Today's Topic: The Courage to Realize God's Promises!

Yesterday, I was added to our university's alumni group. The goddess of yesteryear was also in it. They know I am a pastor, which I find somewhat peculiar myself. One of my classmates from back then, now in real estate in New York, from our department, asked if I could share something, offer some guidance. I said that the essence of life lies in blessings and curses, and if a person lives under a curse, no amount of effort will help. The outcome will be particularly poor. Curses don't necessarily come from oneself. Some curses are passed down from ancestors. A curse is when evil spirits legitimately corrupt a person. Jesus Christ bore our curses on the cross – that's what it means. And then, silence! A spiritual person sees through everything, but no one sees through him. I studied aviation, then went into IT, but what I'm studying now is the real thing, about things in the air, unseen and intangible, yet influencing everyone's life.

Recently, I've been researching a topic: What exactly made Jack Ma successful? Jack Ma said this: I don't know how I succeeded. I always feel an invisible force behind me, so I have a sense of awe inside. People need faith. To believe is to be grateful, and to look up is to be in awe. He also said: Many people think I succeeded because of hard work. Actually, many people work hard, but they fail in droves. This is interesting! As a spiritual person, studying spiritual principles, using a spiritual perspective, I'll tell you how Jack Ma succeeded: entirely because of a character trait he possessed! He mentioned at the Zhejiang Entrepreneurs Conference that his character trait is boldness! He mentioned the difficult business environment of 2016, saying that if Zhejiang entrepreneurs couldn't withstand it, probably few others could. That is to say, Chinese Zhejiang entrepreneurs are very resilient. Well, I'll tell you, Jack Ma's success, he doesn't know, but I know. (Bragging a bit! If there were a launchpad, I'd press the drum applause button…)

He inexplicably followed the spiritual principles ordained by God: Vision – seeing future trends, verbal declaration – constantly declaring, transmitting confidence, inspiring his team through faith, and third, the courage of boldness! Spiritual principles operate in the world like gravity. No matter who you are, you are governed by these principles!

If a person has these three things, even if they don't believe in Jesus, they can accomplish things. If you believe in Jesus Christ and possess these three things, wouldn't you take off like a rocket? Brothers and sisters, don't be ignorant, know God, know the spiritual laws created by God. This is why man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God! Why every word? Because it is a complete system. Anyone who cannot fully understand God's complete system cannot receive God's promises.

In the previous two sermons, I talked about two spiritual organs, the eyes and the mouth! But I've noticed that many things we see with our eyes, we don't obtain. What we declare with our mouths, we also don't obtain! Then, are God's promises faithful or unfaithful? – The key lies in being strong and courageous. Without courage, you cannot realize God's promises! So in the first chapter of Joshua, God tells Joshua, Be strong and courageous! I've found that only the strong benefit the most in turbulent times!

Today, we will look at today's topic: The Courage to Realize God's Promises!

Without courage, you cannot draw upon God's promises! This principle is reflected in what God said to Joshua when he took over Moses' leadership position to lead the Israelites into Canaan!

Let's look at today's scripture.

Scripture: Joshua 1:5-9

Jos 1:5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Jos 1:6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Jos 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Jos 1:8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Background of this passage

Forty years in the wilderness, that generation died out,

Forty years ago, Moses led the Israelites to the edge of Canaan, 12 spies, 10 of them died. Timid. That was the land God promised, but because of timidity, they couldn't obtain it.

Ten of the spies died there on the spot. Only Caleb and Joshua had the courage to survive. Not only did they survive, but they also became the leaders of that generation, to lead the Israelites to inherit the land!

Forty years later, Joshua took over the leadership and led the Israelites to enter Canaan. Before entering, Joshua was very afraid. God spoke to him, which is this passage.

What does God's word mean? In one breath, He repeated Be strong and courageous three times! This is very important!

Today, when we read the Bible, don't read it wrongly. Don't ask there why God killed these people? Why is it so cruel? As if you want to stand up for injustice, you think you have a clearer standard of judging right and wrong than God. That is a spiritual battle. That land was firmly controlled by evil spirits because the people of that land worshiped idols! The relationship between people is a relationship between spirits.

This is another topic. Evil spirits can be transmitted through people.

We would naturally ask, Oh, God, you have already赐given us that land, why don't you just kill the people of that land, and we can stroll in, how wonderful!

Many Christians have many misconceptions.

God has already promised the land of Canaan to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, why do the Israelites still have to fight for it?

God's promises are to be obtained through victorious battles! – This is the most wonderful revelation our church has received from God! Our church's main axis: The church is God's army.

We Chinese are very interesting. When we talk about a person, whether or not they are capable, we say, Is it a mule or a horse, pull it out for a walk! Some people fail at the critical moment. – Lacking the quality of being strong and courageous. They lose it as soon as they are pulled out. Really useless! It's not good to keep failing in life!

Why? Because God chooses those He sees as precious in the world! Although God clearly bestows that land upon you, you still have to conquer that land through battle! Although you only need to fight to obtain it, many do not believe! This reveals the quality of people!

God is sifting us! Some are sifted out, some are sifted in. It depends on what qualities are inside you! Those who have the qualities God wants will benefit throughout their lives like Joshua!

So God is choosing people! Choosing what kind of people? Those who are strong and courageous! Choosing those who can draw upon God's promises with faith and courage! Brothers and sisters, no matter what the situation, learn to be strong and courageous.

This is what God values!

Shaping a Character of Strength and Courage is What God Values Most!

God has already given you the keys to the kingdom of heaven! But have you drawn upon them? Those who can draw upon the resources of the kingdom of heaven on earth, bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth, that is what God wants. There are many myths among Christians! It really takes some effort to remove these myths! Remember, there are no cowards in the kingdom of heaven. You say I'm timid, it's in my nature, then rely on the Lord to change it! That is carnal! In Revelation, the cowardly will be thrown into hell!

Shaping our character of strength and courage is a lifelong lesson. If you don't learn it, God will give it to you anyway!

God's promises are all there. To draw upon God's promises, you must have the quality of being strong and courageous. Being strong and courageous is a manifestation of faith.

Do you really believe that God is God?

No matter how treacherous the environment, don't be afraid! Because the Lord God has already handed them over to you!

No matter how treacherous the environment, do not panic, because the Lord God is with you!

Do you really believe it?

In fact, strong and courageous people are not easy to die. Cowards attract ghosts the most. When you pass by a place, if you encounter a fierce dog, don't be afraid. The dog knows if you are afraid. If you are afraid of it, it will attack you.

You live in the world, although we cannot see it, but all around us are spiritual things. If you are afraid of it, it will attack you! If you want to be a Christian, you have no choice, you can only choose to be a strong and courageous Christian. If you are a leader, you must be a strong and courageous leader!

• Only with strength and courage can you inherit the land

• Only with strength and courage can you carefully obey God's word, not deviating to the left or right, and be successful wherever you go

• Only with strength and courage can you not be afraid or panic

• Only with strength and courage can you have God's presence, strength is God's attribute, walking with God,

• Only with strength and courage can you draw upon God's promises, and become a blessing to that generation

Being strong and courageous is a key component of what is essentially faith!

2016 was a year of character building.

What character? The most important character trait? Be strong and courageous!

It is said that those who survive disasters are those who are strong and courageous. Without courage, one immediately loses all ability. You not only lose the resources of heaven, but also the abilities you originally had on earth!

I did an experiment: draw a very narrow line on the ground, half a brick wide, and many people can walk across it. Almost everyone. When you raise that wide piece of wood 20 centimeters, many people still walk across. Raise it one meter, and some people can't do it. Raise it 2 meters, and few people can cross. Raise it to the third floor, tenth floor, and even fewer people can. Because of fear, it’s not that you don't have the ability! Fear causes people to lose ability!

Today, brothers and sisters, begin to shape the strong character within you through spiritual warfare. Shape the courage within you! You will unleash tremendous potential! Amen!

Tell yourself, I want to shape the strong and courageous character within me!

Tell yourself, I want to release the potential within me!

Tell yourself, I want to draw upon the resources God has prepared for me in heaven!

God's promises are faithful! If you have this courage, this strength, you can draw upon it! Draw upon the resources of heaven, and you will surely be above and not below, the head and not the tail!

There was a pastor who could cast out demons and did a lot. But later he began to fear and retreat, and as a result, he lost many spiritual abilities! As a result, he developed many diseases himself! I see Bill Johnson, Robert Morris, are very strong! Those who dare to draw on God's promises receive them!

Constantly improve yourself in courage, so that we have more and more of the image of God!

Courage is improved bit by bit! Was Joshua afraid? Yes! But when we are afraid, we overcome our fear! From small things to big things!

Deng Xiaoping said a sentence: 韬光养晦，修身养性 (Tāoguāng yǎnghuì, xiūshēn yǎngxìng - to conceal one's talents and bide one's time, to cultivate oneself and nourish one's nature). We need to know what that means! It is cultivating one's character! In all character traits, being strong and courageous is the most important.

Since we embarked on the Road of Ascent, I have found that spiritual power is getting stronger and stronger, spiritual vision is getting more and more accurate, and the force of attacking demons is getting greater and greater, more and more precise!

Changhao's friend, he does a lot of business. But the economic situation is not good, business is difficult, and his wife developed depression. Her body was extremely weak. I prayed with them. I advised them to throw away the idols they had acquired. After praying, they threw those things away, they were very brave, Chinese people are brave, and miraculously they got better. Yesterday they went hiking!

I tell you, they will experience even more and greater blessings. I also encourage Changhao and Xiaoxia to lead well and enter a blessed life. Learn to give, learn to fight.

The Road of Ascent requires courage!

In fact, in the past six months, I have experienced the most severe attacks since I started serving! But that was God's tool for shaping me! The brothers and sisters I have served with my heart have one by one become negative towards me. Some things, I didn't even know, and they became negative. Later, the Spirit of God moved me to let go. Letting go also requires courage, to turn around and walk the Road of Ascent. Ascend in courage! Ascend in the ability to serve! Ascend in drawing upon God's promises!

As a result, I discovered that when I braved the gunfire and turned back to walk the Road of Ascent, we began to find that the strength and accuracy of service began to increase greatly! What was previously let go was miraculously reversed! Although there are still a few brothers and sisters who are still negative, I believe they will all be completely reversed.

In the past period of time, I have released several injured brothers and sisters, releasing them from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The feeling of entanglement has disappeared. Now they are so joyful.

When our battle strategies change, and we improve the character within us, the same courage and character as Jesus Christ, we draw upon God's promises and see God deliver the enemy into our hands! Recently, many people have poured into the church from the internet. I and the leaders and co-workers of the small groups are serving every day, releasing one after another, turning one after another, so excited!

Victory in battle gains all the benefits

Before World War I, the United States was far behind Great Britain. After World War II, the United States had become the world's leading power! Victory in battle has extremely rich rewards!

Pastor Zhou Shenzhu said a sentence, many brothers and sisters in the church have no ability to cast out demons, but they are very good at casting out pastors. He has a lot of feelings!

I advise those who are unwilling to fight the devil and only like to entangle with pastors, to turn around and follow me on the road of shaping character. I also want to tell the brothers and sisters that I will not get entangled in those things. I am no longer on that battlefield of the devil. I don't care about those rights and wrongs, who said what, who gave whom what look, what I said, who I offended. I have only one goal, to release those souls under demonic oppression! I encourage those brothers and sisters who have not yet joined this round of revival to arise! Don't miss this good opportunity! Come out of those things that entangle us, restore our combat power, and become a blessing to this generation. Don't miss the good opportunity!

I also say publicly that we are willing to become a blessing to this generation together with those who are willing to fight and serve with us. Those who are unwilling, then let them dawdle behind, we don't care!

Today, the nature of our battle has begun to change. We want to seize air supremacy! We want to stand at a very high position and strike the devil! We must not only have ground troops, we must draw upon the resources of the Kingdom of Heaven, but also establish air superiority!

Leaders must fight with the faith of Let me die

Thank God that God only wants Joshua to be strong and courageous! Not every Israelite is brave! What does this mean? The strength of the leader will bring the strength of the team!

A church is actually a reflection of the pastor's personality. Robert Morris is a strong person! He mentioned in his sharing:

• Someone leaves the church - only when they leave will there be revival! He doesn't care at all!

• If someone wants to coerce and control his authority, he will never back down!

Brother HF listened and said to me, Pastor, they are very similar to us!

When I sent everyone the sharing of Pastor Xiao Xiangxiu of Taichung Banner Church, several brothers and sisters told me, Pastor, what he said is very similar to what you said!

In this generation, leaders need to be strong and courageous! Strong leaders build strong teams! All those who are strong and courageous, not afraid of internal pressure, uncompromising, and towards the outside, facing the devil, facing giants, are also strong and courageous, uncompromising, and if they are willing to die, they will surely receive the promise!

Fighting will kill people! Really will. But what does that matter! Joshua knows the risks of fighting!

Is there pressure? Yes! But pressure is good. If you want to serve this God and receive his promises, the key is whether you are afraid of death or not.

It takes courage to turn your family around! You have to face conflict! Without conflict, there is no transformation!

Do you have a mission in your heart? Do you want to receive God's promises? Do you want to serve this God and receive rewards before him in the future? Even if there is conflict, it doesn't matter! Because God will surely be with us because of our strength and courage!

Daniel's three friends

Caleb, Joshua.

The bold are stuffed to death, the timid starve to death

Getting what you want has a direct relationship to courage.

Girls - ask Joshua to get land as an inheritance

Caleb, Joshua, are both brave

Courage is faith! Being afraid of ghosts is not an option

The previous period of time was a test of our ability to serve!

Because of courage, we boldly declare that our ability to serve will be doubled!

When studying the scriptures the day before yesterday, I boldly mentioned how we can double our ability to serve! We need to start innovating.

Summary – Joyfully welcome the days of inheriting the land!

I'm very excited. My team is very excited! Because this is the time to inherit the land! We will see a new round of revival! We will see God make our name great, God will surely make us a great nation, and God will surely make us a blessing to this generation! Our service will influence this generation!

This is the truth revealed in the Bible: only by being strong and courageous can we draw upon God's promises. Read the scripture again:

Jos 1:5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Jos 1:6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Jos 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Jos 1:8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Jos 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.