Testimony of A Journey of Faith

Rev. Alfred Yeo, an alumni of EAST and Senior Pastor of Zion Full Gospel Church, shares his personal journey of battling cancer while experiencing God’s presence and the ministry of the Body and prayer. He is learning that “it often takes time before one can see how God can take a tragedy and begin transforming it into a blessing.”

 

ENCOURAGED BY PRAYER AND BODY MINISTRY
A Testimony by Rev. Alfred Yeo

The month of July 2013 was the defining moment for me. For that moment in time, I felt my life was brought to standstill. After a random check of gastroscopy and colonoscopy, I was told that I had cancer of the osphepagus, and that I needed immediate surgery to remove the cancerous cell and that half of my osphepagus and stomach had to be taken out.

There was no time for me to reconsider any other options. I had to prepare myself for surgery on that weekend.

Someone asked me, how did you feel about the whole situation?

In all honesty, I was fearful. I know II Timothy 1:7 do tell us that “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and self discipline.”

But I was fearful, No matter what scriptures of faith I try to quote to calm my fears, I was still fearful. This was a natural reaction to threatening circumstances and situations of impending danger.

It is a fear of the unknown, the fear of dying and especially during this time where both my children were overseas. This fear is not about FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL. It is real.

I have got cancer and I have got to have half my osphegagus and stomach taken out. It is real!

Question: What can I do about it?

There are two common reactions anyone can take:

1. Complain to God.
• “Why God? Why did you allow this cancer to happen to me?
• I can complain and railed at his unfairness and wait for an answer that never seems to come.

2. Understand God –
• I can bring my pain to him because Romans 8:28 “ and we know that God causes all things to work together for good those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”
Sadly, this verse is also the most difficult to believe during times of desperate pain and trouble. How can having cancer be good and purposeful?

In tearful submission and by faith, I chose to understand God and submit my lives into His Hands.

And you know something, since the day I entered the operating theatre, the presence of God has always been there all along. I had my surgery done onJuly 21 and what was supposed to have taken six to eight hours, took only five hours and I came out of the theatre without any respirators, and according to doctors it was a smooth operation with minimal loss of blood. I was wheeled into the Intensive Care Unit for three days and normal ward for a week and discharged the following Sunday, July 29.

I credit all these to the power of prayer. I was aware on that Sunday of July 21; many churches were praying for me in their morning services and also the prayer support of my fellow ministers, evangelists, missionaries, church members, and friends and loved ones.

After my discharge I was told that I needed chemotherapy as a follow-up treatment to ensure that the cancer signet ring cells do not spread. I was told to prepare myself for eight sessions of chemotherapy and to be prepared for all the possible side effects.

I began my first chemotherapy treatment on August 20th and it was a very challenging experience. I have had to experience different episodes of the side effects of nausea, sleeplessness, loss of appetite and giddiness. One day I can be fine and another I will be low in the spirit.

But in all these I thank God for the expression of body ministry from the body of Christ. Beside my own church members, I had different one praying and interceding for me. Not only in their prayer support but also in tangible expressions of food to help me in my healing process. There has never been a time where I witness the full expressions of body ministry from the Body of Christ and I am very thankful for that.

There were times I am driven to despair and questioning God. But I realized that the secret to moving from a victim mentality to a victor mentality is to recognize that what I am going through can be conquered by faith and thus I have chosen to place my pain in His hands and continue my walk with Him by faith.

Contrary to popular belief, people say that time does not heal all wounds. But I realize that it often takes time before one can see how God can take a tragedy and begin transforming it into a blessing.

How my cancer as a trial will turn into a triumph, only this time of waiting on the Lord will tell. As the prophet Isaiah said – “those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31.

The chemotherapy treatment will probably end in February 2014. But I am determined to believe God that the healing process has already begun.

No matter whether my body feels good or bad, I must keep my attention focused on God’s healing promises. Jesus was faithful to heal those who came to Him in faith and he is still the same today. I want to hold fast to my confession that I am healed because faithful is He who has promised. I will not fear and I will not quit. I know I will come out of this stronger; the end result of my life will be to God’s glory, because I must run the race and finish my course with joy.

Only then can I claim victory with the apostle Paul who said:
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, not things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

Rev. Alfred Yeo

Note: Please share this with others if you feel it will be an encouragement to them. All for His Glory!