1:11 Conference – Fellowship of Burning Hearts

by Joel Lim

It's amazing how the Lord plans things out. Just before I was to attend the 1:11 Conference I felt this verse rise up in me, Proverbs 25:2; “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” So, I began asking the Lord, what does it mean? And at that moment I felt a strong wind blowing, and a loud roar of thunder. Alright, I may have over-exaggerated the whole situation. In actual fact, nothing happened. It was just complete silence. So as the scripture said, I was to search it out. And with this word, I flew off to Singapore the next day.

This conference was not your typical one, that’s for sure. The speakers challenged us to suffer for Jesus and not love our lives even unto death as well as make Jesus our number one fascination so that we pour out our lives like the alabaster jar in worship to Him. I was like WOW, these are not exactly the normal kinda’ messages - not watered down, sweet, and ear-tingling, but just the plain, blunt, truth.

Here are some of the things God spoke to me about during the sessions: I realized that denying myself and taking up the cross is not a one-off thing, it's a daily decision. There's no shortcut, there's no easy way out. So the question here is; "Will I be a willing partaker of His suffering just so that the Lamb may receive the reward of His suffering, or will I run and hide at the first sign of trouble?" As I pondered this question, I was reminded of the time just before Jesus was taken away from the Garden of Gethsemane, what if Jesus decided that it wasn't worth it to suffer for our sake? Today, Jesus is looking for those who will respond just as He did two thousand years ago. He is looking for those who are willing to not love their lives unto death.

Another way that I was challenged was in putting Jesus at the top of my list of fascinations. How will I possibly be able to deny myself, take up my cross and follow after Christ wholeheartedly since He ain't no.1 on my list. In total honesty, I really can't, not until I decide to do something about my fascinations. I have been wondering why is it so difficult for me to go all-out for Christ, and now that I have identified the problem, it's time to do something about it.

In the midst of all this, just when I thought God couldn't wreck me anymore, I felt the Lord speaking to me personally. It was a message meant for Singapore but God directed it right to me and I heard it ringing in my ears: "You have a destiny!!!" God is not deciding on my destiny, He has already done it even before I was born (Eph 2:10) So, the question now is not what is my destiny, but how do I enter into my destiny. The first step to this is the most important of all, I must first believe that I have a destiny in Him, not doubting, and never allowing my past to hold me back.

Finally, I was challenged, along with all those present, to break my alabaster jar so the Lamb may receive the reward of His suffering. Jesus is searching for those who are willing to live out a radical life of obedience to His calling. It is His ultimate desire to see nations turn to Him, and He desires to partner with those who are willing to search out His heart just like David did. Therefore, the question here is simple, are you still going to hold on to what is perishable or are you going to be willing to risk it all to obtain that which is of eternal value?

1:11 Conference was held from 13th-15th July 2017 at Saint Andrew's Cathedral, Singapore.