Test of Obedience Sis Elizabeth Teo
01 Sep
Sometime last year, the Lord spoke to me through several dreams about shifting house.
Initially, I was apprehensive, as this was a major decision. However, I decided to obey, and bit by bit, the Lord revealed to me His heartbeat.
The Lord also revealed to me the area I should shift to. I started to look for an agent. I shared with my mom of my intention to sell the current 5 room HDB flat, and downgrade to perhaps a 3 or 4 room HDB flat. My mom was quite sad, as she’s grown to love this place, and her friends are here. Moreover, my brother sold this flat to me at a very good price. Given the current housing situation, it’s definitely not viable to purchase a 3 or 4 room flat from the open resale market. My mom tried to discourage me, and instead asked me to consider renovating the current flat. So did my brother. But I decided to go ahead with God’s plan.
Next, the Lord revealed that my mom will not be staying with me, when I shift to my new flat. Instead, He wanted me to stay with my 2 lovely grown-up spiritual children (Elisha and Joann), whom He blessed me recently. I was flabbergasted! All my 3 siblings are married with own family commitment. All these years, my mom and I stay together. In her younger days, my mom went through lots of suffering, and as children, we tend to be very protective over her. So how could I possibly leave her alone, and where’s she going to stay????
I struggled for months, and I don’t know how to broach the subject of my mom not staying with me, up to my siblings, and more so, to my mom. All I could say is “the Lord wants me to sell the flat, wait upon Him for perhaps 2 -3 months, before buying a new flat”. I asked my siblings if we could meet to discuss about mom’s temporary housing arrangement.
Instead, they were extremely upset with me. My brother told me, he had no objection for me to do God’s work but I can’t just sell everything now and “abandon” mom. None of my siblings’ house will be able to accommodate her and her things. He felt my action is rather selfish and too simplistic, and doubt this is God’s work! He felt no matter what, I should at least buy a 3 room HDB flat to provide a shelter for mom and myself. I continued to earnestly seek the Lord to reveal to me His plan for my mom. But the Lord was very silent about it. I was even told that my silence and actions might have caused my mom great depression, and I could be guilty of driving her to suicide, depression and even dementia. There was even plan to take legal action against me. Even one of my aunt (whom I thought could at least understand my situation), was very upset with my doing, that she came to my church one Saturday afternoon, to try to talk some senses into me. Everyone thought I was out of my mind, and going to the “extreme”.
The Lord also wanted me to focus in helping my spiritual children to step into their destiny, fast and pray for them, and help with their wedding preparation etc., which was held on January 1, 2011.
It was really a painful period for all of us. But I decided to press on, and continued to draw strength from the Lord. There’s no turning back, for the Lord said, “No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:v62). “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:v24-25). The Lord impressed upon my heart that if I try to savage my relationship with my mom, He might take her away from my life. I cried out to the Lord for His grace and strength to help me go through this journey, and to renew my mind. Every night, I could lock myself inside my room to worship Him and pray. The Lord prompted Ps Esther to give me the verse: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as Your will” (Matthew 26:v39). So, whatever it is, God’s will be done! The Lord also prompted me to read “God’s gonna make you laugh” by Noel Jones. God simply wanted me to rejoice despite all these circumstances!
Though it was not easy to have to face my family members, colleagues, housing agent, etc., who might not understand what the Lord was doing in my life; yet, I thank God for Ps Paul & Ps Esther, Sis Gloria, my spiritual children, and some of the sisters’ in-Christ for their love, support, and prayer. Above all, our Lord is always faithful, and by my side.
In early December, I received an e-mail with the heading:-“Elizabeth, are you Interested in Eternal Rewards?” It was like God speaking to me. “Yes Lord, I’m interested in eternal rewards. Please renew my mind to look at things in the spiritual realm, rather than through my natural eyes”.
Finally, after months of struggling, I decided to sell the flat in late December. Almost immediately, we found a prospect buyer and in early January, we signed the Option to Purchase. My mom wept, and asked if I’m happy, now that the flat is sold and if this is what the Lord teaches about honouring one’s parents. The very word was like a dagger pierced through my heart, all I could say is: “mom, perhaps you may not understand what I’m doing now. But one day, I believe you will”, and I walked to my room, to find comfort in the Lord, and continued to uphold my mom in prayer.
The prospect buyer had some problem obtaining the desired loan from the bank, until 2 hours after the option date expired. My agent asked if I could reconsider the deal. Sensing the Lord is using the environment/circumstances to speak to me, I asked for some time to reconsider. In the end, even my agent, who is a Christian, got so terribly upset with me, texted me his thoughts and view about the whole situation.
I was extremely puzzled, and I asked the Lord to forgive me if I messed up His plan. I was prepared to start all over again to look for a buyer, because I just want to obey His will. For the Lord said in John 14:v15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
During my 3 days of fast and prayer, the Lord revealed to me His plan, and later through Ps Esther, He revealed that it was just a test of my obedience, to see if I’m willing to let go of my “Issac” –i.e. my mom. Besides, I sensed the Lord also wanted to test if through these, I’m still willing to seek first the kingdom of God….
Abraham was tested if he was willing to sacrifice his only son, Issac, as burnt offering to the Lord. Because of his obedience, and have not withheld his only son, the Lord blessed him and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand n the seashore… (Genesis 22 ).
Because of my willingness to obey, the Lord not only restored my relationship with my mom, but our relationship is much better than before. I felt my mom has changed too. We came from a traditional church, and my family members don’t quite understand about the works of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, there were quite a lot of resistances. However, my mom is now more receptive and allowed me to minister to her, and she looks much happier these days. God also restored my relationship with my siblings.
In his younger days, my dad bought several Chinese antiques, which my mom displayed in the living room. Many times, I tried to persuade her to discarde them, but she felt they are just simply for decorative purpose, and nothing else. However, God is good! He had my mom cleared most of them during these period of testing! I believe and proclaim the day is coming, when all the remaining Chinese antiques will be out of our house! Amen!
God uses this to train and mold my character:- to be “bold & courageous”, and bearing more fruit of the spirits (Galatians 5:22). Through these, my faith is much strengthened. I always enjoy being in the “comfort zone”. However, “God always messes with our area of comfort – our comfort zone. It is not that God wants us to be uncomfortable, but rather that He wants us to take the journey that leads to higher altitudes – higher than we’ve ever dreamed we could go” (God’s gonna make you LAUGH by Noel Jones). It is when I am weak, then I am strong, because I’m tapping on the Lord’s strength to carry me through this tough period, and enjoyed even greater intimacy with Him.
Oh Lord…You are indeed awesome…. who could understand Your doing? For Your thoughts are not ours, neither are our ways Your ways (Isaiah 55:V8).
Thank you, Lord for giving me the grace and strength to go through this test. Amen!
01 Sep
Sometime last year, the Lord spoke to me through several dreams about shifting house.
Initially, I was apprehensive, as this was a major decision. However, I decided to obey, and bit by bit, the Lord revealed to me His heartbeat.
The Lord also revealed to me the area I should shift to. I started to look for an agent. I shared with my mom of my intention to sell the current 5 room HDB flat, and downgrade to perhaps a 3 or 4 room HDB flat. My mom was quite sad, as she’s grown to love this place, and her friends are here. Moreover, my brother sold this flat to me at a very good price. Given the current housing situation, it’s definitely not viable to purchase a 3 or 4 room flat from the open resale market. My mom tried to discourage me, and instead asked me to consider renovating the current flat. So did my brother. But I decided to go ahead with God’s plan.
Next, the Lord revealed that my mom will not be staying with me, when I shift to my new flat. Instead, He wanted me to stay with my 2 lovely grown-up spiritual children (Elisha and Joann), whom He blessed me recently. I was flabbergasted! All my 3 siblings are married with own family commitment. All these years, my mom and I stay together. In her younger days, my mom went through lots of suffering, and as children, we tend to be very protective over her. So how could I possibly leave her alone, and where’s she going to stay????
I struggled for months, and I don’t know how to broach the subject of my mom not staying with me, up to my siblings, and more so, to my mom. All I could say is “the Lord wants me to sell the flat, wait upon Him for perhaps 2 -3 months, before buying a new flat”. I asked my siblings if we could meet to discuss about mom’s temporary housing arrangement.
Instead, they were extremely upset with me. My brother told me, he had no objection for me to do God’s work but I can’t just sell everything now and “abandon” mom. None of my siblings’ house will be able to accommodate her and her things. He felt my action is rather selfish and too simplistic, and doubt this is God’s work! He felt no matter what, I should at least buy a 3 room HDB flat to provide a shelter for mom and myself. I continued to earnestly seek the Lord to reveal to me His plan for my mom. But the Lord was very silent about it. I was even told that my silence and actions might have caused my mom great depression, and I could be guilty of driving her to suicide, depression and even dementia. There was even plan to take legal action against me. Even one of my aunt (whom I thought could at least understand my situation), was very upset with my doing, that she came to my church one Saturday afternoon, to try to talk some senses into me. Everyone thought I was out of my mind, and going to the “extreme”.
The Lord also wanted me to focus in helping my spiritual children to step into their destiny, fast and pray for them, and help with their wedding preparation etc., which was held on January 1, 2011.
It was really a painful period for all of us. But I decided to press on, and continued to draw strength from the Lord. There’s no turning back, for the Lord said, “No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:v62). “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up the cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:v24-25). The Lord impressed upon my heart that if I try to savage my relationship with my mom, He might take her away from my life. I cried out to the Lord for His grace and strength to help me go through this journey, and to renew my mind. Every night, I could lock myself inside my room to worship Him and pray. The Lord prompted Ps Esther to give me the verse: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as Your will” (Matthew 26:v39). So, whatever it is, God’s will be done! The Lord also prompted me to read “God’s gonna make you laugh” by Noel Jones. God simply wanted me to rejoice despite all these circumstances!
Though it was not easy to have to face my family members, colleagues, housing agent, etc., who might not understand what the Lord was doing in my life; yet, I thank God for Ps Paul & Ps Esther, Sis Gloria, my spiritual children, and some of the sisters’ in-Christ for their love, support, and prayer. Above all, our Lord is always faithful, and by my side.
In early December, I received an e-mail with the heading:-“Elizabeth, are you Interested in Eternal Rewards?” It was like God speaking to me. “Yes Lord, I’m interested in eternal rewards. Please renew my mind to look at things in the spiritual realm, rather than through my natural eyes”.
Finally, after months of struggling, I decided to sell the flat in late December. Almost immediately, we found a prospect buyer and in early January, we signed the Option to Purchase. My mom wept, and asked if I’m happy, now that the flat is sold and if this is what the Lord teaches about honouring one’s parents. The very word was like a dagger pierced through my heart, all I could say is: “mom, perhaps you may not understand what I’m doing now. But one day, I believe you will”, and I walked to my room, to find comfort in the Lord, and continued to uphold my mom in prayer.
The prospect buyer had some problem obtaining the desired loan from the bank, until 2 hours after the option date expired. My agent asked if I could reconsider the deal. Sensing the Lord is using the environment/circumstances to speak to me, I asked for some time to reconsider. In the end, even my agent, who is a Christian, got so terribly upset with me, texted me his thoughts and view about the whole situation.
I was extremely puzzled, and I asked the Lord to forgive me if I messed up His plan. I was prepared to start all over again to look for a buyer, because I just want to obey His will. For the Lord said in John 14:v15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
During my 3 days of fast and prayer, the Lord revealed to me His plan, and later through Ps Esther, He revealed that it was just a test of my obedience, to see if I’m willing to let go of my “Issac” –i.e. my mom. Besides, I sensed the Lord also wanted to test if through these, I’m still willing to seek first the kingdom of God….
Abraham was tested if he was willing to sacrifice his only son, Issac, as burnt offering to the Lord. Because of his obedience, and have not withheld his only son, the Lord blessed him and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand n the seashore… (Genesis 22 ).
Because of my willingness to obey, the Lord not only restored my relationship with my mom, but our relationship is much better than before. I felt my mom has changed too. We came from a traditional church, and my family members don’t quite understand about the works of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, there were quite a lot of resistances. However, my mom is now more receptive and allowed me to minister to her, and she looks much happier these days. God also restored my relationship with my siblings.
In his younger days, my dad bought several Chinese antiques, which my mom displayed in the living room. Many times, I tried to persuade her to discarde them, but she felt they are just simply for decorative purpose, and nothing else. However, God is good! He had my mom cleared most of them during these period of testing! I believe and proclaim the day is coming, when all the remaining Chinese antiques will be out of our house! Amen!
God uses this to train and mold my character:- to be “bold & courageous”, and bearing more fruit of the spirits (Galatians 5:22). Through these, my faith is much strengthened. I always enjoy being in the “comfort zone”. However, “God always messes with our area of comfort – our comfort zone. It is not that God wants us to be uncomfortable, but rather that He wants us to take the journey that leads to higher altitudes – higher than we’ve ever dreamed we could go” (God’s gonna make you LAUGH by Noel Jones). It is when I am weak, then I am strong, because I’m tapping on the Lord’s strength to carry me through this tough period, and enjoyed even greater intimacy with Him.
Oh Lord…You are indeed awesome…. who could understand Your doing? For Your thoughts are not ours, neither are our ways Your ways (Isaiah 55:V8).
Thank you, Lord for giving me the grace and strength to go through this test. Amen!
