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done.” I then thought to myself, I will test the Word and if it is true I will continue to believe. I then talked to the tree and commanded it to cast itself in the sea.

However, it didn’t happen and as far as I know the tree is still standing in its place (more than 40 years later). There I turned my back on God and His Word and began to live fully for myself and the world. This was my first Fig Tree Crisis and –Test.

An Unhappy Marriage

Approximately 6 years later I found myself in an unhappy marriage and things started going wrong in my life.

My life was falling apart and I My life was falling apart and I My life was falling apart and I My life was falling apart and I began searching after God. began searching after God. began searching after God. began searching after God.

In His amazing grace the Lord took me out of the mud in answer to my parents prayers, and at the age of 26 I was powerfully converted behind the steering wheel of my car.

I admitted to God that I was running away from Him and I confessed my sin in a simple prayer. My life took a 180 degree turn and for the first time I experienced what it meant to be born again and to be made new by God. This was my Regeneration Crisis.

Divorce

However, my third crisis followed three years later when my marriage ended in a divorce.

My eldest daughter was just over a My eldest daughter was just over a My eldest daughter was just over a My eldest daughter was just over a year at the time and I could not year at the time and I could not year at the time and I could not year at the time and I could not understand why God could allow understand why God could allow understand why God could allow understand why God could allow

something so destructive in my life. something so destructive in my life. something so destructive in my life. something so destructive in my life.

I firmly believed that the Lord would heal my marriage, and when it became apparent that a divorce was unavoidable it cracked my faith to such an extend that I began losing my grip on God.

Up to now my Christian experience was like a trapeze artist gliding above my problems, but suddenly it felt as if someone had applied grease to my rope of faith.

It took me 24 years to write my

testimony ...

I have had a desire to share my Christian testimony in writing for more than 20 years or more, but every time I plan to do so it feels as if my story is not yet finished and that I should wait a while. It is like a book that does not reach completion. Every time I think this is the final chapter, I experience a new intervention of God in my life and I postpone it to a future date.

I have been following Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour for 24 consecutive years now, but this is the first time I share my testimony in public in this format. I have good reason to believe that now is God’s time for me to share my testimony.

It is not easy for me to share my testimony as it is necessary to expose myself if my testimony is to be of any value to you. I trust that every one who reads this testimony will be able to identify with one or other aspect of my testimony. The title of my testimony is: From Faith in Crisis to Faith in Victory.

My ‘Fig Tree Crisis’

My story begins with what I call my ‘Fig Tree Crisis’.

I grew up in an Evangelical Christian home where I was exposed to the Biblical truths of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, regeneration, and a Holy Spirit-controlled life. I was a youngster of about 20 years when I had my first faith-in-crisis experience. My parents’ religion just did not work for me; it only made me feel miserable and cramped my life-style.

I came to a TI came to a TI came to a TI came to a T----junction in my life junction in my life junction in my life junction in my life where I had to decide whether I where I had to decide whether I where I had to decide whether I where I had to decide whether I

wanted to live this ‘narrowwanted to live this ‘narrowwanted to live this ‘narrowwanted to live this ‘narrow----minded’ minded’ minded’ minded’ lifestyle for the rest of my life or lifestyle for the rest of my life or lifestyle for the rest of my life or lifestyle for the rest of my life or whether I wanted to cast off this whether I wanted to cast off this whether I wanted to cast off this whether I wanted to cast off this

religious yoke from my neck.religious yoke from my neck.religious yoke from my neck.religious yoke from my neck.

Behind our back door grew a fruit tree and it reminded me about the story in Matt 21 where Jesus cursed the fig tree and said to His disciples: “If you have faith and do not doubt, you shall not only do this miracle of the fig tree, but also; if you shall say to this mountain, Be moved and be thrown into the sea; it shall be

A Personal Testimony

From Faith in Crisis to Faith in Victory by Elmer Grobler

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My hands began sliding and I could not hold on any more. This was my Second Fig Tree Crisis and -Test.

A Second Divorce

My fourth crisis followed seven years later. For seven years I lived a backslidden life but God did not forsake me. I became successful in the business world and things went well temporally. I married again, but six months later I was confronted with a second divorce.

This time I could not hold God This time I could not hold God This time I could not hold God This time I could not hold God responsible for I did not live in an responsible for I did not live in an responsible for I did not live in an responsible for I did not live in an intimate relationship with Him. intimate relationship with Him. intimate relationship with Him. intimate relationship with Him.

However, this crisis led to the most important choice I ever have and ever will make in my life. On the 15th December 1987 I entered into a covenant with God, surrendering and consecrating my entire life unconditionally and irrevocably to Jesus Christ as Lord, in submission to His will, His plan, His Word, and His standard for my life. I call this my Infilling of the Holy Spirit and Sanctification Crisis.

Once again my life changed dramatically. The Holy Spirit filled my heart and life and I began experiencing the victorious life of Romans 6, 7 and 8 as never before. I received the gift of faith and I was able to trust the Lord in every area of my life.

I received victory over sin, and I received victory over sin, and I received victory over sin, and I received victory over sin, and sinful habits and practices fell sinful habits and practices fell sinful habits and practices fell sinful habits and practices fell

from me like dead ticks. from me like dead ticks. from me like dead ticks. from me like dead ticks.

My dirty mouth became clean and my squash partners could not believe that I could hit a squash ball without swearing. I looked differently at a woman; in stead of a sex object I saw her as a wonder of God’s creation. The love of God filed my heart and life and I could fellowship with all people and people of all races and cultures with love and compassion.

I can continue telling you how my life changed, but the greatest change that occurred in my life was, apart from a love for God and His Word, a vision and burden for a lost world without Christ! These things are by the grace of God still part of my life today.

I am now living in victory over sin I am now living in victory over sin I am now living in victory over sin I am now living in victory over sin and the world for almost 24 years! and the world for almost 24 years! and the world for almost 24 years! and the world for almost 24 years!

Please note — not sinless, but in victory over sin!

Career in Crisis

At this stage I was Marketing Manager of a group of companies in Pretoria, South Africa, manufacturing uniforms, webbing and combat equipment for the

forces. We primarily worked for the state and I was aware of dishonest practices moving across my desk.

Since my sanctification crisis and Since my sanctification crisis and Since my sanctification crisis and Since my sanctification crisis and covenant with God I knew that I could covenant with God I knew that I could covenant with God I knew that I could covenant with God I knew that I could not compromise with sin, and I refused not compromise with sin, and I refused not compromise with sin, and I refused not compromise with sin, and I refused to put my signature to a certain tender. to put my signature to a certain tender. to put my signature to a certain tender. to put my signature to a certain tender.

Consequentially the company lost the contract and this led to my dismissal. However, I knew God was calling me into full-time* spiritual work and two months later, August 1988, the Lord confirmed His missionary calling to me through His Word, and for the past 23 years I am a missionary. This was my Calling Crisis.

(* This statement does not reduce my belief that every Christian, whatever his or her career, has a full-time calling.)

Another Marriage Crisis — with a

Twist

Less than two years later my sixth crisis followed —once again a marriage crisis, but this time with a twist. My wife Nansie crossed my life and although I was at the time not at all receptive to the idea of another marriage, I was forced to seek the will of God with regard to the possibility of a third marriage.

Believe me, I was not available Believe me, I was not available Believe me, I was not available Believe me, I was not available for another marriage failure.for another marriage failure.for another marriage failure.for another marriage failure.

I was afraid to make another mistake and there was no way I would have considered such an important step without urgently and extensively seeking the face of God.

I searched for the will of God in His Word and asked Him for three signs that it was His will that I should engage in another marriage and that Nansie was His choice for my life. The chances, humanly speaking, that all three these signs would become true were actually very small and I felt relatively secure.

At this stage I was already 40 and Nansie 30 years of age. This is a very interesting story on its own, however, to cut a long story short, the Lord showed me clearly that Nansie was my wife, and that He had reserved her as a virgin for me through all these years.

Just think of all the heartaches I could have spared myself had I sought God’s will for my life from the beginning!

We are now happily married for We are now happily married for We are now happily married for We are now happily married for 22 years with a wonderful family 22 years with a wonderful family 22 years with a wonderful family 22 years with a wonderful family

of five children, my eldest of five children, my eldest of five children, my eldest of five children, my eldest daughter, and two daughters and daughter, and two daughters and daughter, and two daughters and daughter, and two daughters and

two sons from our marriage. two sons from our marriage. two sons from our marriage. two sons from our marriage.

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The photo above was taken during April 2011 and features our extended family, from left to right: Gwlithyn, my eldest daughter and her husband Martin, Elmer (front), Louw (behind), Nansie (front), Murray (behind), Simoné (front) and Nalani and her friend Tiaan (behind).

The Lord gave me the most wonderful and beautiful wife in the world and the most beautiful children. He literally returned to me the years eaten by the locusts (Joel 2:25).

To God all the glory To God all the glory To God all the glory To God all the glory ———— only only only only God can change a life of failure God can change a life of failure God can change a life of failure God can change a life of failure

to a life of victory!to a life of victory!to a life of victory!to a life of victory!

My Theology Training College

Twelve years later crisis number seven struck. Little did I understand through which training school God would send me to equip me for my calling.

When God called me as a full time missionary, I had the desire to attend a Bible or Theological College for training, but God led differently. The Lord actually revealed to me that He was going to send me through a school of His own.

I have read many books and for approximately three years I undertook an intensive self-study of the Bible. Even my pastor at the time (who had a doctorate in Theology) one day told me: “Elmer, I acknowledge that you know your Bible better than me, but what you need is theology.”

I have written many Christian articles and for six years I published a magazine called Die Dissipelmaker (The Christian Discipler), of which I wrote most articles myself. However, little did I know that the Lord was still going to send me through a Theological College of His own — God’s practical Theological College — the Theological College of Hard Knox.

In this school everything I In this school everything I In this school everything I In this school everything I believed about God was subjected believed about God was subjected believed about God was subjected believed about God was subjected to the test of fire and refined in to the test of fire and refined in to the test of fire and refined in to the test of fire and refined in

the furnace of affliction!the furnace of affliction!the furnace of affliction!the furnace of affliction!

For approximately eight years our family went through a time of trial and distress that is hard to describe. We went through one failure upon another, so that I even began doubting the love of God. Literally nothing we embarked upon worked out and every doctrine I believed about God apparently fell.

Everything appeared to be without purpose and eventually nothing made sense anymore. I felt like Solomon in Ecc 2:17: “Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.”

Like Job, it sometimes felt to Like Job, it sometimes felt to Like Job, it sometimes felt to Like Job, it sometimes felt to me as if I was sitting amidst the me as if I was sitting amidst the me as if I was sitting amidst the me as if I was sitting amidst the ashes scratching my emotional ashes scratching my emotional ashes scratching my emotional ashes scratching my emotional

wounds with a potsherdwounds with a potsherdwounds with a potsherdwounds with a potsherd. . . .

On one of the hills on our property I packed out the words, “Oh God!”, with stones and painted them white for God to read every day.

During this time I continued to seek God with dedication, but like in the case of Job and his friends, God remained silent until my own and all our plans and opinions as a family were exhausted! This was my Third Fig Tree Crisis and –Test. Thank God that, by His grace, I did not fail this test like the previous two.

God Reveals Himself!

The Lord carried us through The Lord carried us through The Lord carried us through The Lord carried us through remarkably as a family and led us remarkably as a family and led us remarkably as a family and led us remarkably as a family and led us spiritually unscathed and stronger spiritually unscathed and stronger spiritually unscathed and stronger spiritually unscathed and stronger

through this time of trial. through this time of trial. through this time of trial. through this time of trial.

At the right time, as in the case of Job, God revealed Himself once again — and what a glorious revelation it was!

The Lord provided me with all the answers that escaped me the past eight years or longer. Eventually everything fell into place once again and I could see the hand of God in my circumstances.

During the process of recovery the Lord taught me wonderful lessons from His Word — lessons I thought I had learned many years ago, but now became alive in a new and special way.

The Turning Point

The first breakthrough we experienced was in our prayer life. We discovered that we were engaged in the midst of a huge demonic conflict which we completely under-estimated and were ill-prepared for.

The Lord taught us how to pray effectively, and our experience changed from one of spiritual oppression and faith in crisis to spiritual freedom and faith in victory.

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The second breakthrough we experienced was in our ministry. While over the previous eight or more years we experienced little fruit in our ministry, the Lord began working through us.

During this time the Lord trained us in internet ministry and we launched our first internet campaign on 27 September 2010. After a few final adjustments, we had won one person for Christ within 60 minutes’ presence on the internet.

During the following 28 days 112 During the following 28 days 112 During the following 28 days 112 During the following 28 days 112 seeking people from all over the world seeking people from all over the world seeking people from all over the world seeking people from all over the world placed their names on our prayer list, placed their names on our prayer list, placed their names on our prayer list, placed their names on our prayer list, while 41 took a step of faith in Jesus while 41 took a step of faith in Jesus while 41 took a step of faith in Jesus while 41 took a step of faith in Jesus

Christ as their Lord and Saviour.Christ as their Lord and Saviour.Christ as their Lord and Saviour.Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

We immediately recognised the potential of the internet in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ across the world. However, our main focus is not evangelism but discipleship and the Lord has prevented us from engaging in any additional evangelistic campaigns until we have a proper discipleship program in place.

The Way Forward

We are currently working on a discipleship program for new Christians.

We are also continuing the work of the Christian Discipler in electronic format through the publication of spiritual uplifting articles on the internet.

Publishing spiritual articles is part of our ministry, Scripture Educational Programs, or briefly, Sepprograms. You can learn more about us and our ministry on our website.

May God give you a vision, and

equip and empower you to be His

representative and instrument, not

only to reach the world with the

Gospel, but to effectively fulfil

God’s Kingdom purpose in and

through your life!