This is a Generation of the Kingdom of God Coming
There is a church in Canada that has collected over a thousand crutches. This is because over a thousand people came in using crutches and walked out healthy and whole. Money cannot stop disease, but today we have this gospel, the gospel that started with Jesus. Most importantly, this gospel is not only good but also free. You simply need to receive it freely. Before I believed in the Lord, I only focused on making money. However, I discovered that there are some things that not even the rich can handle, let alone the poor. Later, I started to think about how to live a better life. I am not an uneducated or uncultured person; I just felt that there must be a way in this world for me to live well.
Then I discovered that I needed to find a God, and this God must be the greatest God in the world. So, what is the greatest God like? The greatest God must be all-powerful. Then, I walked into the church. I found that those who believed in the Lord lived more peacefully, and I wanted a peaceful and stable life. Over time, I felt that believing in the Lord could not only make my life peaceful and stable but also make it wonderful. Life should not be helpless but wonderful.
God Baptizes Us with His Spirit
John gave a testimony about Jesus:
After me will come one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (Mark 1:7-8)
The Spirit of God is the source of power. When God lives in us, we will be powerful, just like a power plant with infinite energy. And we are the ones who control the light switch, able to turn it on whenever we want, with an endless supply of energy behind us. This energy is the energy that created the universe, the Holy Spirit.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-4)
No matter how formless and empty, no matter how dark the surface of the deep, as long as the Spirit of God is there, it will turn into hope. Hope in people is so important. Without hope, it must be very hard to live.
The first time I went to church, I didn't understand anything. My English was not good, let alone reading the Bible. I didn't understand anything throughout the whole process. But even so, when I came out of the church, I found that the world had suddenly become beautiful. This has nothing to do with understanding; it is the Spirit of God that illuminates our hearts. This is a great gospel. So, today, when I lead you in prayer, I must first lead you to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Being filled with the Holy Spirit will change our inner weaknesses and lead us into a state of strength.
Today, there are still many people who are afraid of ghosts, but fear is not a solution. Just like we Chinese were called the sick men of East Asia for many years, would the Japanese not have invaded you because you were weak? Didn't the Nanjing Massacre still happen? Weakness is not the way to go; strength is the solution. So, where does strength come from? It comes from the Holy Spirit.
So, this is the gospel of the great power of God's Holy Spirit entering into us. The Holy Spirit is the God who created the universe and is able to achieve unity between God and man. What an amazing grace! It is impossible for man to overcome ghosts, but if the power of God enters into us, we will not only be able to overcome ghosts but also overcome all difficult situations in the world. Don't think that just being a good person is enough; a good person cannot solve problems. If you encounter a robber and tell him you are a good person, he will still rob you. So, today we need to know that there is only one way to solve problems: the power of God enters into us.
After Being Filled with the Holy Spirit, Receive Authority
They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:21-22)
If the Holy Spirit is upon you, you will know for sure that you have authority from God in your hands. So, after we believe in the Lord, we must learn to speak with authority. When we pray with others, don't say, Lord, please heal... but say, In the name of Jesus Christ, I command the evil spirit behind this pain to leave! This is authority. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, we will receive power and must speak with faith. Speaking with authority is an important sign of inner strength.
What Demons Know, We Must Know
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:23-24)
If a person has the Holy Spirit on him and speaks with authority, demons will know who you are. Today, not only do demons know that Jesus is the Holy One of God, but we must also let demons know that you and I are also the Holy Ones of God.
Before Jesus came, this person had been attending meetings in the synagogue with an impure spirit for many years. Usually, when he went in and out of the synagogue, no one noticed that he was possessed by a demon, nor did they know how many people he had corrupted. It was not until the day Jesus came that this demon began to speak. We must know that if there is no moving of the Holy Spirit in a place, then the spirit of the demon must be in that place. So, we must have spiritual eyes, begin to use spiritual authority, and be sure to let the demons know that we are the Holy Ones of God, part of the body of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Created a New Doctrine
Jesus created a doctrine called the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not an ordinary doctrine, but a powerful one. It is the way to eternal life, a authority to trample the devil and his enemies. Because of this doctrine, we have the authority to command unclean spirits and order them to obey us. So if you are afraid of ghosts, you should catch them, because fear is not the solution. Today, we are practicing this doctrine, not only practicing it, but also constantly making new breakthroughs. Only in this way can we spread our reputation throughout Galilee like Jesus. Once our reputation spreads, more people in need will come to us, and we can preach the gospel to more people.
This Is the Gospel of Healing and Casting Out Demons
Simon Peter's mother-in-law was suffering from a fever. Jesus simply came forward, took her hand, and helped her up, and the fever left her. The process was very simple. Today, we must clearly know that this gospel is a gospel that can heal diseases. The true God must be a God who heals us.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
God loves the world so much that He has given us His most beloved Son. How much more will He give us all things? How could God give us cancer? He must give us good things. Fever and cancer are not good things. When Jesus healed the sick, He simply took her hand, transmitted faith to her, and helped her up, and the spirit of fever retreated. Not only healing the sick, Jesus also resurrected a child from the dead. God is so wonderful, full of compassion, and full of grace. Suffering in sickness is definitely not God's grace. God's grace is to heal us.
That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. (Mark 1:32-34)
Here it says that He healed many, but in Acts 5:16 and Matthew 12:15 it says that all who came were healed. If Jesus' disciples could heal the sick and cast out demons after Jesus ascended to heaven, then Jesus is even more capable of doing such things. So today we must have such a conviction. If we pray for healing from sickness, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The problem must be with us, not with God. Because God's promises are all faithful. By his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). If there are those who are not healed, the problem is not with God, but with us. Until today, we are still pursuing deeper revelation. If there is a problem and we don't know how to solve it, we ask God to reveal it to us more deeply.
Preach the Gospel of God's Power
So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:39)
Here it says preaching and casting out demons, both of which are indispensable. Peter was a disciple of Jesus. Even he had to imitate Jesus in preaching and casting out demons. We should do the same. This is the gospel of God's power, not just a spiritual sustenance.
When writing an essay for the college entrance examination, even if it is poorly written, you can still get some points, but if it is off-topic, it is a zero-point essay. So we must not believe in the Lord off-topic. We must return to the Bible and carefully consider what the gospel we believe in is. If the Bible says to do this, then just do it, and things will be much simpler. Don't complicate things, don't wait until you come to Jesus and Jesus tells you: you believe wrongly, you believe off-topic. Then everything you have done will be in vain.
If you preach, cast out demons, and heal the sick in the name of Jesus, but Jesus says: I do not know you. Then do not think that Jesus said this because you healed the sick and cast out demons. The reason is that you did not heal the sick and cast out demons with love, that is why Jesus said this.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. (Matthew 25:42-46)
When we preach the gospel, we must preach the complete gospel, which must have both love and preaching and casting out demons. We must grasp this key.