduring my father’s violent persecutions at home. ​

After marriage, we decided to obey Acts 1:8 to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear witness for Christ. First at our home base (our Jerusalem) to lead Chee Lu’s siblings and parents one by one to faith in Jesus Christ through acts of sacrificial giving and practical loving concern. Second, our workplaces (our Judea) where by God’s grace a good number of my students whom I had taught in Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur had come to faith in Christ. Then in the 1980s, the Lord began nudging us to move south to Singapore (our Samaria). ​

Through my first Mission Trip to the Golden Triangle in northern Thailand, the Lord gave clear indication of His Mission call to us to venture further afield for His Kingdom. I began preparation by my resignation from my job to receive theological training in Singapore Bible College while Chee Lu provided for the family and my training. After God graciously provided adequately for our children’s tertiary education, Chee Lu also resigned from his job to be prepared for the Lord’s opening for overseas mission ministries, first in Mongolia, then in the land next to her.​

The cross-cultural missions field is both a battleground and a learning facility with lessons, tests and examinations all prepared for the panting pilgrim to experience like the deer thirsting for water in the wilderness. We need to continuously drink of God’s Spirit, the Living Water (John 7:31-39), to be constantly recharged and empowered for the task at hand to make disciples of those nations. We also need to feed daily on God’s word to be strengthened in faith and sustained for the demanding multiple ministries to be fulfilled faithfully and fruitfully. Above all, we need to know God’s presence as we nurture our vital relationship with Him through prayer and with His dear Blood–bought children who proved to be such a great blessing to us.​

Whilst in the missions field, God had assigned for us faithful witnesses of our Lord. Their unswerving faith, heart-stirring testimonies and unwavering courage in face of cruel threats and even death itself demonstrate their resounding victory through the three-prong key of Revelation 12:11 – ​

“They overcame him (Satan) by (i) the blood of the Lamb and by (ii) the word of their testimony for (iii) they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” ​

Take heed the following verses on persecution and suffering: (i) Matt 5:10-12; (ii) Luke 9:23-26; (iii) John 15:20-21 (iv) 1 John 3:13; (v) 1 Peter 2:21 (vi) Acts 14:22; (vii) Phil 1:29; (viii) 2 Timothy 3:12 (ix) 1 Thessalonians 3:3; (x) Romans 8:17; (xi) 2 Corinthians 4:17. ​

We do well study these scripture verses and passages. It is such examples of faith that we sing about in the hymn Faith of our Fathers. ​

As Luke 18:8 asks, “Will Christ find such faith when He comes?”​

By Sister Leong King Teng​