When they persecute you in one city

When They Persecute You in This City, Flee to Another
(Matthew 10:23)

It was 1984. Night was descending on Heping town, which borders Henan and Hubei Provinces. It was so dark, that stretching out your hand, you could not see your fingers. Freezing cold wind from Siberia whipped up stacks of hay that fell onto two men walking in the night. Several dogs emerged from the village lanes and barked frenziedly at them.

As the men walked they wrapped their ragged coats tightly around them and quickly stepped down the path leaving the village towards a large fish pond. One of them was Brother Ming from ‘F’ city who was over 30 years old and the other was Brother Yun from ‘G’ county who was in his twenties.

Both were ignorant, unlearned and insignificant men who were chosen by the Lord. They went from village to village and from town to town. Daily, tears streamed down their faces as they pleaded with people to repent and believe in Jesus. They encouraged the brothers and sisters to ‘watch and pray and fervently love the Lord, for the day of the Lord is near.’ They were full of grace and the power of the Lord and signs and wonders followed them. Wherever they went, many people repented and believed in the Lord. Lukewarm churches were revived and the churches in the southern part of Henan Provlnce were established.

Just as the churches were experiencing revival, a great persecution broke out. The authorities, under the pretext of Persecuting the ‘Yellers Sect,’ falsely charged many godly, precious brethren with being ‘counter-revolutionaries of the Yellers Sect.’ Many were arrested, suppressed, harmed and given severe sentences. The brethren fled their homes to avoid being arrested and to continue the Lord’s work. Among the many who were being sought were two key people, Brother Ming and Brother Yun. They evaded arrest by the Public Security Bureau (police), and never ceased to do the work the Lord had given them.

On that day, they had gone to Heping Town on the border of Hubei Province. They had planned to visit the brothers and sisters, little knowing that the situation there was especially tense. Just that morning, Brother Enshen had been sentenced and the church was facing great persecution. The brothers and sisters, therefore, were fearful and no believer dared to receive Ming and Yun into their homes that night. It was already dark and the two brothers were unable to find a place to stay. There were many people’s militia patrolling the streets. Therefore they had to leave. They decided to spend the night at a fish pond outside town.

As the night grew on, the wind blew more fiercely. It became colder and colder and the two men knelt on the embankment of the fish pond, their teeth chattering. They could only hug each other tightly and cry out to the Lord, ‘Lord, dispel the dark cloud over China, change this environment, have mercy on our nation and save our people….’

Brother Yun was inspired to sing this song:

That the Lord would allow me to live, to only love my Lord,
To use all my heart, strength and talents, to only love my Lord,
Regardless of what happens, to only love my Lord,
all my actions and words, to only love my Lord.

times of humility to learn from the Lord, to only love my Lord,

times of need to be joyous, to only love my Lord,

Whether I face hunger or am full, to only love my Lord.
am His in life or death, to only love my Lord.
the Lord gave His life for me,

My depth of sin has been pardoned,
I have dedicated my hfe to Him,
To only love My Lord.

After about four in the morning, the two men were unable to stand the freezing cold. Suddenly, Brother Yun saw a vision. He saw that in this county everywhere Christians were being persecuted, arrested and many of the brethren had been chained and thrown into prison. Brother Yun said to Brother Ming: ‘Let us leave here quickly.’ They continued their journey in the dark, not even waiting for the dawn.

To be continued…

From “Lilies Among Thorns”. Copyright (C) 1991, Dennis Balcombe. Used by permission.