Testimony - Part 1 — Corrie Ten Boom

Inspirational tapes. Apologize for the quality of this recording. The technical quality was deficient in the original master but I'm sure you'll agree that.

Imprisonment and Concentration-Camp Suffering

The testimony it contains is unique. And the Nazis or the Germans took you and because of this and puts you in the prison. Yeah. How long were you in the prison. I was in solitary confinement alone in a cell.

And then in a concentration camp in Holland. The German concentration camp. And then in Ravensbruck the terrible place north of Berlin and that's where my sister died. She died there. Yes and in that time God God somehow kept you sweet and tended towards you.

God's Strength in the Deepest Darkness

How did you do it. How did you keep from being just terribly despairing. What kept you buoyed up at this time. That's good. But you know what kept you who kept me up. I can tell you I there are circumstances that you you cannot do anything and it was only the Lord who has carried me through.

And that is so good that I have experienced that I have always believed. Now I know from experience that Jesus light is stronger than the deepest dark and a child of God cannot go so deep. Always deeper.

At the epilogues on earth carry you. It matters not how dark it is. His light is always. Yes. Yes. The devil is strong. That's always limited. And Jesus power is unlimited. And you've been there and you know it was his grace always sufficient.

There was never a time when his grace was not sufficient. It was always sufficient. But sometimes I I lost courage. Yes. And I remember that once I said when I looked on the stars I said oh Lord all the stars are in your guidance.

But have you forgotten your child. But I had my Bible with me and that was such a great joy. And then in the Bible I read that the hairs of our head are numbered and God has a whole universe in his hands.

That means that God has a telescopic and a microscopic interest. You know he knew you by name and everything about you even in the distance. Yes. Did you feel at this time that maybe some of the people who were holding you captive may have been under the power of demons.

Or did you sense a demonic force doing some of these very cruel things. Yes. Of course that's what they were quite in the in the power of the devil they were. You knew it. Well what showed it. Just their actions in general.

They hated it. They did. Yes. And the copy of the copy into the into the concentration camp that was a medical. Yeah. You know when we entered I had a little Bible but it was small Bible but the whole Bible was a New Testament and I had it hidden under my under my clothes and on my back and I saw that they they did.

We were. They took away everything what we had hidden and I was so scared that I said oh Lord send your angels that they surround me. Yes. But then I thought yes but the angels are a spirit so you can look through a spirit and the people may not see me.

So I said oh God let your angels this time not be transparent. You can you can pray very unorthodox when you are in great need. But God did it. The woman who stood before me was searched and then my sister who was behind me and they did not see me.

And so I came in the prison with my Bible. But if God is actually they couldn't see the angel. It just we mustn't be too amazed that God has miracles. And then it was really so that when we were there I had to live in a room with 700 prisoners and was built for 200 and was terrible dirty so many lies and fleas that the guards and officers would never come into a room.

They were afraid to get lies from us. I can tell you twice a day we had the Bible message and that was big. God has used angels and lies for that. And now you must think what that meant that we had the Bible the people around me many have never heard of the Lord Jesus and many died but many died with Jesus name on their lips and God used Betsy and me to bring them to the Lord.

That was worthwhile all our suffering even Betsy death to be used to to save a soul for eternity is worthwhile. Yes life. And they were hungry. Was there any resistance among those prisoners to accepting Jesus or were they all open to know of God's love.

I cannot say that there was resistance. The people who didn't like to hear didn't come to my meetings. I say the people who came were just very hungry or it was a joy to speak them about the thing. And you know during roll call in the morning three hours we had to stand on the roll call and that time I got my messages and every day the Lord gave me a message and Betsy said Corrie you have never preached so well so good and she was always very critical and she said here your language is good it is the biblical truth is so clear and I was just a Lord who spoke through me even in the midst of all that suffering he just his spirit came through.

Biblical Promises for Courage and Christ's Return

Well that of course would give you the overcome life. Yes and the Bible tells that we have not a spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind. The promises of the Bible are true. Many people who in this audience right at this moment believe will lift us to a place of glory with it.

Did you believe that's the case? It happened before my coming and that Jesus is coming soon. I think we all can know all the signs every time we can read in the newspapers and when these things happen Jesus said when all these things happen that generation will not pass away before I come and I believe we are the generation that these things happen and but the Bible tells that the Lord said in the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer the world.

And when we have to suffer for the Lord it is written in the Bible. I believe that will be translated. Oh sure the best is yet to be we will meet the Lord in the air and then we will be with him. The best is yet to be.

But before that happens I believe we will have to go through a part of the tribulation and there is now tribulation. So I have worked behind the Iron Curtain and I can tell you subject that 60 of the body of Christ is suffering now.

Much money said when my feet were whipped my hands suffer pain and I believe we as body of Christ must suffer with that part that is certain. There was once a war in Africa and I don't know the political background but that week every day there was a new government and every day Christians were were killed and I remember that I stood there in the church and I saw that the people were afraid they looked at each other will he be killed this week does she be alive next week will they kill me.

Sharing Christ's Sufferings

And then I said oh God give me a message for these people and the Lord gave me first Peter from the translation of Philips and I read now dear friends of mine I beg you not to be a joy alarmed at the fiery ordeals which come to test your faith as though this were some abnormal experience you should be glad because it means that you are called to share Christ's sufferings one day when he shows himself in full splendor to men you will be filled with the most tremendous joy if you are reproached for being Christ followers that's a great privilege for you can be sure that God's spirit of power the spirit of glory is resting upon you.

And I show these people that in heaven there will be a martyr crown and life is short eternity is long. And I told these people also this what you can read in my my book The Hiding Place. And what you also will hear and see in the movie that is made in the book that my father I once said to my father I was still a little girl and I said baby I will never be strong enough to suffer for Jesus.

And then father said when you go to travel with a train to Amsterdam when do I give you the train ticket. Three weeks before I said no Debbie the day that I go to travel and father said that's from God.

Today you do not need to have strength to suffer for Jesus but the moment you will have the honor to suffer for him he will give you all the strength. And then I was comforted and I said to these people whether you have to to suffer for Jesus the Lord will give you the train ticket.

There came such a tremendous joy in that in that church that the people started to sing a song. I will never forget. That song started it was at the end of the of the meeting and they started to sing there's a land that is and by faith we can see it far for the father waits over the way to prepare us a dwelling place.

There in the sweet by and by we will meet at the beautiful shore. And they repeated that singing. And so they left the church and I heard still in the sweet by and by we will meet on the beautiful shore.

Half of these people were killed that week but the spirit of glory was waiting on them. And several time ago I was in the big church in Switzerland and there came a lady to me from and I said is the work all on.

And she said all the years the radio has been closed but now it is open and every day 24 hours a day the radio contact is bringing the gospel over Africa. I said oh what a joy is that. And I said tell me how are my friends.

She said your friends all killed. When I heard that it was so sad. And she said she laid her hands on my shoulder and she said but Corrie they are promoted ahead of us. And do you know. I said and you are you not in danger.

Do you go back. She says immediately after Congress I go back. Oh no it can mean that I will be killed. But I'm not afraid. Do you see this woman had not a spirit of fear but of power of love and a sound mind.

And that is what the Bible tells. Everything we need for times of tribulation is in the promises of the Bible the Lord will give us strength. And that's the great joy. That is what I've experienced when I was in tribulation there the Lord was with me and his strength.

Suffering, Purification, and Knowing Christ

And you know when the securities and of the world all forward and it's the security in the Lord the greatest. Speaking from Peter Corrie he said they that have suffered in the flesh has ceased from. You find it in the sufferings.

Somehow there was a purification in your own life that somehow you began to draw closer to Jesus like you've never known before. No Paul writes in one of the translations one of the new translations I read this text in Ephesians 4 6.

I count everything as loss compared with the priceless privilege of knowing progressively more intimately getting acquainted with him. And that's what I experienced too. And then you know I understood the suffering of Jesus so much better.

It brought my my eyes to and across and across when I first saw the light and we had to stand naked and to my sister. But I cannot bear this. This is more cruel than all the other things that we have to go through.

And then suddenly it was as if I saw his car. He says hang there naked. And by my suffering I could understand a very little bit of the suffering of Jesus and made me so thankful. And my sufferance love so amazing so divine demands my life my soul.

That was the great privilege the blessing that I got for my suffering. And I understood it much better than before. What do you think God is calling Christians to do today in it. You know in light of the suffering that you've had these people in Bush and Bureau and and in other places what do you think God is calling the task of the effort.

Prayer and Spiritual Warfare

There is a tremendous task for us Christians in this time. For never there has been such a sick world. And who is it that overcomes the world. He that believes that Jesus is the Son of God. That means that when you believe that Jesus is the Son of God you have to overcome terrible sick.

I'll tell you something. It was when I came in the concentration camp. We were there just a short time and we were there in that room with 700 people and it was a room for them. It was a room for 200 people.

Suddenly some started to fight fighting made hatred. And these people were in such a tension. So when this hatred came in their hearts there was a chance for the devil and not only that. Very soon others joined in the fighting and we heard swearing and beating.

It was a hell. And Betsy said my sister let's pray. When she prayed it was as if a silence came just as if a storm was laid down till everything was quiet. And then Betsy said Amen. Do you see the do you see the happening.

Here was a room with 700 poor prisoners and the devil tried to make them fighting and hating. And there was. And she saved what we have to do. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for your for your leaders pray.

Oh there are so many people who pray who need prayer. The work that we all have to do. And very important work. And I know some people say I don't know how to pray. Yes this man is a prayer warrior. And these people there they are prayer warriors.

The Holy Spirit Teaches Believers to Pray

But I don't know how to pray. And then I always say what is written in Romans 8 the spirit himself teaches how to pray. And I heard a very good little illustration. I was a little boy and they said to him you must pray.

He had never prayed before and he went home and he was sitting in the corner of his room and he knew one thing when you pray you fold your hands and you close your eyes. And his mother was in the same room and she heard suddenly that he said A B C D E F G.

And mother said what I do. He said mom I. They say I must pray. But I've never prayed before. I don't know how to do it. So I said he said I give you all the letters of the alphabet. Now you must make a good prayer of it.

That boy understood what Paul said in Romans 8 the Holy Spirit will teach us how to pray. And everyone can pray also you. It's very important. And then you must think there has never been such a terrific in the world as now.

Representing God's Love in a Fearful World

It is what in the Bible is said that before Jesus comes those who are clean will be cleansed. Those who are filthy will be filthier. Everything goes to the top. It is now. Or either there's nothing in between.

What is there love of many. There was cold the Bible says. And now to represent God's love in this world. Bible says live your life in love. The same sort of love which Christ gives us and which he perfectly expressed when he gave himself as a sacrifice.

There is a love that never fails. It is not human love. It is God's love. And that is not only God's love in his heart. He had brought into our hearts through the Holy Spirit was given to us. And that love we must live.

And there is written he has made us welcome into the everlasting love he bears for his son. We are accepted in the beloved. This is a new translation. Did you ever doubt your love for God? I doubted mine.

Did you ever doubt God's love for Jesus? That love you and me have been made welcome. Isn't that tremendous. And we can represent that love of God in this world that is in the grip of hatred and of fear.

That love is available through the Holy Spirit. There is one thing that is written in the Bible. When we know that Jesus is coming very soon we must be sure that we are at peace with God. And man how is that possible to be at peace with God come between God and us.

Confession, Forgiveness, and Cleansing

Very clear what to do with our sins. There are two ways to know your sins. When the devil tells you your sins he says. And so you are. And you are proud and you are unfaithful. That is exactly your character.

And there is no hope for you. And you will always remain like that. Quite different is it when the Holy Spirit teaches and shows us our sins. It is always in the flood light of the cross of Jesus and the Holy Spirit says for these sins of yours.

Jesus died at the cross and the Bible is very clear what he will do with our sins. When we confess it he cast it into the depths of the sea forgiven and forgotten. It is not in the Bible. But I always think there comes a sign no fishing allowed.

That is what the Lord does with our sins. He brought him out like clouds. Did you ever see a cloud for the second time. Never. When a cloud is away it disappears. And that is what God will do with our sins.

So when we bring our sins to the Lord he forgives and cleanses our heart and heart cleansed by the Holy Spirit he fills cleansed by the blood of Jesus. He fills with the Holy Spirit. And the fruit is love peace kindness goodness self-control.

Just opposite of our sins. You know I like that little poem he said. But gives us neither feet nor hands. Far better news the gospel brings it beats us fly and gives us wings. Isn't that good. He says love your enemies.

When Jesus tells you that he gives you the love that he demands from you. And that is how to be at peace with man. We have to forgive. I was not at peace with man. There was hatred in my heart when God will call for my friends and for Betsy and me.

There came such a hatred in my heart. Oh and then I learned to take the promise of Romans 5 .5 the love of God be shed and brought into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. And I learned this prayer. Thank you Jesus that you have brought into my heart God's love through the Holy Spirit who is given to me.

And thank you Father that your love in me is stronger than my hatred. And the hatred went and I could love my enemies. But that is a joy that we get that we get as you have been. Most people would have retired a long time ago secure that you had suffered for Jesus.

Continuing the Ministry of Testimony

But now you're trapping for the Lord. That's this book. Where are you trapped. You're all around the world. Aren't you. This is books. Anybody. And Betsy once said to me according when we are free we must travel over the world.

We have a message because we can tell from experience that Jesus light is stronger than the deepest darkness. She died. I was set free and I work in 63 countries. And now I am 82 not 84 82. I'm 82. And now I'm still working.

And now the Americans make me uh to work hard. It looks that way. You just uh on the go 68 countries though. Are you going overseas again. Yes my time is in God's hands. And uh you know the that uh that film that is made of the hiding place that comes in the theaters and that will come in the theaters all over the world.

You understand that when people have seen the story of Corrie Ten Boom and the real Corrie Ten comes to give a message then no then people will come to see and to hear the real Corrie Ten Boom. Well I think they're doing it now without the movie.

But they'll do it a lot more. And you know that film that is so beautiful that movie shows what it means to go through terrible suffering with Jesus. And that is the message that we must know now because many people go through terrible suffering.

You think in America we're going to go through suffering. Yes sir you think I believe that it is what the bible tells. Yes that we can but we have nothing to fear. Amen. Jesus is victor and he will never let us down.