God allowed Setan to lead Khmer Rouge leaders and soldiers to Christ

Late in the summer OF 2001, God led Setan in a very unexpected direction. Setan was praying with the National Director and the Director of Evangelism for TransformAsia (Then known as Kampuchea for Christ). These were native Cambodian men that Setan had led to Christ and trained to come alongside him in reaching out to the people of Cambodia. They were praying and planning their strategies for their future ministries. As they prayed, Setan sensed God calling him to go visit the President of the Khmer Rouge. His pastor friends thought Setan was absolutely crazy to even consider this. No one had made such a visit and lived to tell about their experience, and they believed Setan would be no exception. But Setan insisted that when God told him to go, he must go. They all knew this would be a dangerous endeavor, but seeing Setan’s resolve to go, they all joined in prayer and began brainstorming to determine how to approach this God-given assignment.

After much discussion and prayer Setan suggested to these trusted friends that they would go to Pailin, an area still occupied by Pol Pot and his soldiers, and ask for permission for him to see the President. “If I am to see the President, they will grant permission. If not, I will not attempt to go,” Setan told them. A very simple plan, but would it work? Shortly after that meeting, Setan and his pastor friends traveled to the western part of Cambodia near the Thailand border. This was definitely an adventure of spiritual growth and faith stretching. It would stretch Setan’s own faith to what he believed was close to its limit. When they approached the city gate, there were about fifty armed guards sporting AK-47s on their shoulders and all wearing the dreaded black uniforms. Needless to say, Setan and his friends were extremely fearful, especially since one of his pastor friends was a former Khmer Rouge officer.

They were told to exit the vehicle and the soldiers thoroughly searched it. They were also subjected to a full body search and questioned as to what their business was in this town. Setan responded that they wanted to visit the town because it was so beautiful. After several minutes of discussion, the Khmer Rouge spokesman returned with their answer. Setan and his friends would be allowed entrance, but only until three-thirty that same afternoon. They entered Pailin, the fortified stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, at about noon. They were all very hungry, but there were no restaurants immediately in sight. Then they spotted a place that appeared to have food, even though there were no signs designating it as a restaurant. They entered the open air house and sat down at a table. To their surprise they found themselves completely surrounded by Khmer Rouge soldiers. Suddenly, one of the soldiers at another table sprang from his seat and began to salute Setan’s table. “We had no idea what the soldier was up to,” Setan recalled, “and really did not know what he was doing.” Moments later they realized that the soldier was saluting one of the pastors. He remembered the pastor as an officer who was formerly very prestigious in Pol Pot's regime. 

An Unexpected Meeting

The soldier then asked the pastor if he was there to see Brother #3. The perplexed pastor turned and looked at Setan. Setan responded, “Sure, that’s exactly why we are here today.” Brother #3 (actually the Khmer Rouge President) was the title given to the man who was third in command of the Communist regime just under Pol Pot himself. What an incredible answer to prayer! This was how they would get see the President! One of the soldiers immediately left a nearby table, saying he would return. About fifteen minutes later he came back and said, “Comrade Khiev Samphan is expecting us.” This was unbelievable! Off they went, arriving across town at a small inconspicuous house. Setan and the pastors were told to remain outside until they were informed for sure that Brother #3 would entertain them. They huddled around each other and began to pray that God would take charge of their possible meeting and that they would be His, and only His, mouthpiece.

You will be given the words to speak...

After several minutes passed, an older man with gray hair exited the house and approached the praying pastors. He motioned for them to come into the house. They soon realized that the gray haired man was Brother #3, himself, the President of the Khmer Rouge. He was now in his mid-seventies and very frail. Comrade Samphan seemed very edgy and not at all comfortable with the pastors. And, he had every reason to be uneasy, because he was in hiding. There were many courts of law that were waiting to bring him to justice for his crimes against his fellow Cambodians. Setan tried to sit down close to Comrade Samphan, but was motioned to sit on an adjoining couch. He tried his best to build a relationship with this man, but he was resisting almost every word that came out of Setan’s mouth. Setan began by stating his respect for the man, even citing the good reports he had heard of him when he was a child and growing up under Comrade Samphan’s government. Setan even told him that he had great admiration for him and all he had done for Cambodia. Setan went on to explain not only the good he had heard about this new friend, but also told him that not everyone is perfect. “We all have faults,” Setan told him, “including you, Mr. President.” He didn’t go into great detail for he could see that Comrade Samphan was getting more and more uncomfortable. Setan was trying to set up an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He spent the next forty-five minutes vividly describing just who Jesus Christ really is and why He came to earth to die for each of us.

After Setan’s explanation of the Gospel, Comrade Samphan began to show incredible interest and even allowed Setan to have his picture taken with him. When they first arrived, Setan had asked for a picture to be taken with the President, and he very reluctantly granted permission. In that picture he had kept his distance from Setan. Now, however, Comrade Samphan leaned closely toward Setan. He had obviously gained a new friend. The President didn’t make a decision for Christ that day, but he did ask Setan to leave some booklets and gospel tracts for reading later. He also asked if he could pray the sinner’s prayer at a later time without Setan being present. Of course Setan provided him with Christian literature and explained that he could pray that prayer at any time. Setan wrote on a piece of paper the steps for Comrade Samphan to pray and ask Jesus to come into his life. He also wrote what to do after he prayed the prayer. Comrade Samphan asked Setan if there was a particular place he needed to pray the prayer. Setan told him he could do it in the house, in the backyard, or even in the bathroom. He explained that the place doesn’t matter, only the attitude of his heart. It was getting close to three-thirty and Setan knew he must leave.

Before he left, he asked Brother #3 if he could arrange a meeting with the military leader of the Khmer Rouge who was in hiding in northern Cambodia. Comrade Samphan asked why he wanted to meet with him. Setan explained that he wanted to share the same good news of Jesus Christ that he had just shared with him. Comrade Samphan explained that such a meeting would be difficult to arrange and the trip there would be even more difficult. It would take at least three to six months to arrange such a meeting and the journey there would be very dangerous because of many landmines dotting the road. The visit would be very risky Comrade Samphan warned, because the general was very moody and prone to outbursts of anger. Setan was not dismayed and assured Comrade Samphan that he was ready and willing to go at any time. They left his home not having any idea what to expect next. About three and a half months passed and it was now early in 2002. One afternoon about three o’clock, Setan’s phone rang. It was a call from an assistant of the military leader of the Khmer Rouge who was still in hiding in Northern Cambodia. He told Setan that permission to see the general had been granted, but he would have to be ready to leave the next morning.

In the presence of the enemies

As Setan hung up the phone, his mind was spinning. On the one hand, he was very excited that God was going to allow him to share the gospel with one of the most feared military leaders of the world. On the other, he sensed a fear for his life that he hadn’t experienced since the days of the “Killing Fields.” “I knew the evil one was pouring everything into my mind that might hinder me from going. I understood that was the reason for the fear I felt,” Setan explained. “At the same time, I knew the Lord had answered my prayer and I must act accordingly.”

SETAN HUNG UP THE PHONE AND called his National Leaders who had been waiting as anxiously for this call as he had. “I told them the news I had just received,” Setan recalled. “I asked them to pray fervently for my journey and requested that they also ask their congregations to do the same.” Neither of them was happy about this. “I could hear their pleas,” Setan recalled. “They were screaming into the phone, no, no, we don’t want you to go. It is too dangerous and you are putting your life in jeopardy!” “I explained to them that for more than twenty years I had been praying that God would allow me to witness to the Khmer Rouge. Why not witness to the dreaded military general?” Setan said. “I can not go back on my promise to the Lord.” Setan and his friends knew that this general was Pol Pot’s “right arm” man. He was the one who carried out Pol Pot’s every command.

“Here’s the deal,” Setan explained to his partners in the gospel, “I will leave in the morning. And please don’t tell my wife or my children what I’m doing, or they will worry. If you hear from me in two weeks, I’ll obviously be alive. If you don’t, then I will see you in heaven.” Setan’s partners continued to cry as he spoke of all he knew about the coming days and shared his anxiety about what he didn’t know. He tried to make them understand. What he truly knew was that he must obey God rather than men and prepare for whatever his lot might be. He rested in his faith in God’s divine providence for his life. The next morning Setan was waiting at the appointed place when two Khmer Rouge soldiers arrived dressed in black. They were riding double on a 50cc Honda moped with AK47s slung over their shoulders. They also had several hand grenades attached to their uniforms. They informed Setan that he was to take nothing with him but the clothes on his back. He pleaded with them to allow him to take his Bible. They searched through the Bible thoroughly and allowed him to take it. Setan climbed aboard the tiny Honda seated between the two young soldiers.

The driver pedaled the moped to start the engine and the long journey began. They left about six-thirty in the morning and arrived at the general’s camp at seven thirty that evening. To say it was a rough ride is putting it lightly! The road was a military road made of grass and dirt and covered with trees. In many places they had to dodge landmines. When they weren’t dodging mines, they were scouting ahead for undiscovered ones. In many areas they had to dismount the Honda and carry it around, through, or over obstacles in the road. There were times when Setan needed to take a rest and he asked to stop, but the soldiers didn’t grant his requests. 

As he arrived at the general’s small hut, he saw nothing inside but a few flickering candles. It was then that Setan began to feel very fearful for his life. Surrounding him were several soldiers with weapons, all staring at this stranger coming to visit their commanding officer. Setan trembled, his mind unsettled as he contemplated the man inside the small hut. The general was responsible for the death of millions of people. Now Setan Lee was about to meet him in person. “I knew from his reputation that if he did not like me, I could be killed on the spot and carried out to be buried.” “I told myself that this could be the end of my life,” Setan said. “I was not feeling like a super Christian ready to give up my life. Instead, I was full of fear for my life.”

Setan slowly walked into the hut where two of the guards didn’t bother to raise their heads and acknowledge his presence. The general’s wife took a quick peek at Setan and then lowered her eyes to the same position as the guards. Only a small girl, the general’s daughter, looked at Setan and followed his every move. The air was so thick with tension he could hardly breathe. It was so quiet he knew he could have heard a pin drop. At that point, Setan knew he had to turn the whole situation over to the Lord. “Lord, please take control,” he prayed.  I thank God that I did that, because otherwise I knew I was in deep trouble.” Setan sat in a chair waiting to be told when to speak. The general was in a rage banging his hand repeatedly on a table. With each bang Setan’s body shook with fear. The general was saying, “I can’t believe that he left me in such a position. I’m frustrated, so frustrated. He failed me, he failed me.”

The Holy Spirit began to take control of Setan and he reached out his right hand toward the general. As Setan’s hand touched the general’s shoulder, he said, “I’m sorry, so sorry. Who failed you? Who failed you?” The general replied, “Who else, who else? Pol Pot! I have followed him for many years and now I am in my sixties. I have done everything for him and now he is gone. He has left me. He is dead! All of these soldiers are looking to me and I have no directions.”

Someone with the answers

Setan quickly interjected, “I’m so sorry Mr. General, but I have good news for you. I know another individual, a close friend of mine who is very faithful. He has never failed me. He is very trustworthy. As a matter of fact he is the most powerful man you will ever meet.” For the first time in the meeting, the general made eye contact with Setan. “Who is this person?” the general inquired. “Who is he?” he asked loudly. “I told you,” Setan stated, “He is a very powerful man.” “Is it the President of Cambodia?” the general asked. “No,” Setan responded, “He is powerful, but it is not him.” “Is it the Prime Minister?” “No, the Prime Minister is powerful too,” Setan said, “but his power is limited. The individual I want to introduce to you is much more powerful than any of these people.” The general looked intently into Setan’s eyes and said, “Please, please, tell me who this person is!” Setan, gaining more boldness in his faith with each passing moment responded, “General, I’m not going to tell you unless I know you seriously want to know Him.” The general instantly responded, “I am serious!” 

A transformed life

Setan then proceeded to lead the general to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “The power of God in that place was amazing!” Setan stated. In a short twenty-four minutes, this powerful general was brought to his knees by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And not only him, but his wife and daughter along with him. The general asked Setan if there was room for him in God’s army. He said, “I have served Pol Pot for many years, now I want to serve Jesus Christ.” The general began to call Setan “teacher” which also means pastor. He told all of the guards that they were free to go. They were no longer needed to guard him. The general was a new man—a new man in Christ. He now had a personal relationship with the the great and powerful God of the universe.