Introduction
I want to share with you something very important, called The Spiritual Man Judges All Things. Why do so many people among us receive healing? The reason is that we have grasped the essence of the disease. We see through the spiritual principles and laws behind the illness, so we can produce significant results in these ministries.
In the past few Sundays, I shared with you A Living Soul, Getting Things Done, and We are Favored to be Free. These messages all mention the spiritual man. This time, I will talk to you about how the spiritual man judges all things! In fact, the statement that the spiritual man judges all things is very important.
Today, we see that the brothers and sisters who serve among us have solved the problems of those they serve. But when we think deeply, why do those brothers and sisters whom we serve encounter these problems? They don't want to encounter these problems either! Right? The child has a high fever in the middle of the night, and is ice cold. Do you want to encounter that? No one wants to encounter these things, but they just happen.
I want to ask everyone, what exactly causes us to encounter these problems? I tell you, it is because there are still many things within us that are carnal. What is meant by being spiritual? What is a spiritual concept? Looking at things with the principles of the spiritual realm is called being spiritual; looking at things with carnal principles is called being carnal. This is basically a matter of our value system.
In fact, who doesn't want to do things well? Everyone wants to do well, but if you want to do things well, you must grasp the essence behind things. As a programmer writing code, you don't want to write bad code that has problems at the slightest touch. Everyone wants to live a good life, but how can a good life be lived? You must understand what living a life is all about. In fact, not many people understand what living a life is all about. Only a spiritual man can see through what living a life is all about.
A week ago, I called a sister and she said, I really want my husband and I to be loving! I don't want to live a life of quarrels! But what's the use of wanting that? What does that have to do with whether you want it or not? You have to grasp the essence of things. Who doesn't want a loving marriage and filial children? Who doesn't hope that their children will be successful? Everyone hopes so. But can you do it? What you say doesn't count, does it?
Who doesn't want to make their business prosperous when doing business? Among those pastors who establish churches, who doesn't want to build a good church? I believe no pastor doesn't want to build a good church! In fact, healing and deliverance is the same. Who doesn't hope that prayers in the church will heal all diseases? Everyone hopes so, but the question is, have you really seen through the essence behind things? If you can't see through it, it's really difficult.
One night, I was very tired after working a whole day, so I lay in bed to rest. My sister called me. She had angina, and was in so much pain that she couldn't speak. She barely managed to utter a few words that I could catch. The general meaning was angina. I prayed with her, and in just a few minutes, she was completely healed. Then she breathed a big sigh of relief and kept hiccuping. Why? Because I knew that the essence behind the matter was evil spirits. I had seen through the essence of the disease, so how could I not solve the problem of this disease? Some people think I'm talking nonsense, but it's not nonsense. The Bible also says so: the spiritual man judges all things.
I have a habit. Whenever I do something, I like to get to the bottom of it and understand it thoroughly. Some time ago, I was doing some renovations. I installed a water heater. One of the sisters among us said, Don't install it yourself. Find someone to install it! Why? She saw that the process of me installing it was very hard, because the water pipe always leaked when I installed it. I knew very well in my heart that I hadn't understood this matter thoroughly. If you haven't understood this matter thoroughly, then of course it won't listen to you!
If you haven't understood things thoroughly, even buying something will cheat you. At that time, I bought a water connector, and it leaked. That's a one in ten thousand chance! Buying a leaky connector, buying a faucet switch, and it leaks when you install it, that's too much. In fact, I'm telling you, if you haven't thoroughly understood these things, even things will cheat you! It took me a long time to fix the leak, but now I've completely solved it! No matter what kind of pipe it is, once it's done by my hands, it definitely won't leak!
What am I saying? As long as it's something that I do, I must subdue it. That's why I built the church to what it is today. I must say that we are still continuing to climb spiritual peaks. What we know today is only the tip of the iceberg. Don't think that we are already very powerful. We are still far from it. We must know that, although I say that the spiritual man judges all things, have we really gotten to the bottom of everything? Have we really understood everything? In fact, we are still far from it.
I think a person can only take one path to climb a mountain, and it is difficult to traverse the mountain in all directions. In other words, if we can see through each and every spiritual truth, that would be amazing. I want to simply say that the spiritual man judges all things, which means grasping the spiritual essence of things, grasping the laws of the spiritual realm, and managing all things.
Several years ago, I wrote a book that hasn't sold much. I think it's very interesting. Why hasn't it sold much? Because the title looks a bit difficult to people. The title is The Spiritual Man Judges All Things. The Spiritual Man Judges All Things is based on the Bible study of 1 and 2 Corinthians. If you want to see through spiritual things, you can also buy two copies of the Bible study of 1 and 2 Corinthians.
1 and 2 Corinthians talk a lot about the problems of the church. Why do many churches have these problems? Because many people in the church do not look at things according to spiritual principles and the laws of the spiritual realm. They still do things according to their carnal eyes.
So Paul kept saying that you should be teachers by now, but it seems that you are still spiritual babies, who can only drink milk and cannot eat solid food, and there are still many areas where you are not clear. I think being clear or not clear depends on how much you practice. What do you practice? You practice recognizing spiritual truths and spiritual laws.
Scripture
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (1 Corinthians 2:15)
Prayer
Lord, teach us, let the word of God enter our hearts, let us see problems with spiritual eyes, and let us be able to use spiritual principles well!
Lord, grant us grace, let us become people of faith! Lord, we are willing to become a person of faith, willing to use faith to draw on the great power of your Holy Spirit!
Lord, we thank you, praise you, because you have prepared great grace for us in eternity! Teach us spiritual principles, let us grasp the key of faith, and be able to draw on the great power of your Holy Spirit. May all that we have rely on your great power!
Lord, please help us, let our faith not rely on the wisdom of men, but only on the power of God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
Scripture Background
Why did Paul write 1 Corinthians? 1 Corinthians was written when Paul encountered a very sad situation. What was this sad situation? The Corinthian church was established by Paul. Paul spent a year and a half teaching and training the Corinthians. Later, Paul ordained many pastors and elders to serve the Corinthian church, and Paul left Corinth.
As a result, many people from other places came to the Corinthian church. These people were probably from Jerusalem, or from other places. Basically, they could be said to belong to the faction of James. Then there were some who belonged to Peter, and some who came from Apollos. Then the church began to have disputes. Everyone argued and argued, and forgot what they came to church for.
Then the Corinthian church gradually began to ponder and think that Paul had deceived them. Did Paul ever deceive them with even a needle or a thread? No, he had never taken a penny from them. Paul had served them with the heart of a father and mother for a year and a half. That is to say, people suddenly became confused. The entire Corinthian church became very chaotic and confused. Then they raised many, many questions, and these questions were not raised to Paul from a positive perspective. Instead, Paul heard that there were these problems there, and as a result, he wrote 1 Corinthians.
How many problems were there? There were problems of sexual immorality. Someone had married his stepmother. There were also problems with eating. Some people said that this could not be eaten, some people said that that could not be eaten, and some people said that everything could be eaten. As a result, they argued and argued. In fact, the kingdom of God does not depend on the persuasive words of human wisdom, but only on the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power.
So the entire Corinthian church began to be corrupted. Marriage, marrying, eating, all the problems of life, eating, drinking, and sleeping came up. So I think that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to lead the people of the Corinthian church into a spiritual perspective. In fact, if people do not have a spiritual perspective and only use a carnal perspective to look at these problems, then it is chaotic and extremely disturbing.
But although Paul explained everything clearly, in the end he still wanted people to have a spiritual perspective. When you look at problems with a spiritual perspective, everything becomes very clear at once. So what was Paul's focus when writing 1 Corinthians?
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Do you understand? That is to say, in the eyes of those who are being saved, it is the power of God. In fact, this is consistent with Paul's letter to the Romans. Paul wrote it very clearly. What did he say? He said:
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Corinthians 1:20)
Why did the Corinthian church regard the wisdom of the world as a treasure? In fact, God regards the wisdom of the world as foolishness. The brothers and sisters among us should also carefully consider whether you also regard the wisdom of the world as a treasure. For example, among us there is a sister whose three children take turns getting sick, taking turns taking medicine, and taking turns seeing doctors. Now there is one more thing called taking turns praying. Why? Because there is too much of a hodgepodge inside.
Singapore has a food called Rojak, which the Northeasterners call Northeastern stew, which is a hodgepodge. All the food is put together and cooked, a mixed up mess. If a person's mind is also in a state of hodgepodge, with some things belonging to God and some things belonging to man, then how can there not be many problems? It will make people dizzy just looking at it. Why? Because people regard the wisdom of the world as a treasure, but God regards the wisdom of the world as foolishness.
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (1 Corinthians 1:21)
Listen to the testimonies we share. I counted about fifty or sixty testimonies. Just this week, there have been so many testimonies, including angina and many pains. Why have they all been healed? Because we regard the word of God as a treasure and the words of men as foolishness.
Let me put it this way, if my older sister called me and I told her to quickly call an ambulance, then as for what would happen to her, I really wouldn't dare to guess, but I know that it would most likely be fatal. So why do people see so many things and still not regard the word of God as a treasure, but regard the wisdom of men as a treasure?
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:24-25)
Therefore, Paul arranged a sequence: the weak, the strong, then a large blank space above, and then above that is the foolishness of God. The foolishness of God is stronger than the wisdom of men. That is to say, there is no comparison! But what is the problem? The path of believing in the Lord is really a narrow path. People believe and believe, and then they believe into carnality.
But there are not many who are wise according to the flesh, not many who are mighty, not many who are noble. It is difficult to compare, and you feel that you are not good enough. If you are not good enough, you have to pretend to be good enough. How painful is that? Therefore, you must know that God makes all flesh, that is, us people, so that no one can boast before God. But we are in Christ Jesus, of God's doing, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so if you want to boast, you should boast in the Lord.
This is the background of Paul's writing of 1 and 2 Corinthians. The Corinthian church fell into carnal regulations, which became very foolish in the eyes of God, violated spiritual principles, and then many things could not be seen through. Paul wrote so many pages eloquently, telling these things to the Corinthians.
The Power of the Holy Spirit is the Key to All Problems
Paul said:
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)
I am speaking to everyone from the bottom of my heart. If you follow the carnal logical system, what problems can you solve? I'll pour cold water on you, you can only make the problem worse and worse, you can't solve it! If you want to solve the problem, the answers are all in Jesus Christ, all in the power of the Holy Spirit, so what did Paul say?
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
The power of the Holy Spirit is the key to all problems. Paul is very clear that a gospel without power is not a gospel at all, but in today's church, gospels without power are everywhere. The sermons are preached very well, and many people like to listen, but as they listen, they become sermon experts. I also received a comment from someone who said, Teacher, your voice is very magnetic. As for whether it is magnetic or not, that is not important. What is important is to be a spiritual man and see through all things. If people do not see through all things, it is really a very troublesome thing.
You must know that the natural man cannot receive spiritual things, but thinks it is foolishness, and cannot know it. Only the spiritual man can see through these things. Do you understand? That is to say, our grasp of things is very superficial.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
Among us, there is a mother with three children, and those children take turns getting sick. You only have one answer, which is to trust in the power of God. There is no other way to go. If you don't believe it and think that you should take your child to the doctor when they are sick, then go see the doctor, I will never stop you. Unless you one day suddenly wake up and let our faith not rely on the wisdom of men, but only on the power of God.
What are the problems we encounter today? The problems we encounter are just a shadow in the spiritual realm. The things we encounter today are all the result of operations in the spiritual realm. Operating in the carnal realm is basically operating in the shadow. If one day I hold a laser pointer and put a red dot on the wall, and then I ask you to grab that red dot, how can you grab it? Because that is a shadow, you can't grab it, you are doing something ineffective, just like we often say, chasing shadows.
When I was young, I heard a crosstalk that was very good. Two people were drunk and started talking. It was very interesting. One person turned on a flashlight and shone it into the sky, and a beam of light appeared. Then one of them said to the other, Climb up! Can you climb that beam of light? He can't climb it. As a result, the other person responded, If I climb up, you turn off the power and I will fall down!
This is a conversation between two people when they are drunk. It is very interesting, but the problem is that there are often such things in this world. I often tell everyone that the power of the Holy Spirit is the key to all our problems. Believe it or not. Today our shepherding relies on the power of the Holy Spirit, our healing and deliverance relies on the power of the Holy Spirit, our Bible study relies on the power of the Holy Spirit, our work relies on the power of the Holy Spirit, our church building relies on the power of the Holy Spirit. Which place relies on our ability? None.
If we carefully go back and examine the Bible, what will you see? If you rely on your own hands and swords to live, that is a curse, that is walking the path of Esau. Jacob relies on God's blessing to live, which is called a blessed life. So whether you are a carnal person or a spiritual person today is not a small matter, it is a major matter that determines our future. The power of the Holy Spirit is our reliance. If human wisdom can solve our problems, we don't need God, do we?
But how can we solve more and more problems? Because we have not grasped the essence of things. If you are a spiritual person, you will see through all things.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
Today, your living is a spiritual thing, your work is a spiritual thing, your service is a spiritual thing, and your business is a spiritual thing. As long as a person is alive, it is a spiritual thing. This is really wonderful. Why not be a spiritual person? Some brothers and sisters have found that I am a very spiritual person. Many things become very spiritual when they are connected with me.
For example, the brothers and sisters who went with me to take the driving test all passed the first time. Among us, there was an older sister who was 57 years old when she took the driving test. The instructor told the sister not to learn anymore. This sister had been clumsy since she was a child. As a result, in 39 days, she passed all the tests smoothly. Why? I'll tell you, that's because of God!
Not only her, but everyone who is close to me is like this. This is really a very miraculous thing. I think today everyone should know one thing, if a person has the Spirit of God, many wonderful things will really happen. Later, Paul was arrested, took a boat, and the boat broke down. As a result, he was stranded on a desert island. As a result, the father of the island's chief had a high fever and a feverish disease. As a result, Paul went there and touched him and he was healed. It was simply amazing, too amazing!
Did Paul say to people, Do you want to believe in the Lord? If you don't believe in the Lord, then I can't pray for you! Paul didn't say this, and then he touched him and he was healed. As a result, the island's chief treated them kindly and entertained them. God was with Paul all the way. With God with us, many things become very spiritual and many things become very miraculous!
Some time ago, a sister asked me to write a resume. I was very busy at the time, and I dragged it on day after day. I was really too busy, and I was very tired. As a result, more than a week later, I helped her write a resume. The next day she told me that she had found a job. Changing the resume was useless, but would you say that I can change the resume? I can change it, but the problem is that it hasn't been changed yet, and the job has been found!
One sister said, Teacher, everything is very miraculous when it is connected with you! I wish that all the brothers and sisters and all the ministers among us were very spiritual people. If you are a very spiritual person, then would that be alright? No matter what kind of thing it is, it can be solved.
Paul said:
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:7-10)
If the Spirit of God lives in us, I guarantee that by the power of the Holy Spirit, these entangled things that we face will be thoroughly removed from our lives one by one! We will definitely be raised up to become a vessel that manifests God's glory, to become a person who loves God.
Faith: The Key to Unleashing God's Power
Brothers and sisters, listen carefully. You must understand this: God has prepared for those who love Him things that eyes have not seen, ears have not heard, and minds have not conceived. It is beyond what we can ask for or imagine! What I am doing today is truly something that ears have not heard, eyes have not seen, and minds have not conceived!
Some may find it distant, like a voice from another world. You might find the voice magnetic but difficult. It is not difficult at all, brothers and sisters. It is merely a matter of belief or disbelief. If one believes, then one is powerful. Therefore, disbelief is the root of humanity's problems. Why is it called disbelief? Because it is a lack of trust in God! People live and pass away in this world, but some live interesting lives and create many new things. So, I think that spiritual people are key to releasing the power of the Holy Spirit. What are spiritual people?
How do we interpret spiritual people? The first thing is to believe. Believe what? Believe the words written in the Bible. The words written in the Bible are not just for those people at that time, but also for us today. Why are so many people healed through me? Looking back a few years, I was the only one casting out demons at the beginning. When I did it, others ran away in fright. They were terrified when they saw the demons manifest. But today, the disciples I have trained can all release the healing power of God.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must restore our faith in God and in His words. How the Holy Spirit reveals to us through the Bible, we must believe accordingly. How the Bible is written, we must receive accordingly. Do you understand? When Jesus was serving on earth, He often said, Your faith has saved you. How can you be saved if you don't believe? Isn't that right?
If you have read the 101 course, you have all read this passage. A woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years thought, If I just touch his cloak, I will be healed. She had such faith because she had suffered a great deal under the care of doctors and had spent all she had, perhaps even going into debt.
As a result, Jesus came, and she said, If I touch his clothes, I will be healed! As soon as she touched his clothes, her bleeding stopped immediately. How amazing! Jesus turned around and said, Your faith has healed you. Go in peace!
Today, you must know that your faith and my faith can draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit can sustain all things. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1). The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters and He said, Let there be light, and there was light! Isn't that powerful? All things in the world are the work of the Spirit of God.
So, there are several aspects to spiritual matters: The first is faith, and the second is the Word of God. How difficult is the matter of faith? It is merely a choice. Can we tell ourselves that we will be people of faith, and keep telling ourselves until we become people of faith? Do you understand? I think we must start with faith. Begin to believe, and you will see the power of God manifested through me!
A few days ago, I was talking with a sister who likes to rely on her own abilities. She thinks, I can't do this, and I can't do that. But it's not that she has no ability. Can someone who has earned a doctorate have no ability? But she likes to rely on her own abilities, so she feels that this is not good enough and that is not good enough. If you compare that way, then it's a problem! I told her the principle of faith. No matter how capable we are today, we must be like Paul in 1 Corinthians, God will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and set aside the understanding of the clever.
But today, we believe in relying on God's power, not in the wisdom of men! How can we compare based on ability? Isn't that right? If someone with a doctorate still feels they have no ability, what about the common people who have not been to university? Then they are finished; they cannot go on. Faith is a choice. When we have simple faith within us, we can draw upon God's power in the spiritual realm and be victorious. This is a very simple principle. In fact, if you see through anything, it is very simple. If you rely on human ability, everything becomes extremely complicated.
For example, building a building, you have to find a Feng Shui master. After all that, it's still very difficult, and many people can't learn it. Believing is simple. A person can instantly become a spiritual person and then see through all things. Have you seen through the issues of children's education? Have you seen through the issues of sickness? Many problems? They are not problems. Why? Because we can't see through them, all problems are problems.
I want to encourage you to restore the faith within you, to restore the faith in God's Word within you. And then you must also declare with your mouth like God, have faith within, and then declare with your mouth. Then begin to know that your faith can create the future, because our future is in faith. Regarding matters of the future, we cannot rely on today's ability to achieve the future, but we can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit, through our faith, accomplish the future! Relying on the Holy Spirit, by faith drawing upon the power of the Holy Spirit, this is what we mean by spiritual people seeing through all things. There is nothing that is not accomplished by the Spirit of God.
God says that we originally had God's glorious image, and we say, Yes! God says, You will have a great future, and we say, Yes, I believe! God says, You can release my power to heal the sick and cast out demons! You say, Yes! Then you can go out and heal the sick and cast out demons! What if someone is possessed by a demon? Still rely on God's power to heal the sick and cast out demons! People, many times it is just disbelief. Anything that corrupts your faith corrupts God's church. Today, let us come out from the great wisdom of men and enter into faith in God. Suddenly, many things become clear. Therefore, we must come out from the carnal way of thinking.
Coming Out of Carnal Thinking
The most damning thing about carnal-minded people is eating. Eating too much, thinking too much, and things become complicated, and many problems arise. Why are there so many people in the hospital today? It is because of what they eat. Sickness enters through the mouth. Today, brothers and sisters, you must begin to consider whether people really live by eating. Actually, they don't.
People are iron, and food is steel is just people's thinking. After people eat too much, they find that there are more diseases. People are not iron, and food is not steel. Why are there so many people with diabetes? It is because of what they eat. So, brothers and sisters, after hearing what I have said, you must think carefully. Do people really live by eating? No, they don't.
I work all day, and I don't eat until evening. I start working from morning until evening. This is physical work, not a joke. I install sinks, pipes, cabinets, etc., and it's really tiring. But I don't eat, and it's okay. Really, it's okay. Eating is a carnal way of thinking, and then it's eating, drinking, sleeping, and living life. People are iron, and food is steel. Isn't this logic deadly?
People have to eat, and eating requires money. Having money requires earning money. If it goes on like this, it becomes extremely complicated. How do you earn money? You have to think of ways. If someone blocks your way to wealth, you will have conflict. That is to say, people's carnal way of thinking is all closely related to people's lives.
For example, marriage, if I don't have money, I have to marry someone who has money. There is a sister among us who left the church for money. After leaving the church, she has been interviewing, interviewing to find someone who is suitable for her to marry. She wants to find a rich man, but the problem is, why would a rich man marry you? This problem is complicated. Going on blind dates, struggling. It really is people die for wealth, and birds die for food. Not wrong at all. Marriage also carries various motives!
Carnal thinking really kills people. Actually, even today, if you are sick and want to take medicine, then take it. I won't stop you, but this is not something I should control. Don't say that I don't let you take medicine. If you want to take medicine, then take it.
Some time ago, a young brother had a high fever, and he was both cold and hot. Medicine didn't help, so he came to me. After praying, he recovered. We people define things, and the things we define with carnal eyes all bear very bad corruption. If people don't care about living, there won't be so many problems.
An old man came to me; he had been suffering from insomnia for more than twenty years and had been taking sleeping pills all the time. He believed that taking medicine could guarantee sleep, and people need to have a good sleep. Eventually, he ended up taking four times the amount. I don't care about eating, drinking, or having fun, and I don't sleep on time, but I find that I am growing quite well. Even today, I look very young. Others see me and think I look like I'm in my forties. I don't know if they are flattering me or what their other motives are, but I am happy to hear it. It's good to be a few decades younger, of course.
When can people come out of the carnal logic system? What we think about is all thought of with carnal logic. That is what the people of the Corinthian church were like. You may be a Christian. Don't say that you are saved. Whether you are saved or not is not so important. What is important is whether you are a spiritual person or a carnal person.
If you are a carnal person and still act like the people of the world, what fruit can you bear? It's not much different from the Israelites who died in the wilderness. Therefore, I think that today, we brothers and sisters, must begin to come out of the carnal way of thinking, because it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is of no value.
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:63)
So, there is no need to guarantee sleep, no need to guarantee eating and drinking, and no need to guarantee anything. A brother came to me some years ago. He had a girlfriend. It is normal for men to marry and for women to marry. It is normal for him to have physiological needs to fulfill. Boys like girls when they grow up. If they like boys, then it's a problem.
In today's society, boys like boys, and girls like girls. But boys liking boys is a much more serious problem than girls liking boys! This is a very painful thing, and many parents are saddened when their children enter that state.
As a result, when I met this brother, I said to him, It's because you haven't seen through it. You haven't seen through marriage. If you had seen through it, you wouldn't have gotten depression because a relationship didn't work out! He attracted a lot of demons. I cast out the demons, and he vomited things that had blood in them. It was quite scary at the time, but he got better later. The question is, after getting better, will we continue to follow the carnal way of thinking?
According to the carnal way of thinking, a person's problems can never be solved! There is only one answer: come out of the carnal way of thinking. I encouraged him. I said, “You have to see through it! Don't go back to it the next time you fall in love, or it will be a problem!
I think this matter must be understood clearly. Therefore, what Paul says in 1 Corinthians is about eating, drinking, having people who are hungry eating the Lord’s Supper. That is not the Lord’s Supper. That is a big Supper! The Corinthians at that time had very rich Lord’s Suppers, big pieces of bread, big cups, like the big teacups we used to use. Later, he talked about people's identity, as well as licentiousness, marriage, etc. If you want to, read 1 Corinthians 7 carefully.
He also talked about eating food sacrificed to idols. If you go to Singapore today and eat at a hawker center, how do you know which has been sacrificed and which has not? It doesn't matter. If you eat it, you eat it. It's not a big deal. Food does not commend us to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. But we must be careful that this freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. (1 Corinthians 8:8-9)
So, what is the problem? The carnal way of thinking is eating, drinking, marriage, raising children, anyway, just living. The more you do it, the more complicated it becomes. I encourage everyone to stand higher and see further. What does it mean to stand higher and see further? If you stand at a higher level to look at the affairs of the world, I can tell you, you will see it absolutely clearly!
If you stand higher, even higher, climbing the spiritual peak, constantly knowing the truth of God, you don't need me to tell you, you will also choose to be a spiritual person, seeing through all people, seeing through all things.
Seeing This Life from God's Perspective
The things you face today are because you are at a very low level, so you are confused, and then your problems are all big problems. But if you turn around, climb the spiritual peak, and then constantly rise, stand higher and see further, today all the problems become small things, and many problems don't matter much.
Brothers and sisters, you may find what I am saying very difficult to hear. Why? Because in my opinion, they are small things; in your opinion, they are big things. There are not many things I care about. I don't even care about my own death. I care about your death, right? I don't even care about my own death. Would I care about my mother's death? I don't care. But not caring doesn't mean I can't see through it. If I can see through it, I can release the power of God and solve these problems! Right?
I want to tell you that your problem is yourself, because you stand low and see too close. Your vision is probably only within these few years. If in the workplace, the boss likes an employee and doesn't like you, you start to feel troubled. Because you don't see far enough. Actually, these things are all trivial matters!
If you stand in the five thousand years of Chinese history, what we are experiencing today is just what? It's not even anything. What's more, the Chinese nation has gone through life and death. What do our little things count for? If you stand on the throne of God, stand in the perspective of all mankind, then you will stand further and see forever.
What do the little things you encounter today count for? Doesn't someone say that the Sino-US trade dispute is just a speck of dust in the history of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation? Living is a very simple affair. The problem is whether you and I have seen through it. If you have seen through it, things will become very simple. If you can't see through it, you will struggle in confusion.
People just like their own preferences. Can you put your own preferences aside first? Because you take yourself too seriously, so you are uncomfortable, right? A few days ago, I was on the phone with a sister. She said, This is not the day I want. I don't like fighting. I just like marital love!
But is there marital love? It's difficult! What can you get without overcoming? To overcome, you must first overcome yourself. If you can't even overcome your own preferences, then it is really a troublesome thing. So, what Paul said is really interesting:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh, following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. (Ephesians 2:2-3)
Conclusion
Do you understand? If we know this God, and we still follow our own flesh, then we are by nature deserving of wrath, still a carnal child of wrath. Although there is God’s abundant grace and mercy, the question is, are you and I willing to come out of the carnal model?
Today, let us stand higher and see further, be a spiritual person, and many things will no longer be the same. Today, do we live by the Word of God? Because people do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Do you really live on every word that comes from the mouth of God? If you really live on every word that comes from the mouth of God, then all these things in this world, this light and momentary affliction, are not worth comparing with the eternal glory that will be revealed to us!
If we look at the kingdom of God today, stand on the height of the kingdom of God, stand in eternity to look at today, what do people count for? If God cares for us, if God helps us, who can stand against us? Since the Holy Spirit helps us, we must build a victorious church!
The power of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead must be manifested in His church. If people can be resurrected from the dead, what problem cannot be solved? Today, many brothers and sisters among us are still in a carnal logical system. Having heard my sharing, are you willing to be a spiritual person? Are you willing to begin to offer yourself completely for the sake of Jesus Christ, as a living sacrifice, to become a person who loves God?
If you are willing, then I tell you that all your problems today will become nothing in the presence of the power of the Holy Spirit. You can live out the prosperity of God, live out the glory of God. May God bless everyone!