This testimony was originally written for the purpose of water baptism on Easter Sunday 2005 in New Life Restoration Centre, Petaling Jaya according to their format. However, I have inserted additional details especially to describe the divine encounter with the Lord on the night I was saved and hit by the power of God. Be blessed!
1. My Life Before Knowing Christ
I was a believer of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism and involved deeply in chanting the sutra in order to get more blessing and salvation. Sometime, I became sceptical with this religion because He never answers some of my prayers and in some situations even becoming worse. I do not really trust people, always complaining, being stingy, plenty of worries, fearful etc.
2. How I Come to Accept Christ as My Saviour
When I was first year in University (year 1997-1998), I was invited by my course mate to join their Christmas Celebration and their weekly gathering. I went there to join them just because the campus life was boring. During one of the gatherings, 3-4 brothers came to approach me and asked me whether I wanted to accept Christ as my saviour. I rejected them because I didn’t feel any experience or witness the love of the miracle working Jesus whom they worshipped and sang about.
They started to pray for me: “ Father God, may this brother experience your love and show him that you are the miracle working God and you are the healer ….”
Praise the Lord that he answers this prayer 6 years later.
In end of year 2003, my wife was invited by the Sister Amy to the Christmas Event at New Life Restoration Centre, PJ. My wife was giving tuition to her daughter. Actually, I was quite reluctant to go.
I also attended Healing Banquet by Dr. Ananda Sitra of India on Apr 2004 and the Healing Services by Pastor William Lau of Elijah Challenge on July 2004. These events were invited through my wife by sis Amy. I was amazed because I witnessed the power of God to heal and Jesus is still alive today. I have never seen so many people being supernaturally healed. One of the notable miracles which I still remember from the events was a woman who sat on the wheelchair and she miraculously stood up, and the deaf was able to hear after being prayed for.
Heb 13:8 KJV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Mat 10:7-8 MKJV And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
Mat 10:7-8 MKJV And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. You have received freely, freely give.
These events planted a mustard seed in my heart. I begin to have a holy hunger to search and study more about Jesus, the Holy Spirit and about His healing.
Miraculously, God drew me to His arm when I attended a Christian meeting by Pastor John MacLennan (麥約翰牧師) on a Saturday night service at Chinese church, New Life Restoration Centre, Petaling Jaya on 4/9/04. This event was invited by my wife's colleague, Sister Ai Ching. I still remembered his sermon title was “Baptism of Holy Spirit & Fire”. Wow! a big wow to me! People experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire. I was extremely captivated by the awesome wonder of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit on the congregation & witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit and experienced the tangible Fire which was so strong there. When John MacLennan declared the Fire of God on a particular portion of the congregation, I saw the people started to scream, run like horses, their faces became reddish, sweating, shaking, trembling, laughing, falling to the floor, etc.
When I lifted up my both hands even I was in lobby area while watching the service inside the auditorium through TV , my both hands were shaking and trembling too.
(Mat 3:11 KJVA) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Act 2:1-4 MKJV And in the fulfilling of the day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly a sound came out of the heaven as borne along by the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And tongues as of fire appeared to them, being distributed; and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled of the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:1-4 MKJV And in the fulfilling of the day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly a sound came out of the heaven as borne along by the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And tongues as of fire appeared to them, being distributed; and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled of the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
During the altar call, my wife and I stepped forward to the altar to be prayed for. One of the co-workers prayed for the baptism of Holy Spirit and Fire, I fell to the floor and experienced a tremendous peace like a calm river. Never, never in my life I had experienced such a supernatural peace! During that time, I didn't know about salvation prayer, all I want was to experience Him more.
During the Sunday Service on 12/9/04, I 'formally' prayed the prayer of repentance and received Christ as my personal saviour.
Even after 12/9/2004, God continued to show me that He is a mighty Healer & miracle working God who created the Heaven & Earth, and nothing is impossible for Him. He even spoke to me to worship him in Spirit & in Truth. I did not know how to worship in Spirit and in Truth or understand what it was about. But I had a holy hunger for Him. Sister Amy lent us a book about the supernatural language given by Holy Spirit. I prayed and asked God to give me the gifts of tongues. Few months after I was saved, I remembered in December 2004, my mouth started to speak in unknown tongues when I was caught up in a flood at the busy street of Kuala Lumpur after work.
On the first Monday night of Jan 2005, I went to the Prayer House at Persiaran Duta alone just to experience more of Him. I entered the house and had hand-on experience of ‘worshipping in spirit and in truth'. After the worship, I was amazed that the Pastor in charge , Pastor Shaw Ming was preaching how to worship God in Spirit and in truth. Wow!
John 4:23-24 MKJV But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.
Psalm 22:3 KJV But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.
Psalm 22:3 KJV But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.
3. My Life Now as a Christian
I begin listening Praise & Worship songs instead of pop songs.
After I received Christ, I started to change from my negative character to positive character. By one divine encounter with Him during 'Living Free' class conducted by Pastor Chee Soon, God set me free from the spirit of fear.
Gal 5:22-23 GW But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are no laws against things like that.
Thomas Ong
Original written: March 2005
Revised: September 2011
