Do We Have A Soul And Also, A Spirit?

In the Bible, the words “soul” and “spirit” are sometimes used interchangeably, which can make it confusing to know exactly what they mean. However, if we were to observe closely, we can see that they might have different meanings. In this article, we will explore how “soul” and “spirit” are used in the Bible and what they might mean. By doing this, we can get a clearer picture of what the Bible says about what makes us who we are. Here are the two primary views:

Dichotomous View: Quite a few theologians take a dichotomous view, which suggests that human beings consist of two parts: body and soul/spirit. They use the terms “soul” and “spirit” interchangeably to talk about the non-physical part of a person, apart from the body. Here are a few key verses they commonly referenced:

Genesis 2:7: “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.” This verse is seen as indicating the creation of humans as a union of physical matter (the body) and the divine breath of life (the soul). Since there is no mention of the spirit, then this soul mentioned here must also be the spirit of man too.

Matthew 10:28: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” This verse is often interpreted as a distinction between the body, which can be killed, and the soul, which is seen as immortal and survives beyond physical death. Once again, there is no mention of the human spirit and so it is assumed that soul and spirit are the same entity.

Is it true that in every instance, “soul” and “spirit” mean the same thing in the Bible? Is it accurate to think that both words refer to the same inner, spiritual part of a person that God has made? It’s important to know that these ideas come from different ways of understanding the Bible. Here is another view:

Trichotomous View: According to this perspective, human beings have three distinct components: body, soul, and spirit. This belief aligns with the idea that just as God exists as a Trinity, we, as humans, are also made up of three interconnected parts.

Why I Held A Trichotomous View?
As a student of the Bible and a pastor, I have come to embrace a trichotomous view of human nature. I strongly believe that there is a threefold composition of body, soul, and spirit. Let me share why I hold this view and present some biblical verses that support a holistic understanding of human beings.

Animals Are Dichotomous
First and foremost, let me explain that all intelligent animals are dichotomous in nature. This means that even though animals have a limited form of soul, it still encompasses intellect, emotion, and will. And we know that these three aspects of a soul are intellect, emotion, and will.

While the Bible does not explicitly address the nature of animal souls in great detail, some passages suggest animals possess certain cognitive and emotional capacities. In our own experience with our pets, we can see not just the soulish expression in them but each pet has a different character. What the animals do not have is the spirit or the breath of God that was given to Adam and Eve. Therefore, animals are dichotomous and not trichotomous in nature.

I am one of those believers who find comfort in the idea that God’s love extends to all of His creation, including animals. How would Jesus come back on a white stallion if there were no animals in heaven? I really believe that there is a place for them in heaven. I even had a dream that all my former pets came running to meet me in heaven. My perspective is based on the deep belief that God values and cares for His entire creation and that His plan for redemption extends beyond humanity.

I am not the only minister who believes that our pets would be in heaven. Billy Graham, the famous evangelist, also held the belief that our pets would be in heaven with us. While he did not provide an extensive theological explanation for this belief, Graham often expressed his belief in the goodness and love of God, and he saw the presence of animals as a reflection of God’s creative and caring nature.

The Body, Soul, and Spirit: A Balanced Foundation
I believe that we have to recognize that human beings consist of three parts – body, soul, and spirit – instead of two parts like that of the animal. Each part plays a role in our overall well-being and spiritual growth. Just like a three-legged stool needs all its legs to stay steady, we too benefit from nurturing and understanding all aspects of who we are. Our body, soul, and spirit are like the components of a finely tuned orchestra, working in harmony to create beautiful music.

Our physical body is like the instrumentalists, each playing a unique role in producing the physical sensations and experiences that shape our existence.

Our soul is the conductor, guiding the thoughts, emotions, and personality traits that give depth and expression to our being.

Our spirit is the music itself, the intangible essence that flows through us, infusing our lives with purpose, inspiration, and meaning.

When these three elements are in sync, they create a symphony of balance and well-being, resonating through every aspect of our lives. That is why we need to look at ourselves and have some understanding of why we are trichotomous.

Biblical Verses Supporting A Trichotomous View:
1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This verse highlights the interconnectedness of spirit, soul, and body, emphasizing their significance in the process of sanctification. It, while not explicitly explaining the relationship between spirit, soul, and body, does mention them as distinct components.

Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” This verse suggests a distinction between the soul and the spirit so much so that they can be “divided”.

1 Corinthians 2:14-15 – “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.” This verse implies that a natural person is only having a body and a soul but his spirit man is dead. He cannot discern the spiritual things of God.

Nurturing Every Aspect of Our Being
When we embrace the idea that we consist of body, soul, and spirit, it reminds us to take care of each part. Our BODY has physical needs, so we should look after it. Our SOUL includes our emotions, thoughts, and choices, so it is important to pay attention to them and help them grow healthily. Our SPIRIT is the part that connects us to God, so we should focus on building a strong relationship with Him. By understanding and valuing these different parts of ourselves, we can work towards being healthy and spiritually mature.

The Dance of Soul and Spirit: Working Together
Although the soul and spirit are distinct, they work together to shape our lives. Our soul expresses our emotions and desires, while our spirit connects us with God and His transformative power. They are intertwined and inseparable, playing a vital role in understanding ourselves and our relationship with God. This harmonious interplay of the soul and spirit in shaping our holistic human experience can be observed in various aspects of our lives. Here are a few examples:

1. Worship and Devotion:
   When we engage in acts of worship and devotion, both the soul and spirit are involved. The soul expresses its emotions, desires, and affections toward God, such as love, gratitude, and awe. The spirit, on the other hand, connects with the Holy Spirit, enabling us to experience a deep sense of communion with God, transforming our worship into a spiritual encounter.
2. Moral Decision-making:
   The soul, with its capacity for reason and moral discernment, plays a vital role in making ethical choices. It considers values, principles, and the consequences of our actions. The spirit, however, seeks guidance from the Holy Spirit, who illuminates our understanding and aligns our decisions with God’s will. Together, the soul’s rationality and the spirit’s spiritual discernment contribute to making morally sound choices.
3. Personal Transformation:
   The soul and spirit work together in the process of personal transformation and spiritual growth. The soul engages in self-reflection, self-examination, and the willingness to change. It acknowledges its shortcomings and seeks growth and maturity. The spirit, in communion with the Holy Spirit, empowers and enables this transformation, bringing about lasting change in our character, attitudes, and behaviors.
4. Prayer and Meditation:
   During times of prayer and meditation, the soul and spirit engage in a beautiful harmony. The soul pours out its desires, concerns, and requests to God, expressing vulnerability and openness. The spirit, aligned with the Holy Spirit, deepens our connection with God, allowing us to experience His presence, receive guidance, and gain spiritual insights. This synergy of the soul and spirit in prayer and meditation leads to spiritual renewal, peace, and a deeper intimacy with God.
5. Pursuit of Truth and Wisdom:
   The soul’s pursuit of knowledge, truth, and wisdom is enhanced by the spirit’s receptivity to divine wisdom. The soul engages in intellectual exploration, critical thinking, and learning. The spirit, in communion with the Holy Spirit, helps us discern truth, expands our understanding, and grants us spiritual insights beyond human comprehension. This collaboration between the soul’s intellectual capacity and the spirit’s spiritual discernment enriches our pursuit of truth and wisdom.

It is important to note that these examples illustrate the interplay between the soul and spirit, but they can manifest differently in individuals based on their unique personalities, experiences, and spiritual journeys. The harmonious cooperation of the soul and spirit contributes to our holistic human experience, fostering spiritual growth, deepening our relationship with God, and enhancing our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Conclusion
Embracing the trichotomous view prompts us to nurture each component of our being. We can care for our bodies through healthy habits, nourishment, and physical exercise. Cultivating emotional well-being, self-awareness, and healthy relationships supports the growth of our souls. Developing our spirituality through prayer, meditation, and a relationship with God enriches our spirits and fosters a sense of interconnectedness with the divine.

Here is a message about how the spirit of man responds to the voice of God
The Voice of God – A Sermon by Rev Albert Kang

Do you know the voice of God? Why did Jesus say that His sheep would know His voice? How to know that the voice is really from God? What are the three aspects of God’s voice? Is the Bible the voice of God? How does the Holy Spirit speak to you?

The Immeasurable Reward of Loving Jesus

Loving Jesus is a central tenet of our Christian faith, and it is a lifelong journey of growing in our relationship with Him. For true believers, Jesus is not just a historical figure or a wise teacher, but the Son of God who came to earth to save humanity from sin and death. The Bible teaches that God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. Through faith in Jesus, we can receive forgiveness and eternal life, and we can experience the transforming power of His love.

Loving Jesus is more than just believing in Him or acknowledging His existence. It means having a personal relationship with Him and making Him the Lord and Savior of our lives. How do we know whether we have a deep personal relationship with Jesus? A piece of simple evidence is our regular communication with Him.

When you love someone, you want to spend time with that person, and fellowship with him or her. With God, it would be how often we really communicate with Him through prayers. Pastor John Piper said, “Prayer as a relationship is probably your best indication about the health of your love relationship with God. If your prayer life has been slack, your love relationship has grown cold.”

Another important way of showing our love for Jesus is by following His commandments and living our lives in a way that honors Him. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This means that we must not only believe in Jesus but also live out His teachings in our daily lives.

As Frederick H. Taylor said, “Christ is either Lord of all or is not Lord at all”. Are we allowing Jesus to rule all aspects of our lives? To choose and pick what He can rule and what He cannot only means our unwillingness to give Him all of our hearts. In this case, Jesus might have to step out of our lives and leave us to our own devices. Many have gotten it wrong and tried to avoid obedience because they do not want to be “imprisoned” by it. What a tragic choice! Obedience is actually not bondage but freedom for it is the only way that God can hold our hands and lead us along this assured path to real freedom.

Jesus wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves, forgive those who have wronged us, and show compassion and kindness to those in need. Therefore, loving Jesus also means loving others as He loved us. Jesus taught us to love even our enemies and to show compassion and kindness to all people. He said, “By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). This means that we must not only love those who are like us but also those who are different from us.

Talking about loving the unlovable, I must confess that it wasn’t easy for me and my team of orphanage volunteers to take in those street children who lived on the streets of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. They were naughty, quarrelsome, thieving, and absolutely filthy with lice in their hair. They were unlike the average children who have a certain degree of innocence in them.

After spending time living on the streets, they adopted the dirty tricks of the world. At a very young age, these unfortunate children, in order to survive, had learned to be manipulative, conniving, and cunning. Some older kids in our orphanage were fighting among themselves, stealing from our orphanage, and bullying smaller or younger kids. However, despite these, the love of Jesus motivated us to continue and take good care of these children. In fact, we went on to establish two more orphanages and were able to bless over 1000 homeless children.

We must seek to build bridges of understanding and compassion, even with those who may come from different social backgrounds, disagree with us, or hold different beliefs. We live in a skeptical world that is enveloped in competition, aggression, suspicion, and fear. And all these may affect us to become prejudiced against certain professions, certain races, and certain social classes. However, when we love Jesus deeply, we will soon discover that His love is helping us to take down these barriers. He comes in to open His arms of love through our lives. This love opens a passageway for hostility to become hospitality. A zone of Agape love is created to welcome the very people we fear or doubt. As Henri Nouwen so aptly said that in this zone, “strangers can cast off their strangeness and become our fellow human beings.”

Loving Jesus is not always easy, and it requires us to make sacrifices and put Him first in our lives. But the reward of loving Jesus is immeasurable. Through His love, we can experience joy, peace, and a sense of purpose that cannot be found anywhere else.

As we love Jesus more deeply, we can also grow in our love for others and become a reflection of His love to the world. We can become agents of change and transformation, bringing hope and healing to a broken and hurting world.

In conclusion, loving Jesus is at the heart of our Christian faith, and it is a journey that requires us to continually grow in our relationship with Him. Whether we are just starting our journey or have been walking with the Lord for many years, we must always strive to love Him more deeply and share His love with those around us. Through His love, we can become the people that God created us to be, and we can make a positive impact in the world.

Here is a message by Rev Albert Kang that elaborates more about what Agape love is:
https://youtu.be/uRQ0B1Cs-RE

Here is a message by Pastor Karen Wong about the secret to tapping into God’s reservoir of love:
https://youtu.be/nFSVd-4N5MU

Breaking Unholy Soul-Ties

Soul-ties may give you a sense of deep spiritual fulfilment or they may plunge you into the deepest depth of despair. When relationships are baptized in the Agape love of God , they can be instruments for great blessings. With strong relationship and deep bonding, the idea of “one will chase a thousand and two will chase ten thousand” becomes a reality and God is given all the glory. On the other hand, soul-ties may be used by the enemy to destroy relationships and ultimately destroy lives. Learn what ungodly soul ties are and how to be set free from them.

What Are Soul-Ties?
Soul-ties are not as mysterious as they sound. The human soul consists of the cognitive part which is the mind, the feeling part which is the emotions and also the decision-making part which is the will. A soul-tie basically means that a person is relating well with another person in a deeper level of trust, admiration and appreciation. For example, the friendship between David and Jonathan: “As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” (1 Samuel 18:1).

There is nothing mystical about this friendship even though the words used sounded as though there is a supernatural merging of the two souls. It simply means that there is a deep trust and friendship between them. And their rich relationship has nothing to do with homosexuality. It is about true friendship and brotherhood. Don’t you have a friend in school, workplace or neighborhood whom you are very friendly with?

How Soul-Ties Are Formed
A soul-tie is formed when you start to care a lot for a particular person. You think about the person a lot, feel for him or her a lot and are willing to sacrifice anything for him or her. In short, you become deeply concerned about the person to a point of being in love with the person. For example, a mutual good soul-tie relationship is between a husband and his wife. For the believing couple, their soul-tie is the bonding of the Holy Spirit. Their love for one another is like a spiritual umbilical cord that ties them together as one.

Dangerous Soul-Ties
When does a soul-tie become dangerous? When you lose control of how you think, feel and react to a person. You become extremely jealous when the person communicates with others. Even if the person is your spouse, your possessive and demanding attitude makes the relationship unbearable. Your love for that person is now toxic and has turned into Obsessive Love Disorder (OLD). We believe this obsession would create an open door for demonic activities into your life. Even a relationship as innocent as the one between a parent and her child may have a hidden obsessive “bomb” embedded.

An Overprotective Mother
We knew of a single mother who had two young children. We could see that she was extremely protective of her children, to a point that emotional scars such as depression and anxiety disorder were showing in the children’s behaviours. We knew that those kids were wounded by their mother’s obsessive love. It was a genuine mother’s love but it was expressed negatively with heavy doses of manipulation, threat, demeaning criticism and emotional blackmail. We tried to help this mother by counseling, offering alternative approaches and lots of encouragement. She responded for a short while and then went back to her obsessive way again.

Now, after years of emotional punishment, the children grew up to become dysfunctional adults. Both children are having a very poor image of themselves and often suffered from bouts of uncontrolled anger, self-punishment, self-condemnation, deep depression and anxiety disorder. They no longer live with their mother and in fact, they avoid meeting her as much as possible. The toxicity of such obsessive soul-tie that the mother had upon the children is now bearing really sad, ugly fruits.

Unholy Soul-Ties Are Rampant
Unholy soul-ties can happen to any relationships, at any time and anywhere. A parent who dominates and refuses to “cut the apron string” from his or her adult child can create a negative soul-tie. The constant unhealthy meddling will negatively affect the child’s marriage and family.

Another venue where unhealthy soul-ties are regularly formed is at the workplace. Gossiping colleagues can create nasty soul-ties by causing you to bond with them so as to derail another colleague. Sharing secrecy or intimate stories with someone in the office, who is not your spouse, may create an unholy soul-tie that opens the door to seducing spirits. That is how most illicit affairs get started.

Subconscious soul-ties that need to be cut off are the memories of a long-time romantic relationship. This needs to be addressed immediately especially when there are romantic and sexual residuals in the mind. Even though the person may be happily married, this nostalgic romantic feeling and sexual fantasy with another person of the past can really hurt the marriage. An unholy soul-tie can harm a holy soul-tie.

Breaking Ungodly Soul-Ties
How are you going to break away from a toxic relationship or friendship? Here are four simple steps but they are not easy steps. It takes honesty and courage to go through these steps.

Recognition – Recognise that certain unholy soul ties are affecting your life. Identifying them is crucial because by going into a denial, you will only make the matter worse. One day, this ignored unholy soul-tie may rip your life and family apart.

Repentance – Repent to the Lord if you have unwittingly become the perpetrator or willing partner of an unholy soul-tie. Repentance has to do with not getting involved with the unhealthy relationship anymore. The intimate communication has to stop and all sexual fantasies have to be handed over to the Lord. When you tell the Lord that you are sorry then you must mean it.

Renunciation – Renounce the devil and break his hold over you. A long secret unholy relationship may have been quietly sustained by some evil spirits. We learned from some who have been set free from unholy soul-ties that they were not even attracted to the person. However, there seemed to be a supernatural force that drew them to continue with the wrong relationship.

Refill – Be filled with the Holy Spirit again and again. Let the presence of Jesus be with you daily. Your break-through may not be just a one-time event because the temptation will come regularly. It may be a series of victory by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is important to remember especially when a person is dealing with memories of past romance or sexual fantasy.

We recommend that you learn how to do the handing-over prayer and Christian meditation. These two spiritual exercises have helped many to overcome their personal struggles and given them spiritual victories.

Additional Things That You May Need To Do
You may need to end a relationship but you have to forgive the person who bound you. In some instances, the Holy Spirit may lead you to change your employment so as to break and separate yourself from certain toxic relationships at the workplace. You may have to get rid of certain physical objects and virtual symbols that remind you to your unholy soulmate.

Please remember that the blood of Jesus is still powerful and it can help you in overcoming anything. You have been given the power and authority in the mighty name of Jesus to break any power that is destructive to your soul and relationships. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Seek the help of your pastor, elders or cell leaders if you continue to have struggles with ungodly soul-ties.

Here is my 7-minute sermon excerpt of breaking unholy soul ties. I trust that it will be helpful to you or to someone you know who is in the bondage of an ungodly soul-tie. May God give you victory upon victory.
Albert Kang

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ARE YOU AS SACRIFICING AS JACK MA’S BODYGUARD?

You might have heard about Jack Ma, one of the richest men in the world, but have you heard about his former bodyguard, Li Tianjin? During the time, when Jack Ma was still the chairman of Alibaba, Li was his personal bodyguard. At one time, Ma’s life was threatened and Li immediately used his body to block his boss from any impending harm of flying bullets. Li was not only a good martial artist but a very responsible bodyguard. He was willing to sacrifice his life for that of his boss. Are you willing to sacrifice for your Lord?

Paul the Apostle wrote in Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

This portion of scriptures has fascinated me since I got saved in 1974. Going to church and attending weekly prayer meetings, bible studies, cell group meetings, youth services and Sunday services was not a sacrifice for me even as a young national serviceman. In fact, it had never crossed my mind that all these activities were sacrifice.

From the beginning of my walk with the Lord, being able to attend church and serve in various capacities such as an usher, cleaner, worship leader, youth leader, church designer, van driver, logistic helper, magazine editor, deacon and a whole host of other work positions was a privilege. After all that the Lord had done for me on the cross, how could all these little things that I did in the church be a sacrifice? As Missionary Charles Studd said, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” In fact, I was thankful that the church leadership had given me so many platforms to utilize my talents and gifts for the glory of God.

Recently, I heard some believers complaining about overworking when they were asked to do some church’s works like once a week or even once every fortnight, I was taken aback. What happens to the modern disciples of Christ? How come they have become so weak? Maybe they are working such long hours that they just cannot find time to serve the Lord. I don’t understand what kind of work that is so demanding and they are not telling me.

Whether it is really due to a work-related situation that a person drops out of serving or otherwise, a paradigm shift is greatly needed for all modern disciples. They have to view that serving the Lord in His kingdom and reaching out to the lost in the world are divine privileges. No other people in the world have been given such privileges except the disciples of Christ.

Till this day, because of this awareness, everything that I do in the kingdom of God is a privilege and is given by the mercies of God. God does not owe me anything but I owe Him everything. I am happy that He has healed me from a dilapidating disease that had crippled me for more than ten years. I am happy that He has given me sufficient energy and good health to continue serving as a pastor. I am happy that He has given me a supportive spouse and ministry partner to serve Him. I am happy that God has blessed me and my family with a roof above our heads, foods on the table and clothes on our backs.

How can all these be a life of sacrifice for me? What I have received is an abundant life and a privileged life. Brothers and sisters, maybe to some of you, serving the Lord is a sacrifice. If it is so, it is your “reasonable service” as mentioned in Romans 12:1.

My challenge to you is very simple:

Would you sacrifice your personal entertainment time for the Lord? If you can cut half of that time and spend it on reading the bible, meditation and prayers, that will be great.

Would you sacrifice your personal time to attend prayer meetings and Sunday worship services?

How about spending time in a cell group and fellowshipping with your brothers and sisters in the Lord?

You may not need to sacrifice your life like Li, the former bodyguard of Jack Ma but God will still take note of your sacrificial effort to please Him and read His Word.

Everytime, you want to change your mind about reading the bible, meditating or praying, immediately count backward 5-4-3-2-1 and just then just do it. The reason is that when the helpful idea comes, your brain will seek to kill it in 8 seconds. Therefore, by using the the Five-Second Rule, you practically destroy the opportunity for your brain to kill your idea. It is that simple. Try it and gain victories in your life for the glory of God.

Watch the following video and learn how to conquer every procrastination.

#albertkang #faithLine #jackma #procrastination #church #renewedmind #melrobbins #five-secondrule #5-secondrule #jesuschrist #christianity #romans12 #apostlepaul #successinchrist #faithlineinternational #god #handingoverprayer #christianmeditation #godisgood #overcomers #hope #gratitude #grace #mercy #scripture #jesuslovesyou

How To Murder The Thief Of Time

Have you heard of an old adage: “Procrastination is the thief of time”.  This was coined by Edward Young, a 18th Century English poet. Even after all these years, his description of procrastination is still revealed in our daily life. How many of you have been robbed of your success by this thief of time? How many projects and interests have been discarded because of procrastination? How many relationships have been affected because of it? In this article, I hope to share about how you can kill “procrastination” – yes, literally murder this thief of time before it even appears.

Let me share with you my most recent “murder” story – it’s about my reluctance to write this blog. Why? Because I have many things to do – the topmost task is to prepare the sermon for this Sunday. However, writing this blog is one of the three items that I had planned to do since early morning and I had been putting it off till even after lunch. Then, just a short while ago, I counted to myself from “five” backward to “one”. Sat down, turned on the laptop, clicked the blog app and began to type. It was as simple as that.

What I did was simply applying the “Five-Second Rule”.

It was Mel Robbins, a lawyer and motivational speaker, who discovered this technique by chance. In 2009, she was at the lowest ebb of her life. At 41 years old, she was unemployed and broke. Mel was devastated with life, worrying about the liens on her home, facing bankruptcy and also disharmony at home.

One day, she woke up, totally miserable and decided to just sleep on even the alarm clock had rung. She reached out to hit the snooze button, then she remembered watching a NASA launch on the news the previous night. So, instead of giving in to the temptation to sleep on, she counted backward to herself, “5-4-3-2-1” and just like the rocket being launched to outer space, Mel catapulted out of the bed. That little “stupid trick” as she called it, broke the back of poverty and made her a millionaire.

What Mel had accidentally stumbled upon was really a scientifically proven psychological phenomenon that God has placed in our brain. I shall spare you all the scientific explanation and just give you the basis of this Five-Second Rule according to Mel.

The Rule states: The moment you have an instinct to act on a goal, you must push yourself to move within 5 seconds or your brain will kill it.

Once you understand how your brain functions, and that you can interrupt the “self-destructive” force by getting into action within five seconds, you now get a fighting chance to kill procrastination. (Another scientist says that we have 8 seconds to kill procrastination… isn’t it great to know that).

I am personally using this rule to achieve more and getting a lot of satisfaction by murdering this thief of time. This Five-Second Rule is not just an idea, concept or advice for you to daydream about. It is a tool and a powerful “murder” weapon. As in all tools, they are useless if you do not use them.

I use this rule to kill the procrastination to read bible, pray and meditate. I use it to exercise and do “unpleasant” tasks like cleaning and washing. I use it to write my books now. I also use it to connect with my loved ones and friends.

To tell you the truth, it may not be that easy to kill “procrastination” but I always manage to kill it. Every time, it woos me to take the comfortable path, I counter it with my weapon – by counting backward from 5 to 1. Then when my countdown hits “one”, I immediately go into action.

I am showing others how to apply this rule to overcome bad habits. In another blog, I will share with you more about how you can overcome smoking, drinking, gluttony and even pornography addiction.

I have also shared this rule with my students in two sessions of the Spiritual Leadership class. You can watch one of the sessions below.

That’s all for now, my friends. and be sure to check in and read the next blog about overcoming addictions. God bless.

When I Put A Gun To My Head

It was a dark night in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, when misery formed strange images in my mind. I had lost my ministry and I was running away from life. I was suffering from burnout and my ideal world had collapsed. The voices in my head kept echoing messages of rejection and condemnation.

“God will never use you again. You are such a failure and disappointment.”

Those relentless voices hammered mercilessly. They suggested that I should end my misery by shooting myself with the Chinese pistol that I had bought earlier from a Cambodian police officer.

The lone table lamp had spotlighted the drawer where the gun was kept. Everything became surreal and today as I remember it, it was almost like an old black-and-white film of the 1920s. I recall a strange force that directed my hand to place the gun to my temple. I also recall weeping silently in the midst of the loudness in my head. That busy verbal traffic in the mind was indeed from another dimension, urging and encouraging for the finger to pull the trigger and end it all.

Then a loud voice echoed in that dark room. It was really loud. Loud enough to make me stop everything. A voice that I was so familiar with but had not heard for a long time.

“Stop! I will restore you.”

That voice was firm but enveloped with the love and assurance I needed so badly.

To cut the story short, God did restore me and since that time, some thirty years ago, He has blessed me with a beautiful life, wonderful relationships and fruitful ministry again.

How did I recover from depression and overcome the suicidal thought?

First, I realized that even though I was depressed and emotionally devastated, I was still able to make decisions. For example, the decision to kill myself was my decision… even though it was prompted by the devil through depression. Then, when I heard that loud voice of God, my spirit recognized that was the voice of my Master and I responded by putting my gun down. That was a right decision.

Like Elijah who first listened to the voice of fear when Jezebel promised to kill him (1 Kings 19:2), he reacted and bolted. What was the remedy for such fear? God gave Elijah His assurance by replacing the fear with words of faith and encouragement. Elijah had to make a decision to listen and act upon the words of God or make the wrong choice of listening to the destructive voice of Jezebel in his head. He had to make a choice and he could.

God fed Elijah with physical food to give him back his energy. God allowed him to sleep and recuperate his strength. Then He sent him on a 40-day journey to Mount Horeb. That was to give him some physical exercise and something to do. Then at that sacred mountain, God assured Elijah of his calling and sent him back to his ministry. You can read all these in 1 Kings 19.

Did God depend upon Elijah to feel good before He sent him on a new assignment? No! God knew that what Elijah needed was not having the “right feeling” but the right direction.

I did not feel good or happy even after I heard the voice of God. However, I was at peace and slept in that lonely room for a couple of days. Then God sent people of favor to help me. He had told me after the suicidal attempt that He would blessed me with the “blessings of Abraham”. I did not know what was that supposed to be for me.

What God did was to send me on a journey into the unknown. In a few short years, He blessed me with businesses that produced financial blessings that I had never dreamed of. Then, with some friends, God led me to establish a church and three orphanages in Cambodia.

Even though, initially, my depressive mood was still there, I listened to the encouragements from the friends whom God sent. When doors of business opportunity were open, i put myself to work. Establishing a supermarket, a grocery store, three restaurants and three orphanages took a lot of effort and time. But all those activities were good for me.

You do have the ability to make right choices even though you may feel lethargic and down. Listen to the message below and let the Word of God help you move on to the road of recovery. Remember, you can make right choices.

1. Decide to talk to God
2. Decide to talk to your friends
3. Decide to get up and do some physical exercises
4. Decide to go to Church or go online and join a church service

In my next blog I will share about the “Five-Second Rule” that will get anyone out of the valley of despair into the mountaintop of good activities.

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When You Feel Like Giving Up

Fear Comes By Hearing

Depression is a mounting problem today. During this uncommon time, the number of people who have been affected by depression has increased drastically. What does the Bible say about depression? Is there a way out of depression?

From the very familiar narrative of Elijah’s depression, found in 1 Kings 19, you will be able to discover some steps to help you or others out of depression or emotional struggles.

Elijah just had three miraculous encounters with God in 1 Kings 18. He called down fire from heaven, he called down rain to come after a three-year drought, he supernaturally outran King Ahab’s chariot all the way to the gates of Jezreel. He should be full of faith with three glorious encounters under his belt.

No one would ever believe that after such marvelous experiences with God, that faith would have departed from a man of God such as Elijah.

Elijah was affected because he heard that the evil queen of Israel, Jezebel, was going to kill him. The great prophet of God went into a panic and ran all the way from the north to the south of the country. Why was that so – why did he react so drastically after hearing the threat from that evil woman?

Just as faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), fear also comes by hearing. A good example to remember is that light and darkness do not coexist, and so faith and fear also do not coexist. When darkness is there, you need to turn on the light. Switch that light off and darkness is immediately revealed. This also tells us that darkness is always there but for the energy of the light.

Fear is always a part of your human experience but faith is that confidence that you have in the living God that keeps fear at bay. As long as your trust is in the Lord and you have the fullest confidence that God is with you always then this faith-belief is powerful enough to prevent fear to overwhelm you.

What is the first step that you must take when you are going into depression?

Realize this truth – you may be depressed but the power of making choices has not been taken away from you. The only thing depression does is to cause you to make the wrong choices. For example, depression may make you decide to consume lots of alcohol, take drugs, cut yourself with razor blades, eat yourself to death, isolate yourself from everybody, etc.

All these wrong decisions are actually harming you rather than helping you. That is why I say that “Depression is a Liar.” Determine to fight this liar with the truth of God.

Feed yourself with the positive messages of God’s Word. Yes, you will never feel like listening to another sermon or helpful advice. But do not be tricked into thinking that one day, you will receive that right feeling.

Guess what? You will never have the right motivation or right feeling to do anything that will get you out of depression. You just simply have to take the bull by the horns and make small decisions and take small steps to recovery.

So, the first step is to force-feed your depressed mind with the positive words of God. and at the same time, be sure to feed your physical body with nutritious food and not junk food.

In the next blog, I will share with you further steps on how you can get out of depression or how you can help someone get out of depression.

Here is a video message that I shared about how you can overcome depression.

Where Do You Find Your Passion?

Passion is not a thing that you can discover outside of yourself. You will never find it in a person, relationship, project, career, church, ministry or place. Passion is a feeling. So, in order to find your passion, you need to look into the mirror. Your passion is found only in you in as much as my passion is found only in me.

Once you understand that your passion is a feeling, then you would not be ascribing blames unto others for “what they make you feel”. Now, you know why it is futile to blame your spouse, loved ones, friends and relatives for how they “make you lost your passion”.

You must have heard of the passion known as “enthusiasm” that is made out of two Greek words, “en” (within) and “theos” (God). It literally means “God within”. Believers with enthusiasm are people who are truly inspired by God, empowered by God and overjoyed by God. To a certain extent, the Christian passion is a result of the anointing of the Holy Spirit and so we continue to have the joy and zeal while serving the kingdom of God. Therefore, for the Christians, our passion is spiritually empowered and enhanced. This means that we should have better management over it. I named this divinely-endowed passion as the “God-in-you” moment.

The presence of the Holy Spirit and the love of God in our life become the fuel for our constant enthusiasm in every situation. James understood this “God-in-you” passion when he said, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,” (James 1:2). The Bibles says that “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised Him.” (Luke 4:14-15). Here is one example of Spirit-inspired enthusiasm – the zeal that Jesus had as the “Man of the Spirit”. And later, the Holy Spirit inspired the people of God and they had the same Spirit-inspired enthusiasm as the “Church of the Spirit.”

The Pentecostal movement has become one of the fastest growing Christian movements in history simply because of the Spirit-inspired enthusiasm experienced and expressed by its adherents. However, you don’t have to be a Pentecostal to express this “God-in-you” enthusiasm. As long as you realize that you are given the privilege to manage and control this “God-in-you” passion, you can then use it at will.

You are now no longer looking for passion but you can bring your “God-in-you” passion to the things that you do. So, if you have been given a ministry to do, it is you who bring the passion, vitality and energy there. If you are in a relationship, it is you who bring the same “God-in-you” passion to the person whom you love and care for. When you go to work, it is the same thing – your daily chores may become mundane and boring but it is you who bring that enthusiasm into the job.

Have you ever noticed when an enthusiastic person walks into a room? Even if the person may not be a believer, his or her presence can create such an impact upon all in that room. Now, if a soulish-generated enthusiasm is so powerful, what about a spiritual “God-in-you” type of enthusiasm? You should try it and see what happens! Bring out your “God-in-you” passion in everything that you do. Bring this spiritually-inspired passion to a relationship, career, or a place and see the result. Seriously, all you need to do is to try it. There is nothing to lose but everything to gain. God bless!

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Are You Still Looking For Your Passion?

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Passion is something that I believed had to be discovered. After living for more than six decades on this earth, I can only say that it is not to be so.

For the disciples of Christ, we may think that we can find our passion in the Church, ministries or worship services. For some, they hope to find it in the mission fields or in social services.

For the younger people who are dating, they might think that they can find their passion in a relationship or a person. Maybe they think that marriage will spark a new passion in them. However, take a serious look at all the marriages around and do you find any great passion in most of the marriages?

How about those starting on a new career – the illusion of an ideal job that would give them great passion in life. The truth is that this passion soon fades away when the going gets tough.

You may be going through that now. Then you think that maybe when you become your own boss by launching a new business and making a lot of money, then your passion will be rekindled. Yours truly have been there and done that – the sad answer is that I did not find passion there either.

After some years of hard work, you might think that by moving to a new country or travel to many places, you will discover your passion. Guess what, you will be disappointed.

So, if we cannot find passion all around then where can we find our passion? That is a million-dollar question and today, hopefully you will get the answer.

The answer is found by looking at the mirror. Yes, the person in the mirror has the source of the passion that so many people talk about. Passion is not a thing, relationship, person or a place but a feeling. You are like saying, “what?”

Now for the eureka moment – Passion is not something that you find elsewhere, outside of yourself but what God has placed within you. – It is the God-given energy and vitality that you bring to the situation; that you bring to a relationship; that you bring to a job, that you bring to whatever that you are doing.

In short, Passion is that God-given “enthusiasm” that has been placed within you.

The Bible has a lot of say about this: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

Paul the Apostle says, “Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (Romans 12:11) and “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men…” (Colossians 3:23).

In the next blog, I will share with you how you can activate this God-given passion in your life. God bless and enjoy your life in the Lord.

Albert Kang

From Pain To Gain

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Within the period of 10 years, my health condition worsened and slid rapidly down the steep slope of pain. The little known genetic disorder, ankylosing spondylitis, was taking over my life. This is a chronic inflammatory arthritis of the spine, also known as ‘bamboo spine’. It is an inherited autoimmune disease that causes the joints in the spine to fuse up and there is no cure.

I did not realise the seriousness of this disabling disease even though it had caused a hairline crack in my spine when I was only 18 years old. As I grew older, I began to experience regular bouts of back pain and numbness of the limbs.

After passing 40, the pain had increased to a point where it affected the movements of my limbs. My spine had fused up, causing my back to hunch. My health deteriorated further and pain became my regular companion. To manage the pain, I popped ibuprofen, a powerful painkiller. On bad days, I had to take up to eight pills – the maximum dosage permitted in a day.

Standing, walking or sitting, for a prolonged period, became a problem. Before too long, I sought the help of walking aids such a walking stick or cane. I had to use a wheelchair for long distance travels.

My Merciful God

There were nights when my back was so painful that sleeping became impossible. I had to lie face down like a turtle over a few stacked layers of pillows.

During every chronic pain attack, I cried to God for help. I had no strength of my own; I could only cling to Him. On many occasions, I had prayed and asked God to either heal or take me home to heaven. He didn’t. Instead, He brought the peace of heaven into my struggling soul. The throbbing pain did not stop but His presence helped me overcome many a tough night.

Later I learned that God was not silent about my pain but set the motion of healing in process. How this happened could only be described as the mercy and grace of God in operation.

God’s Special Plan

It was our dentist, Dr. Thiagan Sinnadurai, a dedicated servant of God who challenged my wife Grace and me to attend a healing seminar organised by his house church. I was not keen to attend because I knew that I did not have the gift of healing. For over 20 years of my ministry, I did not see many successful healing miracles after my prayers. In fact, a few people died after I prayed.

On that hot day of 8 December 2005, Grace drove me to the healing seminar. I was not in the most amiable mood. I had work to do and my nerve was also not accommodating. When we could not find a parking space, I was elated. Now, I could miss the seminar and give a great excuse to Dr. Thiagan. However, God had other plan and He opened up a nice parking space for us. Still mumbling under my breath, with Grace helping me, I walked slowly to the training location at Bangsar.

God’s Healing Approach

That day was to become a defining moment of my life and ministry. Pastor William Lau, an American-Chinese, with a gentle Christ-like spirit, was systematic in his teaching. In his Elijah Challenge teaching, there were no strange doctrines or scary testimonies of being caught to heaven. This founder of the Elijah Challenge was not there to impress us with his theology but simply allowing the scriptural verses to speak for themselves.

Verse upon verse, precept upon precept, line upon line, my eyes were opened. Suddenly everything made sense. Why didn’t they teach me this in the bible seminary? Even after earning a Master in Divinity, this truth in the Bible had completely eluded me.

Why was I not told that there is a difference between the gift of healing and the authority to heal? Why didn’t the professors teach us how to use the kingly authority to do spiritual warfare and heal the sick in the context of preaching the Gospel?

The most fascinating part was when Pastor Lau said that he would demonstrate this God-given power and authority by healing some of the participants in the name of Jesus. He did exactly that. A few participants were healed of the back pain, leg pain and other infirmities.

Then he invited some of us to try. I remember feeling the pain in my own back and facing an Indian pastor who claimed to have three numb toes. With a fellow participant, I laid my hand on the toes and commanded the feeling to return in the name of Jesus. To my great surprise, the pastor claimed that feeling had returned to his toes and he quickly testified to the other participants. That was my first experience in having immediate healing result after ministering.

The Elijah Challenge

I was to attend the same seminar another three more times and then to take an advance training with Pastor Lau. Since then, my ministry has been completely transformed. It is filled with power and miracles which is line with what the bible says about the kingdom of God as not being a matter of talk but of power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

Grace and I had personally healed many in the name of Jesus with the God-given authority and power. In the last five years, we have trained Christians from both the mainline and Pentecostal/Charismatic churches in seminars and training sessions. We have the joy of seeing our trainees healing the infirm in the name of Jesus and literally thousands are being miraculously healed.

Many Healing Miracles

This testimony from one of our many healing mission trips to the Philippines is among the more interesting ones:

The elderly lady sat transfixed as after many years, for the first time, she could clearly hear the voice of her daughter. I had just placed my fingers into the elderly lady’s impaired ears and commanded them to be opened in the name of Jesus. Then to test whether she was really healed, the daughter went to about one metre behind her and began calling out words and phrases in a normal voice. The elderly lady repeated every word and phrase accurately – she was healed and she could hear clearly.

Here is a testimony of distant healing:

Our Chinese Service’s pastor, Rev Edward Chiu’s mother-in-law was in coma after taking the wrong medicine for her tuberculosis. She was in that situation for four days and she lived far away from our church in another state. Rev Chiu and I took authority over the coma by using the healing-at-a-distance approach. We commanded her body to respond to the healing touch of Jesus and also for her to be revived from her coma. About two hours later, the sister-in-law discovered that the mother had awakened. Praise the Lord! Now we know that healing-at-a-distance works also with us.

Some of those trained pastors have gone on to include The Elijah Challenge’s approach of healing in their ministries. Rev Timothy Lam is one of those trained and recently ministered in Guilin, China. His testimony came this way:

An elderly man who could not speak for many years, started to utter words after being ministered to. His wife wanted to hear him say, “I love you”… and he did. Slowly but surely, he said those lovely words to his wife after many years of dumbness. [In Chinese, the words would sound like “wo ai ni.”]

This type of scenario is repeating in many congregations around the world. From Vietnam to Africa, Singapore to Dubai, Malaysia to United Kingdom, India to United States, thousands have been healed in the name of Jesus. What is so special about this type of healing ministries? If you like to learn more, Grace and I are most willing to share with you and your congregation. Today we serve as coordinators of the Elijah Challenge Asia and our primary task is teaching congregations how to heal in the name of Jesus within the context of evangelism.

God’s Special Touch

What happened to my own dilapidating condition? Without much fanfare, I was miraculously healed. While I was busy healing others in the name of Jesus, God was quietly healing me. One day, I got up without pain. For a short period of time, I still carried my walking stick just in case it was only a brief remission. After a while, it seemed silly to carry the walking stick when there was no pain and so I left it at home.

There were many occasions when the pain threatened to return but my dear wife was ever ready to rebuke the pain for me. Today, after five years, the pain recurrence has reduced to almost zero. I still have to be careful not to lift heavy stuffs or jump off the stage while preaching. The Lord is merciful and Grace and I are forever grateful.

About Pastor Albert Kang and His Ministries

Today, Albert serves as the Lead Pastor of FaithLine International Ministries and the Pastoral Advisor of Overcomers Church in Perth, Australia. He also serves as one of the Directors on the Executive Board of Foursquare Malaysia and Foursquare Singapore. Since 2006, Albert has served as the Coordinator of Elijah Challenge Asia and he is also the Founder and Director of Healing Encounter Ministry (HEM). With his wife, Pastor Grace Kang, he conducts ‘The Elijah Challenge End-Time Model of Evangelism’ and HEM Healing Seminars locally and internationally.