by Petros Yuen, Regular worshipper at International Christian Fellowship (ICF) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
2022 would be a year of breakthroughs for me. I had a new job offer in May and off I went to HCMC at the end of July to start a new chapter of my life without expecting to see growth taking place so vividly in my life. Since coming to this community of faith, the past 10 months has turned my life upside down as the Lord walked me through the valleys and the mountaintops.
The first breakthrough is freedom from depression, restlessness, and man pleasing. Since young, it was always an uphill path with feelings of “I could never measure up”, which led to a strong urge to constantly seek for achievements during my school years. I was doing everything to gain acceptance. Such constant mental battle prevented me from enjoying life for many years. Apart from doing well in my studies, I didn't really have good relationships with anyone; not even with my own parents - especially my father. I thought this was life - bouts after bouts of sadness and bitterness. Even after I became a Christian, all of these struggles didn't just vanish right away.
When the Lord rescued me from this mud, I literally had to learn to mentally crawl again because I never knew how to live fully in Christ’s freedom.
For the first time ever, I stopped condemning myself - there is this “Lord’s still small voice” that gives me the tremendous peace “beyond all human understanding” which defeats the voice that has been condemning me since young.
Christ has given me freedom from depression, confusion, and fear of man and that begins to help me to enjoy freedom in life. I began to have a better self-esteem and don't find my identity in other people anymore. I take my focus off from myself and find myself worshipping God more often. Now, people who knew me won't be able to recognise me because of how different I look and how different my demeanour has become. All thanks to the transforming power of the Lord that takes away my deep struggles. My relationships with people are improving and, most of all, the relationship with my father is also restored.
The second breakthrough is freedom from past traumas, constant lust, sinful relationships, and emotional torment. The Lord helped me to no longer live the trauma over and over again. He gave me strength to release forgiveness to those who had done me wrong. Emotional dependency, the thing that tormented me the most both physically and emotionally, was losing its grip on me as I continue to choose to worship God rather than focusing on people and the blessings He showered on me. Worshipping God begins to be the “fuel” of my life to move on.
The joy of Christ begins to fill my heart and I’m learning to connect with people in a healthy and Christlike way. Temptations are still there but they get less intense as my desire to serve God intensifies. And worshipping God gradually becomes my lifestyle.
The third breakthrough is obedience. I hated authority: I often disobeyed my parents and people in authority. As I became a Christian, I still couldn't get used to being obedient. That rebellious attitude wreaks havoc on my relationships with God and spiritual leaders like Pastor Lim, even supervisors at my workplace. I hated it when God disciplined me, or when other people told me what I did was wrong in the eyes of the Lord. I couldn’t understand what tough love was and assumed it was not love at all. Love in my eyes were all about being soft spoken and speaking compliments and encouragement at all times without any word of rebuke or disagreement. My disobedience prevented me from seeing God for who He really was. As God taught me, from a stiff-necked sinner to an obedient disciple gradually learning to obey my pastor, my spiritual leader, and even my boss at work. Since then, I find it easier to obey God in small steps and from small things to big things. Indeed, obedience to the Lord makes life work. Not easy, but worth it. A more intimate relationship with God is the best thing one could have!
Other breakthroughs include financial breakthrough, relationship breakthrough, professional breakthrough, etc. Glory be to God for the things He has done in my life.
In my walk with our ICF (International Christian Fellowship) community, and as I study more truth from the Bible, I begin to understand I have been set completely free from many bondages of wrong thinking and unhealthy relationships. The Lord can help satisfy that emotional longing without me having to seek for it in an illegitimate way.
Indeed, I am free in Christ, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. As I look at the problems in my life, I realise it is impossible to solve all of these with my own strength. But by the power of the Holy Spirit and journeying my faith with a community that loves me, we can!
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Dear Petros, I celebrate with you your freedom in Christ and the strength that He has given you to deal with issues that had burdened you in the past. Praise God for the breakthroughs! The other day, I saw my 3 year old grand daughter reading a pictorial book in her room. While she was doing that, I could hear her sing sweetly, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." What a great delight! May you be encouraged as you grow deeper in intimacy in Christ. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength too! Take care. God bless! Shalom.