-By Dr.Sumeet Manakan J
Christian ministry isn’t a bed of roses; it is a pathway filled with thorns, stones, valleys, and mountains. After being in full-time ministry for nearly 18 years, I have come to understand a major principle:
“In ministry, one must brace for setbacks, disappointments, disillusionment (loss of vision), betrayals, lies, false testimonies, demonic attacks, assaults from people, personal attacks, character assasination and even the fury of nature. All of this is very much a part of ministry. However, God’s faithfulness always rescues us.”
I write this to the praise of God, giving glory to Him and testifying of His saving grace in ministry. I have faced hundreds of situations where Satan set up his attacks to stop me from doing God’s work effectively. Not everything can be shared in this post, but I will share more in my future writings.
Today, I want to speak about the attacks I encountered during my mission tours from Hyderabad into the regions of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This is a testimony of God’s faithfulness in His work.
The Fury of Nature
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While conducting a Gospel meeting in Nandyal town, Andhra Pradesh, I was preparing to go on stage when, just minutes before, a snake came rushing straight toward me. It passed only inches from my feet, leaving me shivering in shock and bewilderment, and then darted under the car I had driven. My wife, Sabitha, was standing on the other side of the car, so I shouted for her to move away. By God’s grace, we were both spared.
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One night, around 3 a.m., as I slept outdoors on a cot in a village, a dog growled menacingly just inches from my face. For a few tense minutes, the dog and I were locked in a silent standoff, sending chills down my spine. Thankfully, the owners arrived just in time to pull the dog away. Had they delayed, my face could have been mauled.
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Another time, while driving with my family, our car was trapped head-on against an SUV on a narrow bridge with a river raging below. The bridge was poorly protected by a weak iron fence, and just a small push could have sent us plunging into the waters. The other driver rammed our car as if deliberately trying to force us off the bridge. But by God’s mercy, we managed to drive away, escaping the river by only a few feet. Glory to God!
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On another mission, while following Google Maps to a village at night, we were directed onto a mud road. The map indicated a turn, but something within me warned that it wasn’t right. I stopped the car just a few feet before turning. When we got out and shone our phone torchlights, we were shocked to see a deep cavern and waterlogged fields below. Had we followed the map, the car—with my entire family inside—would have plunged into the pit, overturned, and left us stranded with no hope of rescue. Yet again, God’s faithfulness spared us.
These are just a few instances. Scripture also speaks about how the fury of nature tried to hinder Jesus from fulfilling His mission of bringing comfort, healing, and deliverance:
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35–41; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)
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As Jesus and His disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee, a violent storm arose, with waves breaking into the boat, threatening to drown them.
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Jesus, asleep in the stern, was awakened by the disciples crying, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
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He rebuked the wind and the waves: “Peace, be still!”—and immediately the storm ceased.
This was not merely “bad weather.” The sudden, violent nature of the storm reveals a spiritual attack meant to stop Jesus from reaching the other side, where He would deliver the Gadarene demoniac—a major kingdom breakthrough. Nature became the battleground of spiritual war.
Risking our very lives for the Gospel is a privilege granted only to a few. Yet I can boldly say: only a life of prayer, commitment, and devotion to God enables us to withstand the fiery darts of Satan. God is always victorious in every battle, for Jesus has already conquered the enemy. The attacks may come, but in Christ we are more than conquerors. And in the end, every attack will turn into glory for God.
Amen! Hallelujah!
