“When your life is under threat, nothing can help you but the peace of Jesus”: Pastor Don Wong’s journey through cancer

In John 14:26-27, it reads: “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

The world’s peace is this: Your house is fine. Your business is doing well. Your children’s education is at its best. Everything is smooth – no problem, you have the peace. But once crisis hits, that peace is gone.

But Jesus promised a peace is not of this world – Shalom peace that surpasses all understanding, that guides your heart and your mind so that even when you walk in the valley of the shadow of death, you fear no evil. 

It doesn’t mean you don’t face any problems, but while in the midst of problems, you have that peace. In Mark 4:35-41, there was a storm, but Jesus could sleep. Why? Because in Jesus, there is no storm. He is the Prince of Peace. When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and calmed the sea.

This is the peace God has given to you and me — the Shalom peace. When Jesus said: “My peace I give to you”, the word “give” here means “bequeath” — like an inheritance somebody leaves to you. Before Jesus went to the cross, He had already given His peace to us and commanded: “Let not your heart be troubled.”

Let me share my testimony: You can have everything in the world, but when your life is threatened by death, all these things don’t help you at all. Only the peace of Jesus.

An aggressive cancer buffered by grace

In April 2023, I went for my usual medical check-up. The doctors found a tumour in my pancreas. It was Stage 3 cancer and very aggressive. They wanted to operate right away, but the tumour was too close to the main artery. They said it was too dangerous, so they recommended strong chemotherapy first.

For other people, chemotherapy takes six to eight hours. But mine took three days — 52 hours per cycle – so I had to be admitted to hospital.

Chemotherapy infusions commonly take between 30 minutes to several hours. Pastor Don’s took 52 hours, or three days. Photo courtesy of TNCM.

They prepared me by telling me everything negative: You will lose your appetite, you will have ulcers, you will lose your hair, etc.

On the weekend after chemo, I had to preach at Paya Lebar Methodist Church on Pentecost Sunday. I was ready to call the Pastor and cancel. But when I was about to pick up the phone, the Holy Spirit stopped me. 

I waited on God, and He gave me peace not to cancel. I prayed: “God, if You want me to preach, then there should be no side effects.”

I started chemo on Saturday, finished on Monday — and there were zero side effects the rest of the week. On Sunday, I preached. The video of that sermon went viral. 

From that day on, before each chemo session, I would pray: “God, no side effects because I still need to preach.” God was faithful.

By the third round of chemo, my hair began to drop. I prayed: “God, please stop my hair from dropping. I have to conduct this very special wedding, and it will not look good for me to conduct a wedding bald.” The next day, my hair stopped dropping and it never dropped again up to today. 

I tell you, praise the Lord! God cares even about the smallest things in our lives, He is such a personal God who knows the number of hairs on your head.

In October 2023, the doctors said I needed surgery. It was supposed to be 10 hours, but it went on for 16 hours. I spent 17 days in ICU. When I woke up, everything was painful and uncomfortable.

I thank God for the prayers of the saints. I could feel their prayers carrying me through. Sometimes, when I felt fearful, I would receive a text message with a Scripture verse or a voice message of prayer. Prayer has power.

Even though my wife loves me very much, there was nothing she could do to take away the pain. I looked to God, and I felt His presence so close — as though I could feel His breath right next to me.  The peace of God saw me through.

I believe what also carried me through those 17 days was the prayer of the saints. My Pastors sent me prayers over voice messages. Someone texted me Psalm 34, and 20 minutes later, someone else texted me Psalm 34 again. Prayer works.

After the operation, I was readmitted to the hospital seven times. It went from bad to worse. The last time I was hospitalised was last July. My son had to wheel me in – I was unconscious for three days. 

Pastor Don was unconscious for three days when he was admitted to hospital in July 2024. But that would be the last time he was hospitalised – “God healed me”, he said. Photo courtesy of TNCM.

My wife told the doctor: “He’s got a very important event in September.” The doctor told her: “I think it’s quite tough.” She went back, shared with my children, and got all the staff to pray.

She texted our Senior Pastor and the pastors of a few churches and they began to pray. 

And God healed me. From that time until now, I have not been readmitted except for follow-ups.

Living in healing and restoration

I used to be 83kg. At the worst point, I was only 46kg. 

Pastor Don at his most frail in 2024 – he weighed just 46kg. Photo courtesy of The New Charis Mission.

I remember the day Pastor Kong Hee asked me to speak on stage — my son had to hold me up. When I remember that day, I want to cry.

Today, I am standing here preaching God’s Word again. Even with only half a stomach, part of my intestines, and part of my liver, I testify that our God is Creator – He can make all things new and glorious.

At CHC in July this year, Pastor Don told the congregation he now weighs around 61kg, a much healthier weight than in a year ago when he weighed 46kg. Photo courtesy of CHC.

So I began to preach the Word of God at churches in Singapore, sharing God’s Word in Taiwan, Vietnam, Nagaland, and the Philippines. For the first time in my life, I preached in a prison. Ninety-nine prisoners were baptised that day. Hallelujah, praise the Lord!

Someone asked, “Why not 100?” Another brother replied, “Because God is reminding us there is still one lost sheep.”

When you’re able to see the glory of God, it outweighs all this pain.

Brothers and sisters, life is not about how long you live, but how well you live for God’s purposes. We are not here to build and stay forever. One day – whether at 80, 100, or 120 years old – we must leave this earth. We don’t build to stay; we build for the next generation and prepare ourselves for eternity. 

Philippians 4 says: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I had to go for surgery on October 10 (2024). My staff came to my home to pray for me the night before. I had such peace that I told my wife: “Perhaps tomorrow I will wake up in heaven.” 

You know what? My wife and I overslept. Our son called us from the hospital at 6.40am and asked: “Where are you all?”. My operation was at 7am! If you have no peace, you can’t even sleep – don’t talk about oversleep!

1 Thessalonians 5:23 says: “may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

On April 23, 2024 – in the midst of Ps Don (here with his wife Vanessa) being in and out of hospital – President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and his wife Ms Jane Yumiko Ittogi visited The New Charis Mission. Photo courtesy of TNCM.

Life is never easy in this world. Like Jesus said, we will have trouble. A troubled heart will suffer the damage of stress, worry and anxiety — giving you high blood pressure, migraines, sleepless nights. But Paul tells us to present our requests to God (Philippians 4:6), and Peter says to cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us. (Peter 5:7)

We are not designed to live in fear and anxiety — we are designed to live in God’s Shalom peace in His presence. When I first received news about my cancer, I said, all we need to do is to hear from God. Don’t ever let your circumstances, sickness or anything speak louder than the Word of God. Because once you allow that, fear will come in, worry will come in, anxiety will come in.

Peace is not a programme or an event. Peace is a person – Jesus is the Prince of Peace. This peace comes not from how much knowledge you have or how regular you are in church. It comes from having a relationship with God, where you have that rested, assured peace of God.

Then you know He is the God of Psalm 121:2, “My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

And He is the God of Psalm 91:11, that says He will command angels to surround me. And He will make sure that no weapon formed against me will ever prosper. (Isaiah 54:17)

True peace comes from this assurance that God will never leave you, that He will always be with you no matter what happens in your life.

This is an excerpt from Pastor Don Wong’s sermon on July 12, 2025 at City Harvest Church, reproduced with permission. Watch his full sermon here.

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