27th June, 2022.

WHAT IS YOUR DECISION?

Phil1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Have you heard about Nokseng? The name may not ring a bell but his song remains one of the choicest evangelistic songs while preaching in crusades and evangelistic meetings all over the world. His song has been translated into several languages because it is a song of commitment. Nokseng was a Garo man from India. Along with his family, he decided to follow Jesus Christ in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of an American Baptist missionary. He was persuaded to renounce his faith by the village chief, the convert declared, "I have decided to follow Jesus." His two children were killed and in response to threats to his wife, he continued, "Though no one join me, still I will follow." His wife was killed, and he was executed while singing, "The world behind me, The cross before me." This display of faith is reported to have led to the conversion of the chief and others in the village.

This is where the church got the song: 'I have decided to follow Jesus'. We use it for evangelistic purposes but not many are ready to abide by the wordings of that song. It is easy to sing, and to preach but the test comes when we are faced with persecution. The surprising thing about Nokseng's story is that he was a new convert who hadn't spent enough time to hear deep mysteries through teaching but when he accepted Christ, he decided to follow Him till the end regardless of whatever he may face. We are already in that time when our decision will be tested. Recently, I read a portion in the bible that struck me: "For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God"( John 16:2 NLT). This is happening already. People kill Christians and they're happy thinking they're rendering a service to God.

Whoever is not ready to die for the sake of the Gospel is not ready to follow Christ. I'm not saying you should look for death. No, that's not what I'm saying. If you're presented with a decision to deny your faith or choose death, it is at that point your resolve to follow Jesus will be tested. Will you deny Christ? Paul said, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God"( Acts 20:24). Are you ready to follow Jesus Christ under any circumstance? Our generation is accustomed to the easy side of Christianity, no one is telling believers that persecution is part of the deal. When some believers face a little persecution, they'll quickly turn back or compromise. Hear the words of Paul: "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution"(2 Tim3:12). Those of us that live in countries where there's tolerance towards practicing our faith, we may not understand the subject of persecution well but we must have it at the back of our minds that someone somewhere is in jail, has been killed and is about to be killed for the sake of his faith in Jesus. Probably, someone is about to be killed for believing in Jesus under the threat of renouncing his faith. We have a duty to pray for such people and to prepare ourselves for persecution in any form it may come.