2 Kings 13:14-17
Elisha became sick to the point of death. Yet he still taught Joash the king of Israel about the arrow of victory. Joash wept before Elisha. Elisha understood the Kings difficulties and fears and told him to take a bow and some arrows and told him to shoot the arrows. This is the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and God will help you destroy the enemies.

In 2018 the speaker spoke on the arrow of victory in 2018. Then, he encouraged everyone: whether the road of 2018 is smooth or bumpy, we have much fears about our future. But prophet Elisha taught us that this is the arrow of the Lord’s victory. As long as you have the Lord’s abidance, we will surely overcome our troubles.

The arrow of victory 2019 will now be discussed. What teaching will be said? The speaker won’t discuss a teaching but will discuss his illness and experience.

The speaker noticed a coincidence. When he talked about the arrow of victory 2018, he was speaking concerning the events he would later encounter. Aug 2018, the speaker had a clog in his

In pct 2019, the doctors discovered a tumour in his colon. Before one problem subsided, he met with another problem. The road ahead was truly uneven and bumpy.

He also saw another coincidence. When he was about to finish the series ‘hear them speak’, he was thinking about the next series of sermons to talk about, he wanted to talk about ‘see how they pray’ or ‘look at their actions’, suddenly he was moved to talk about the teachings in revelation. He was thinking the teachings in revelation are very serious and often a form of rebuke. He wanted to choose a series of sermons that would be more soothing and encouraging. So he started looking for materials. But the motivation to talk about revelation became stronger and stronger. So in the end he decided to change the course of action and talk about revelation. To talk about the Lord’s proclamation in revelation. So he talked about the victors in revelation. He had just spoken part two of the series when a tumour was found in his colon which was suspected to be cancer. Danger bells rang. His heart was very heavy.

When the speaker started out as a preacher, he had to drink a bitter cup. He wondered if he had to drink a bitter cup at the end of his life. He said, “God if I really have to drink it, can I drink half?” He envies other preachers that seem to be drinking cup of blessings. But it’s just a lamentation. He doesn’t regret becoming a preacher. He doesn’t murmur either. He read an article about a moth that was envious about the butterfly. Everyone loved the butterfly because it’s beautiful. But the moth is very ugly and everyone disliked it. The moth complained to the Creator, “You’re unfair! Why have you made me so ugly??”

The Creator said, “Most times you’re a nocturnal creature. In the dark night it doesn’t matter whether you’re beautiful or not. But flowers that give off pollen at night need you. You may not be beautiful outwardly but you play a very important role. It’s a role other creatures cannot take over. Therefore there’s no need to compare with the butterfly. Don’t look down on yourself just because you look ugly. I’ll be happy if you just play your role well.”

After the moth heard the words of the Creator, his face didn’t become radiant after speaking with the Creator. We know Moses face glowed after speaking to God. But the moth’s heart was illuminated. It understood its role was very important. It stopped comparing itself with the butterfly and continued to play its role well.

Therefore the speaker also is no longer concerned if people mock or look down on him. He’s only concerned about whether he has played his part well before God.

Even though the path he has treaded on has been bitter, God’s grace has been good to him.

After working as a preacher for 25 years, he retired. He returned to Singapore because SCB accepted that he would be a minister, need not attend meetings or do visiting. As a full time preacher you’d need to do everything, whether on pulpit or off pulpit. You cannot choose the kind of work you want to do. But after you retire, you can choose the work you want to and still can do. This would require the church to accept your request for the job you want to do. He thanks the Lord for giving him the opportunity to encourage and edify the church through speaking the word on the pulpit. He also thanks Singapore church for accepting him in playing this role in speaking sermons.

He worked in Newcastle church for 15 years. After he retired, they asked him to continue in the work. He asked to only speak sermons but they said no, there wasn’t such an arrangement. When he raised the same request to Singapore church, he was sure they would turn it down. He didn’t intend to return to Singapore. Probably just to see friends and eat char kway teow. Because the retirement benefits in UK were very good. When Singapore church were willing to accept his request, he asked God, “Are you kidding me?” Singapore church asked him, “What more do you have to consider? All the excos of three churches have agreed.” The speaker signed the agreement. The next day the exco of Newcastle said they’d accede to his request. He was thinking wah that’s what he wanted to stay in UK where the retirement benefits were good and he could serve God. He could fulfil his dream of bringing his wife on a tour around Europe. (HAHA his wife complains that until now he hasn’t brought her to Taiwan.)

But his conscience was pricking him. Because he had already agreed with the Singapore church. There was a struggle within him. His conscience told him he couldn’t go back on his word. He told them, “Why didn’t you come to me earlier? You come the very next day I sent out the agreement letter!” That’s why he felt like God was joking with him. But actually he felt like it was a test from God. He wanted to only speak sermons and Singapore church was willing. Newcastle church wasn’t willing, there wasn’t a case where the church

Initially some people opposed. Others didn’t like the arrangement and had no choice but to accept it because it had already been approved in the meetings. He met with this and mockings. Nonetheless he continued his speaking sermon on pulpits. In meetings

Consider the story where a one eyed king asked for people to paint him? One painter painted him with 2 bright eyes. The king was unhappy. “Everyone knows I have one eye. Are you trying to deceive everyone?” Another painter painted realistically with one eye. The king was unhappy still. Finally a wise painter painted him in a way that pleased him. He painted the king as a Condor hero. He was shooting an arrow and so had to close one eye. Such an angle covered up his defect and manifested his valour.

Whatever happens in life, if we look at it in the right angle, we and others can remain happy.

The speaker hence continued helping in the pulpit ministry in Singapore. This is the 21st year. He faced much difficulties. But from the time he retired until today, the Lord Jesus has given him 21 years of peaceful life. Even though he has met with sicknesses recently, he still experiences the grace of the Lord.

When he went to the clinic concerning his sickness, he asked about his family history. He told the doctor that his father and younger sister died of cancer. His younger brother is also stricken with cancer. Thank God the tumour was removed and his condition has stabilised. The doctor hence suspected he had colon cancer and urged him to get a colonoscopy.

He recommended him visit a private doctor because need to wait a long time for a colonoscopy in public hospitals.

But his insurance only covered public hospitals so he waited for public hospitals. After a week, SGH called him. He thought there was news. They apologised that they had so many patients. They weren’t able to arrange an appointment for him. He asked
More than a month later. He was helpless and could only wait. When Bro Sen Kee heard of this, he recommended transferring to another hospital and to have an appointment earlier.

After the scope, the doctor said he had bad news. The tumour was very big 6-7cm in size. He also had to undergo CT and MRI scans to determine if the cancer had spread.

When the doctor had said this, his heart sank. Because there were some things he could not bear to leave. He also thought that he would have to wait even longer for CT and MRI. He thought that if he had money, he’d be able to do so faster but he didn’t. So he had to wait obediently. Little did he know they were arranging for the CT and MRI scan to be done on the same day. He heard the nurse speaking very loudly on the phone trying to arrange this.

Soon after the nurse said he could do the MRI scan at 3pm and CT at 7pm. He was so glad in his heart. As the nurse was pushing his bed she was saying, “Mr Chin you’re so lucky leh. To do your colonoscopy, MRI and CT scan in one day only happens once in a blue moon.”

The specialist who made the arrangement is a professor. He did the colonoscopy. He also pushed for the MRI and CT to be done today. He’s also the head of the department. No wonder this was able to happen.

The speaker thought to himself that he was just thinking to himself that he had no money and had to obediently wait. Yet this happened which allowed him to have all 3 scans in a day.

Earlier his colonoscope was in the afternoon but they had rearranged for it to be in the morning. If it the colonoscopy was still in the afternoon, it would’ve been quite unlikely for the MRI and CT to be arranged on the same day.

Looking back, he understands he has experienced the Lord’s grace. Even though he has to drink the bitter cup, he still experiences the grace of the Lord. A sour cup of lemonade with some honey is still drinkable.

Therefore don’t be afraid of difficult times but that the Lord’s grace is not on us when we go through them. If the Lord’s grace is with us, we’ll surely be victorious over our tribulations.

What really moved the speaker was that when everyone knew he had a tumour which the doctor suspected it was malignant, everyone prayed fervently for him. Many people wrote short messages to encourage them. Some recorded hymn singing to send songs to him. Some younger sisters made cards with verses in the Bible to encourage him. All these really touched and comforted the speaker and his wife.

He knows it’s not because he’s good. But because he’s a worker of God. It’s because we love the Lord that’s why we love the worker of the Lord.

Even though he has met with troubles while working for the Lord, it’s also because of the Lord he has experienced much encouragement and joy. He thanks the Lord and everyone.

After that they removed the tumour and sent it for a lab test so determine if there were cancer cells. When he went to see the doctor for the result, the doctor said, “Mr Chin you’re really very lucky. Based on our experiences and family history of cancer, and that the tumour was so large, we were 60-70% sure it was cancer. But we have examined it and there were no cancer cells!”

An unexpected grace from the Lord! The speaker felt like he had sank to the bottom of the ocean but now he felt like he was soaring in the skies. He was prepared to say sayonara to everyone but now he doesn’t

Your doctor or wealth cannot comfort you when faced with impending death. Only the Lord Jesus can give us inner peace and comfort. What’s most important is we have the Lord. Not whether we’re poor or rich. With the abidance of the Lord and His blessings, we will surely overcome all difficulties.