Probably you have read the stories of those biblical heroes of faith, and you feel these were men who lived several centuries ago when it was easy to live a life of faith. In this line will I share with you stories of men of our time who had applied faith in life and had received the reward of faith. Your faith will be increased by their testimonies.

Probably you have read the stories of those biblical heroes of faith, and you feel these were men who lived several centuries ago when it was easy to live a life of faith. In this line will I share with you stories of men of our time who had applied faith in life and had received the reward of faith. Your faith will be increased by their testimonies.

Faith For Provision: Dr. Paul Yonggi Cho is the Pastor of the world's largest and fastest growing church called Yoido Full Gospel Central Church in Seoul, South Korea. His congregation numbers over 900,000 members. He gave his life to Jesus Christ at the age of 19 when Jesus healed him of incurable tuberculosis disease. The doctors had condemned him to death, but Jesus offered him life. He has since been in the ministry for over forty years. He has so many faith experiences, but I will share with you one of the miracles of the Lord's provision through faith.

He had been in the ministry for few months and he was still poverty stricken materially. He was living in one small room and he had no desk, no chair, no bed and he was eating on the floor, sleeping on the floor and studying on the floor. Nevertheless, he walked miles and miles everyday to win souls for the Lord.

One day, while studying the Bible, he was impressed by God's promise that if he would put his faith in Jesus, praying in His name, he would receive everything. He then prayed for a desk, a chair and a bicycle. He began to wait for the delivery. Six months passed without answer. One rainy day when he was hungry, tired and depressed, he cried unto the Lord saying "Lord, I asked You to supply me with a desk, a chair and a bicycle several months ago, but You have not. How can I ask my people to exercise faith? When I cannot even practice it myself. If you are ever going to answer my prayer, please speed it up, please."

Then the Lord spoke to him, "My son, I heard your prayer long time ago. But your problem is common to many of my children. They beg and demand every kind of request, but they asked in vague terms that I couldn't answer. There are several kinds of desk, chair or bicycle. Be specific in your request".

So he knelt down and told God the size of the desk, which was to be made with an iron frame and rollers on the tips. He then requested for a very strong, sturdy bicycle made in USA with gears on the side so that the speed can be regulated. Then he felt faith flowing up in his heart. He slept with joy like a baby.

The following morning, he read from Romans 4:17 and discovered that faith calls things that are not as though they were. During the service while preaching, he said "Folks, by the blessings of God, I have a desk made of Philippine mahogany, a beautiful chair with an iron frame and rollers on the tips and bicycle made in USA with gears on the side. Praise God. I've received all these things."

After the service, three young men followed him and said, "Pastor congratulations, but we desire to see those things." He was frightened and he began to pray to the Lord. "Lord, this your idea. I just obeyed you and now I'm in a terrible situation. You've got to help me now".

When they reached his home, they looked around for those things, bicycle, chair and desk. He told them, "Don't look around for I'll show you later". He pointed at one of them and said, "How long were you in your mother's womb before you were born into this world?" He answered, 'Well, nine months". He then replied "What were you doing in your mother's womb for nine months? "I was growing" he said. But no one saw you, Paul retorted. "No one could see me because I was inside my mother's womb.

Then Yonggi Cho said "Last evening, I knelt down here and prayed for those things. I conceived the desk, chair and bicycle. It is as if they are inside me growing right now. They will soon be seen by people at the time of their delivery. They began to laugh saying, this is the first time they will ever seen a man pregnant with a desk, a chair and a bicycle. They began to spread rumour of this 'pregnancy' all over. On the following Sunday, some people even came to touch his stomach and said, "Pastor, how big you are coming?. He kept on praising God as he waited for the date of delivery.

God indeed provided those things, a desk made of Philippine mahogany, a Japanese chair made by Mitsubishi Company with rollers on the tips and a slightly used bicycle with gears from an American missionary's son. He brought the desk, chair and bicycle into his house and was completely changed in his prayer life. His experience revealed that vague faith is not faith at all. Be specific in terms of the things you are believing God for. Yonggi Cho is a living example that real faith still works. Faith is not dead, faith is alive and God still rewards the faith of his people.

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* Reverend Israel Kristilere pastors Shepheredhil baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos Nigeria. Contact him at www.shepherdhillbaptist.org