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Complete sermon audio:

Ps. Ashish shares his recent experience when death came knocking, the prayer he prayed, God's wonderful hand of grace through the entire process, three important reflections during his time of recovery, and three strategic focus areas looking ahead: (1)India's cities, (2)Nations in the 10/40 window and (3)Three streams being merged into one.
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Felt, i'd take this Sunday to share a little from my experience and then we'll see how the Lord leads us to minister after that.

The Unexpected Happened Monday March 31
Was looking ahead to many things to be done, in our city, nation and in other nations of the world.

Saturday/Sunday Mach 29,30 we had our Weekend School of Healing & Deliverance held at our APC church office in Kalyan Nagar. Was a good time of ministry. Monday March 31 the unexpected happened.

The journey to the hospital

Did we panic?
"He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD." (Psalm 112:7)

At the Emergency
The Medical Resident on duty at the ER acted very quickly. Got an ECG done, which clearly indicated a myocardial infraction. My heart rate was down to about 40bpm (normal is about 60-70 bpm).

She along with Amy took the ECG to another doctor, another medical resident, who had just completed his posting in Cardiology. He immediately contacted the Consulting Cardiologist. The Cardiologist was on leave, but he immediately decided to come and was in the hospital shortly.

The intense pain

Face to face with death

The prayer
“Lord Jesus, I have served you faithfully all my life. Dear Holy Spirit, I thank you, you are my Comforter, and you are with me right now! Lord Jesus, I need to live. I need to live for my wife. I need to live for my children. I need to live for the people. There is still so much work to be done. Lord Jesus, I need to live. Thank you, you will help me live. Thank you, Lord Jesus!”

"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him." (Psalm 91:15)

Was at the Emergency for about 15minutes.
They then wheeled me over to the ICU.

The ICU

Cut off my shirt. Prepared my arms and legs for catheterization.
The rest is a blur. Not sure what else was done on me.
I may have been at the ICU for about 30 minutes where they stabilized me.
The next thing I remember is being on the table inside the Cath Lab.

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab

Angiogram done. 100% block in the right coronary artery.

Heart stopped beating - pacemaker used to keep heart beating during procedure
The cardiologist told me later at our follow-up consultation, "you almost died on the table. Your heart stopped beating". He also mentioned, that if we had come 10-15 minutes late, I may not have survived.

"For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling." (Psalm 116:8)

A lot to be thankful for

Day - holiday, Family (Amy, Joshua, Ruth, Dad, Nancy), Traffic, ER being free, Doctors, staff, timely intervention, new equipment at the Cardiac Cath Lab., the church family, etc. The hand of God in every detail to bring help at the right time.

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;..." (Psalm 23:4)

"Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 106:1)

The Recovery Period
Was at the hospital for the next five days (Tue-Sat).
Here are my main reflections during these five days at the hospital.

Reflections

1, I Refuse to question "WHY GOD?". I only choose to "WORSHIP GOD".

I chose never to question God from a place of self-pity or a sense of injustice or unfairness, as though God failed me in any way or as though God did this to me.

I know God did not do this to me!
God is too good to do me wrong.
God is too wise to make a mistake.
God is too strong to let me down.

I chose to worship God for the fact that He is God no matter what and worthy of all praise and worship.

When you know Him for who He is, you don't need an explanation for everything. You simply walk knowing that God is a good God all the time.

You enjoy the peace that is beyond understanding, even when you don't have an understanding of WHY something happened.

God gives us peace that is beyond understanding. This is a peace you cannot understand, but you can experience. This is where people struggle. They question how can you experience something you cannot understand. The answer is simple, "you experience it", you "try it". Faith is what links a finite human being to an infinite God. It is impossible for a finite mind to comprehend an infinite God. But faith then allows the finite to experience the infinite God.

"Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"? (Isaiah 29:16)

Even the physicians at the hospital were very surprised, since I did not have any common risk factors : no smoking, no alcohol, diet, weight, etc.

I did look at "Why" from a point of examining what has been happening in my life, so that I could prevent this is the future.

Hereditary + Lifestyle + Spiritual
Diet, Exercise, We are secure in Christ
Rest, Stress unless we give a door of access to the enemy

Based on what I assessed, I have decided to make some Lifestyle changes : Diet, Exercise, Rest, Reducing stress.

NOTE: just a note to all of us. While we do have God's promises for health and healing, and Christ's provision for our wholeness through His Cross, we also need to take responsibility for our lifestyle and do our part in diet, exercise, rest and managing stress, to live strong and healthy.

#2, I refuse "negative" emotions. I choose to maintain only "positive" emotions.

I refuse any form of bitterness or anger - toward God, toward life, etc.

I choose to rejoice, to be cheerful, to be thankful.

"A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)

"Rejoice always, ..in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16,18)

#3, As I look ahead, I refuse to operate out of "FEAR". I choose to operate out of "FAITH".

FEAR creates self-imposed limitations.

FAITH receives God's plans and God's wisdom and empowering to fulfill them.

This does not mean I won't make changes. It means that I will do things out of FAITH, rather than out of FEAR.

After Joshua had brought the people of Israel in to the Canaan, and had spent about seven years conquering many cities, the Lord speaks to him, when he is about a 100 years old:

"Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: "You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed." (Joshua 13:1)

“….there remains very much land yet to be possessed." (Joshua 13:1)

We must move with FAITH and WISDOM to possess what is still to be taken.

FOR Bible College Graduates
We are so proud of all of you. You have been with us these past two years and you are now being released to go forth into this world to become all that God has called you to and to fulfill all that He has in store for you.

"There remains very much land yet to be possessed".

You are that new generation that will go in and possess the land, each one, doing their part.

Always operate out of faith. Never let fear cripple you.

"Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 106:1)

Looking Ahead

#1, Pursue God's Presence to be a House filled with His glory so that we impact our city and cities across our nation with the supernatural power of God

A recent article in The Economist, stated that some 50 Indian cities have 1million residents or more; and forecasted that Some 300m people will move to town in the next 25 years, almost doubling the urban population. By 2051 about 60% of India's population will be in cities. We need to prepare to plant strong local churches in all 50+ cities.



[Source:
http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21600108-rapid-social-change-and-assertive-voters-will-improve-indian-democracy-we-are-connected ]

The key to impacting our city and cities and nation is the demonstration of the power of God through signs, wonders and miracles.

How will we go about this?

1, We as a local church will need to press in and pursue God's Presence, so that we become a house filled with His glory

2, equip and empower pastors, local churches and believers all across our nation to impact their communities, cities and regions for the Kingdom of God. We'll do this through freely giving what resources we have - publications, leaders conferences, etc.

3,train up a new generation of ministers who can impact cities (APC's Institute for Urban Ministry)

#2, March 19th, Wednesday, God impressed on my heart : "Prepare to go to the nations!"

10-40 Window of Evangelisation

There are about 70 countries in this region. About 22 nations in the Arab league.
About two thirds of the world's people live in this region.
100% of the world's least evangelized nations are in this region.

Go to these nations and equip God's people to impact their nation
A, Bible College : equip nationals for church planting
B, Christian Leaders Conference
C, Marketplace Equipping
D, Worship School
E, Publications in local languages

Of course we will leverage technology as well to serve these nations.

#3, March 22, Saturday, Dream : Three streams merged into one

Miracles & Healings, Prophetic & Deliverance, Missions : three streams merged into one



Let's Pray Together : Altar Call
1, Are you ready to meet your Maker?
Hebrews 9:27; Mark 8:36,37; Philippians 1:21; 1 John 5:11,12, Romans 6:23

2, Those who may be questioning God "Why"?
Philippians 4:6,7

3, Those who may be bitter about things that have happened - bitter with God, bitter with other people, bitter about life, etc
Exodus 15:23-25

4, Those who are crippled by fear because of what has happened

5, For all of us as a Church - to help us fulfill the call that is on us as a church:
A, To be a house filled with His glory so that we can impact our city and cities across our nation with the power of God
B, For us to prepare to go to the nations
C, To see these three streams become one as we become a missions base and apostolic church that is impacting cities and nations: healings & miracles + prophetic and deliverance + missions



All Peoples Church in Bangalore is a Spirit-filled, Word-based, Bible-believing Christian fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ desiring more of His presence and supernatural power bringing transformation, healing, miracles, and deliverance. We preach the full Gospel, equip believers to live out our new life in Christ, welcome the Charismatic and Pentecostal expressions in the assembly of God and serve in strengthening unity across all Christian churches. All free resources, sermons, daily devotionals, and free Christian books are provided for the strengthening of all believers in the Body of Christ. For further equipping, please visit APC Bible College.

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