Breaking Through Encirclements II

Then my wife let the two sisters know that Brother Guan had come and spoken something. Sister Zhang asked me what I thought when I came face-to-face with this matter. Then I told her my weakness in my heart and my understanding a moment ago. She smiled and said, “Thanks be to God! Your understanding is pure. This is God’s guidance to you.” My wife said in disbelief, “Given that we don’t take the wrong way, why did Brother Guan say that? He is a great leader who has believed in the Lord for many years.” I looked at her and said, “Oh, he just wanted us to return to the former church.” Sister Zhang said to us with a smile, “All that we see today is their external appearance. But we haven’t seen through their nature and essence. The Lord Jesus once said, ‘But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in’ (Matthew 23:13). And ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like to white washed sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness’ (Matthew 23:27). Externally, the Pharisees served God with loyalty. However, when the Lord Jesus came to do His work, their nature in resisting God was revealed. They wildly opposed and condemned the work of the Lord Jesus, releasing various fallacies to deceive the Jewish people, and using many sorts of methods to hinder people from seeking and investigating the true way. Their intent and purpose was to ban God’s work and appropriate God’s chosen people forever. Let’s take a look at what are the differences between religious leaders nowadays and them.” Then she asked me to read some text of Almighty God’s word, “Those who read the Bible in grand churches recite the Bible every day, yet not one understands the purpose of God’s work. Not one is able to know God; moreover, not one is in accord with the heart of God. They are all worthless, vile men, each standing on high to teach God. Though they brandish the name of God, they willfully oppose Him. Though they label themselves believers of God, they are ones who eat the flesh and drink the blood of man. All such men are devils who devour the soul of man, demons who purposefully disturb those who try to step onto the right path, and stumbling blocks that impede the path of those who seek God. Though they are of ‘robust flesh,’ how are their followers to know that they are antichrists who lead man in opposition to God? How are they to know that they are living devils who specially seek souls to devour?” (“All Who Do Not Know God Are Those Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). Through God’s words and the sister’s fellowship, I came to understand in my heart that the reason these leaders persistently disturbed and obstructed our belief in Almighty God was because they were antichrists in nature who opposed God. God wishes to save us today, but they did everything they could to drag us into hell. If their substance had not been revealed by God’s words, I had nearly been cheated by them. At that time, my wife said in surprise, “It turns out they came to harm us. Well, they won’t stop until they drag man to hell. From today forward, I won’t believe in their words.”

Then Sister Mu read another passage of God’s words for us, “In every step of work that God does within people, externally it appears to be interactions between people, as if born of human arrangements, or from human interference. But behind the scenes, every step of work, and everything that happens, is a wager made by Satan before God, and requires people to stand firm in their testimony to God. Take when Job was tried, for example: Behind the scenes, Satan was making a bet with God, and what happened to Job was the deeds of men, and the interference of men. Behind every step that God does in you is Satan’s wager with God—behind it all is a battle” (“Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). Sister Zhang fellowshiped, “From God’s words, we see that when anything crops up, externally it appears to be the deeds of men. In fact, Satan is making a bet with God behind the scenes. For instance, when Satan tempted Job, although his wife advised him to curse Jehovah God, he penetrated Satan’s deception and stood witness for God by his confidence in Him. Moreover, he reprimanded his wife that she was a foolish woman. Through Job’s experience, we should know that, for each man that God looks upon with favor and wants to save, Satan will test and disturb him frenziedly, as well as attack him by all sorts of methods so as to cause him to forsake and betray God, losing the chance of salvation finally.”

Sister Mu also fellowshiped, “Right. Satan used these leaders to attack and threaten you over and over again, that was meant to cause you to deny God and betray Him and forsake the true way, which is exactly Satan’s plot. We must see clearly the battle in the spiritual realm.” After hearing the two sisters’ communication, I thought it over and said, “Actually, Satan is making a wager with God. Satan attacked our weakness through the words of these leaders with the intention of letting us forsake the true way and leave God out of timidness. Satan is too insidious.” My wife added, “Satan is purely evil! If it were not for God’s words and your fellowship, how could we know it is Satan’s trick?” I said happily, “Since we have learned about it, we should break through Satan’s encirclement by depending on God, stand witness for Him and take practical action to shame Satan.” Sister Zhang was also pleased to say, “Brother, sister, shall we get together to communicate about God’s words more in the future? It is only through this way that we can equip ourselves with more truths and be confident in God’s work in the last days soon.” I responded, “Great. How much better it would be if you could come to communicate with us every day.” Sister Mu said with smile, “Then this is it.”

One morning several days later, when I got up and went to the window, I found everything outside covered in heavy snow, and could not help rubbing my hands. Then I put on my lambskin hat and cotton gloves, went straight to the courtyard, and began to sweep the snow to the gate. After the snow removal, I walked into the room, lighted the coal stove and made the fire burn up, while my wife was cleaning our home. Just at that moment, my brother-in-law came with his wife. His wife said impatiently as soon as she got indoors, “How could you behave like that? Leader Wang and Co-worker Guan have spoken so much to you; why did you not listen to them? Today they especially asked us to come and advise you against believing in the Eastern Lightning. This shows that they take care of our life.” Hearing her words, I firmly said, “If they were really responsible for our life, they should lead us to investigate the work of Almighty God and meet the return of the Lord.” My wife then said frankly, “How could they possibly do us a good turn? They only fear that we won’t listen to them after believing in Almighty God.” Upon hearing this, the wife of my brother-in-law said in an irritable voice, “What makes you say so? Actually, they simply ask you to return to the church, nothing else. Just take my advice. With our relationship, never will I harm you.” My brother-in-law added, “Think about how we treated you these years. Don’t you cherish our kinship just for believing in Almighty God? Do you know how much we have given to you? Do you have the heart to separate yourselves from us now? Does your conscience allow you to do so?” After hearing what they said, I felt awful sorry, thinking: The couple indeed helped us a lot. They must be particularly bitter right now. What would I do? Anyway, they will absolutely not make me give up the true way, for I’m sure that Almighty God is the coming of the Lord Jesus. But how will they see me if I insist on believing in Almighty God? Will they say I am ungrateful? At that point, there was a seesaw battle in my heart, making me feel miserable. I silently prayed for God to give me a way out. Suddenly, one of God’s phrases came across my mind, “Everything that happens to people is when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him” (“Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). Then I thought back to the communications of Sister Zhang and Sister Mu a few days ago. Whenever we are faced with something, it bears a relationship to the spiritual battle, that is, Satan is making a bet with God and we should stand firm in our testimony to God. Thinking about this, my heart suddenly brightened. I said, “Brother, sister, I understand you are doing for our good. Just for this reason, I even more need to tell you that Almighty God is the very return of the Lord Jesus. Only when we keep pace with the work of Almighty God in the last days can we be saved by God. How about I read a passage of God’s words for you? You will know whether it is the utterance from the return of the Lord Jesus.” Then I took up the book of God’s words to read, but my sister-in-law suddenly got to her feet, saying gruffly, “We come here to persuade you. You don’t turn back but preach the gospel to us. We won’t listen to you.” With this said, she left in anger holding her husband’s hand.

Behind them, I went out to close the door. Then I walked to the courtyard and saw the sky had cleared up. With the beautiful sunlight shining on the pines outside the courtyard, the snow on the trees began to melt. The pines seemed to have just undergone a baptism, looking exceptionally green tall and straight in sharp relief against the snow-covered ground. I felt very glad in my heart and knew it was God’s word that led me to break through the encirclement and stand firm in my testimony. I give thanks to Almighty God! All the glory goes to Him!

The End.

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Breaking Through Encirclements I

Zhao Gang

The northeastern China was freezing cold in November. The snow even did not melt when it touched the ground. Hunched and tucking their hands under the armpits because of cold, many pedestrians walked forward with caution. One morning, with the northwesterly wind howling, there were me, my brother-in-law and his wife, and more than a dozen brothers and sisters in my home, sitting on the warm kang. Every one of us was holding a book titled Judgment Begins With the House of God, with the Bible laid alongside. Two sisters from the Church of Almighty God were communicating with us about the truth of the three stages of God’s work. While drawing the picture of the three stages of God’s work they fellowshiped, “God’s work is from the Age of Law to the Age of Grace, and then to the Age of Kingdom, rising higher and deeper with each stage. During the last stage God expresses His words to judge, chastise and purify man….” I listened and nodded. My heart was so enlightened: It turns out that there are many mysteries about God’s management plan to save mankind. Who can illustrate them so clearly other than God Himself? So it must be the work of the true God. At the sunset of the next day, we all agreed to seek and investigate Almighty God’s work in the last days.

Later, they two communicated about the truth concerning the significance of God’s incarnation. As we were listening with keen attention, our church leader, Wang Ping, dropped by suddenly. She pointed at the two sisters from the Church of Almighty God the moment she stepped in and asked me, “What are they doing here?” I replied frankly, “They are Sister Zhang and Sister Mu….” Before I could finish my words, she became flustered, saying, “Sister Zhang? Sister Mu? I think they are just the preachers of the Eastern Lightning, just thieves of stealing sheep, just robbers….” What she said totally shocked everyone present. I thought: Sister Wang Ping always talks about loving your neighbor as yourself and loving your enemies. How could she make such far-fetched remarks just after entering the room and even judge and condemn the two sisters? As I thought of this, I heard Sister Zhang calmly talk to Wang Ping, “Sister, today we come only for preaching the gospel of the Lord’s return to you, nothing else….” But Wang Ping interrupted her, saying, “The Lord has come back? The leaders like me don’t even know; how could you know it? That’s impossible. The Lord Jesus has said, ‘All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them’ (John 10:8). You two get away immediately and never set foot here again.” Hearing Wang Ping’s words, I felt an aversion to her. How could she have no compassion? Then I said to her, “Sister Wang, it’s so late today. How could you let them go? The Lord taught us to even love our enemies, not to mention the two sisters who are also believers in God. If we treat them like that, do we still count as believers in God? …” Wang Ping became angry before I could get my words out. She pulled the hand of my brother-in-law’s wife and said to them, “Zhao Gang doesn’t tell them to go away, then let’s go. Stop listening to them.” Then, she left in a rage with the couple.

After they left, Sister Mu asked us, “Brothers and sisters, what do you think about what just happened? Let’s talk about it.” They all glanced over their shoulders and looked at me, without saying a word. I said directly, “Through reading Almighty God’s words and listening to your fellowship in these two days, I can recognize that the words of Almighty God are all the truth and He is the second coming of the Lord Jesus. But there is something in what Wang Ping said. She is our leader after all. She has believed in the Lord for years, knows the Bible very well and has always run around and spent for the Lord. When the Lord comes back, she should have known it first.” Sister Zhang replied graciously, “Brothers and sisters, man has the notion that the Lord should first give revelation to the leaders when He comes again and then make it known to ordinary believers. Does this conception accord with the truth or the fact? Let’s recall the time that the Lord Jesus came to do His work. Those Jewish Pharisees believed that when the Messiah came, He would surely appear to them first. However, they never would have thought in a million years that the Lord Jesus did not inform them first when He came. Rather, He first let the fisher men and the tax collectors whom people looked down upon hear the gospel. This shows us that God does not give revelations to the leaders alone and He also enlightens those ordinary believers who follow Him. For God is righteous and absolutely impartial toward all men. The people that bring God joy are those who are good-hearted and who long for and seek the truth. God will enlighten and guide this type of people regardless of whether they have status. Just as the Lord Jesus said, ‘Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled’ (Matthew 5:6) and ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God’ (Matthew 5:8). As long as man yearns after the truth, God will enlighten and lead him to come before Him. If any leader claims to be given revelation first when the Lord comes back, his nature is too arrogant. Just as Almighty God says, ‘And so I say that those who have “seen through” God and His work are ineffectual, they are all arrogant and ignorant. Man should not define the work of God; moreover, man cannot define the work of God. In the eyes of God, man is smaller than an ant, so how can man fathom God’s work? Those who are constantly saying, “God does not work in this or that way” or “God is like this or that”—are they not all arrogant?’ (Preface to The Word Appears in the Flesh). From God’s words, we can see that His almightiness and wisdom are unfathomable. Man is only a tiny creature with limited mind and intellect. How can he then fathom the work of the Creator? Therefore, we should maintain a heart of reverence on the matter of waiting for the Lord’s second coming and seek and investigate it carefully. We should not casually define or judge God by our notions and imaginations, which will offend God’s disposition.” Hearing her fellowship, I realized that man is so insignificant before God, even less than an ant. Moreover, corrupted by Satan, full of arrogant corrupt disposition, man always defines God according to his notions and imaginations. And when God’s work conflicts with the conceptions of man, man will even deny and condemn God. It turns out that man dares to do anything without the knowledge of the truth or the heart that fears God. It is really too dangerous. I then thought that the Lord Jesus once said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in your sight” (Matthew 11:25-26). I now finally saw that it was indeed the fact. Sister Zhang’s fellowship made me realize that the viewpoint that the Lord should give revelation to leaders first when He comes back was wrong and ridiculous. Meanwhile, I have gained a new knowledge of God’s fairness and righteousness.

The next morning after Sister Zhang and Sister Mu left, Brother Guan, who was the high-level co-worker of our church, came to my home. He asked me, “Brother Zhao, I heard that you had accepted the Eastern Lightning.” I said seriously, “Yes, I have. Because from Almighty God’s words I come to understand many truths I did not understand before, such as the mystery of God’s three stages of work, the significance of God’s incarnation and so on. From them I see that Almighty God’s words are indeed what the Spirit said to the churches prophesied in Revelation.” He cast a glance at me, saying, “Brother Zhao, do you just convert to their belief? Do you know who they are?” I replied, “I think they are quite humane, and their communication of the truth is clear and illuminating. What they talked about were the truths regarding God’s work. I have gained a lot these two days.” He said angrily, “Why are you so stubborn? It is said in Hebrews 6:6-8, ‘If they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes oft on it, and brings forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receives blessing from God: But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is near to cursing; whose end is to be burned.’ As a preacher, you have enjoyed so much grace from the Lord. Instead of leading brothers and sisters to believe in the Lord properly, you actually led them to leave the church. Aren’t you afraid of being punished? If you still don’t turn around, you will lose the Lord’s keeping. Your good life will be over, your former illness will recur and your two children won’t find good jobs….”

After Brother Guan went away, I became a little uncertain, thinking: What he said seems somewhat reasonable. I have believed in Almighty God; what if I lose the Lord’s grace? Thinking of this, I had some weakness in my heart. So I quickly knelt down and prayed to God: “Almighty God! Brother Guan’s words made me feel a bit weak. O God! I am wondering if what he said is true. I really don’t know what to do next….” In the middle of my prayer, my wife came back. Then I told her what had passed. After listening to me, she asked nervously, “Did he really say this?” I nodded. My wife said with a little worry, “He is a great leader who believes in the Lord for many years. Besides, he is familiar with the Bible very well. I think he is truthful. What will we do then if something happens as he said?” At that point, I suddenly remembered the truth of the three stages of God’s work which Sister Zhang and Sister Mu had communicated with us. Then I said to my wife, “Nevertheless, there is something wrong with Brother Guan’s viewpoint. He said that we had departed from the Lord’s way and betrayed the Lord Jesus. In fact, when we have followed Almighty God, we have kept pace with the footsteps of the Lamb. We are wise virgins. How could the Lord punish us? …” During our communication, Sister Zhang and Sister Mu showed up….

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Feeling Sweetness for Standing Witness

Xiaozhao

I was a believer of the Head Covering Church. One day in 2008, Sister Li in my church paid a call on me. She sang a hymn “Follow Closely,” “… The kingdom exercise is led by God; all His people are joyful in heart. …” I felt so good about this song, for it was the most pleasant song I had ever heard. She said to me, “Sister, the Lord Jesus who we have long yearned for has come back and become flesh descending in China to do His work in a hidden way. This fulfills the very prophecies in the Bible, ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him’ (Matthew 25:6) and ‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame’ (Revelation 16:15) and the Lord God said, ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty’ (Revelation 1:8). Sister, we know the Lord Jesus prophesied He would descend in secret to save us. Now the prophecies are totally fulfilled. Today, Almighty God is the coming of the Lord Jesus. He has expressed all the truth of judging and purifying man.” Sister Li also read several pieces of God’s words to me, “The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’,” “The Two Incarnations Complete the Significance of the Incarnation,” and “Only Christ of the Last Days Can Give Man the Way of Eternal Life.” I felt that these words are extraordinary, possessing power and authority. I expressed my willingness to seek and investigate carefully. Later, Sister Li often came to my home and read God’s words to me. After a period of seeking and investigation, I was fully convinced that all that Almighty God proclaims is the truth and God’s utterance. Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. So I accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days happily.

After accepting the gospel, I wanted to tell the great news to the brothers and sisters in my former church. The first that came to my mind was one intimate old sister. I had not expected that she told her daughter-in-law the news after I informed her. As a result, all the brothers and sisters in the place where I attended meetings knew that I had accepted Almighty God. Later, the leaders in the church Huang XX, Zhang XX and Xu XX went to my home to disturb me. Fortunately, I happened to go out for something that day. My son was at home. So they asked him where I had gone but my son told them he had no idea. I did not pay any attention to it when I went back home and was apprised of their coming by my son. The second day, they three again came to my home but I was absent. They then asked my son whether or not someone had been to our home recently. Looking at their fierce look, my son was unclear about what had happened. He just told them two young people had visited me. They then left. After I returned home and heard the situation, I began to worry that they might carry out schemes behind their back. For the leaders always told us in their sermons, “Don’t be in the least bit lenient toward the people from the Eastern Lightning once you see them. You can never crack down on them too much. We are defending the Lord’s way….” What if Sister Li gets caught by them? Will they beat her? … The more I thought about it, the more scared I became. No, I should inform Sister Li immediately, telling her not to come to me for the time being to avoid being harmed by them. When I arrived at Sister Li’s home, she communicated with me, “Sister Zhao, the One we believe in is the true God, is almighty. Fear not them. Pray more when something comes along and beg God to lead us. He will give us wisdom. Ever since God did His work in the flesh, the antichrists in the religious world have been disturbing and impairing God’s work. Regardless, His work has not been hindered in the least, but has revealed those hypocritical Pharisees, thereby making us have true discernment about the so-called leaders and clearly see whether they are good servants or evil servants. You can go back first. Let’s pray to God together. I believe that God will surely open up a way out for us. It is no need to be afraid of them, for God is our strongest supporter.” I nodded. Still, I went back with an uneasy heart.

Two days later, Huang XX, Zhang XX and Xu XX came to my home for the third time. That night, I was at home alone. They exerted their strength to push the door and found me at home. Looking at them staring with glaring eyes, I was trembling with fear by their battle formation. I therefore prayed silently to God and asked Him to give me strength and confidence and grant me with the words I should speak so that I wouldn’t be disturbed by them. At that time, Xu XX pointed her finger at the tip of my nose, saying fiercely, “Xiaozhao, where have you been these days? We have come several times but couldn’t see you. You seemed rushed off your feet recently. Where have you been today? Go! Come with us now. Put on your cap. Follow us to the church to repent and confess to the Lord.” Before I reacted, they all talked at once, saying that I had followed the Eastern Lightning, that I had believed in heresy and betrayed the Lord, and forced me to hand the books over. I was bombarded with defamation so that I couldn’t get a word in edgeways. I became so anxious that I didn’t know how to offer my prayer to God. All I could do was pray silently to God and ask Him to protect my heart. Gradually my heart settled. I said, “How could the Eastern Lightning be heresy? The Lord Jesus has prophesied, when He comes back, ‘For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be’ (Matthew 24:27). Could it be that you dare to deny the words of the Lord Jesus?” Hearing me say this, they became purple with rage, saying blasphemy against God. I spoke to them, “You are leaders with much more knowledge than me. You all know that the Lord Jesus has said, ‘All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven to men’ (Matthew 12:31). Today I have followed God’s new work. Almighty God is the coming of the Lord Jesus. You blaspheme God so much, and you’ll reap no good fruit.” Upon hearing these words, Huang XX gave a tight slap on her thigh and said to Zhang XX, “Come on! Move on! Find a way to get her to the church. She is terrifying that she actually teaches us with the Bible.” Then My two arms were pulled by Xu XX and Zhang XX separately. They were keeping on blaspheming God while pulling me. I prayed to God in my heart unceasingly, “Almighty God! They are driving me and dragging me to the church. They will definitely force me to blaspheme You. O God, please give me strength. I can’t go with them.” After finishing my prayer, I was much calmer. Moreover, I also saw God’s deeds: Not only was I not budged regardless of how hard they tried but also left them huffing and puffing with exhaustion. Huang XX ground her teeth with anger, saying, “If you don’t repent with us today, you will be chased out tomorrow and abandoned by all the brothers and sisters.” Then they three walked off in a huff.

The second day fell on the meeting time in the religious church. I thought: What about going there for a meeting? What if I am dismissed by the church and abandoned by my brothers and sisters? Thinking of that, I pedaled my bicycle to the meeting place. I fell off my bike before I went far. My hands hit the ground hard and then I had a great fall. I thought: All is over. Are my arms broken in the fall? I stood up and shook my hands, feeling no pain. At this point I had an awakening, and realized that God was preventing me from going to the religious church. I then went back home. Thanks to God’s arrangement. Not long after I arrived home, Sister Li came on purpose to see me because of her concern about me. When I saw she risked dangers of being beaten or scolded or reported to the police by the religious people, I was moved profoundly. Then I told her the full account of the affair. She comforted me and said, “Thanks be to God! This is really God’s protection to you. Also, it is the battle in the spiritual world. Where there is the work of God, there is Satan’s disturbance. Let’s read a passage of God’s words, ‘In every step of work that God does within people, externally it appears to be interactions between people, as if born of human arrangements, or from human interference. But behind the scenes, every step of work, and everything that happens, is a wager made by Satan before God, and requires people to stand firm in their testimony to God. Take when Job was tried, for example: Behind the scenes, Satan was making a bet with God, and what happened to Job was the deeds of men, and the interference of men. Behind every step that God does in you is Satan’s wager with God—behind it all is a battle’ (‘Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God’ in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s words show us that these kinds of things we encountered involve the battle in the spiritual realm. For instance, when Job was tried, his wife advised him to deny and curse God. It appeared to be interactions between people but actually concerned God’s witness, which is very important to God and Job. When man accepts Almighty God’s work in the last days, Satan doesn’t want him to follow God and walk the right path. Then it uses religious leaders to disturb and threaten man so as to cause him anxious and distracted and to waver back and forth, losing witness before God. In order to stand witness for God, we should first know God’s work, have discernment of how Satan deceives and corrupts man. For Satan is evil. All it does is use some methods and ways or some nice words to deceive man. Its essence is disrupting God’s work and hindering man from investigating the true way. These are Satan’s trick and purpose. Whereas God expresses the truth for man to see through Satan’s schemes, seek the truth and stand testimony. Meanwhile, God cares for man’s childlike stature and He couldn’t bear to see man devoured by Satan. Therefore, He gave you a minor discipline to prevent you from going back to the religious church and doing something disobedient and resistant to God because of being deceived by religious leaders.” Her fellowship gave me more recognition of God’s earnest intentions. God could not bear to see me go back to Satan’s camp and be trodden on by Satan. He allowed me to follow Him steadfastly and accept His salvation. At that point, my eyes were full of tears due to excitement. That was so close! If I were not stopped by God timely, I probably would have fallen under Satan’s grasp. This experience further showed that Almighty God is the true God. I could not offend God and I would stand witness for Him.

Then, she read another passage of God’s words, “Those who read the Bible in grand churches recite the Bible every day, yet not one understands the purpose of God’s work. Not one is able to know God; moreover, not one is in accord with the heart of God. They are all worthless, vile men, each standing on high to teach God. Though they brandish the name of God, they willfully oppose Him. Though they label themselves believers of God, they are ones who eat the flesh and drink the blood of man. All such men are devils who devour the soul of man, demons who purposefully disturb those who try to step onto the right path, and stumbling blocks that impede the path of those who seek God. Though they are of ‘robust flesh,’ how are their followers to know that they are antichrists who lead man in opposition to God? How are they to know that they are living devils who specially seek souls to devour?” (“All Who Do Not Know God Are Those Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). Through Almighty God’s words and the sister’s communications, I saw through the hypocrisy of the religious leaders. They usually preached biblical knowledge and theology on the podium and only paid the lip service. However, when the Lord comes to do His new work, they refused to seek and investigate. Moreover, they controlled and persecuted the believers on account of seeking and accepting the true way. They behaved like the Pharisees who persecuted the Lord Jesus at that time, hindered and imprisoned the Jewish people and made them to be in enmity to God for their position and livelihoods, causing man to lose God’s salvation. I was willing to reject them. No matter how they disrupted me, I would always stand by God’s side and stand witness for Him.

Several days later, when they saw me not turning around but keeping on believing in Almighty God, Zhang XX and Huang XX came to my home again to get close to me with emotion. Zhang XX said to me, “It was me that brought you before the Lord. We were intimate sisters. But now you have actually believed in the Eastern Lightning and betrayed the Lord. You are truly without conscience!” I said, “Sister Zhang, the Lord’s return is a great matter and you know the Bible well. You’d better investigate it.” She responded with a long face, “Today, I give you the last chance, but you spread the Eastern Lightning to me in turn. Again, you’d better come and repent to the Lord before it is too late. If you insist on believing in the Eastern Lightning, it will have nothing to do with us when disasters befall you. Don’t blame us for not reminding you then.” Afterward, they pushed me to kneel down to confess to the Lord, and even forced me to say blasphemy against God with them. Seeing that I didn’t listen to them, they blasphemed God again. I said to them, “You are believers in God and are also preachers. You all know that the outcome of the priests, scribes, and Pharisees in Judaism for crucifying the Lord Jesus on the cross. They were cursed by God for condemning and blaspheming God. It is right and proper for man to accept God’s work and follow God to walk on the right path. Nobody has the right to interfere in it. All those who hinder man from accepting the true way are the Pharisees, and their end is obvious.” Upon hearing these, Huang XX jumped to her feet, and bellowed to me, “I know more than you for I have read the Bible for so many years. Look out for yourself.” After saying these words, they left with their tails between their legs. Thank God for giving me confidence and strength and keeping me not violating His will. Later, the church really dismissed me and informed all the brothers and sisters to abandon me. Yet I did not feel sad but very calm for I have followed God’s footsteps and met the coming of the Lord. Every day, I read the words expressed by God and feel sweet beyond compare in my heart. I praise Him aloud at the bottom of my heart. From then on, the religious leaders never came to disturb me. I realize that it is God’s care and keeping. Soon, I begin to perform my duty within my capability in the Church of Almighty God. Every day is fulfilling and happy. All the glory be to Almighty God!

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