A Humble Beginning in GSJA Merdeka Bandung. A Great Awakening in Indonesia.

Soldiers, Align! There is a spiritual giant for God in the land of Bandung. His name is Yoel Sukardi. This giant was awakened after attending AWE2015, an Awakening Event in Batam, hosted by his TCA classmate Ps Henson Lim. Ps Yoel then invited Ps Henson to conduct the AAA seminar in GSJA Merdeka Bandung, where he serves. At the prayer meeting on the eve of the seminar (Indonesia’s Independence Day), the kingdom partnership soared.

Reading from 2 Chronicles 7:14, Ps Yoel roared, “A great awakening starts with a humble beginning! Humble ourselves and seek God’s face. Then, expect great things from a great God!” Our Indonesian brethren responded in unison, “Amen!” My spirit was stirred to pray.

Entered the master of horses. Ps Henson articulated the beauty of God’s timing. Indonesia and Singapore have enjoyed 50 years of diplomatic relations. The theme of Rising 50 is significant as an end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. Team Archippus is privileged to enter a fresh and new cycle that God has already started in Indonesia. From Joshua 3:13-15, Ps Henson exhorted all to align with the Commander.

To Joshua’s question, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”, the Commander answered, “No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD, I have now come.”

You see, the Commander does not align with the soldiers. The soldiers align with the Commander.

Two days later, sister Esther from Merdeka Church shared an amazing insight. As a test pilot, she was testing out a maiden flight on the very day Team Archippus landed in Indonesia, on their Independence Day. Have we, perhaps, stepped into a timing of ‘maiden assignments’ for Indonesia? One thing is sure, God’s timing is always perfect! Are we aligned with Him?

Say to Archippus, Fly Out! It was a first-class book commissioning fit for the kingdom of God. Ps Henson shared how he had stepped out in faith when God called him to champion the Archippus Awakening message. God tells us to be obedient before He tells us what to do. Following Ps Henson’s anointed teaching, the Holy Spirit came crashing down!

Before we stepped into Bandung, Ps Susheel John had a vision of a ladder standing in the middle of GSJA Merdeka Church reaching up to heaven and angels going up and down it. He sensed that this vision was not just a vision for the AAA Seminar but for the local assembly in general. The cries and the prayers of the people arise to heaven and God sends His blessings down. Ps Susheel thinks this refers to revival. During the seminar, it would be the cries of the people for awakening that went up and what came down from the throne room would be the assignments.

Praise God who answers prayers. Ps Susheel testified: “During the worship (on Saturday morning), I sensed God’s glory like waves ebbing and flowing from the back of the hall to the front. Then, as the preaching was going on, I sensed a company of angels assemble at the front of the hall, above the stage, each one carrying a bucket. I was puzzled at first. During the altar call, Bro Henson asked those who came up, ‘What is the cry of your heart?’ Then I understood. The Father had heard the cries of many and those buckets contained the answers to be poured out. I believe many who came forward last night (Friday night) were desiring awakening and it was like their Adullam. Healings and cleansings (were) taking place. The ‘soil’ of hearts (was) being prepared.”

When God’s people humbled themselves to respond to a call to be obedient to Him, God responded. A word was released by Ps Henson: “God is doing new things at a personal and a church level. He is healing relationships and giving new grace to those who find it difficult to forgive.”

During our morning devotion, Brianna Femina, the translator of Katakanlah Kepada Arkhipus, the Bahasa Indonesian version of Say to Archippus, had received a vision of the plastic wrapping of each book bursting open and the books flying out in different directions. Before the book commissioning, she shared how God had called her into the Christian faith and awakened her to the joy and righteousness of kingdom living. I love how she ended: “I did not introduce myself properly at the beginning. Let me introduce myself again. I am an Archippus. I am awakened, aligned and assigned.” Bravo!

Say to Archippus, Fly Out!

Run, War Horses, Run! In chapter 4 of Say to Archippus, Ps Henson wrote, “The night before the announcement (of my stepping down), I had an impression of horses all lined up in their cages before the start of the race. Suddenly the gates flung open and the horses charge out in full force! I instinctively knew what that meant. The gate symbolised the final ‘hurdle’ and I was like the horse raring to go. I believe that at the right time, there will be even more men and women, with their gates flung open, bursting forth to fulfil their assignments.” Amen!

By the third day, all present at the seminar would have understood the significance of horses in the Archippus Awakening message. Ps Henson exhorted the congregation to be war horses and not show horses. We are not to be nice to watch and entertaining. We are to be ready for battle. What is holding us back?

On that same day, Lay See saw an axe coming down and cutting away everything that was holding the people back to run their race and fulfil their assignments. Right after, horses were running out for their assignments. Praise the Lord!

Run, war horses, run! In this amazing race, Ps Henson emphasized that it is a non-elimination one. Jesus never disqualifies us. Our goal is to see His face and hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
“His Amazing Grace Keeps Us in the Amazing Race.” ~ Ps Henson Lim

What a timely word for GSJA Merdeka Church. God is exhorting His servants His grace is sufficient. They are not eliminated! Ps Henson then prayed for the church leaders of Merdeka Church, standing with them as God raises them to be coaches for the body of Christ.

Marked for Revival! At the National Night celebration, Ps Henson challenged every individual in the congregation to be used by God in the function of their gift. The day before, Brianna had received a visual impression of seminar participants receiving a stamp on their hand. Merdeka Church is marked to help other churches align with God in order to move to their assignments.

That night, as praise and worship of God’s people ascended, Ps Henson saw it being deflected all over the place. God has begun to move. As His people join Him, we will see Indonesia change for Jesus.

So Blessed! A thankful Ps Yoel said, “We at the seminar – we were not only blessed, we were very very very blessed.”
Many of us felt that we were the ones being so blessed. We testified that we had stepped out of our comfort zone to pray for the people at the altar, some for the first time. It was unanimous that our Indonesian brethren’s hospitality wrapped with smiles was superb and we were soaking in the glorious worship that stems from their heart.

17-year-old Sarah Lim’s beautiful testimony deserves to be highlighted. She was on the stage with the worship team and she could see people crying at the altar. She thought, “I should be there, praying for the people.” The next day, at another altar call, she ‘found’ a lady and prayed for her. Sensing God’s love for that sister, she kept praying in tongues. That sister started to cry. To smiles around the room, Sarah described herself as someone who is ‘not the touchy type’. However, she hugged that sister and cried along with her. She then prayed in English. God honoured Sarah’s beautiful heart. After the service, He planted a delightful surprise for her. She was told by that sister’s friend that everything Sarah had prayed for in English was being understood. Praise the LORD.

Special mention must also be made of Uncle Henry and Aunty Helen who went ahead of us and thoughtfully paved the way to ensure our physical needs were well taken care of. May the LORD honour and reward their generous and loving hearts.

Ps Henson writes on the Archippus Awakening Facebook Page: “Thank You for praying for Team Archippus as we declared the message of Archippus Awakening in Indonesia, in partnership with GSJA Merdeka Bandung. Continue to pray for more Archippuses to be awakened, aligned and assigned for Yesus and His kingdom. Puji Tuhan!!!”

Amen! What a privilege to be part of this kingdom assignment.

Written by Lay Leng
(I love the grape-flavoured keropok.)

Lay Leng is an expressive introvert (whatever that means) who loves to eat prawn noodles and was in the teaching profession for over 15 years in three countries. She enjoys cycling and spending time with her nieces and nephews. She worships at Grace Assembly of God. At an Awakening Event, she kept smelling a sweet fragrance before the Holy Spirit whispered, “Lay Leng, pay attention to the Truth that will be spoken.” Ps Henson Lim took over the microphone and as he was sharing how God called him out of pastoral-full-time ministry to start Archippus Awakening, Lay Leng found that her ears were pricked, her heart was leaping and her tears kept rolling. She was resonating with every word from Ps Henson’s mouth. She started connecting with Archippus Awakening and at a second Awakening Event she attended, on the commissioning night of AWE2016, she received this prayer, “You shall spread the sweet fragrance of Christ wherever you go.”

Lay Leng is also author of ‘Precious Moments of a Teacher’ and ‘Precious Moments in the Wilderness’. She received the National Caring Teacher Award in 2006 and the Outstanding Contribution Award in 2009 and 2010. Should you be keen to enjoy the fragrance from these two books, do contact her at sunsetspurple@yahoo.com.sg. Her current goal is to co-author a book with her ex-pupils.