We are Overcomers | Pastor Alvin Keng

You're listening to a message to go from acts Church.

We hope this message will light up your day.

We are overcomers. Can you look at your neighbor and

say I am an overcomer?

Right?

And the subtitle is more than conquerors? Okay, go look

at the other name and say I'm a conqueror. Some

of you are not convinced. Some of you are really

not convinced.

Right. I pray that after the message today you will

be convinced.

Okay, if you got your Bibles with you, can you

turn to Romans chapter eight. We're gonna be reading from

verse thirty one to thirty nine. Okay, you don't have

a Bible, electronicos bibles or can.

But if you don't have it, can you just not

your neighbor? If they have? And I say he can?

I can? I? Can I share? Can I share? Share?

Can I can't share? Share? Okay?

Romans Chapter eight, verse thirty one. I guys that yet

only one person the rest of you are not being

attention at all. Good morning people mourning all the wake ready?

Right?

I know they say that BJ people got all quiet people,

But respond a bit lah? I cannot ah, respond a

bit lah? All right, he says here, What then shall

we say to these things? If God is for us,

who can be against us? While such a powerful statement.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

He who did not spare his own son, but delivered

him up for us all, how shall he not with

him also freely give us these things? Who shall bring

a charge against God's elect It is God who justifies. Right,

Let's continue. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ

who died, And furthermore is also Risen, who is even

at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession

for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution, of famine or nakedness

or parallel sort? As it is written? For your sake,

we are killed all day long. We are counted as

cheap for the slaughter. Yet in all these things we

are more than conquerors, true Him who loved us.

Let me read that again.

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors,

true Him who loved us.

For I'm persuaded. And neither death nor life, nor.

Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things

to come, nor height nor death, nor any other created

thing shall be separate, shall be able to separate us

from the love of God, which is in Christ, Jesus

our Lord. When you hear this scripture, they normally focus

on the love. But oh, you know, God loves us,

You loves us so much. Nothing can separate you from

the love of God.

Which is true. It's true. It is a biblical truth.

That means, no matter how you feel, no matter where

you're at, no matter what you think people are telling you,

nothing can separate you from God's love. And that is

a promise. And you gotta claim that promise, right, you

gotta claim that promise. But today I want to focus

in a little bit more on vers eitty seven that

it says, yet in all these things we are more than.

Conquerors through Him who loved us.

Okay, first point that I hope you guys will catch

is that we will have trouble in this world.

Do you know that? You do? You know? Do you realize?

Did you notice that trouble is a confirm thing, That

problems in life is a confirm thing. Right, And actually,

for those of you who are younger, this might be

a surprise to you. Why I say that because when

you're old enough, really right, and you eat more salt

than other people, your rise.

That's the term a lot of Asian parents say.

Sometimes you kind of come to a place where you

realize that you cannot avoid trouble, right, and sometimes you

can avoid it, you can try to avoid it, but

it still comes.

Trouble still comes.

Right, you didn't mean to You're on the road, you're careful,

you're not on the phone, and suddenly someone banks you

because they're on their phone too long. You know it happens, right,

it happens. Trouble happens. You're in your office and you

know everything's good, you're a good worker, everything is good,

and then suddenly, after blue, because another person is either

jealous or whatever, then sunny you have to deal with

some office politics.

Right.

Maybe you are in school and and everything is fine,

you don't really talk to people, you don't really whatever,

and then suddenly, out of the blue, you know you're

I don't know, you're at the wrong place at the

wrong time.

Trouble happens.

You know that the Bible also tells us that trouble happens, right,

that's a scripture that I read here that you know

it says here.

Job job, job, job, job, job, job.

Okay, however you pronounce it. Fourteen one says men, men

and women. Now, okay, men, that is born of a woman.

How many of you here?

Okay?

I'm not going to go into the you know, context

of it, because I know the time we live in.

But it basically just says, men, that's born of a woman,

or woman that's born of woman. How many of you

here are not born of a woman?

One? Please raise up your hands. You're not born of

a woman.

I'm not talking about identification now, I'm talking about biological woman. Now,

all of us are born from a women. Right, we

are right, right, you're born from women?

Right? Cory not.

And it continues and says, man that is born of

women is a few days and full of trouble?

What the Bible is so encouraging?

Can you look to your neighbor and say, you are

you have a few days only? Can you look another

neighbor and say, and those few days are full of trouble?

What the Bible is so encouraging?

First Peter four child says, beloved, what starts so nice?

Are beloved? Think it is not strange?

Concerning the theory trial, which is to try you what

a statement? You get that statement? The English is right power.

Let me simplify it for you. Don't think that it's

weird that there is a fury trial waiting for you.

There's problem waiting for you tomorrow Monday when you go

to work, there's problem waiting for you.

There is. And for those that don't work.

You say as though some strange thing happened to you.

Do you do you know what it means?

For peters trying and say, don't be surprised when you

got problems? Huh you mean suddenly I got issues? Yes,

all of us have issues. Second quarrintents for it and

nine says we are hard pressed on every side, yet

not crushed. We are perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted

but not forsakens, struck down but not destroyed. In your

message today, very encouraging someone that they told me like, oh,

I love your message. Very scolding one scolding all the time. Friends,

just because something bad happens, it doesn't mean that you

need to give up or throw in the towel.

You'll know that.

Just because something that happens, Okay, let me give you

the context of this message has actually been on my

heart for all already, not because I want to tell

you all that is doming gloom. Okay, don't worry. I'm

not the end time spiritchure. So far, I don't think

I've had that that.

Reputation.

But as I progress in my faith as a believer,

and as I observe different people, and I've observed different ones,

you know, both Christians who have been in the faith

for a long time and also for those that maybe

are younger. You know, all of us are in different

phases of our faith. Right, And you know that when

you start off in something, you need milk, right, A

bit hard for you to chew the meat, right, You

need milk first. You need nutrients in your body, so

you get milk. It's easier to drink milk. It's harder

to chew beef. It is hard. You have to tenderize it,

you have to cook it properly. You overcook it is

you know.

But stak is good.

None of you here like stak. Okay, fine, tomahawks, Steak

is good. Wag you how many of you had wag

you a five stick before?

Right? Good? Right? Walk you a five? Right? Right?

How many of you, you know, would rather just ring

milk and you know, don't take wag you a five.

You know, friends, as we progress as believers, we need

to start.

Eating meat ready.

We need to start eating meat ready, because the thing is,

if if not right, we are going to be malnourished.

If we don't grow up, you're your cash that if

we don't grow up, as if it's always in the shallow,

if you're always playing in the shallow and don't go

to the deep, we will.

Never learn how to swim. Both my sons.

You know, one of the things that me and my

wife said, oh you know, we want to tem skill

sets and one of the things that you know, my

wife decent sh will take it on now because I

cannot stream for nuts, okay, right, I can swiam for

two meters and then I will start sinking ready, right,

because I don't know a brief above author, okay, and

I've never learned. When I was younger, my mom gave

me the option. And they were very very smart, my parents,

because they couldn't afford it.

So they say, I give you a choice. If you

say yes, then I'll do it.

If you say I say h swimming, I don'tanta God

swimming means I will, so I until today I don't

not swim, so I just stay away from bodies of watter.

But my kids, my son is this yeay high and

you know actually he was this hide. My second son

recently went h club mad. It was quite fun.

It was deep pool.

I had to do this to be in the pool right,

and being someone who don't not a swiam, I had

a lot of fun standing up and sitting next to

the pool because I can't do what my wife and

my kids did. My son the pool right if if

he stands out on the polar the pool is this high,

but he's jumping in the poolar like it's a very

very shallow pool. There's no fear. He knows how to swim,

he knows how to manage himself. He's eating the meat

and the dad is still drinking.

Milk when it comes assimming.

So I don't know how many if you people harm,

if you actually think that you.

Need to go deeper in your faith.

Why am I going through challenges in life and I

feel like I cannot overcome it? Why are things happening

to me and somehow you know I'm not I'm not.

I'm not experiencing the the the.

Abundant life of that God beliefs that he's given no friends.

I don't think it's about how you feel. I don't

think it's about what happens to you. I just think

it's about whether you're mature or not. Because if you

realize that problems will happen, then you won't be so

upset when problems happen.

You're like your cashit If I.

Know that, If like think about it, follow follow me

this stray of thought. If I don't sleep early, and

I have to wake up early, if I sleep late,

I know I need it.

I was asleep.

I know I need it. I'll sleep but and I

have to wake up at Sex. But I decide to

sleep at Tree am, what's gonna happen? I'm gonna be

like having like sleepy I know really, MA, So wouldn't

it be foolish?

Nurse?

If I sleep at Tree, wake up at Sex and go, ha,

how come I'm so tired? So you'll be like, are

you so bordo and FASTA? You didn't sleep, Ma, that's

why you're tired?

MA? Makes sense? Or not? So?

If the Bible really say we're gonna get trouble. Why

sometimes we are so surprised that we're in trouble, especially

when we make decisions right, they're not not aligned to

where the Lord is leading us. Now, there should be

no surprise. There should be no surprise you'll catch me

or not. So I feel like sometimes as well, not sometimes, right.

I just to encourage you guys today that if we

make the right choices in life, and if we realize

the power that the Lord has given us, we can

overcome every challenge. It is not about a challenge. Our

focus on times is too much on the challenge. All

this happened, then I move. This happened, and I you know,

it's very easy to run away from things. It's very

easy just run away, refresh things, don't deal with the

problem right, just go away and don't do And avoidance

is something that I would say doesn't help us because

we can avoid it, but we don't grow from it.

Whether I like it or not, I would have to

face it one day. And the wonderful thing is that

the moment I face it and I grow and I overcome,

I'm stronger, I'm stronger corner right, People who are resilient,

people who understand, understand how to go through challenge. Right,

and have gone through challenge, gone through pain, you're stronger

when things happen, You're like.

Okay, happener. Rejection. Let's let's use this word rejection. Right.

If you've gone through enough rejection now, you've got no

feeling ready, you know that. But if you first time

can rejection.

Now, oh the world is ending just because that one

person that maybe not gonna be the my my, you know,

I thought it would be the perfect husband, all the

kind of stuff, right, it's not the one for me,

and I just got rejected. And therefore I'm gonna be I'm.

Gonna be celibate, I'm gonna go through the mountains and

be a monk forever because the one girl rejected me.

Friends so drama for what I'm being more dramatic, right,

but it's true.

It's true. It's true.

So first point that we've got to remember is that

we will have trouble in the world. So don't be

surprised when you have trouble. Don't be surprised when you

have trouble. Don't be a surprised when someone disagrees with you,

even in church. Don't be surprised that someone disagrees. I'm

not surprised anymore. You know, sometimes people come and tell

me something. You will approach me and say, passcle somebody

to tell you. But I don't know that I should

tell you or not. I'm like, just tell her. I

don't know how you would react. I've come to a

place right where nothing surprises me. Seriously, you know, passing right.

I think when you're being in ministry a certain amount

of timer, nothing surprises you anymore. In fact, sometimes you

can almost guess what they're going to tell, you know,

and when you tell them, and when you get it right,

they are surprised that, you know, because they think that

their problem is the biggest problem in the world. Friends,

Let's not be surprised that there will be trouble young people.

Don't be surprised you are going to face rejection.

Your first job. You know.

Suddenly we come up here and we hear testimonies of like,

oh you know I did this, I did this.

You know, you know. The wonderful thing about testimony.

I still remember, okay, I still remember pasta Daniel Hoe

from DMC. We had a buster's uh well, kind of

like a last time dreaming Lasuer. We organized some like

were you there, Passama, Yeah, he was there, So I

think we had something where some us full time workers

pass us, we were able to fellowship with the older

generation pass us like Passa Chio Parsadonia hoo.

It was really good.

And Passa Daniel he's such an awesome guy in terms

of like reaching out people. He will go into the

and he got a script mon or he'll go into

the TAXI give them the script and then somehow he

has led many people to go to church, come to

know a lot. It's amazing. And we always hear all

these testimonies. And then there was one lunch I remember

I sat down. We sat down with him because they separated. Sorry,

we can have one or one time I asked him

this question. I said, Passa Daniel, you've been doing this

for five years or so because he retired and then

he his personal ministries.

He go and reach our people.

And I asked him, I said, definitely got rejection on right, definitely, God,

can you tell me about the rejection now? Because I

keep hearing the good stories and then you look at

me really seriously, I said, Now, he said, Elvin, God,

I'm rejected right ten times out of no, I'm rejected

at least nineteen times out of twenty times most of

the time. Now, I said, why you never share about

the rejection, Then it's more realistic. Then he said this,

would you rather hear the testimonies or the rejection? But

there were nineteen rejections for that one testimony. You know,

I think if you go into sales talk and all

they will share you the same thing, You'll be rejected

most of the time. Friends, just because you follow Jesus

doesn't mean everything will be pitchy rainbows in the sky.

You know, the moment you wake up, there's going to

be like you know, Zipperdy Do, the zipperdy day.

You know that song, My oh my world wonderful. It's

not gonna happen that way. They are down, days they're up, days,

trouble will come. Your persides was set. Now, let me

encourage you.

John sixteen to the Tree says these things. I have

spoken to you that in me you may have peace

in the world.

You will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I

have overcome the world. Or praise God, man, praise.

God, because thankfully for us, as believe us, you know,

if you talk to people who don't know Jesus, right,

they cannot claim this promise. But those of us who

believe in Christ, we can claim this promise. Thankfully, Jesus

overcame the world. He did, he overcame the world. And

because he overcame the world, there is power, willinginess to

also overcome our challenges. Everybody say amen, there's power in

you to overcome your challenges.

There is What are we overcoming? Friends? The world?

I'm not being over spiritualized, you know last time because I.

Grew up in church. Oh the world. You know, everything

from the world is bad.

Well, not everything from the world is bad, but the

influence of the world is bad. The ideology of the

world is bad. Right, So we're got to be We're

going to know how to discerned. Right, what are we overcoming?

We're overcoming an ideology? Why also Loto one Christian pray

for sick lay hand. So Lotho is an ideology. Oh

it's not scientifically backed. Well, unfortunately God is not scientifically backed.

Right. What is science? Science and the observation of life proof? Right?

And then people ask for proof, but God is about relationship.

We're overcoming away of life. We're overcoming a doctrine. Do

you know it's a doctrine? You know, doctrine doesn't just

mean church Bible doctrine. If you study the Word of God,

you will well. Hopefully if you go deeper, you might

or might not notice that actually being a believer is

about a way of life, not just coming to church

on a Sunday, by a way of life daily prayer,

like just not what happened when we have worship?

Why do we come to worship? Because we get in

tuned with God. Right.

It is a spiritual experience. It goes beyond our physical body,

It goes beyond our emotions. Have your experienced before that

you were maybe I don't know. You know, if you've

been you've been a believing long enough, you might have

this experience. You feel so upset, so stressed out. But

when you come into worship you feel that peace. That

one is not blaff people, No, that one is what

Bible say, you know, because in God's presence, there's peace.

In God's presence, there's peace.

I tell you the amount of times that you know,

I have no answer to the pronunces I face. But

when I come into God's priends, I just somehow have peace.

I just somehow know, somehow know in my being of

being that it's all going to be okay. And later on,

of course it became okay. Are you catching something? What

are we overcoming? Which way do you believe or which

way do you apply? Is it God's way or the

world's way? Friends, we can also overcome the world. Christ

has overcome the world. We can also overcome the world.

We can First John five four or five says, for

whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this

is the victory that has overcome the world. Our faith,

our faith has overcome the world. Who is he who

overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is

the son of God.

So, friends, are you born of God?

When we say, receive Christ as your personal law and

save it, and He will save you. You know he

will save you. The Bible says you're born again. Why

is the term born again important for Christian It's not

literally go back into your m's woman and come out again. No,

it's grosslar like some alien thing happening. Psha, you know No,

it's not like that. It's born again.

In spirit.

There is a transformation that happens. Friends, transform our lives

are transformed through Christ Jesus. Our lives are transformed through

Christ Jesus. Let's read scripture. Okay, I guys get thinking

something out of this. I hope you are. Just check

whether you're falling asleep on me or not. Oh, okay,

First John four, I'm gonna read from verse one to four.

It says he believed. Do not believe every spirit, but

test the spirits whether they are of God, because many

false prophets have gone into the world.

Out into the world. By this, you know the spirit

of God.

Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in

the flesh is of God. And every spirit that does

not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh

is not of God.

How clear can the Bible be? Friends, How clear can

the Bible be?

Every spirit that confessed that Christ came in flesh is

of God.

That means Jesus exists, is of God.

And every spirit that says no, it's not it, it

didn't happen, jee is not God.

It's not of God.

And this is the spirit of the anti Christ, which

you have heard was coming and it's now already in

the world. It is already in the world, no friends anything.

And I love how Passa men broke down one day.

I think when he was sharing about the Seven US,

he really just broke down the ideology of what's happening

in the States, pro life, pro choice and all, and

how it contradicts Christ.

Christ. He was very clear, Right, don't ask him. You

can go and listen to the MTG.

It's quite good, right, because I don't want to border

a Passam always always bother him. Anything that's anti Christ,

it's not of God. Friends, So be very careful what

you believe in, because if you're believing something that is

against Christ. Yeah, it's very hard not to to to

follow the way of life that Christ have said. You

can't cherry pick. That's that's the one thing that we

have to be clear. I cannot here comes the gym reference.

I cannot say I'm working out recently. My I tell you,

my wife's you know, dear, how come you start snacking again?

How come you start? How come you're looking for chocolate?

Ser she ask me, because yeah, go to the fresh.

Why no chocolate early? You know? Then she's like, how

are you looking for chocolates? And I told her.

I said, well, it's not because I'm going back on

my word, but it's because I've come to a place

where I'm controlling.

My diet, right, and I didn't have meals.

And also I'm kind of like managing in that I'm

managing it a little bit more specifically.

Really, but you see how foolisihous am I?

And I used to do it last time to say, oh,

you know, because I exercised two hours now, therefore I.

Can have a whole chicken on my own long as

you think that way.

No, because I exercise, then I can because I exercise

that I can have chocolate. Because friends were dangerous to

live that way, right, you can't have both.

You gotta be very clear verse forces.

You have got little children and have overcome them, because

he who is in you is greater than he who.

Is in the world. Are you catching that scripture?

Not he Christ who is in you, not in me,

not in here this place, No in you when you

make decisions every day Monday to Friday, He who is

in you, not outside in you, is greater than he

who is in the world. Figure out speech who is

he in the world? Anything and everyone else that is

against Christ, he who is in you. So then the

question is which voice is louder? Are we gonna listen

to the voice in us, hopefully Jesus say in us,

or are we going to listen to the voice outside?

Right?

And we are one, friends, We are one because in reality,

as I'm sharing this to you, different ones here have

different challenges and you might still be in a conundrum

or by passive when you say this, But then how I, well,

I won't be able to give you blanket.

Or specifics on what to do or how to live. Right.

We have to do it case by case, because everybody

here is unique. However, the general principle is there. General

principle is always there. The foundational truth is always there,

the foundational truth that Christ has overcome the world, and

Christ is in us. Therefore we can overcome the world.

Meaning whatever situation you're in right now, however, to navigate,

know that if you keep deciding, or if you listen

more to the Holy Spirit, you can overcome that situation.

Whether it's in church or outside of church doesn't matter. Right.

You got to remember that because then.

You have to rely on God, not Reland pastor Elvin giving.

No not Reland pastor not you relying your home leader,

and no, rely on the Holy Spirit, rely on God,

rely on the relationship that you have with Christ, Coronel.

And of course we're here a lot. You can definitely

come and ask our advice and all and find. But

you know what I realized also sometimes people come and

ask me for advice. I realize a lot of times

people just want affirmation of their decision. They want me

as a pastor to give a chop.

Yes, you are doing the right thing. But what if

they're not?

Sometimes and then when I say they're not happy, then

they go to another pastor they will agree with them.

You know, sometimes we listen to the doctor, we don't

like the then we go get a second opinion, and

then second doctors say the same thing, and then we

go get a third opinion.

And do you know how dangerous that is when it

comes to the word of God.

It means that it doesn't matter what people say, you

will do what you want to do, Cora or not,

you will. So we are wanted to test the spirits, friends,

we are wanted to test the spirit. And that's my

encouragement to you test the spirits, test it, test it.

And how do you test it. It's written here.

Let me look for the scripture gain right.

Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether

they are from God of God, because many false prophets

have gone out to the world.

And we're not just.

Talking about doctrine, we're talking about the way of life.

Test the spirit right, Test the spirit. We are taught

to discern the fruit of people. Discern the fruit. Friends,

if you just believe blindly, right, then it's very foolitional

just believe, believe or just because this person is nice,

you know, I tell you if I get a coiner

or ring it for everybody to say, just because the

person's nice, I'll be very rich.

By nolady.

There a lot of nice people in the world. There

are a lot of nice people, but a lot of

nice people are not principle. A lot of nice people

don't follow God.

Right.

Just because they're nice doesn't mean that it's the right way.

Just because they make you feel good, A lot of

things make me feel good. There comes another reference, I scream,

make me feel good right by having too much of

it's not good.

So we were careful how you discern.

The Bible teaches us how to discern Matthew seven sixteen

twenty says you will know them by their fruits. Do

men gather grapes from torn bushes or fixed from thissels?

Your catch that it's agriculture.

You know?

Do you do you pick apples from poison ivy trees

or durians from cowgrass? Very direct, trying to malaysianize it.

No, you don't.

It's religious. We think sitting at the grass, we thing.

I'm waiting for the Durian to come out. Everybody belove

what you doing. Even so, every good tree best good fruit.

But a bad tree best bad food. A good tree

cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear

good fruit. Every tree that does not bad good fruit

is cut and thrown into the fire.

Therefore, by their fruits you will know them. Friends discern

the fruit.

That's why sometimes when I talk to people, and when

I am well judged or whatever, I'm not worried because

I'll tell people see why I do, See what I produce.

Look at the people around me, right, Look at the

people around me that I'm close to.

Are they just.

Nice people or are they principal people? That's how you discern,

Because sometimes we get we get a little bit blinded

by niceness, blinded by fame, blinded by looking cool. Friends,

I'm not the coolest guy in the room. Seriously, I

do like Uncle the white hair. But I let my

testimony speak for yourself, so I'm not worried. Yes, you

get roumans, sometimes you get I'm just using this example, Okay, right,

But that's how you can discern. That's how you can discern.

Look at the people around you, what is your fruit?

And that's also how you discern yourself, what is my fruit?

Where am I producing? I've been saying this for a

long time.

You know.

I'm so sorry to keep going back to this fitness thing. Okay,

but I hope you encourage you. I've been telling myself

that I'm gonna get healthy.

For many, many years.

It took a hospital, we sit and one night in

Ico for me to actually do it.

And now I'm saying, and I mean why.

I say, but for the past seven years, Nola, honestly,

it's empty words say you need, don't do?

Yeah, I mean so discern. Well, you got to discern.

Friends, We've come to a time and age where we

have to learn how to discern, learn how to discern

better is from the lot or not. Don't just and

you see it's not about and discernment doesn't come. We've

to other people. Know, No, you have to decide for yourself.

You cannot just go just because Perston men say I

just trust on Nila.

No no, no, please you discern or so you also discern,

you also observe.

Yes, you can get information for other people, but discern,

and more importantly discern with the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Right, good fruit? Look for good fruit. What is the

fruit that is being produced? And what is the fruit

that's being produced out of your own life?

Amen?

Let me share maybe to try and see. Okay, I

got ten minutes on me. Let me try and wrap

this up. But you guys, okay, friends, I just want

to focus on this. You can be overcomers. The problems

you'll face today, right right are not that big. I'm

not dumplaying it now. You know why I say that,

because God is bigger. No matter what problem you'll face

in your life today, you got to believe that He

who is in you is greater.

Than he who is in the world.

And maybe it's hard to believe now because it's so big.

You're looking at a problem and you can't see the

God that's big because God is standing behind the problem

and the problem is brooking your view. Friends, I pray

that God will give you testimony, small testimonies that will

build your faith to believe that, Hey, my God can

do anything. You've got to hang on to that. But

you got to believe because you've got to walk in faith.

First.

Let me share with you for me, and again, it's

a transform life, right, there's another way to discern fruit

is the life transform or not?

Not just word of mouthfuly.

You know, I think I've changed a lot as a person, really,

and I've grown a lot. Let me tell you one

of the lessons that I've learned recently, right, which my

dear wife has highlighted to me. Right, Well, I'm quite

open with the nature and the dynamic of my relationship

my parents, Okay, my dad, and now I'm taking care

of my dad in a way, have THEO send him

for treatment and all that kind of stuff. And sometimes

I do take leave, right sacrifice to take leief. But

if you've taken care of someone who is you know,

aging and also uh not, well it's very difficult and

sometimes you feel like you doing your child and sometimes

they don't understand and course that expectation that you should

do it, you know. And let's just say that recently,

I totally I took my dad to the hospital, went

and checked and and of course the news came up.

You know, we were planning to get the doctor to

sign off on something so that he can get a well,

I wouldn't say better treatment, but the easier treatment. And

it didn't happen, unfortunately, and we have to go for

another follow up be seid. And of course my dad

was discouraged and I noticed it, and but but he

was being difficult and it was a long day seeing

all these problems that come. It was long er for me.

I'm like, waiting on your hand and foot, I got

better things to do. So now you think that away, right,

and I'm like I've done my part. I've and and

and friends, our public have care awesome, but it's straneous.

I was walking from this department to that department, to

that department, to this department, to this department, to that

department to that department to this hold day and my

dad was just sitting there and then we got the

doctor and then I got upset. I got so upset

now that I also whatever, you know, and he asked

me for something. He asked me for something simple like

can you please buy dinner for me?

Right? You know?

And he wanted bizza, and I'm like, after one or two,

you know again something said the emotion like I ready

to come here at the care of you. It's really

a full day.

You know.

Initially I'm like, okay, and I can buy pizza for you.

But then there are one or two things that he

did which make me go like you're just trying to

You're just being a little spot bread.

That's how it felt like, Okay, he discouraged anima.

Then I'm like, then I retalied, like are you set

yourself dinner?

Sound cruel?

Guys are not so bad, so I said there he's

like okay, said myself. He was angry now driving that drive,

dropping back and I went back home. It was ready

four o'clock and then I was driving in a car.

I thought to myself, my dad's not young. He I mean,

he's not young, maa okay, being objective. Actually his request

was not difficult. I can just easily do it. And

I think God softened my heart to say, Elvin, you're

supposed on your dad.

Right, Yes, it was difficult, but he was discouraged. He's sick.

Not you now.

When I grabbed pizza and I texted him, right, I say,

I bought your pizza for you, and then he thanked me.

Say thank Alvin, thank you so much for today. My

dad don't take me on. He's never said thank you,

thank you and sorry. It is I don't know.

I think Asian parents, it's not something that we say

all the time. You know, you know, you don't know

if anything, But how can family. I'm trying to figure

out how how can people say thank you?

No?

No, we don't say sorry and come see eyes you

know you're welcome. I may see to figure out what

is it? In Taiwan? I think they say sit le,

something like excuse me or something. But for those of you,

how can you hear? You probably never heard it, because

how can people say thank sorry?

One?

So so I send to him and everything. See it

was a change of heart on my side. Do you

know what the normal pass elvan will do?

Angry? Angry?

Whatever I did I did my party, I really suffered

eight hours, you know all these things, you know, and

then then I bring back hystory.

Yeah, you know I grew up. You know did you

do this for me when I was young?

No?

You did? I know? All these things are okay? Transform life? Friends?

Is he about me? Is he about me? It's not

about me. God called me to take care of my dad.

I take as I take care. You have a problem,

How I retell it? Do you think it's easy to

be perfect smiling all the time?

Of course? Not right literally waiting on my dead hand

and foot right?

And do you know when you will getting angry when

people don't appreciate it? There was no appreciation. Only after

the pizzare came, then there was appreciation. No, I'm just

being not dealer. Even if my dad didn't say thank you,

I would have been okay because I was at peace ready.

The thank you was a bonus. See.

I overcame the emotion. I overcame my mindset. How he

who is in me is greater than he who is

in the world. You want to hear one more story.

I won't be able to go too deep into it.

But this has to do with a little bit of

the Blue Rooms. So when I was given the project

for the Blue Rooms, Friends, I am full time video

department hit. I'm not full time pastor, I'm not full

time church worker. I got a day job. And when

I was given the project to do up the blue rooms,

because because I'm leading the special needs ministry, he was

extra job and he was stressful job. So for one year,

stressful job suddenly had to be contractor, interior designer. Sunny

had to be specialist, expert friends, I don't know anything.

I'm really going in blind. It was one of the

most challenging work seasons of my life. It was so challenging.

My stuff was not happy to me, right, who's my staff?

Passed the sea?

When you can go talk to him, he also can't

tell you right. I was not very nice during time

seeing nice right. In fact, in that project, I was

working on that an hour leader and we had a

lot of clashes because of dadlines, budget and different things

and expectation. It came up to a point right where

I was gonna tender my resignation. That's how bad you got,

you know. You know, sometimes you help, you do your best.

You did everything, and then still.

It's not good enough, and you're like, hey, I'm ready

going out of limb here, you know, and it's still

not going enough.

How can we be talking about church? Wait, well, we

also have problems inside. I want to be really honest,

you guys. It came to a point where I'm like,

and you know, I'll you know what, I've been working

here for nineteen years. Ready, eighteen years? Ready, maybe it's

time I move online.

You know how trouble, deep trouble can affect you that way, right?

It can't. And I had a valid reason. It was

very valid, It was very valid.

It really came to the point and I felt I

had no one talked to it, and I was very

angry and was all these differendings my thing of dispression.

His kids. You know you're suffering for them.

You know, when you are not happy and when you

face trouble, you don't really care about other people.

It's thrue, right.

It came to a point where I had to talk

to Buster. I say, Pastor, I'm ready, and my wits

an really this this this happened, This happened, This is happened,

and I felt I needed to just at least you know,

and can I say you something I don't know? I

don't like to talk to Buster that I I don't

like to complain. I think that's one thing that my

mom taught me since young, which not I hold very

strong one too, that I will just deal with it first.

I'm not the tip that will go and complain about things.

One I was just young tee bahn, and you don't

deal with the lot. But I got to the point

where I really cannot take it, and Passes say these words, Elvin,

don't let this one thing that happened. Yes, yes it happened,

and he was not fan on, but don't let this

one thing that happened affect the others many many years

of relationship you have with this person, that this person

has been doing so much for you. Wow, I like,

let me pray about your pastor you know, always do that, right, friends,

I'm still here. The project is done.

It was good.

Whoever this person I'm talking about, it's not pasiate. But

whoever this person I'm talking about, we're very very we

have a very good relationship. Now it's not passimate, it's

not pusimate. So you look at him, Yeah, I we

have a very good relationship now. Right in fact, now

our relationship is stronger because we were almost fun joy

you know, you know, we almost bad things almost happened,

but it didn't because we overcame. We overcome. We actually

had a reconciliation. I had to initiate it. I had

to initiate it. Come on, my friends, you mean you,

I mean I have to go in initiate someone. Yeah,

I to initiate it. And we had a reconsolation and

we are stronger together because now we understand each other

a bit better. You know, you really understand someone right

when you really rob each other the wrong way calc

con and you can still look at each other and say,

I still love you. And it's not a marriage's cause

marriage you've got something to build on, love and care

and all the good memories. What kind of relationship? No happiness?

Not happy with it? You? You know? Mess memeans that's it? Really,

But the Lord restorted and.

I'm still here and thank god, so I grew a

lot in that season. But it was also one of

the lower seasons. Friends. I'm sharing this with you not

because I'm better. I'm sharing this with you just to

tell you that no matter what season you're in, if

the Lord is with you, he who is in you

is greater than he who is in the world. Don't

give up so fast because you're going through the word

is not even problem and hating and stress.

No, the word is tribulation. You know. Tribulation is a

big word. You know.

Please go and do research on what tribulation means, you

know nowadays? Nowadays for me, you know, it's my yach sick.

Even though I go through problems, I just want to

know one thing, God, are you here with me? Just

that it's not God take away a problem. Yes, I

also pray that, But the more important question is God,

are you here with me? Because I don't want to

make a decision that you are not here with me,

because then I know I'm suffering for nothing. But if

you are here with me, I know I'll be suffering

for something and I can overcome. You can overcome? Can

you turn to your men say you can overcome? I'll

just end with these few more scriptures? What is the

reward for overcomers? Revelations three in nineteen twenty one. As

many as I love, I rebuke and chessten. Therefore be

zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I

will come in to him and dine with him, and

he with me. To him who overcomes, I will grant

him to sit with me on my throne. And I

also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. Hey,

if you overcome Jesus, come and dine with you. I

think that's the best thing that can that you can experience.

Revelations three five says he who overcomes shall be clothed

in white garments. You know what white garments signify, purity, blame,

And I will not. I will not brought out his

name from the book of Life, but I will confess

his name before my Father and before his angels. How

powerful is that when you overcome something, When you overcome

the world, Christ will defend you.

Jesus will defend you.

No matter how many mistakes you made in the past.

Christ will come and defen you. Revelations treature says he

who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the

temple of my God, and he shall go out no more.

I will write on him the name of my God

and the name of the city of my God, the

New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God.

And I will write on him my new name. Let

me talk a little bit about this because this one,

I feel will speak more to leaders. Leaders, if you overcome,

you will be a pillar. You know not a pillar

does for the foundation. A pillar is something that needs

to be there one A piller that's immovable, no matter

how crazy things are. The pillar holds up the foundation

of any building. And God promises that if you, if

you overcome, you will be a pillar in the Lord,

in the Lord's house. Do you know, friends, that there

are many pillars here in XPJ that no matter what

happens in the church, how crazy things get, because God

is with us, they still stand strong. Or would we

rather be like a read the moment trouble happens?

Bye bye.

Pillars, friends, We need pillars. We don't need any more

flip flop people. We need people who are cool. Yeah

there's trouble, but we will overcome. Yeah there's challenges, but

we'll overcome. Who you ready rely on a pillar? I

think I read it, rely on a pillar?

You can lean on a pillar? Now? Do we know

why the Bible teaches us to rejoice in tribulations?

How you got a problem, Hey, cheer up, Something's gonna happen.

You know that's how I respond to people. Now when

I talk to people and I say, you know, there

was no person look at a person. I say, you

want to know what's exciting. God's going to come true

and you're gonna have a testimony. God's going to come

true and he's going to change it. God's going to

come true and digs will change. These two shall pass.

It's the one thing that me and my wife always

encourage each other. I are going to challenge us. Now,

these tools shall pass.

Not gandal say, do not pass on, better pass past

God problem pass. These two shall pass. The season will end.

Romans five three five says and not only that, but

we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance,

and perseverance, character and character. Hope, now, hope that's not disappointed,

because the love of God has been poured out in

our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

And James want too, a scripture that we all here often.

He says, my brethren, county, all joy when you fall

into Ver's trials, knowing that the testing of your faith

produces patients. But let patients have His perfect work, that

you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.

Pill Us in the house of the Lord lack nothing.

Pill Us in the House of the Lord, know that

the tribulation that they face it is temporary. People, Friends,

we are overcomers. That's my encouragement to you. Yes, you're

going to challenge now, hey, believe in the Lord. He

will move, you will overcome. It's not forever. The answer

will come. Maybe there's a lesson you need to learn.

Maybe there's something you need to grow in. You will

become a pillar. Isn't there a good thing to become?

That's why has overcome friends twenty twenty five. Maybe I

don't know what it's going to hold for a sum

will be challenging, hopefully hopefully not challenging.

Hopefully not all of.

Us have to go to tribulation now, okay, but even

if we do, do I walk through the value of

the shadow of death. I feel fear no evil because

you're Rod and your staff they comfort me.

Your Lord and your staff they are with me.

Can you just brow your eyes even as I pray

your ord and your staff laurd. The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not be in want. He makes me lie

down in green pastures. He restores my soul, do I

walk through the value of the shadow of death. I

will fear no evil for your world and your staff

will comfort me. O Lord, I want to claim this

scripture on our lives this morning. Different ones here maybe

going through a difficult time. I don't know on you know,

But Lord, I pray for God that they be encouraged

because they are overcome us more than conquerus. That's the

promise you have, because he who is in us is

greater than he who is in the world. And when

we trust in Christ, and we will walk with Christ,

you will help us to overcome. You help us to

overcome our emotions. You will help us to overcome the situation.

You help us to overcome difficult people. You will help

us to overcome every single challenge. Some things we have

no control. Lord, I know that you will help us

overcome because you will provide a way out for us.

And I pray, o God, that every single one here

will be so sensitive to your Holy Spirit that they

will discern what is from you and what is not

from you, that they will be wise to discern what

are the things that you are leading them to do.

Just because it looks good doesn't mean it's God. Just

because it feels good doesn't mean it's God. Lord, I

pray that we will reject those things when it's against you,

but we will receive things from you, although it's hard,

because when we receive things from you, we are going

to grow, because we will become people of character, people

who can persevere, people who are pill us in the

house of the Lord, because we and we need more pillars,

because there will be other people that need to lean

on us, other people that will need to rely on

our strength in our families, the people around us. Lord,

I pray o God, that you annoying every single one here,

that we will realize and grow and understand that we

are overcome us more than conquerors, more than overcome us

through Christ Jesus within us. Oh Lord, I pray o God,

that we will discern and not make any wrong decisions anymore,

not make any decisions following the world anymore. But I

pray God that we will overcome our desires, overcome our dreams. Lord,

I pray O God that will strengder. Friends, Can you

just rise up even right now, even as extreme leads

you to worship. I want to encourage you to build

an altar to the Lord. You know, you know yourself,

you know what you're going through, and if you are

going through some challenge, can you ask God to help you.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

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this week is going to be a good week ahead

for you. God bless