Breaking Barriers Through Persistent Prayer

There are no barriers that can stand in the way of God moving through persistent prayer. 

“This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer-believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”

Mark 11:24 TPT

15 years ago today, David Chi became a Christian and was baptized after studying the Bible and reconciling his relationship with his parents. Since that day, David decided to pray especially for both his dad and mom to also discover a relationship with God.  

I remember the day when my wife Amy and I first heard that David was interested in dating Nancy, whom Amy had helped become a Christian while they both attended the University of San Francisco. David and Nancy started dating and eventually got engaged. 

I remember how inspired we were at their wedding in San Francisco because of the impact they had on so many others along the way. It was at that time I met David’s dad Tony, and David shared how he hoped his and Nancy’s prayers and faith would make a spiritual imprint on his family.

God moving during the pandemic

David and Nancy currently lead a House Church in San Francisco, inspiring many friends about God and helping them become Christians. Yet David’s greatest hope and desire has been that one day his own extended family members would begin pursuing God. Little did he or any of us know that God was going to begin answering his prayers in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

David decided during the pandemic to use the time as an opportunity to deepen his relationship with his dad Tony, despite Tony not having been involved in much of David’s early upbringing. A few months into the pandemic, Tony was diagnosed with a serious health condition which sparked David and his wife Nancy to pray all the more persistently for both David’s dad and his mom. 

David and his dad’s relationship grew closer, but there remained a language barrier as Tony primarily spoke Mandarin. Eager to help his dad get to know God, David reached out to Elbert Chen and Josh Hou in the ministry there. Both fluent Mandarin speakers, they got introduced virtually through Zoom to Tony.

Connecting virtually 

As Tony started having weekly virtual conversations with them, their friendship grew, and he decided to study the Bible with them. Soon after, David introduced to his dad another friend who speaks Mandarin, Vince Lin (Silicon Valley ministry), and Vince began joining them for weekly studies. Even though Vince is young enough to be Tony’s son, they hit it off together – both came from Taiwan and built a great connection through the Bible studies. 

Tony began vulnerably sharing his life and diving deeper into the Bible. He made radical changes in his marriage and other relationships and decided that he no longer wanted to live a life defined by bitterness, pride and greed, but rather wanted to learn how to love God, his wife, and his son after learning how he could find forgiveness from God and live for God’s purpose of changing the lives of others.

Tony decided to get baptized, and his change inspired his wife and sister to now study the Bible. God moved through David’s persistent prayers for his dad, breaking down the barriers of relationship distance and language differences to transform Tony’s life!

Purpose never quits

At his recent baptism two weeks ago, Tony shared how even at 73 years old he believes that anyone can change with God because of how God’s power helped him break down his personal barriers of bitterness and selfishness to rebuild his relationship with his family. Tony is now eager to help the rest of his family and friends discover God’s purpose for them. 

There is no obstacle or barrier old or new that cannot be overcome by God through persistent prayer!

Till next week.