MY TESTIMONY
Pastor Pratap Singh
(New Delhi, India)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ “SHALOM”.
I am happy to share my testimony and God’s calling for the ministry. Concerning this I would like to pen down some realities which took place in my life.
I was born and brought up in a Christian family. In 1969 I felt the calling of God for the ministry. At that time I was a school teacher in a Pentecostal Church and I had no knowledge about the various denominations and their disharmonies with each other. Somehow I got to join the Salvation Army. While I was in the training college I heard a preaching in a convention in which the minister spoke concerning the Endtime, the Coming of Christ, Rapture, Baptism, Seventh Church Age Messenger, etc. I was surprised and shocked to hear of these things and my heart became restless. Then a struggle started in my mind about the message. After my training, I was appointed to station in a village as a Salvation Army officer. Few months later a Christian brother introduced me to the same pastor who had hosted the convention. The pastor explained to me about the Godhead, Baptism, Seventh Church Age Messenger, etc. On my next visit he handed me a message book of Bro. Branham, entitled “Why Cry, Speak?”. After reading the book I became restless again and I re-read it several times and even rushed to the pastor to get similar books. I wrote a letter to the late Bro. Roy H. Border, and he started to send to me the message books in bulk. I distributed the books and sent them by post to people I knew. The Lord started to deal with me concerning the Truth and Revelation. And I knew that this is the Truth. And in 1972, I was re-baptized in the Name of “Lord Jesus Christ”.
After my baptism, I decided to leave the Salvation Army. But due to inconvenient situations and financial crises I could not do so. I was continuously praying for Lord’s guidance and provision. Thus I remained in the Salvation Army for more than 16 years. I was transferred many times and, wherever I went, I took the message with me and shared it with the people. Many came to the knowledge of the Truth and were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; among them were pastors and members. By the Grace of the Lord, in spite of opposition from some of the Salvation Army officers, the truth was spread in several states of India.
In 1980, I was transferred to Delhi from Calcutta. Here I met with a brother who was a government official. He was alone. There was not a single fellowship in Delhi. Therefore along with this brother I started to conduct house meetings. Eventually a small group of believers was established. I was serving as a pastor with the moral support of this brother, who started to give me his tithes and he requested the congregation to do the same. I discussed with this brother that I should resign from the Salvation Army and he was happy. Though I was successful in getting a termination with the organization, a “conspiracy” was played against me. In that period my daughter suffered from thalassemia and she was on her death bed. So it was not possible for me to leave the organization.
Anyhow, for at least two years have I passed my time in perplexity and hopelessness. In 1985, again I was transferred to Calcutta. In 1986, Bro. Ed Byskal, Bro. Branan and Bro. George Smith came to India to see about the printing of Bro. Branham’s messages in the Indian languages. Someone had proposed my name for Hindi translation. And I met with them in Visakhapatnam. The late Dr. Jacob was also there. After a negotiation they agreed to give me US$150 per month for the work in translating the messages. I had to explained them that when I was with the Salvation Army, the organization saw to the rented house and I needed some money to maintain the family. Also I explained to them that once my small congregation can support me, I will translate the messages freely without their financial support. For almost one year they supported me and suddenly they stopped without any prior notice. So, many time I tried to contact them but I received no response. After 10 months Dr. Jacob wrote me a letter and stated that they cannot use the Lord’s money in vain. I did not understand what it meant. Then I wrote them and reminded them that I had promised them that all this support will be temporary, and that as soon as a small group is established I will write to inform them to stop the support and I will translate the messages freely. But sorry to say that till today they have not or would not respond to my letter. Along with my family and a sick daughter, I was never in a worse condition than that moment. This was the second blow. I could not understand what kind of spirit was prevailing upon the believers, while the messages are unique, and the messenger was a true prophet.
Then I moved to Noida (close to the City of Delhi). After some months a small group was established. I started to move and preach in various places and by the grace of the Lord many people received the Truth and were baptized. Again the same brother, with whom I had started the work in Delhi, sent his man with a message to a brother’s house where I used to conduct the meetings. He conveyed the message, which was a question, asking if I had met the requirement or qualification to be an elder. First I could not understand, later on I knew that devil was sowing his seed. And after some time he deceived some people and started to visit them. The work was disturbed. But the God-fearing people remained with me. This was the third blow by the devil upon my ministry. Again I was in perplexity. I asked the Lord as to whether or not I am called by Him to the ministry, that He should let me know. I could not bear all these things; I would rather go back to the world again.
Whilst in hopelessness and mental depression I received a book entitled “DISCREPANCIES” written by Bro Richard L. S. Gan. After reading this book I came to know the reality why the so-called ministers are behaving in such manner. After some years I experienced an understanding that around the globe the devil is active in devouring the Truth (Acts 20:29-30) and that in the name of the “end time message” the wolves are active everywhere.
Now, presently the condition of the end time believers is worse than the denominational people. Though they have left denominationalism, they have also left the humanity, humility and the love for the WORD. Therefore each minister is against another minister, in real sense that means they are against the message and the Word of God and His plan for this generation. They have confirmed themselves to human words and not on the Prophetic Words. (2 Peter 1:19).
After reading the book “Discrepancies”, I wrote a letter to Bro. Gan and asked him whenever he could come to India that I wanted to meet with him. Promptly he responded me and said that he was visiting very soon. Thus we came to know each other. I have arranged his meetings 5 times in Delhi. I have also freely translated some of his books in Hindi. I know that this brother has a right understanding of the scripture and the prophet’s message.
A believer in UK and a believer in India each wrote a very similar letter to me in which they stated that Bro. Gan’s teaching is not in harmony with Bro. Branham’s messages. I wrote and asked them, “Dear brother, please let me know where Bro. Gan’s teaching is not in harmony with the WORD of God?” To this date I have received no response from them. Some people say it like this: “Why must Bro. Gan write books when we have all the messages of Bro. Branham? Are all that not enough?” My answer for them: “Why did the apostles write epistles when we had the four gospels? Were they not enough?” There are many message believers whose eyes are blinded. Therefore there is no spiritual harmony among the ministers of the message.
Now there are various teachings going on. People are confused. Each one comes with a new revelation. They have made the word “REVELATION” so cheap that the real revelation became out of their reach. To dishonor the WORD of God means death. Our dear prophet had said in many places that his “absolute” is the Word of God, so check the Bible. He was clear in his preaching.
I would like to pen down some of my thoughts in a few lines for the readers. If we (message believers and ministers) do not identify with the WORD, we cannot identify ourselves with each other. We should know that God identifies himself with humility to bring humanity to the knowledge of divinity. The heavenly became earthly to bring the earthly into the wisdom of the heavenly. According to the plan of God, only by the ascension gifts the Bride will become perfect. Check the ministers. Know the Truth and be set free. Don’t be a slave of peoples, personalities and false revelations.
Lastly I would like to say, pray for me as I have a small ministry here in Delhi. Wherever the Lord would lead me I will go and preach the Truth. By the grace of Lord, I have heard the voice of the seventh messenger. Through his messages I knew the truth and plan of God. I now am able to hear the Voice of our Lord. I love them who love the Word of God as ABSOLUTE. Pray for me and my ministry.
Yours in Christ,
Pratap Singh
(April, 2006)