Introduction

Good day to you all! Today, I want to talk about the spirit of Sodom. Who did the spirit of Sodom deceive? It deceived Lot! On Lot's path, he actually encountered a man who appears only once every four thousand years, and that was Abraham. This Abraham was his uncle, but he didn't even know it. Foolishly, he left. Who orchestrated that? It was the spirit of Sodom. I will tell its story.

I've discovered a mystery: people are always doing what they think is right. Have you noticed? If you haven't, you should ponder whether this is true. No one thinks they are doing wrong, but is it right? I don't know. Where do I think I'm smart? It's that I often ask myself, Am I doing it right? I've found that people who often think they're doing right are easily deceived, one deception after another, often back to square one, both tragic and pitiable! What's the reason? Unshakable belief in their own views! Have any of us been deceived? Some have been deceived out of hundreds of thousands or millions in P2P schemes. After the P2P craze passed, another set of scams emerged, costing them tens of thousands. Then another set of scams, and they were deceived again. Why? Because people have an unshakable belief in their own views. That's the problem, but perhaps that's Mingding Destiny!

It's really hard for me to change people's minds. I try to get them to doubt their own ideas, but their conviction is absolute! I say, Are you doing it right? They say, If I don't do it this way, how else can I do it? I turn my head and say, Stupid! Next time I say, Are you doing it right? They say, If I don't do it this way, how else can I do it? I turn my head and say, Brain filled with excrement! I don't dare say it to their face, only behind their back.

Some people say, Pastor, you're so bad! I'm not bad, I want the best for you. Otherwise, would I come back to face rejection again? I come back and tell them, Are you doing it right? They say, If I don't do it this way, how else can I do it? I'm speechless. I only have two phrases: Stupid and Brain filled with excrement. What a brain! Someone gets deceived, and I say, Take out the money, take out whatever's left. They say, I can't take it out. I say, Try taking out one dollar first. They say, No, there's definitely no problem, even Jack Ma invested. How do you know? Heavens, unshakable belief! That's how foolish people are made.

Regarding people being busy, they always think they're incredibly busy. I say, I do much more than you, why aren't I busy? I've come a long way to see you, how do I have time? You're doing such trivial things, why are you so busy? They feel they are engaged in a great undertaking, very busy. I tell them, You need to make a plan, show me your plan. When I look at it, it's a mess. They don't know how to plan at all, just doing things blindly every day! But they still think they're right. How stupid must they be?

I have a huge flaw. When I encounter foolish people, it annoys me. If they don't leave, I quickly leave. I can't stand it. So I have to restrain my evil impulses to serve these foolish people. People don't know that after I've spoken to them with earnest sincerity, they still stick to their old ways. They haven't done things right in the past, walking in curses, and now they continue to sow the seeds of curses. How much have they experienced? How much pig feed have they eaten? Eating pig manure now! Pig feed is still edible, but how can you eat pig manure? The pigs have already filtered it once. Is there any nutrition left? If it weren't for serving God, I would have quit long ago, but I thought I still had to serve, restraining my carnal evil.

People always think they are busy, never admitting they've made mistakes. I've encountered one after another like this. I tell you, if you're so busy that you don't have time to be close to God, so busy that you don't have time to read God's Word, so busy that you don't have time to keep the Lord's Day, you're doing it wrong, and it definitely won't get better! I think there are many such people in this world. Sometimes I don't dare to speak recklessly, just weakly say a word, and then they give me a bunch of reasons, and I shut up. If you tell people there's a problem, will they like to hear it? I say, You're not doing it right. They say, Only you are doing it right? Alas, I can only endure it, but I still can't help it, turning my head and saying, Stupid! Next time I say something, they give me a bunch of reasons again, and I turn my head and say, Alas, what a brain!

If you often stay close to me, you'll find that I'm never busy. Actually, I do more things than most people think possible. For a period of time, to train our co-workers, I worked with them every day, doing even more than they did. They felt that I did the work, but didn't neglect Bible study or preaching, and preached well too. Little did they know that while I was working, I was also conceiving ideas in my head. For example, when you move something from here to there, you don't need much brainpower, it's a mechanical activity. Then my brain is still thinking about how to do things, conceiving ideas, so you'll find that I'm not busy.

The problem is that these deep-seated beliefs in people are too hard to change. To bless them, I speak with earnest sincerity, but in the end, people's hearts are like springs. The softer you are, the stronger they become. When you let go, they return to their original state. I've been pulling on so many springs, exhausting myself. Once I let go, snap! They go back again. Ah, let go! Let go and entrust them to God, let go and entrust them to Satan. The ideas in people's minds are a spirit behind them. Brothers and sisters must know that the idea inside you that keeps telling you that you're right is an evil spirit, and that evil spirit is very powerful! So self-righteous people are very difficult to serve.

Later, I read a book, Kazuo Inamori's final work called Twelve Management Principles. Kazuo Inamori is quite remarkable. What he said is the same as what I say. Great minds think alike. He said, As a person, what is right? Have we done the right thing as people? I tell you, people lack this. Smart people in the world think this sentence is good, but only foolish people think, If I don't live like this, how else can I live? They blindly walk towards death, towards ruin, towards misfortune, and they still think they're getting a bargain. Ignorant, unknowing, willful, following their unknowing hearts! If they didn't do it right in the past, will they do it right now? So when an evil spirit releases an idea, people follow it, and corruption begins.

Are many people afraid of evil spirits? I'll tell you what evil spirits look like. Evil spirits look kind and good-natured, like angels of light. How do they operate? They never appear in a dark place, wearing a big white robe, face pale, scaring people. Evil spirits don't do that. So how do evil spirits operate? Evil spirits pretend to be angels of light, release an idea, and then you follow it. That's the end of you! They don't need to do anything else, just sit there and watch the show, watching people's corruption. When that idea combines with your original logic, it's a perfect trap. Even hooks without bait will be bitten.

So what's the problem? The problem lies in what people are living for, that's the fundamental issue! What are people living for? Why do they die? Why do they pay the price? Why are they busy? So brothers and sisters must know that I keep telling everyone to have Mingding Destiny, to love God, to pay the price for God, just to prevent you from being snatched away by demons, just to let you know that demons cannot corrupt you, that's the only way! If you live for yourself, for your business, for money, for material possessions, for your children, for your wife, for your husband, for your mother, that's bad. Demons will definitely attack them. When demons press on them, you'll be in trouble. It's about what you believe is most important in your bones.

I once asked some people, What if you can't finish this job? They said, If I can't finish it, I can't finish it. I said, What if they fine you? They said, If they fine me, they fine me. Quite impressive! They said, Don't ask me that question. The question is, why would I take on a job that I can't do? I don't take on jobs that I can't do.

I turned my head and said, This guy is really smart! There's definitely no excrement in his head. I was thinking, do what you can do, manage what you can manage, then you won't have problems. We let go of what we can't manage. If we insist on managing what we can't manage, we're courting death! Have you heard of a mantis trying to stop a chariot? If someone tries to use their arm to stop the wheel of history, they will be crushed to pieces by the wheel of history. That's what we said when we were kids.

Brothers and sisters must know, what can we manage? We can't manage anything, yet we worry about this and worry about that. So what is the most important thing in your bones? Besides God, only God! Only God's Word is fundamental, His Word is spirit and life! But people don't believe it, they only believe what they see as important, and they always think it's right, and then they enter into foolishness, ignorance, and destruction!

If you're already on the road to destruction, you say, Teacher, I don't have time to read the Bible, I don't have time to do ministry. I say, What are you going to do with your time? They say, I'm going to use my time to get sick. Alas, I can't stop them. Do they think I really need them to read the Bible? Or do you think I really need you to do this ministry? Or do you think I really need you to do something? Actually, you're mistaken. I don't need anything, I just want you to be blessed.

The key is for people to reflect: Am I doing it right? Having suffered so much in the past, having eaten so much pig feed, why continue down this road? I want to talk about how the spirit of Sodom deceives people. The spirit of Sodom deceives people by making you pursue a good life, fixing your gaze on this world.

Even if God sends you one signal, you can't see another signal, and then you gradually approach sin, thinking you're going to save this city of sin, but you're corrupted by the city of sin. How can you reason with that? This evil spirit is too powerful, even if you once followed Abraham, it's useless. Let's look at this passage of Scripture.

Scripture

And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks and herds and tents. Now the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and Perizzites dwelt in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right, then I will go to the left.” And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. (Genesis 13:5-13)

Prayer

God! Give us wisdom and understanding, so that we can see Lot's choice clearly, see Lot's perspective clearly. God! Give us wisdom and understanding, so that we can emulate Abraham, so that we can walk the path of Abraham. God! Help us, give us a heavenly perspective, so that we can stay away from evil. God! Let us know that we are like living in tents in this world, let us know that we are sojourners in this world, we are strangers, because we are seeking a better homeland in eternity. God! Give us this perspective, give us this vision, so that we can look down on everything in this world. God! Lead us to see more clearly how the spirit of Sodom operates; God! Give us wisdom and understanding, so that we can resist the temptation of this spirit of Sodom. In Jesus Christ's name! Amen!

Scripture Background

Genesis chapter 12 is about God speaking to Abram, who is later Abraham. At that time, Lot's father died, so Abram took Lot as his own son, and then took him along. Abram was thinking, I don't have a son, who will I leave these properties to in the future? I'll give them to my nephew. As a result, Lot followed Abram.

I tell you, people are very wonderful. The effect of following someone is very different. Have you found that if you follow the right person, you are blessed, and if you follow the wrong person, you are cursed. This thing is too wonderful, which means if you get close to some people, you will be unlucky when you come back. Sometimes, if you get close to some people, good things will happen when you come back, it's very wonderful! If you get close to Abram, you will be very powerful. In fact, Lot thought it was his own talent, that he was the powerful one, raising a lot of cattle and sheep, and collecting a lot of wealth. He didn't know that it was the blessing brought by being close to Abram.

Lot is quite interesting. I don't know what's going on, but he's always making trouble. What kind of trouble? The herdsmen of Lot and the herdsmen of Abram are always fighting. Let me ask you, what would Abram do in this situation? Abram told his herdsmen not to fight with them. But even if you don't fight, Lot's people will come to fight. For example, if there is a well, Lot's herdsmen come, and Abram's herdsmen also come. When Abram's herdsmen are giving water to the sheep, Lot's herdsmen come and say, Go away, get out of here! Do you have this mental picture? Then Abram's herdsmen say, We were here first. They say, Go away! What kind of old, immortal thing is Abram? That's roughly the idea.

He feels like he's the king, but did he really become king? Why? Because he's very selfish, to what extent? He thinks the whole world belongs to his family, that even Abram is like a pet to them, that's almost the feeling. Then Abram feels that this is not right. I ask you, what could force Abram to say, Lot, come over here, let's talk. I'm qualified to infer this way, and I'll explain it to everyone.

The meaning is very clear. Lot came to Abram to reason, and as a result, Abram very politely said to Lot, We can't fight, your herdsmen and my herdsmen can't fight. This is just a well, such a large piece of land, you go this way, I go that way, you take your sunny path, and I'll take my narrow bridge!

Then Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or if you depart to the right, then I will go to the left. (Genesis 13:8-9)

Abram is more civilized than I am. If I were to say these words, do you know what I would say? I would say, You brat, do you want to get out? If you don't get out, then I'll get out! You take your sunny path, and I'll take my narrow bridge! That's roughly the flavor, that's how unrefined the words would be. Some people would say, You're still a pastor? I feel energetic saying these words. Lot looked with his eyes, and this look was not a good one. One look: Wow! This land is good. He chose a fertile land, leaving Abram with a barren land. Can a nephew do this? If it were you, would you choose like this?

Abram was sad, his heart was almost broken, his heart was bleeding! Abram thought, You brat, you took the good stuff, leaving me with a broken one. But Abram knew, I rely on God, I don't rely on this land. Lot is a selfish小子,his vision is a worldly vision,but Abram is a god's vision

One is living by the fertility of the land, living a good life; one is living by God, even if it is barren land, I can still live well! Because Abram had just promised Lot: If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left. Now that Lot has made his choice, he has to go in the opposite direction. Alas, let's go! Tears are about to fall.

As the tears were about to fall, Lot left, and the old man was sad in his heart! Know what he saddened by. He had two thoughts in his heart: the first thought was, Silly小子, that's not the way, that's the way to disaster! The second thought was, Silly child, what kind of brain is that? That's too selfish! How can selfish people be blessed? How can people who only think of themselves be blessed? You ungrateful brat, you have so much wealth because you benefited from me! This time, you are going on a path full of disasters, and in the future, you will be ruined!

Do you know that Abram was a prophet? Prophets are great people, prophets are able to know before things happen. They can see the future at a glance. So sometimes I feel the same in my heart, I watch people rush into disaster, and you can't stop them. If you want him to come back, he won't come back. He has to go that way. Then let's do it in ruin! God loves Abram so much, he said when he saw Abram was sad, Abram, Lot is not good at that.

Lot turned around and did not see Abram's grief: Hey, you guys are still there, you are all destined to walk with me. The people of Li, the people of Zhang, are destined to walk with me. But the people in these families all ran away. What is this brain made of? It is made of pig's brain! So when the Bible talks about pigs, the Bible thinks we are very stupid. You can't teach a pig!

And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, lift up your eyes, and from the place where you are, look north and south and east and west: For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your seed forever (Genesis 13:14-15 ).

These words gave Abram a lot of comfort. This section talks about Lot's vision, Lot's pursuit, and the evil spirits behind them. The spirit of Sodom began to seduce Lot, and as he seduced him, he was hooked there. Brothers and sisters must know, almost all those who are deceived are like this! Has anyone been deceived by doing P2P? As you get hooked, you get hooked into disaster. Many people have returned to the liberation Before, and in the end they were ruined. Sometimes I feel sad when I talk too much.

The economy of Sodom was very developed, and its culture and entertainment were extremely rich. There was a street called Red Street, and the entire city was covered with red lanterns. It was very modern: the sanitary facilities were complete, the building materials market was booming, and investment and financing were very good there. There were plenty of opportunities to make money there, and the surrounding area was like the Garden of the Lord, with singing and dancing. That's great! But Abram didn't think it was good, but these were exactly what Lot's wife was pursuing. What kind of person was Lot's wife? Jesus once said:

Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man (Luke 17:26 ).

But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all(Luke 17:29 ).

Remember Lot’s wife(Luke 17:32 ).

Oh, I understand, this is Lot's wife! Do you think Lot's words count at home? His words don't count in front of his wife. Lot is just a dog, a pet in front of his wife. Lot's wife is very powerful: Go, fight with Abram's herdsmen! Go, fight with your old undead uncle! He did Abram to make him leave, all of this was controlled by her from behind. Why? Because Lot's wife is in charge of the family's finances, she is in charge of real money.

I tell you, people become very evil when they love money. After becoming evil, they will follow the path of Sodom, and in the end they will be lured to set up a lot of industries in Sodom. The value of that industry is also rising sharply, and when she makes a profit, she thanks God. Have you ever seen such Christians? When he earns money, he says, Thank God! I want to give a testimony, I have earned a lot of money. Do you? Love money! It turns out that all his thoughts are on money. Did God give it to you?

Indeed, the spirit of Sodom is potent, akin to the golden calf, saying, This is the god who brought you out of Egypt! Lot's wife might have said, This is God's blessing! Look how richly He has blessed us! But was it so? No. Some might point to news of Hong Kong's Heavenly King Jacky Cheung, who at 62, tirelessly performs concerts to repay his wife's investment losses of two billion.

Marriage, truly a pitfall, a pit for fathers, sons, husbands, and oneself. This thing is formidable! Reflect on Lot's wife, easily deceived. Some say, When women lead the house, the walls will crumble. Are women's perspectives truly lacking? I intend no gender discrimination, I merely speak of Lot's wife.

What transpired in the end? The conclusion is absent from this chapter of the Bible, so allow me to share it. Not long after arriving in Sodom, Lot integrated into the upper echelons of Sodom's society, quite adeptly. By human standards, he possessed much wisdom. The King of Sodom, along with the Kings of Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela, were to pay tribute to Chedorlaomer.

One day, they declared, Why should we pay tribute to you? We are now formidable. Thus, they rebelled, ceasing tribute to Chedorlaomer, who then, with three other kings, defeated these five. Consequently, Lot was bankrupted. Why? Because Lot was to be seized by Chedorlaomer into slavery. News reached Abram, who with his men, defeated Chedorlaomer and rescued Lot. Yet, Lot returned to Sodom.

Consider, after his uncle rescued him, he did not express gratitude. He did not. I find kinship peculiar, often unappreciative of the grace bestowed, taking it for granted. I lament, being an uncle is not easy. If Lot had been willing to return to Abram, it would have been acceptable, but his wife objected, offering her unique interpretation.

Let me tell you, women's explanations can be incredibly persuasive. I am embellishing, but she might have said to Lot, You think Abram rescued us? No, it was my prayers last night that prompted God to send him. Isn't it wonderful? We've reclaimed our wealth accumulated in Sodom, and we can return to our good life. We thank God, we shall establish a family altar, we shall praise God. We need not thank Abram. Following that old man, what kind of life would that be? We thank God! Obeying the spirit of Sodom's interpretation, they returned to Sodom.

Later, about twenty years hence, sulfurous fire rained from the heavens, as God was about to destroy Sodom. God brought Lot's family out of Sodom, warning them not to look back, lest they perish! Lot's wife, however, looked back and became a pillar of salt. To this day, many salt pillars, resembling human figures, stand around the Dead Sea.

Lot's wife became a pillar of salt, like Qin Hui kneeling before Yue Fei's tomb, eternally scorned! Why? Love of the world, transformed into a salt pillar by the spirit of Sodom, her heart tethered to Sodom. Later, Lot was ruined, and his incestuous relationships with his daughters gave birth to the Ammonites and Moabites. What do you make of such an ending? Ruined, all possessions lost.

I say this, be cautious. If you harbor Lot's logic, or that of his wife, when disaster strikes, there may be no turning back. In life, sometimes the road behind is impassable. Consider Lot's ruin, would he return to his uncle Abram? No. Why? Because Lot was brought out because God remembered Abram. Did he not know to thank his uncle? He did not. Then he continued down the path of destruction, ending in this manner.

We lament, the spirit of Sodom is truly potent! Why not return to Abram? Abram would give you some sheep and cattle to start anew. Isn't it back to square one? Why not return to Abram? No, a good horse does not turn back to graze. These are worldly words, but I believe the spirit of Sodom had not left Lot, deceiving him once more. He did not want to continue on this destined path. Wife gone, but with two daughters remaining, why not return to Abram? I can only say, the spirit of Sodom is formidable. Why? His inner thoughts are complex.

## Beware the Spirit of Sodom (I): Perspective

One's perspective is insidious. Some see the blessings God bestows. Consider Abram and Lot, both observing. The nephew saw the plains of the Jordan River, like the garden of the Lord, and found it appealing. Who saw this? Lot? No. Lot and his wife possessed such a perspective, a worldly perspective.

He saw all within Sodom. I tell you, Lot and his wife may have vacationed in Sodom, beholding its entertainment, abundant and akin to a red-light district. Do you know of a place in Thailand called Weisaidong? Lot and his wife went to Weisaidong, and exclaimed, Wonderful!

Lot's wife should not have taken Lot there. Why would a wife take her husband there? But they saw modernity, extreme economic prosperity, and highly conserved assets. Sodom's assets were highly conserved. To invest in real estate, invest in Sodom. Outside Sodom, you cannot invest in good assets. The king of Sodom managed the economy expertly, a true economist.

He operated casinos, drawing gamblers from afar, like Las Vegas. In a desert, a few hotels were built, transforming it into a gambling haven, truly impressive! Las Vegas was built in a desert, devoid of anything. Sodom was such a place, with casinos and brothels. A joke: a school called Lanxiang Technical School. We cannot change the characters carelessly, lest it become Lanxiang Brothel, unsettling to hear.

The King of Sodom governed the nation exceptionally well, and the people were very open-minded. Sodom was not by the sea, or it would have beaches. This is perspective, what did people see? All this. Shops filled with name-brand bags, requiring membership points to purchase. Did you think ordinary citizens could afford them? If you could obtain permanent residency in Sodom, it would be invaluable, akin to today's generation.

This is one perspective. Compared to living in a tent with Abram, how could one endure it? The toilet was merely a bucket. Where were modern bathrooms? A tent, and if one defecated inside, the entire tent was tainted! Lot's wife could not endure such a life, especially with Abram, who would say, Take down the tent, let's go, then set it up again. Abram knew why he moved, but Lot and his wife did not, passive and toilsome, ultimately arriving here.

Especially this perspective. Brothers and sisters, let us begin training our perspective. What is your perspective? Ponder it. A glimpse of real money, focused solely on living. If one buries oneself in money, it is deadly, all a matter of perspective. If I see only joss paper, why would I delve into it?

Some ask, What do you do? Many do not understand my endeavors. Why? Because I am catching men like fish. Some are catching fish like men. Some, for the sake of fish, neglect shepherding, killing the sheep for meat, seeing only the meat and not the sheep. We catch men like fish; the fish are merely sold in the market, not the men.

An entrepreneur, failing in business, lamented to me in his late years, I haven't done anything right in my life. I asked, Why? He replied, After a lifetime in business, I realize I should have built a team and sold the team. Building a team and selling it, is that human trafficking? I doubt he could build a team. Raising pigs, building a team is like raising pigs, only to slaughter them later. What perspective! Thus, perspective is crucial. Abram's perspective is Abram's, Lot's perspective is Lot's. **One's perspective, vision, and horizon are intimately linked to the results of one's life.**

Some say, Teacher, I have no time to do ministry. I reply, How so? They say, Recently, there are this and that. I retort, Having lived such a life, under a curse for so many years, you still do not want to learn how to live? Still busy with those things? Such minds, unwilling to train their perspective. But I must tell you from the heart, my vision is Abram's, my perspective is Abram's. What I seek is a blessing descended from heaven. I seek God. Those who bless me, God will bless; those who curse me, God will curse. That is powerful!

## Beware the Spirit of Sodom (II): The Pursuit of a Good Life

One's perspective determines one's pursuit. If you believe that living in this world is paramount, you will highly value worldly things. If you highly value worldly things, have you achieved the good life you seek? If you seek a good life, I do not blame you. Why would I? Who does not want a better life? But this mindset of pursuing a good life can easily be seized by the spirit of Sodom, leading to ruin!

Lot nearly went bankrupt the first time, becoming someone else's slave. The second time, he truly went bankrupt. Do you want to walk this path? Know that if you have encountered Abram, if you have left Haran with Abram, then it is fatal! To tread Lot's path is to forfeit the path of destiny, to be seized by the spirit of Sodom in pursuit of a good life.

Why do people pursue a good life? Because they believe that a good life is essential. But I must teach you, if you seek a good life, beware! Beware the spirit of Sodom. If you do not live thus, how should you live? One must know that whether you live well or poorly in this world, it is vanity of vanities. Then, pursue a glorious destiny in eternity.

Abraham found this path of destiny. I do not blame you for seeking a good life, but your methods must be correct. If you are seduced by the spirit of Sodom, what good will come of it? The evil spirit seizes you not to bless you, but to destroy you! If you believe that an evil spirit deceives you not to destroy you, but to bless you, you are mistaken. When has an evil spirit blessed anyone? What has it promised that it has delivered? Nothing has been delivered. The spirit of Sodom is merely a worn-out mare.

## Beware the Spirit of Sodom (III): Heed God's Revelation and Warnings

Arriving in Sodom, destroyed by Chedorlaomer, Lot and his wife were seized into slavery. What of their lives? Their lives were over. The next life would know nothing of this one. The couple was disheartened! When they were seized by Chedorlaomer, what were they thinking? Sighing, regretting their decision to go to Sodom? Surely, they regretted it.

Lot must have said to his wife, If we had not gone to Sodom, we would not be in this predicament! Later, Abram rescued him, but he forgot, his mind preoccupied with the assets and wealth he had established in Sodom. Lot thought, Why return to Abram? He neglects God's warning and revelation, and one suffers!

Why? Lot thought, With so much wealth now several times that of Abram's, why return to Abram? Understand? Still the standard of real money. Forgetting he had nearly become a slave. What if there is another warning? If one operates on worldly logic, the spirit of Sodom makes everything seem reasonable.

I can communicate with those of worldly logic because I become like those I am with. I have several sets of logic, one is genuine, my own, and the others are for others. Meeting northerners, I speak like a northerner; meeting people from Henan, I speak like them. People are deceived by these things and fail to recognize a warning, a revelation.

You do not see the evil spirit, you do not see it with fur on its face, horns on its head, ferocious and with fangs. Evil spirits do not look like that. If you see such things, it is Halloween. There is nothing of the sort; it is merely a lie entering a person. Why? People already have their own pursuits. If you wish to pursue love of the world, not serve God, that is fine! The spirit of Sodom does that.

The spirit of Sodom deceived all within Sodom. As a result, sulfur fell from the heavens, burning the city. Everyone inside, young and old, except for Lot and his two daughters, was burned to death. Lot's wife became a pillar of salt. The spirit of Sodom is formidable!

## Beware the Spirit of Sodom (IV): Gradually Approaching the City of Sin

Know that Lot did not arrive there at once. People do not fall at once. For example, someone who uses drugs. They try a little first, finding it pleasant, then a little more, feeling fine, not yet addicted, then a little more, and finally addicted, controlled. All these things entail gradually approaching the city of sin.

Lot said to his wife, Be careful, Sodom is evil. His wife replied, Yes, we must be careful. They must have had such conversations, because they did not arrive at once. Approaching by a kilometer, feeling fine, then approaching a bit more, still fine. Eventually, they moved into the city, and it was still fine. Lot's wife said, Husband, don't listen to that old man Abram, we are doing well in this city!

The spirit of Sodom is formidable. After some time, it recommended Lot to the city management committee where he became a member and developed excellent relations with the King of Sodom. Lot and his wife even prayed daily at home for Sodom. How curious! Was the prayer effective? No!

Know that within Christianity, there are many peculiar teachings that I have never learned from the Bible, but that they have invented themselves. Lot and his wife were to pray for Sodom. What do you make of that? To transform that city of sin into a holy city, to pray for the world's economy, all such things. There is no such thing. I tell you, Chinese Mingding Destiny believes in bringing God's people out of the world. Many dabble in pyramid schemes, seeking to transform the world through them.

A renowned Christian pastor wrote a book called Transformation, seeking to transform the world. Do you see transformation in the Bible? I only see destruction, because the days of Jesus Christ's return will be like the days of Sodom, like the days of Noah. Where do I see transformation? Lamentable! The spirit of Sodom is so potent, deceiving these people into believing they are serving God. All these things are founded on the hope of this world.

## Conclusion

If your hope is in this world, your hope is bound to be dashed. If your trust is in this world, you are more pitiable than all men. Do you still want hope? There is no hope. This world and all that is in it will pass away. Only God's word and the church with God's presence will endure forever! You may examine the Bible to see if what I speak is true or not. If I am wrong, I will correct myself.

How lamentable! In this generation, there are many absurdities in Christian faith that we must eliminate one by one. But we do not want to eliminate the thoughts and intentions within Lot. We want those of God, like those who follow Abraham, to see clearly this world, to understand what it is, and not to deviate from Abraham's path.

Abraham's hope was never in this world, for he considered all things in this world to be vanity. If you do not know this is vanity and are still desperately pursuing some things, then I must pour cold water on you. Why do I live so philosophically, without pressure? What pressure is there in vanity? It is not pressed. Because I live in this world not for worldly things. Is unemployment a problem? Unemployment is not a problem. With God, no problem is a problem!

In my heart, I long for a better country; I long to return to God and be with Him, which is far better! My path is to see the things of this world lightly. If you do not yet see the things of this world lightly, you cannot walk this path, burdened by encumbrances. Like the seed of the kingdom sown, choked by the cares of this life in the mind, unable to bear fruit.

**Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.(Mark 4:3-8)**

I think, God, I want to bear a hundredfold fruit! May God have mercy! We walk the path of Abraham. Those with Abraham's genes possess the same thoughts and intentions. We must seek God, seeking a destiny in eternity. Amen!

May God bless you all!