(bright music)
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- Hello and welcome
to "Jesus for Asia Now".
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I'm Jon Wood, and I
have a special guest with me.
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I first met him
while I was traveling
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in the Philippines in 2008.
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A young man named Gem Castor.
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Many of you know him.
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He's the prayer leader,
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prayer coordinator
for ASAP Ministries
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based in Berrien
Springs, Michigan.
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He also does a
lot of prayer leading
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in different
functions like ASI, the GC.
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I think some of his favorite
memories when he talks about it
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are his times at GYC
when he has 1,000 young people
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all saying faith is the victory.
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And so, Gem, welcome
to "Jesus for Asia Now".
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- Oh, thank you for
having me here again, Jon.
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- [Jon] Yes, again.
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- It's like coming home.
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- Yeah, definitely, definitely.
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You're employed
by ASAP Ministries.
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- [Gem] Yes.
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- And yet you
travel around a lot.
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Can you explain a
little bit about your vision
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and the vision of ASAP?
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- Oh, now this
is one amazing thing
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because even with ASAP,
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I could see God's leading,
God's hands in everything.
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The first ministry that somehow
I volunteered with overseas
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to do official mission work
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was through ASAP. - [Jon] Okay.
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- And I did not even realize
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that God was preparing that.
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And like seven
or 10 years later,
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here I am working with ASAP.
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At the time when I was
needing a religious visa
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to stay in the US because
I've been coming in and out
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and the border...
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What's this?
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The immigration officers
looked at me suspiciously
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and thinking, what
are you doing here?
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You have been coming in and out
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for like 15 times
within the five years.
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So, although while I thought
that my ministry here is over,
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and then ASAP stepped in,
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and then Julia O'Carey, the
director during the time, said,
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"Gem, we want to hire you
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so that you will
have a religious visa,
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that you'll be able
to stay here in the US."
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And out of the
kindness of ASAP's heart,
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she said that,
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"We know that you have
been traveling before this,
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so you will be our
prayer coordinator,
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but we will share
you with the world."
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- Wonderful. Amazing concept.
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A very
open-minded and open-hearted.
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- And I think that's one
thing that I love about ASAP.
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It's their desire
is not just to compete
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with the other ministries,
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because that is
not the spirit of God.
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God just put it in
their heart to finish the work
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in whatever way possible,
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and especially through
the ministry of prayer,
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ASAP believes in
prayer like Jesus for Asia.
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We know that this is
like sister ministries
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Jesus for Asia and ASAP.
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- Yeah, and so you visit
lots of different places.
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You do prayer ministry. What
is the goal of your ministry?
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What are you trying to achieve?
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- Oh, I think the ultimate goal
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of a prayer ministry is
really to prepare the hearts
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of God's people for the revival
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'cause we know for a fact
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that without the Holy Spirits
working, without revival,
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all these things
that we're doing,
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it's just gonna be
slow moving vehicle.
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It's just like, yes, let's
buy the most expensive car,
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but let's not put gas in it.
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Let's just push it
until the finish line.
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So it's like doing things
like that in the ministry,
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or even in life without
the Holy Spirit's power.
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So that's why I saw
the huge difference.
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The life that I
live without prayer
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or not being
involved in prayer ministry
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or any ministry
that does not focus
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so much on prayer compared to
the emphasis to the ministries
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that emphasize or give
so much weight on prayer
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and see how God
accomplish things.
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Not because of the
people in the ministry
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or the instruments that God use,
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but because despite
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and in spite of the people,
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in spite and
despite the nothingness
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of the instrument, God did
something really miraculous.
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- So how long have you been
doing this kind of ministry?
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- And It's crazy.
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The first time I was here,
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I think I was
doing it a long time,
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like seven years and all.
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But now I'm more than 14
years old in the ministry.
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And it never plateaued.
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Never plateaued.
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And that's one
thing, brother Jon,
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that I'm thinking as well,
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when you're walking with Jesus,
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it just goes up and up and up.
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Yes, there are
hills and valleys.
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But when you're here with Jesus,
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even the valleys are still...
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The trajectory
is still going up.
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- But you've
read the Bible? - Yes.
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- You've read
most of Ellen White.
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You've been in the
church- - Not much, not much.
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- You go to
church every Sabbath.
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What else is there?
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- Oh, there's so much
more. There's so much more.
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And can you imagine like
that quote from the spirit
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of prophecy that says, "Even
eternity will not be enough
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for us to study
the love that have
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put Jesus on the cross."
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And can you
imagine that with minds
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that are not limited by sin,
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and yet we will never have
enough time to study about.
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Even eternity
will never be enough.
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So can you imagine
time here on earth,
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we'll have more
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with this limited
mind that we have.
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It means to say that there's
so much more to discover.
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So it's not
just going to church.
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It's not just being
faithful in your tithes
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and your offerings.
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It's really getting
to know this beautiful
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and powerful God who
desires to lead us step by step.
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And that's why 14
years has never been boring.
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- Now, I can imagine
when we get to heaven,
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we'll be able to see
God, feel his presence,
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that learning about
him will be natural.
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But here on Earth,
how do you even begin
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to enter into that
kind of getting to know God?
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I mean, what's that look like?
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- And that's one
amazing thing as well,
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because I was raised
in an Adventist home,
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and all the while I
thought that we got it already.
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We knew God,
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and yet I did not realize that
I did not need him that much.
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And even that need,
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God is the one who needs to
create that need in my heart.
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- So you think you needed him?
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- I think I needed it.
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No, actually, you know what?
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I think I did not need him.
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- Right. That
you're doing pretty good.
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You were funny.
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You had friends, you had
a business, all that stuff.
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- It is not satisfying.
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It's not satisfying.
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And that's one
thing that I realize,
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our walk with Jesus would
never be enough until we realize
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how much he loves us,
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and that love really
compels us to love him more.
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- So then when you entered
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into this relationship with
Christ, you found satisfaction?
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- Oh, so much
more than satisfaction.
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I think that's something that
you could not really put into
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words as it says
in inspired writings,
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the Christian experience
could not be explained,
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but it has to be experienced.
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- So then the question again
is how do you enter into that?
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How do you begin that walk?
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- Oh, at first, admitting
to him that I need him.
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And for me, I
think it was a difficulty
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that brought me into
that sense of need of God,
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the trials that God
has placed in my way
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to somehow show me I have a
better route for you to take.
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And the moment that the
trial that came to my life,
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that has been the cause of
my greatest disappointment,
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that I even pointed my finger
at God like, I don't like you.
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And I did not realize
that God is somehow trying
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to reroute my path,
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somehow show me
in this better path.
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And that brought me
into the prayer ministry,
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that brought me into
the point of really just,
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even in my
frustration, even in my anger,
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I got to that
point of talking to him.
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And that's one
thing I love about God.
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If when we're
frustrated about him,
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he could take our frustration.
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- He can handle it? -
[Gem] He can handle it.
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- I thought we needed to
be polite in his presence.
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- Yes, we need to be
polite in his presence.
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But when we...
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But God tells
us, come as we are.
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And so that's one
thing I love about God.
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When we have questions
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and we don't have
to pretend with God,
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he sees our darkest side anyway,
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and yet he pursues us.
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And yet he opens his
arms, like, come to me.
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I can take it,
whatever your frustrations.
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And that's one thing I realize
that the more I come to him,
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even in my frustrated state,
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the moment I vent it out,
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it just brought me thoughts
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of how he was still
faithful in my life,
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even when I look
back in the moments
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that I did those things,
and he has never changed.
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He has always been
faithful, even though I was not.
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And that brought me to the
point of humility before him.
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And by humbling
myself before him,
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I see a clearer
picture of who he is,
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of the beautiful
picture of the cross.
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- Now, weren't you
always kind of a humble guy?
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- The moment we
realized that we're humble,
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we just boof, lost it.
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Oh, no.
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Even until now,
I could still say
00:10:04.23\00:10:06.80
that there's pride that somehow
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wants to come out, especially
when you are stepped on.
00:10:10.41\00:10:14.21
And I think that's one
thing I love about God,
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that he keeps on reminding us
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because he doesn't
want us to go down.
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He doesn't want me to go down.
00:10:22.45\00:10:24.65
So when self rises up,
00:10:24.65\00:10:28.26
there's that still small voice.
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It keeps on nudging us.
00:10:30.66\00:10:31.83
- So the focus of your
ministry is on revival.
00:10:31.83\00:10:34.56
Jesus for Asia and
ASAP's focus is reaching lost,
00:10:34.56\00:10:38.93
reaching the unreached,
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going to the
darkest parts of the earth
00:10:40.20\00:10:42.20
and bringing the gospel there.
00:10:42.20\00:10:43.84
How in the world does revival,
00:10:43.84\00:10:46.34
or what does revival have
to do with taking the gospel
00:10:46.34\00:10:49.71
to the dark places of the earth?
00:10:49.71\00:10:51.68
- So that's a very
good question, Jon.
00:10:51.68\00:10:54.25
And I think bring
the gospel to the world
00:10:54.25\00:10:57.42
would take God's people
to bring it to the world.
00:10:57.42\00:11:00.52
- Yes.
00:11:00.52\00:11:01.66
- And so that's
where revival comes in.
00:11:01.66\00:11:03.79
And can you imagine a
revived group of people,
00:11:03.79\00:11:07.40
a revived church,
00:11:07.40\00:11:08.53
and I believe a
revived church could not stay
00:11:08.53\00:11:11.77
on its own feet or its own pews.
00:11:11.77\00:11:15.44
They will have
the heart to bring
00:11:16.44\00:11:19.11
as many people as they as
they can to God's kingdom.
00:11:19.11\00:11:23.48
And people would really desire
00:11:23.48\00:11:27.75
what they have
received for other people
00:11:27.75\00:11:32.82
who has not even
heard the name Jesus,
00:11:33.86\00:11:35.89
to receive it and to enjoy
life as they're enjoying life.
00:11:35.89\00:11:38.93
- Right.
00:11:38.93\00:11:39.76
- A revived people,
00:11:39.76\00:11:41.10
a revived church is
never a selfish church.
00:11:41.10\00:11:44.50
A revived church would want
00:11:44.50\00:11:46.67
to live their lives like Jesus.
00:11:47.84\00:11:49.97
Jesus left his home,
his heaven just to reach
00:11:49.97\00:11:54.94
to those people who
have been drowned in sin.
00:11:56.18\00:11:59.11
And as it says here in one
of the most powerful quotes
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about the revival that I see,
00:12:03.12\00:12:05.19
and so practical as well,
00:12:05.19\00:12:06.32
"Selected
Messages," book one, page 121,
00:12:06.32\00:12:08.52
it says, "A
revival of true godliness
00:12:08.52\00:12:10.93
among us is the greatest and
most urgent of all our needs."
00:12:10.93\00:12:14.96
The greatest and most
urgent of all our needs.
00:12:14.96\00:12:17.63
"To seek this should
be our very first work."
00:12:17.63\00:12:20.47
- [Jon] Wow.
00:12:20.47\00:12:21.60
- So if the inspired
writing is saying that,
00:12:21.60\00:12:24.11
it means to say that
there's so much weight
00:12:24.11\00:12:26.78
on this word revival,
00:12:26.78\00:12:29.21
and you could not say that
revival will never be enough
00:12:29.21\00:12:31.65
to finish this work
or to propel this work.
00:12:31.65\00:12:35.02
It says there. - [Jon] Yeah.
00:12:35.02\00:12:36.69
- And here I see a revived
church, a revived people,
00:12:36.69\00:12:41.09
a revived person is
empowered by the spirit
00:12:41.09\00:12:46.03
that starts the revival.
00:12:46.03\00:12:48.40
And so can you
imagine someone who was led
00:12:48.40\00:12:51.67
and empowered by
the Holy Spirit reaching
00:12:51.67\00:12:54.07
to those hearts of people?
00:12:54.07\00:12:56.07
- [Jon] Yeah.
00:12:56.07\00:12:57.34
- It will not be
someone who's just working
00:12:57.34\00:12:59.34
with manpower
or even horsepower.
00:12:59.34\00:13:01.11
- [Jon] Yeah. - It
will be heaven's power.
00:13:01.11\00:13:03.14
- Okay, so that brings
in a number of questions,
00:13:03.14\00:13:05.15
but the first one I
want to tackle is method
00:13:05.15\00:13:09.18
or methodology
versus spiritual insight.
00:13:10.32\00:13:14.26
Spiritual....
00:13:15.16\00:13:16.09
So methodology training,
00:13:16.09\00:13:18.03
training in methods versus
training in spiritual things,
00:13:18.03\00:13:23.00
compare those two.
00:13:23.00\00:13:24.33
- I think two
should come together.
00:13:24.33\00:13:28.14
Two should come together.
00:13:29.00\00:13:30.31
It would be good to be
trained to do all these things,
00:13:30.31\00:13:33.91
to know how you
maneuver with culture,
00:13:33.91\00:13:38.98
with all of this.
00:13:39.61\00:13:40.75
And even sometimes
even just our simple tact
00:13:40.75\00:13:44.82
and how to approach things.
00:13:44.82\00:13:46.92
And yes, methods
is very important,
00:13:46.92\00:13:50.59
but spirituality, I believe,
00:13:50.59\00:13:54.00
combined with that
would make the approach
00:13:54.00\00:13:57.10
even more powerful.
00:13:57.10\00:13:59.17
And I think most of the
time we rely so much on methods.
00:13:59.17\00:14:02.60
We just want, "Oh,
so how do I do this?"
00:14:02.60\00:14:04.97
Just A, B, C, D, and
you'll be good with it.
00:14:04.97\00:14:08.71
- [Jon] Yeah.
00:14:08.71\00:14:09.84
- But without the
Holy Spirit's leading,
00:14:09.84\00:14:11.91
any method, any instrument,
no matter how powerful it is,
00:14:11.91\00:14:16.42
will be just null and void.
00:14:16.42\00:14:19.39
- So if you had to
choose one or the other,
00:14:19.39\00:14:21.46
which one would you choose?
00:14:21.46\00:14:22.99
- The spiritual preparation
00:14:22.99\00:14:25.13
rather than the
method preparation.
00:14:25.13\00:14:27.03
Because there were a lot
of people, even in the Bible,
00:14:27.03\00:14:29.86
can you imagine what method
did the two Demoniacs learn?
00:14:29.86\00:14:33.54
They did not even
listen to one sermon of Jesus
00:14:34.70\00:14:38.04
as I think one of the speakers
of GYC shared about this.
00:14:38.04\00:14:42.21
They did not even
have a chance to sit down
00:14:42.21\00:14:44.61
in one of the sermons of Jesus.
00:14:44.61\00:14:45.98
They did not even
witness other miracles,
00:14:45.98\00:14:49.05
except the miracles
00:14:49.05\00:14:50.55
that they have
experienced in their own lives
00:14:50.55\00:14:53.05
when Jesus cast a
demon out of them.
00:14:53.05\00:14:55.72
- Yeah.
00:14:55.72\00:14:56.99
- And all they shared
was what their experience.
00:14:56.99\00:15:00.53
And by the way,
00:15:00.53\00:15:01.73
I want to start a little
bit more in the beginning
00:15:01.73\00:15:05.13
of their experience
00:15:05.13\00:15:06.40
and how they became
really powerful missionaries.
00:15:06.40\00:15:10.57
They were not just excited
to share their testimonies,
00:15:10.57\00:15:13.74
but they follow Jesus.
00:15:13.74\00:15:15.94
They follow Jesus instruction
00:15:15.94\00:15:18.25
because they
want to be with Jesus.
00:15:18.25\00:15:20.95
They want to sit at his
feet. They want to learn more.
00:15:20.95\00:15:24.65
But Jesus said, "No, don't.
00:15:24.65\00:15:27.36
Go and share what
you have experienced."
00:15:27.36\00:15:30.23
- Which is exactly opposite
00:15:30.23\00:15:31.79
of what we would think
Jesus would have them do.
00:15:31.79\00:15:34.20
- [Gem] Correct,
because they're new.
00:15:34.20\00:15:36.16
- Yeah. What do they know?
How can they share anything?
00:15:36.16\00:15:38.30
They just met Jesus for a
few hours and then that's it.
00:15:38.30\00:15:42.50
- And that's one thing
I realized, brother Jon,
00:15:42.50\00:15:44.94
that following
Jesus is obeying him.
00:15:44.94\00:15:48.78
It's not just staying.
00:15:48.78\00:15:50.31
It's not just going.
00:15:50.31\00:15:51.91
It's listening to the
voice of the good shepherd.
00:15:53.21\00:15:56.25
- But that takes
time, doesn't it?
00:15:56.25\00:15:57.65
How can we hear his voice?
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.95
How can we hear his
direction for our life?
00:15:59.95\00:16:01.82
- He says in Matthew,
"My sheep will know my voice
00:16:01.82\00:16:04.89
and they will follow me."
00:16:04.89\00:16:06.09
And I believe without
a shadow of the doubt,
00:16:06.09\00:16:08.30
the Lord will lead
us through his word
00:16:08.30\00:16:10.70
if we'll just spend time
getting to know the shepherd.
00:16:10.70\00:16:13.50
And that's one
thing that I realized too,
00:16:13.50\00:16:15.94
growing up in the church,
00:16:15.94\00:16:17.51
I was just one
thing, answer to my prayer.
00:16:17.51\00:16:20.98
I'm just desiring, okay,
Lord, I give this to you.
00:16:20.98\00:16:24.58
Here's my list.
00:16:24.58\00:16:25.85
So when are you gonna deliver?
00:16:25.85\00:16:27.92
- Yeah.
00:16:27.92\00:16:28.75
- When are you gonna...
00:16:28.75\00:16:29.88
But the Lord
desires us to know him more
00:16:29.88\00:16:33.56
than just to get evidence
00:16:33.56\00:16:36.06
that our prayers
are being answered.
00:16:36.06\00:16:38.19
And that's one
thing that I see right now
00:16:39.33\00:16:40.76
in the ministry that I'm in.
00:16:40.76\00:16:43.10
I'm so thankful, brother Jon,
00:16:43.10\00:16:45.40
that God has put me
here in the prayer ministry.
00:16:45.40\00:16:48.37
Not because that I'll
be a blessing to the people
00:16:48.37\00:16:51.74
that I'll be ministering,
00:16:51.74\00:16:53.01
but this ministry has
been such a blessing to me.
00:16:53.01\00:16:56.34
See, without a
shadow of the doubt,
00:16:56.34\00:16:58.71
if I'm not here, I'd be lost.
00:16:58.71\00:17:02.62
And I praise God
that he has put me here
00:17:02.62\00:17:04.79
in the prayer ministry,
00:17:04.79\00:17:06.99
that he'll be
able to keep me still
00:17:06.99\00:17:10.19
and have me desire him,
00:17:10.19\00:17:13.96
have me need him.
00:17:13.96\00:17:15.46
And even in the talks
that the Lord would have me
00:17:15.46\00:17:19.67
give going from
church to church,
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.87
I will not have peace until
I have spent time with him.
00:17:21.87\00:17:26.07
Yes, there are
quite some few talks
00:17:26.07\00:17:28.34
that I have already shared.
00:17:28.34\00:17:29.74
But even those old talks,
00:17:29.74\00:17:32.08
without me sitting at his feet,
00:17:32.08\00:17:35.28
I would not even know
what talks that I need to pick.
00:17:35.28\00:17:38.75
He has to pick it for me.
00:17:38.75\00:17:40.12
- Yeah, so we just
finished a week of power,
00:17:40.12\00:17:42.82
which is like a week of prayer,
00:17:42.82\00:17:44.29
but it's a hour and a half
00:17:44.29\00:17:45.56
where you speak
for about an hour,
00:17:45.56\00:17:47.00
and then we pray
for a half an hour.
00:17:47.00\00:17:49.06
And I've seen you
throughout the week
00:17:49.06\00:17:51.93
in preparation every day.
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.57
The meeting was in the evening,
00:17:53.57\00:17:55.74
but you're awake at
2:30, 3 o'clock in the morning.
00:17:55.74\00:18:00.61
Why so early?
How does that work?
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.08
- I did not want to
wake up early in the morning.
00:18:03.08\00:18:06.21
God wakes me up.
00:18:06.21\00:18:07.68
And that's one
thing I learned as well,
00:18:07.68\00:18:09.15
not just during week of prayers,
00:18:09.15\00:18:12.02
especially like big
events like GYC, ASI,
00:18:12.02\00:18:15.42
when there is an
important meeting,
00:18:15.42\00:18:17.79
God always
desires to wake me up.
00:18:17.79\00:18:20.76
Not just because that I
need to prepare for the message,
00:18:20.76\00:18:23.87
I realize later on
that there's so much self
00:18:23.87\00:18:27.97
that needs to be taken out.
00:18:27.97\00:18:29.97
So God really desires for
me to spend time at his feet
00:18:31.34\00:18:35.34
because when we spend
time at the foot of the cross,
00:18:35.34\00:18:38.65
there's no self
that could rise up.
00:18:38.65\00:18:40.55
- So let me get this straight.
00:18:40.55\00:18:41.88
You're waking up early
00:18:41.88\00:18:44.09
and you're preparing
not- - [Gem] For the talk.
00:18:44.09\00:18:46.96
- Not for the talk.
00:18:46.96\00:18:48.96
- [Gem] Not for-
00:18:48.96\00:18:50.16
- So in other words, you're not-
00:18:50.16\00:18:51.29
- Not for the material.
00:18:51.29\00:18:52.53
- You're not learning
and trying to find material
00:18:52.53\00:18:54.50
that will fit
00:18:54.50\00:18:55.80
and trying to find
quotes that will fit
00:18:55.80\00:18:57.73
what you think
they're gonna need.
00:18:57.73\00:19:00.37
You're just what?
00:19:00.37\00:19:03.14
- Basking in the presence
of God through his word,
00:19:03.14\00:19:06.64
through the inspired writing.
00:19:06.64\00:19:08.01
And I don't even know...
00:19:08.01\00:19:10.28
When it's
overwhelming, brother Jon,
00:19:10.28\00:19:11.91
when you know
for a fact that a lot
00:19:11.91\00:19:13.48
of people's hunger is dependent
on what you're sharing,
00:19:13.48\00:19:18.22
that's just a
weight on your shoulder
00:19:18.22\00:19:19.95
that you will
not be able to carry.
00:19:19.95\00:19:22.62
I could not be...
00:19:22.62\00:19:23.73
Or maybe I'm just
speaking for myself.
00:19:23.73\00:19:25.53
I could not be confident saying,
00:19:25.53\00:19:27.50
I'll blow them
with my brilliance.
00:19:27.50\00:19:29.76
No, you know for
a fact that people
00:19:30.73\00:19:33.97
that God has brought there,
00:19:33.97\00:19:35.77
that might be the
turning point of their lives.
00:19:35.77\00:19:38.31
Maybe that would be the
time that God would work
00:19:38.31\00:19:41.28
through the little
quotes that you read
00:19:41.28\00:19:43.48
through the prayer
session that you'll lead out.
00:19:43.48\00:19:46.01
So that enormity,
that overwhelming feeling
00:19:46.01\00:19:50.95
kind of becoming
such a powerful advantage
00:19:50.95\00:19:55.16
that brings me to my knees,
00:19:55.16\00:19:57.53
that brings me
to the desperation.
00:19:57.53\00:19:59.16
Like, Lord, you
really need to take over.
00:19:59.16\00:20:02.03
And even in devotion,
I have a lot of options
00:20:02.03\00:20:05.60
in what I wanted to read.
00:20:05.60\00:20:08.17
But even that I
give God the option,
00:20:08.17\00:20:11.14
what do you want
me to read right now?
00:20:11.14\00:20:13.71
- So the feeling of
weakness becomes your strength?
00:20:13.71\00:20:17.65
- Becomes the
experience of greatness.
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.68
- Because it
allows God. - [Gem] Yes.
00:20:20.68\00:20:23.08
- Or it asks, and
it's like a vacuum.
00:20:23.08\00:20:26.09
So that God can fill that.
00:20:26.09\00:20:27.82
Most of us avoid feeling empty.
00:20:27.82\00:20:31.59
If we feel empty,
00:20:31.59\00:20:32.76
we try to fill it
with something, you know?
00:20:32.76\00:20:35.13
And very rarely do we spend
00:20:35.13\00:20:36.83
time in God's presence,
00:20:36.83\00:20:38.33
especially even if we
spend time in God's presence,
00:20:38.33\00:20:40.44
we want to feel good, you know?
00:20:40.44\00:20:44.24
But you're using
that empty feeling,
00:20:44.24\00:20:46.44
that desperate
feeling to get closer to him.
00:20:46.44\00:20:50.18
Have you ever
tried that and come up
00:20:50.18\00:20:54.45
or him not show up?
00:20:54.45\00:20:56.48
- Oh, no.
00:20:56.48\00:20:57.29
If he did not show up,
00:20:59.22\00:21:00.39
it means to say
I'm not hungry enough.
00:21:00.39\00:21:01.62
God has promised- -
[Jon] Oh, whoa, whoa.
00:21:03.09\00:21:05.13
It means to say,
00:21:05.13\00:21:06.23
if he doesn't show up, what?
00:21:06.23\00:21:09.06
- I might not have
been hungering for him.
00:21:09.06\00:21:12.20
I might have been
hungering for something else.
00:21:12.20\00:21:15.40
- [Jon] Wow.
00:21:15.40\00:21:16.50
- Because
sometimes I'm just hungering
00:21:16.50\00:21:18.61
that God will give
me the right material.
00:21:18.61\00:21:23.08
But it's not-
00:21:23.08\00:21:24.21
- [Jon] So that you
can get through the program
00:21:24.21\00:21:25.01
with your reputation intact.
00:21:25.01\00:21:27.22
- Yep.
00:21:27.22\00:21:27.98
- Or show off that you're-
00:21:27.98\00:21:28.82
- Yeah. I will not lose face.
00:21:28.82\00:21:30.59
- Yeah, yeah. Exactly.
00:21:30.59\00:21:32.25
But you're going beyond that
00:21:32.25\00:21:34.82
and in your hunger for
him, you're letting self go.
00:21:36.09\00:21:40.46
So you're not worried
about your reputation.
00:21:40.46\00:21:42.86
- He meant that
because in the end,
00:21:43.97\00:21:45.67
it's his reputation
that is on the line.
00:21:45.67\00:21:48.60
This is not a great controversy
00:21:48.60\00:21:50.37
between Satan and Gem.
00:21:50.37\00:21:51.97
It's a great controversy
between Jesus and Satan,
00:21:53.21\00:21:56.04
between God and Satan.
00:21:56.04\00:21:57.61
So in everything that I do,
00:21:57.61\00:21:58.91
I know for a fact
that it's God's name
00:21:58.91\00:22:01.35
that needs to be glorified.
00:22:01.35\00:22:03.08
And if I do not
feel that fulfillment,
00:22:03.08\00:22:06.82
it means to say
that it's about me.
00:22:06.82\00:22:08.99
It's about Gem.
00:22:08.99\00:22:10.36
- So tell me about
that feeling of fulfillment.
00:22:10.36\00:22:12.83
You start out in
your prayer feeling empty,
00:22:12.83\00:22:15.50
and then you feel your need.
00:22:15.50\00:22:17.40
And so you go to
him and you talk to him,
00:22:17.40\00:22:20.07
or you bask in his presence
00:22:20.07\00:22:21.34
or you just are
aware of his presence.
00:22:21.34\00:22:24.51
- [Gem] Oh, yes.
00:22:24.51\00:22:25.34
- And then somewhere in there,
00:22:25.34\00:22:28.41
your feelings
change, something changes.
00:22:28.41\00:22:30.71
There's an exchange. Right?
00:22:30.71\00:22:33.11
Exchange of your
emptiness for his fullness.
00:22:33.11\00:22:35.52
- [Gem] Yes.
00:22:35.52\00:22:36.79
- An exchange of your
weakness for his strength
00:22:36.79\00:22:38.45
and exchange of the
consciousness of self
00:22:38.45\00:22:42.92
with the
consciousness of his presence.
00:22:42.92\00:22:45.86
- Yes. - [Jon] Is
that what happens?
00:22:45.86\00:22:47.66
- And I think I could say that
00:22:47.66\00:22:49.70
that's more of
what you have explained.
00:22:49.70\00:22:53.37
And you know what?
00:22:53.37\00:22:54.77
How could I put it into
words is through his word.
00:22:54.77\00:22:58.71
The more that his
word penetrates my heart,
00:22:58.71\00:23:02.31
it's just like him
coming into my heart.
00:23:02.31\00:23:05.08
And the feeling is
just the byproduct.
00:23:06.18\00:23:09.05
I don't go to
Jesus just to feel good,
00:23:10.59\00:23:14.39
because that is just like
the little portion of the pie
00:23:15.79\00:23:19.93
that he desires to give.
00:23:19.93\00:23:22.16
- So you don't base your
experience on how you feel?
00:23:22.16\00:23:26.63
- [Gem] No, no.
00:23:26.63\00:23:27.54
- So that's
beautiful because the word,
00:23:28.90\00:23:32.31
how is the life of God in it?
00:23:32.31\00:23:34.24
- Oh, so much life.
00:23:34.24\00:23:38.98
So much power.
00:23:38.98\00:23:40.48
- Right. It's creative power.
00:23:40.48\00:23:42.45
So when the word is in you,
00:23:42.45\00:23:43.85
your faith is in what God says,
00:23:43.85\00:23:46.49
not a sense of his presence
or a sense of how you feel.
00:23:46.49\00:23:51.56
It's based on the
word that cannot lie
00:23:52.66\00:23:54.36
versus based on how you feel,
00:23:54.36\00:23:55.90
which could change in a moment.
00:23:55.90\00:23:57.30
- Yeah. Even that moment.
00:23:57.30\00:23:59.03
- So do you find that
when you start to feel good
00:24:00.47\00:24:03.61
and you try to grasp
that, that you lose it?
00:24:03.61\00:24:06.57
Whereas if you find God's
word and you grasp his word
00:24:07.94\00:24:10.95
and you claim it, and
then that feeling just abides.
00:24:10.95\00:24:13.85
- Yes. It's a huge contrast.
00:24:13.85\00:24:16.08
It's just like the
moment you have God's word
00:24:16.08\00:24:19.82
for you during that day, you
are a light in this fortress.
00:24:19.82\00:24:24.89
You're a light in this fortress.
00:24:25.69\00:24:26.83
You know for a
fact that God said this,
00:24:26.83\00:24:29.83
and I could bask in
that even for the whole day.
00:24:29.83\00:24:33.27
- So you're
basking in his presence,
00:24:33.27\00:24:35.27
but you're basking in
the presence of his word?
00:24:35.27\00:24:37.41
- [Gem] In his word. -
Because God is in his word.
00:24:37.41\00:24:39.67
- Yes. - [Jon] Wow.
00:24:39.67\00:24:41.08
- Yeah.
00:24:41.08\00:24:42.48
- So you could take this,
you say it's like a fortress.
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.75
So you could take this
any place on the planet
00:24:45.91\00:24:48.72
and have that
fortress experience?
00:24:48.72\00:24:52.39
- Amen.
00:24:52.39\00:24:53.46
Whether you are
in a group of people
00:24:53.46\00:24:55.09
who are hungering for
God, like GYC prayer room,
00:24:55.09\00:24:58.56
like Philippine
for Christ prayer room,
00:24:58.56\00:25:00.70
like ASI prayer room,
00:25:00.70\00:25:02.20
and even in an ASI prayer call,
00:25:02.20\00:25:05.77
or you are just alone.
00:25:05.77\00:25:07.80
And that is my
experience every single day
00:25:07.80\00:25:10.71
during this week of
power, that preparation,
00:25:10.71\00:25:14.08
and I don't want
to leave his presence.
00:25:14.08\00:25:17.01
- [Jon] Right.
00:25:17.01\00:25:18.41
- But you have to cook your
breakfast, you have to do this.
00:25:18.41\00:25:20.92
And even during the time
that I was preparing stuff,
00:25:20.92\00:25:25.09
that word, that
fortress is still with me.
00:25:25.09\00:25:30.16
- Wow.
00:25:30.59\00:25:31.76
Where I see this is
so powerful in relation
00:25:31.76\00:25:34.63
to foreign missions is
that the common idea is that
00:25:34.63\00:25:39.70
as you go as a missionary,
00:25:40.47\00:25:41.74
you find a group of
missionaries that are there,
00:25:41.74\00:25:44.41
and then you go
a little ways away,
00:25:44.41\00:25:46.17
but they're your support group.
00:25:46.17\00:25:48.31
Okay, but if you really are
living in a fortress of God,
00:25:48.31\00:25:53.01
you can be placed in
the middle of darkness
00:25:53.01\00:25:55.98
and still thrive and shine
00:25:58.62\00:26:01.39
and be a beachhead for the
Holy Spirit to start invading
00:26:01.39\00:26:05.93
that place and doing a
work in the unseen world
00:26:05.93\00:26:09.10
just by you connecting
with God in that place.
00:26:10.27\00:26:12.83
- And it's a good thing
when you were sharing that,
00:26:12.83\00:26:15.74
just like in my mind,
if this gorilla warfare,
00:26:15.74\00:26:19.17
you go to that
place and explode.
00:26:19.17\00:26:21.48
- [Jon] Yes, yes.
00:26:21.48\00:26:23.65
- But explode in a good way
00:26:23.65\00:26:25.18
that will bring God's
people into his presence.
00:26:25.18\00:26:28.12
- [Jon] Yeah. -
Which is so true.
00:26:28.12\00:26:29.75
And that's why you see
the importance of revival.
00:26:29.75\00:26:33.36
- Yeah.
00:26:33.36\00:26:34.62
- We need to have a
daily revival in our lives.
00:26:34.62\00:26:36.19
- Yes.
00:26:36.19\00:26:37.36
- And instead of just
doing things on your own
00:26:37.36\00:26:41.30
and getting burned out,
00:26:41.30\00:26:43.40
burned out and then,
yeah, you have peak and valleys
00:26:43.40\00:26:46.23
when surrounded with friends
00:26:46.23\00:26:47.77
and then go to the valley again,
00:26:47.77\00:26:51.04
that should not
be our experience.
00:26:51.04\00:26:54.28
That's why it says there,
00:26:54.28\00:26:56.58
"A revival of true godliness
00:26:56.58\00:26:58.98
is the most urgent of
all our needs to seek.
00:26:58.98\00:27:01.48
This should be
our very first work."
00:27:01.48\00:27:03.72
- [Jon] Wow.
00:27:03.72\00:27:04.52
- So God desires to empower us.
00:27:04.52\00:27:06.02
God desires to give
us not just the weapons,
00:27:06.02\00:27:09.39
not just his aid,
00:27:09.39\00:27:10.63
but he desires to give
us his presence, his power.
00:27:10.63\00:27:14.83
That wherever we go,
00:27:14.83\00:27:16.13
we will be like how Jesus
00:27:16.13\00:27:20.57
have impacted the world
when he was here on Earth.
00:27:20.57\00:27:22.74
- Yes.
00:27:22.74\00:27:23.64
Well, I wanna thank you.
00:27:24.44\00:27:25.57
I wanna thank you
for being here with us
00:27:25.57\00:27:26.91
and sharing your heart
for God, and for His presence.
00:27:26.91\00:27:30.45
- All for the glory of
his name. Thank you, Jon.
00:27:30.45\00:27:32.45
- Thank you.
00:27:32.45\00:27:33.72
And I wanna encourage
you to search for revival,
00:27:33.72\00:27:36.82
make it your first priority.
00:27:36.82\00:27:38.52
No one else can do that for you,
00:27:38.52\00:27:40.09
and no one else
can do that for me.
00:27:40.09\00:27:41.89
So if you're
interested in learning more
00:27:41.89\00:27:43.26
about Gem's
ministry, about ASAP,
00:27:43.26\00:27:45.56
if you'd like to get
some more of his talks,
00:27:45.56\00:27:48.03
you can write us
at Jesus for Asia,
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.07
PO Box 1221,
00:27:50.07\00:27:52.27
Collegedale, Tennessee, 37315.
00:27:52.27\00:27:54.54
You can call us
at (423) 413-7321
00:27:56.34\00:28:01.11
or visit our
website at jesus4asia.org.
00:28:01.11\00:28:04.41
May God richly bless you
00:28:04.41\00:28:05.98
until we see you next
time on "Jesus for Asia Now".
00:28:05.98\00:28:09.78
(bright music)
00:28:09.78\00:28:12.42