This podcast is a repost originally published on May 20, 2017

Pastor Nima from Harvest Revival Center in Malaysia joins us on a conversation about building faith and the ways in which fear can be overcome. We hope this podcast will help you in killing your fears and doubts.

Transcript

Pastor Priji: It’s such a great honour to have you on this podcast. Would you like to greet our listeners.

Pastor Nima: Hi, Good Morning listeners. I am so glad to be on this podcast.

Pastor Priji: You’re pastoring the Tamil service at Harvest Revival Centre at Butterworth. How has the experience been? How long have you been pastoring the church now?

Pastor Nima: I have been pastoring the church for the past 6 years. This journey has been a great journey, a great walk of faith. Every time we plan to do something we walk in faith and receive from God. This is a good journey I’ve been walking through.

Pastor Priji: Wow. Have you faced challenges because you’re a woman? Have people questioned about women being allowed to be pastors?

Pastor Nima: So far, I haven’t received any comments like that.

Pastor Priji: That is definitely the grace of God.
How is ministry or church different in Malaysia? What is God doing in Malaysia that you’d like to share?

Pastor Nima: One thing I realised, people are hungry for God, want to know the love of God. Every week we see non-believers walking in saying we to know about this God. I believe we are in the last days and more people want to know about the love of God. And, it’s a challenge because we are from a Muslim country and aren’t allowed to preach the gospel publicly.

Pastor Priji: In spite of all of it, God is moving in an amazing way. We have seen the growth in the church there. I remember how you taught about the importance of faith.

From your perspective, how important is faith for a child of God? Is it really important to believe God for impossible things?

Pastor Nima: We are called as believers, we should believe for everything. Without faith we cannot take a step ahead. As the word says, faith pleases the heart of God. As Christians we have to walk in faith.

Pastor Priji: Absolutely, in fact, Paul says, we need to walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)
As Christians we proclaim and sing songs about walking by faith, but, what does it really mean to walk by faith?

Pastor Nima: Walking by faith means putting everything into believing God. Without faith it is impossible to walk this victorious life. Since we are surrounded by so much negativity it is difficult for us to believe because our mind thinks logically. Example: what the doctor says or the report or the bank account says. We have to practice walking in faith and it doesn’t come overnight.

Pastor Priji: What happens when we believed for something and the exactly opposite happens and the faith gets quenched, that we can no longer believe?

Sometimes the greatest reasons of faith to have been quenched is because of disappointments.

How can I not rely on my disappointing experiences and still believe in God’s word because it is eternal and everlasting?
Experience might change from person to person and situation to situation.
How can we let go experiences and still trust God?

Pastor Nima: Letting go of experiences comes by reading the Word of God. The more you spend time in the Word it builds the faith and the disappointments and discouragements it leaves, it takes away that place and the faith fills in then faith arises.

Pastor Priji: Reading the promises in the word of God can build that level of confidence in the word of God. Faith has to begin to manifest through actions and experiences. Could you share some of your experiences of how you’ve got to walk out in faith when you’ve not seen the answer?

Pastor Nima: There are so many things we have stepped out in faith and received in regards with healing, finance and many other things. The recent one was, we had the Revive Kuwait meeting and the ticket was booked earlier. While applying for the visa, it was rejected. At first, it was rejected, the second time it was rejected, the third time when we tried it was late as the next day I had to travel. After the second time I was a bit shaken. I messaged Pastor Shyju and he said one word, “ Don’t worry, it is done.” we believed, and that day, I had to leave the house at 3.30 pm and till 1 pm I did not receive the visa. I told God by 1.30 pm I need the visa. Sharp 1.30 pm I received a message saying the visa has been approved. If you decide to stand forever, it doesn’t take long.

Pastor Priji: Sometimes the process can be difficult and when you still don’t see an answer. Abraham, Job waited and underwent lot of things and still kept faith and saw God’s promises came through in their lives. How do we overcome the waiting period season?

Pastor Nima: The word of God says, life and death are in the power of the tongue, (Proverbs 18:21) during this season, I have learnt, when you believe for something you just have to believe, I did not speak out my doubt. Keep speaking the word of God which is important for manifestation.

Pastor Priji: The Bible says, faith without works is dead, while speaking it out we give it ‘works’ to manifest itself.

I remember what you taught us when you were in India for the service. On Sunday, we say we believe but, Monday to Saturday we confess the exact opposite.

Pastor Nima: It’s like praying for the rain to stop and taking an umbrella and going.

Pastor Priji: That’s definitely not an expression of faith.
How do we overcome fear of failure or the fear of something not coming to pass and still have faith?

Pastor Nima: In the beginning I had the same fear but over a period of time I have learnt it is not our job to do it. God has told us and we have to do our part and believe healing is done on the cross. It’s always God who leads us to victory. When you settle the debt in your spirit it’s easy to overcome fear.

Pastor Priji: That’s powerful! Being secure in your identity helps overcome fear.

I have seen many people not enter into their God given destiny because of fear especially, finances for young ministers who suffer from fear thinking this wouldn’t work which stops us from walking in faith.

In all of us this what should be our anchor/ what should give us hope?

Pastor Nima: Would like to share a recent testimony that took place in our lives. We had to pay 40,000 Ringgits for our daughter’s college fees. We didn’t have the money. Many say we trust God for this money. But, I was praying God we cancel this, we don’t want to pay so much money. Recently, she called and the university said the agent that we went through cancelled the amount and had to pay only 8000 Ringgits which was already in our hands.

Our hope is every unbelief should leave. If you think you have unbelief, you need to overcome it by prayer and fasting.

Pastor Priji: You brought a brilliant point! Sometimes all the believing and Bible reading is a waste if you are not praying about it.

Does it mean if I’m not praying my faith would not grow?

Pastor Nima: Definitely, the more you pray the more the word of God is going to manifest in your life.

Pastor Priji: Prayer is away of synchronising our thoughts to His thoughts. The more we have His thoughts in us it becomes easy to believe and trust Him.

I have been inspired by Pastor Shyju’s life. I know that he is not perfect but I have learnt the more he prays he has grown in faith and trust God in crazy seasons of life.

You have walked with Pastor Shyju for a long time as one of the old team members, what are somethings you have learnt from him especially in the area of prayer?

Pastor Nima: The thing that inspired us was his prayer life. Our prayer life changed after we saw Pastor Shyju and the way he taught us how to pray.

After knowing Pastor Shyju we came to know what it is to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Nothing else matters, all that matter is loving Jesus.

Pastor Priji: Wow! I think that’s the key thing that his life is all about teaching about to walk with God and having a friendship with God.

Pastor Nima: One last advice, just stand without quitting.

Prayer: Father, if there is anyone going through and any situations in life we pray this day will be their day of deliverance and victory. Father, we command healing into everyone listening, we command financial deliverance, breakthrough. I pray that everyone will walk in faith without wavering. let faith arise, let them be established in their faith. We command every fear in their heart to leave in Jesus name. They will be settled in the word of God knowing that you will lead us to victory. Every listener will see the manifestation and the miracles that will start coming in as they stand in faith. In Jesus mighty name, Amen!

If you have a testimony feel free to leave a comment!

You can visit her website here to connect with her.