Purim, A Time to Receive Victory
The last day of our 40-Day Fasting and Prayer was right on Purim, a festival of turning defeat into victory. At this very moment the pandemic in Hong Kong is at its worst, with the total number of confirmed cases soaring to a million. It wears us down. As I was pondering what God had been doing, we experienced a miracle and wonderful coincidence on March 17, the first day of Purim!
That morning, Pastor Barnabas and his wife Dily set off on a tourist visa to #Australia to join Sydney Favor 611. In faith, they were waiting for the working visa in Australia. Amazingly right before boarding, they got the document from Australian government permitting them to, upon completion of body-check procedures, have their 5-year working visa issued! What thrilling news!
They had applied for a working visa for more than two years yet in vain. As soon as Australia reopened her border in early February this year, we held the commissioning ceremony right away, which fell to be the first day of our 40-Day Fasting and Prayer. With the tourist visa in hand, they booked a flight and the date of departure happened to be the first day of Purim. And more coincidently, the document relating to their working visa was received the very same day. We stand amazed by God’s miraculous work! Purim is truly a time when defeat is turned into victory!
In the time of pandemic, Hong Kong is desperate to turn defeat into victory. Many of our branch churches are showing their care for us. I was well moved, receiving a cash donation from Manila 611. In 2003, we launched a 100-night evangelistic meeting in midst of SARS and the first night fell on March 17. SARS ended as our meeting finished. I believe that as our 40-Day Fasting and Prayer ends in Purim this year, Hong Kong will also enter victory. As mentioned in the book of Esther, God will save His people.
We made a last-minute change to read Esther in the morning devotion, declaring the message of turning defeat into victory, joined by all branch churches. What God did to the Jews then, I believe He will surely lead us, the spiritual Jews, into victory too. After our city-wide prayer walk on February 18, the pandemic hit Hong Kong more. Hong Kong recorded the highest daily number of confirmed cases on March 3, the first day of the month Adar. That night, we held our monthly prayer meeting. This monthly meeting seldom matched the first day of the month in the Jewish calendar. Truly, God is with us. The “#Jehoshua Love and Care” action to send pandemic relief materials took place on the first day of Purim. Traditionally the Jews send gifts to the poor in Purim. Indeed, God has made every day and everything, all is in God’s hand!
As I reflect on all these, I have written the following poem to encourage our brothers and sisters:
“God is present right now right here,
Follow humbly and comfort those near and dear.
In adversity do not fear,
Through God’s people His mercy and power appear!”
May our lives be like that of Mordecai and Esther. Let us continue to follow God in faith and live out love despite adversity. God shall hear our prayer and turn our defeat into victory!■【2022.03.13】
we are to become the Tree of Life because God has chosen and called us, His people, to be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to serve in His presence day and night. Read more Having witnessed how God has been leading our mother church step by step into the destiny of global evangelism and church planting, Read more Thank God that we experienced God's amazing presence as I went back to our mother church, Taipei Bread of Life Christian Church, with my team to participate in the celebration of its 70th Anniversary! Read more